FBR tightens noose around Karachi marriage halls

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has squeezed the net around marriage halls in Karachi over tax evasion worth billions of rupees during the past four years.

According to media reports, FBR’s Intelligence and Investigations Directorate have found that the marriage halls in posh areas of the city have evaded a total of Rs9.46 billion in taxes.

It said that at least 660 first category marriage halls received taxes from the organizers but never paid it to the authorities.

The tax authority said that notices were issued to the marriage halls and a real time monitoring of the events was being carried out. “The owners are now directed to submit a one-month prior record of their events.”

It is pertinent to mention that the marriage halls are bound to pay five per cent of the amount charged for their place to the tax authorities.

The FBR said that the halls have only submitted taxes of up to Rs41 million during the past four years with some of them reporting that not even a single event was held at their premises.

On the other hand, some of the top marriage halls in the city had only submitted a tax of up to Rs10,000 during the past four years.