KARACHI: A team of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials from RTO-II, Zone V were taken hostage at a marriage hall located on Dalmia Road, raising questions about the tactics used by tax authorities.

According to the FBR sources, the team had gone to the wedding hall to obtain records for an audit. However, upon arrival, they were confronted by the hall’s staff and subsequently held hostage.

“The FBR team was simply trying to carry out their duties, but they were met with an unacceptable level of resistance,” an FBR official said on the condition of anonymity. “This is a concerning development that we are taking very seriously.”

The hostage situation was eventually resolved after the Additional Commissioner of the FBR contacted the local police, who were able to rescue the trapped officials, he said. This incident comes amid reports that the FBR has been placing immense pressure on its field formations to meet ambitious revenue targets. Sources said that tax departments constituted numerous enforcement teams to conduct audits and inspections across the country.

“It’s clear that the FBR’s aggressive approach to revenue collection has led to these kinds of confrontations. Revenue collection is important but the methods must be fair and respectful for the taxpayers,” sources said.

Nonetheless, this incident is likely to fuel further debate about the FBR’s enforcement tactics and the need for a more balanced approach to tax administration, they added. When contacted, the commissioner and AC headquarters RTO-II were not available for comments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024