The tax collection authority has initiated enforcement actions after analyzing data collected through its Social Media Lifestyle Monitoring Team
Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a nationwide crackdown on wealthy tax evaders, non-filers and individuals accused of hiding assets while flaunting lavish lifestyles on social media, officials said Sunday.
According to sources within the tax authority, the FBR initiated enforcement actions after analyzing data collected through its Social Media Lifestyle Monitoring Team. The operation uses information drawn from major platforms including TikTok, Meta, YouTube and Instagram to identify individuals displaying expensive assets but failing to file income tax returns.
Lists of suspected non-filers who showcase wealth online—through posts featuring luxury vehicles, motorcycles, yachts, designer clothing, high-end jewelry, and costly watches—have already been compiled, the sources said.
Tax officials said the crackdown also targets users who share images or videos from weddings, musical events and parties where large sums of cash are thrown in the air or distributed publicly, as well as those flaunting luxury homes, farmhouses and meals at upscale hotels.
“The FBR has obtained key information about the expenses, credit and ATM card usage, and foreign travel history of individuals who display wealth online,” one senior official said.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has assisted the FBR in identifying people through their digital and financial footprints. The collaboration aims to link social-media activity with tax records and financial transactions.
Officials said non-filers identified through the monitoring initiative will receive notices in the coming days. “Those showing off their fortunes online but failing to file tax returns will not be spared,” one source said.
The FBR’s campaign represents one of the first efforts by Pakistan’s tax authorities to use social-media analytics to detect concealed income and unreported assets. It comes amid a broader government drive to expand the country’s narrow tax base and boost revenues.
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