In a major development, two Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers have been removed from their posts over their alleged involvement in the leak of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family’s income tax details.
After an investigation into the leak, Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue, Atif Nawaz Waraich, and DC Inland Revenue Zahoor Ahmed have been removed from their posts. The investigation also stated that COAS Bajwa and his family’s tax details were leaked through their login and password.
Further investigation from the FBR officers is underway under Income Tax Ordinance Section 198 and 2016.
Read more: Govt identifies culprits behind leak of COAS Bajwa’s tax records
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had taken strong notice of the tax records leak and ordered an investigation which was headed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha. A report was submitted to the Finance Minister on an urgent basis.
The Finance Minister also released a statement and said leaking tax information is a sheer violation as the law ensures the confidentiality of tax information. According to the Federal Board of Revenue laws, the details, documents, or declarations of taxpayers should be kept confidential.
(1/3).Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has taken serious notice of the illegal and unwarranted leakage of tax information of the family members of General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
— Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan (@Financegovpk) November 21, 2022
COAS Bajwa’s tax records leaked
Earlier, a report by FactFocus claimed that the current market value of the known assets and business of the army chief, both within and outside Pakistan, amounted to Rs12.7 billion. The report also shared the alleged wealth statements of Gen Bajwa and his family from 2013 to 2021.
It claimed that the assets of Gen Bajwa’s wife, Ayesha Amjad, went from zero in 2016 to Rs2.2 billion (declared and known) in six years. The report stated the amount didn’t include residential plots, commercial plots, and houses given by the army to her husband.
The report also alleged that the total worth of the declared assets of Mahnoor Sabir (Gen Bajwa’s daughter-in-law ) jumped from zero in the last week of October 2018 to Rs1,271 million on Nov 2, 2018, while the assets of Mahnoor’s sister Hamna Naseer went from zero in 2016 to “billions” by 2017.
Read more: FM Ishaq Dar orders investigation into leak of COAS Bajwa’s family tax records