Islamabad( The COW News Digital) The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)’s Lifestyle Monitoring Cell has uncovered more than 20 cases involving individuals living lavish lives on social media while declaring meager incomes and assets in their tax returns. The findings reveal a stark contrast between their declared wealth and their public display of luxury, extensive travel, and high-end possessions.
According to official reports, one of the identified cases includes a digital content creator and travel vlogger whose Instagram posts showcased frequent international trips from 2020 to 2025. Despite traveling to destinations such as Seychelles, Dubai, Spain, the UK, the Maldives, and Switzerland, the influencer declared an annual income ranging from just PKR 490,800 to PKR 816,800 over the five-year period.
The influencer’s declared assets grew modestly—from around PKR 1.09 million in 2020 to PKR 1.9 million in 2024—despite evidence of luxury vacations and multiple international tours. The FBR noted this as a clear case of underreporting and tax evasion.
In another high-profile case, the Lifestyle Monitoring Cell detected concealed assets worth approximately PKR 180.5 million linked to an individual from a prominent political family in South Punjab. Publicly available records and online evidence revealed ownership of four luxury vehicles, including a Lexus LX 570 (valued at PKR 80 million), a Toyota Fortuner Legender (PKR 15 million), a Suzuki Hayabusa superbike (PKR 5.5 million), and a BMW i7 luxury electric sedan (PKR 80 million).
However, none of these vehicles were disclosed in the individual’s or his father’s tax returns. The person, who registered with the tax authorities in January 2023, only declared two motorcycles in his filings—a BMW M 1000 RR worth PKR 14.2 million and a BMW R 1250 GS worth PKR 9.8 million—amounting to a total declared value of PKR 31.28 million. By 2024, even one of these motorcycles was omitted from his filings.
The FBR’s investigation concluded that the taxpayer had declared only a fraction of his actual wealth. Officials said that the ongoing crackdown aims to ensure accountability and close the gap between real and declared income. The Lifestyle Monitoring Cell will continue tracking social media activity, luxury assets, and travel patterns to identify potential tax evaders in the coming months.
