ISLAMABAD - The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday released the tax directories of general people and parliamentarians, showing that 120 lawmakers had not filed their income tax returns in year 2015.

Following its previous traditions, the PML-N government, for the third consecutive year, has issued the tax directory, showing the details of income tax returns for the year 2015. “Number of income tax returns increased to 10,74,000 in year 2015 from 7,21,000 of 2013, showing increase of 3,50,000,” said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at launching ceremony of tax directories.

The FBR issued two different directories, one of the general people and other of lawmakers having details of all members of the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies. Out of total 1174 representatives in Senate, National Assembly and four provincial assemblies, 120 lawmakers failed to perform their national duty to file their income tax returns during the last year 2015.

The parliamentarians’ tax directory showed that Prime Minister Nawaz paid tax of Rs2.19 million during the year 2015 as compared to Rs2.61 million he paid in 2014, showing decrease of Rs0.42 million. Meanwhile, the tax payment of PTI’s chairman Imran Khan also recorded decline, as he paid Rs76,244 in 2015 as against Rs218,237 of the preceding year. Opposition leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah paid Rs113,740 as tax in 2015.

Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani paid tax of Rs730,106. Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq paid Rs1.37 million as tax. Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi paid Rs1.74 million tax.

In federal cabinet, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar paid Rs3.91 million, Interior Minister Ch Nisar Rs847,662, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Rs466,630, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Rs2.14 million, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique Rs2.96 million, Planning, Development and Reforms Minister Ahsan Iqbal Rs106,897, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid Rs106,105 as income tax in the year 2015. Minister for Housing Akram Khan Durrani paid Rs86,196 and Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain paid Rs402,628 as income tax in the year 2015.

JUI-F Amir Maulana Fazlur Rehman paid Rs49,902, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed Rs312,383, Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM Rs67,639, Shah Mahmood Qureshi of PTI Rs1.47 million, Dr Shireen Mazari of PTI Rs782,731, Pervaiz Elahi of PML-Q Rs1.4 million, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of ANP Rs34,662, MNA Hamza Shehbaz Sharif paid Rs6.3 million tax, MNA Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao Rs 1.72 million, former KP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti Rs75,762 and Prime Minister’s Son in Law Capt (r) Mohammad Safdar Rs49,902 as tax in last year.

Similarly, PTI’s MNAs Asad Omar and Jahangir Khan Tarin paid Rs4.26 million and Rs37,607,528 respectively. PPP MNA Faryal Talpur paid Rs2.27 million and Naveed Qamar 49,902.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif paid Rs7.6 million tax, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah Rs661,661, KP CM Pervaiz Khattak Rs766,480 and Balochistan CM Sardar Sanaullah Zehri paid Rs1.28 million as income tax.

Leader of House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq paid Rs108,524, Leader of Opposition in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan Rs24,931,890, Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri Rs202,666, PPP Senator Rehman Malik Rs47,362, MQM Senator Farogh-e-Naeem Rs 116.5 million, former Finance Minister Saleem Mandviwalla Rs 1.12 million and Jamat-I-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq paid Rs51,343.

The senators who did not pay any tax last year are Gul Bushra, Kalsoom Parveen, Mir Naimatullah Zehri, Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Samina Abid, Sittara Ayaz, and Nighat Mirza.

Addressing a ceremony, Ishaq Dar said that it was the commitment of PML-N government to publish tax directories of general taxpayers and parliamentarians and today (Friday) we have fulfilled our commitment. “It is third time that our government is issuing taxpayers directory and Pakistan is the only fourth country in the world to publish such kind of directory,” he said.

“We took approval from federal cabinet and fulfilled all formalities to publish directories and now FBR will upload this directory,” the minister added.

He said that in previous directory record of around 8,56,000 was published but in this directory record of around 10,74,000 taxpayers will be published. “Everyone can check it. We are committed to restrain the privileges of privileged class as we terminate the special SROs and other privileges and committed to enhance revenue in the country,” Ishaq Dar said.

“Media used to ask questions about this directory as when it will be published so that they can check record of parliamentarians and other taxpayers. Now they and everybody else can check it,” he added.

Ishaq Dar congratulated FBR chairman Nisar Mohammad Khan and all staff for achieving their targets and making it possible to publish this directory.