ISLAMABAD – A tax dispute between Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and a senior overseas Pakistani banker sparked fresh concerns about the safety of expatriate investments, as Qatar based banker alleged that apex tax authority emptied his bank account and is now pursuing his remaining assets.
Arsalan Adam, a Pakistani national currently serving as Head of Operations at Doha Bank in Qatar, approached Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking urgent intervention, claiming FBR vanished his entire bank balance and is now attempting to confiscate his property despite what he says is clear evidence that his investments were funded through legitimate overseas earnings.
The man said his bank in Pakistan informed him that FBR declared him a tax defaulter and instructed the bank to transfer all available funds from his account. Just one day later, on June 24, the bank transferred Rs7 million, his entire cash balance in Pakistan, to FBR.
قطر میں مقیم پاکستانی شہری ارسلان آدم نے ایف بی آر کی جانب سے 2 کروڑ 26 لاکھ روپے نکالنے پر وزیر اعظم شہباز شریف اور فیلڈ مارشل کو خط لکھ دیا خط میں کہا گیا ہے کہ ایف بی آر کو بیرون ملک آمدن اور ملازمت کے ثبوت فراہم کیے مگر ایف بی آر نے ماننے سے انکار کردیا خط کو غور سے پڑھیں… pic.twitter.com/5SHGrZGf1R
— Waqas Azeem (@Waqas_Azeem) June 25, 2026
“I am now left with nothing,” Adam wrote in his complaint, adding that tax authorities are now seeking to recover the remaining amount by taking possession of his property. Adam said he lived outside Pakistan since 2002, spending nearly 24 years working in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. Throughout his banking career, he has held senior positions at Deutsche Bank, Bank of America, KPMG, Banque Saudi Fransi, ABN AMRO Bank, and now Doha Bank.
Despite building his career overseas, Adam chose to invest his savings in Pakistan, regularly sending remittances through official banking channels and filing income tax returns since tax year 2016–17. He called those investments as an expression of his faith in Pakistan rather than a financial necessity.
FBR previously questioned the source of funds used for his investments in Pakistan and requested supporting documentation. The man said he responded by submitting records proving that he was a non-resident Pakistani whose income was earned abroad and transferred legally to Pakistan through banking channels.
Despite this, Adam claims FBR rejected his explanation and issued a tax demand of PKR 22,626,450, stating that he had failed to establish the source of his income. He argues that the tax authority ignored documentary evidence and proceeded with recovery action.
In his appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Adam said the government’s treatment of overseas Pakistanis contradicts repeated assurances that expatriates are valued for their contributions to the country’s economy.
Calling recovery action “nothing short of daylight robbery,” he warned that such incidents could seriously undermine the confidence of millions of overseas Pakistanis who continue to invest and send remittances back home. “As a proud expat Pakistani, I have always tried to do what is best for my country,” he wrote, noting that he had declined opportunities to obtain foreign citizenship despite spending decades abroad.
He urged PM to order probe into matter, direct FBR to refund the money withdrawn from his account, and ensure overseas Pakistanis are treated fairly. FBR, however, rejects the allegation that the recovery was unlawful.
According to tax officials, Adam was served with a tax default notice under applicable legal procedures after allegedly failing to pay outstanding tax liabilities amounting to Rs22,626,450. Officials maintain that the transfer of funds from his bank account was carried out legally as part of the recovery process and that further action against his assets is permitted under tax laws if the remaining dues are not recovered.
The case has drawn attention because it raises broader questions about tax enforcement, due process, and the confidence of overseas Pakistanis who invest billions of rupees in the country’s economy through remittances and long-term investments.
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