Firdous Ashiq Awan hints major crackdown on benami property holders

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Media and Broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan today (Tuesday) claimed that benami property holders were not out of reach anymore, ARY News reported.

Taking to the social networking website twitter, the SAPM tweeted that a political family of Sindh and their undeclared property would now be taken action against after required information of their benami property had come out during investigations.

Awan said that the benami zone of the Federal Board of Revenue Karachi chapter would undertake required action against the findings.

She also expressed resolve that accountability was a major part of ‘Naya Pakistan’ which she could now see on the horizon.

As reported earlier on July 1, The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) authorities have pulled their socks up for initiating large-scale crackdowns against benami [undisclosed] accounts and properties across the country.

A high-powered authority has been constituted that was tasked to open thorough probe into benami accounts, whereas, FBR authorities have also established ‘Benami Zones’.

High-level officers of FBR were appointed in the zone to collect complete data of undisclosed properties for finalising a plan to conduct crackdowns.

Moreover, the board made postings and transfers of 11 senior officers in the benami zones.

Commissioner Islamabad Hasan Zulfiqar has been appointed as Commissioner Inland Revenue (IR) Upper Wing Authority while Deputy Commissioner Regional Tax Office (RTO) Muhammad Hussain has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Benami Zone 1 and Assistant Commissioner IR Hasham Khalid was also posted to the same zone.

Syed Shakeel Ahmed was appointed Commissioner IR and Bilal Mehmood was given charge of Deputy Commissioner IR in Benami Zone 3.