The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to expand its tax net by auditing high-earning professionals and businesses in major cities, focusing on doctors and operators of beauty parlors, according to sources cited by ARY News. Under the new plan, medical practitioners charging high fees and businesses selling premium cosmetics will come under FBR scrutiny, with detailed information already collected regarding the locations, brands, and operations of aesthetic clinics and beauty parlors.
In the first phase, the audit will target 250 high-earning doctors across Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, with 100 doctors each from Karachi and Lahore, and 50 from Islamabad. Alongside medical professionals, the paint and cosmetic sectors are also under review, and private companies operating in these industries will be audited for potential tax evasion.
To carry out the audits, FBR has engaged 600 private auditors, with plans to hire an additional 200 auditors in the coming days. In total, 2,000 private auditors will assist in the process, all of whom are required to maintain strict confidentiality of taxpayer information.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by FBR to conduct a historic and comprehensive audit of income tax returns in the current fiscal year. Sources reported that between seven to eight million tax returns could be examined using an automated digital system, marking one of the largest audits ever undertaken in Pakistan. The move reflects FBR’s focus on increasing compliance among high-income professionals and luxury-sector businesses to broaden the country’s tax base.
