RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Revenue, Hammad Azhar Saturday said payment of taxes and penalties to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on any offshore property does not give immunity from Anti-Money Laundering laws.

According to a tweet of Hammad Azhar here on Saturday, “Paying taxes & penalties to the FBR on any offshore property does not give immunity from Anti-Money Laundering laws. The FIA and the SBP will continue to proceed against these cases if a legal money trail is not provided. Seems like there is a deliberate campaign to mislead the public on this.”

He was responding to a tweet of Miftah Ismail, former finance minister, which said, “Finally big congratulations to those special Pakistanis who have property abroad and who have not declared. Even if you get caught now, there will be no issue. The FBR will just issue a new assessment order and you will get away scot-free. Congratu-lations to those special people. PTI opposed our amnesty even though people had to declare their property and pay a penalty. Now they have given an amnesty for free. I wonder why the change of heart!”