MP's Tax Report depicts huge difference between law makers lifestyle, paid tax

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) -The tax directory of the parliamentarians released by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday gives some insight into their wealth, based on the tax paid by the rich and the other members of the National Assembly and the Senate, but the figures depict a stark contrast to the lifestyle of many law makers.

According to the ‘Parlia­mentarians’ Tax Directory’ issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the premier Nawaz Sharif, a businessman by profession paid Rs2.195m, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shah­baz Sharif Rs7.609m while Hamza Shehbaz paid Rs6.33m. The prime minister’s son-in-law retired Capt. Muhammad Safdar paid only Rs49,902 income tax.

On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supremo Imran Khan, who lives in a prodigious farmhouse, paid Rs76,244 tax, whereas Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Fazlur Rehman also paid a meager Rs49,902 as income tax, DAWN NEWS reported.

The highest incoeme tax was paid by Jehangir Khan Tareen as he deposited a total Rs37.607 million whereas, the bottom slot was occupied by MNA Chaud­hry Muhammad Ashraf who added Rs1,854 to the national exchequer.

The tax directory suggests that senators paid more tax than the National Assembly members. Out of the 90 senators on the list, 83 filed their tax returns, while seven did not do so. The non-filers include five women.

Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi from the tribal areas paid the highest income tax of Rs41.712m, while Mushahid­ullah Khan of the ruling PML-N paid the lowest, Rs3,611.

Details of the tax paid by prominent lawmakers is as under:

Senator Aitzaz Ahsan         Rs24.931m
Farooq Ahmed Naek          Rs13.527m
Dr. Farogh Naseem            Rs11.652m
Babar Awan                         Rs2.958m
Mian Raza Rabbani            Rs730,107
Ayyaz Sadiq                          Rs1.373m
Khwaja Saad Rafique         Rs2.957m
Asad Umar                           Rs4.26m
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi       Rs2.138m
Shah Mehmood Qureshi    Rs1.469m
Chaudhry Pervez Elahi       Rs1.403m
Faryal Talpur                       Rs2.267m
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed        Rs312,383
Khwaja Mohammad Asif   Rs466,630,
Ahsan Iqbal                          Rs106,897,
Syed Khurshid Shah           Rs113,740
Dr. Farooq Sattar                Rs67,639.

Regarding provincial assemblies, All the 64 members of the Balochistan Assembly filed their tax returns and only four of them paid less than Rs1m, which is unprecedented compared to other provinces.

Mir Hammal paid the highest, Rs8.09m, while Kishwar Ahmed paid the lowest tax of Rs917,048 whereas Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri paid Rs1.283m.

For Punjab Assembly members, Arshad Javaid Warraich is the highest taxpayer with Rs19.398m. The least income tax paid by an MPA is Muhammad Javed Awan’s Rs920 whereas Punjab Chief Executive Shahbaz Sharif paid Rs7.609m.

For Sindh Assembly legislators, Sharjeel Inam Memon is the highest taxpayer in the assembly with Rs2.098m. The lowest tax paid is by Aisha Khatoon of Rs5,009 whereas Murad Ali Shah paid Rs661,661.

For KPK Assembly, Sardar Zahoor Ahmad paid the highest tax, Rs10.055m. Shah Farman paid the lowest tax of Rs10,000 whereas Chief Minister Pervez Khattak paid Rs766,480.