Govt fixes Rs 1.71b tax evasion on Qadri, two dead office-bearers among others

In a desperate bid to build pressure on firebrand cleric Tahirul Qadri, the government has issued final demand notices of Rs 1.71 billion in outstanding taxes to 16 office-bearers of the Tehreek Minhajul Quran (TMQ), including four persons of the Qadri family and two people who died several years ago, Pakistan Today has learnt.

TMQ sources said that the notices sent to Tahirul Qadri, his sons Hassan Mohiud Din Qadri and Hussain Mohiud Din Qadri, and daughter-in-law Ghazala Hassan Qadri do not mention any amount yet they have been told to clear their tax dues from the year 2009 to 2013.

The sources said that among the two deceased “tax defaulters” are former finance secretary of TMQ, Mian Muzaffar Ahmed, who has been directed to pay Rs 480,000 in taxes that he “evaded’ since 2009. They said that Mian Muzaffar died 15 years ago.

Similarly, the sources said that the government sent a notice of Rs 480,000 in outstanding taxes since 2009 to former TMQ Nazim Tanzimaat, Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, who passed away 9 years ago.

The other “tax defaulters” put on notice are Muhammad Tahir Irfan, former president of Minhajul Quran Youth League who left the organisation 12 years ago but the government still wants him to pay Rs 480,000 he “owes” since 2009, the sources said.

Among other notices sent to TMQ, Minhaj Welfare Foundation has been asked to pay Rs 21.73 million in tax and a penalty of Rs 86.92 million for the year 2009; Rs 28.30 million tax and penalty of Rs 113.23 million for the year 2010; Rs 42.41 million tax and penalty of Rs 169.67 million for the year 2011; Rs 45.72 million tax and penalty of Rs 182.91 million for the year 2012; and Rs 54.91 million tax and penalty of Rs 219.65 million for the year 2013.

Idara Minhajul Quran has been directed to pay Rs 8.91 million tax and penalty of Rs 35.66 million for year 2010; Rs 28.17 million tax and penalty of Rs 112.69 million for year 2011; Rs 31.06 million tax and penalty of Rs 124.27 million for the year 2012; and Rs 82.30 million tax and penalty of Rs 329.20 million for the year 2013.

Altogether the total tax (Rs 343.67 million) and penalties (Rs 1.37 billion) sent to Idara Minhajul Quran and Minhaj Welfare Foundation amounts to Rs 1.71 billion.

Earlier, the government officials reportedly delayed serving the notices to office-bearers of Minhajul Quran ostensibly to give them minimum time to respond.

The government issued notices to Qadri and 15 others in July 2014. These were delivered on July 11 and the last date to submit a reply was July 15. Surprisingly the second notice was issued on June 30 but delivered on July 18 and the last date to submit a reply was July 15.

The government issued final show cause notices to Qadri and others on July 16, which were delivered on July 18. The last date to submit reply of the final show cause notices was July 21.

POLITICAL VICTIMISATION:

Commenting on the notices, Qadri’s Principal Secretary and Director Foreign Affairs of TMQ, GM Malik said that the government’s mala fide intent was clear in the stereotype notices sent to the TMQ office-bearers.

“Moreover, the notices are dated July 25 but they were sent to us on August 5, which shows the government’s ill intentions,” he said.

Malik said the government had failed to fix tax penalties on Qadri and his family members because they were regular tax payers yet they were issued notices.

“This is sheer political victimisation by the government… they haven’t even spared our two dead colleagues,” he said, adding that they were consulting their legal teams for appropriate response to the tax notices.