Renowned Pakistani fashion designer Nomi Ansari has been placed on the Passport Control List (PCL) in connection with a significant Rs1.25 billion sales tax fraud investigation. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) registered the case through its Corporate Tax Office in April, accusing Ansari of underreporting taxable sales and engaging in serious financial irregularities under Section 2(37) of the Sales Tax Act, 1990.
Ansari has challenged the PCL inclusion in the Sindh High Court, where his legal team argued that the court had already suspended proceedings in the original tax case, making this new action a violation of that stay order. The court has issued notices to the federal government and FBR, demanding responses by July 8, and has adjourned the hearing.
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According to FBR, Ansari’s brand declared significant taxable sales without recording any purchase data, triggering suspicion of tax evasion. Investigators further allege that his bank records show large foreign remittances and unaccounted cash withdrawals under the names of staff members — suggesting potential income concealment and money laundering.
Earlier this year, the FBR obtained search warrants and raided three of Nomi Ansari’s stores and an unregistered production unit in Mehran Town, Karachi. The raids yielded documents reportedly showing substantial discrepancies between reported and actual sales.
The Sindh High Court had earlier barred the FBR from taking coercive measures against Ansari until further orders and summoned the Deputy Attorney General along with FBR officials to justify their actions. Ansari contends the ongoing proceedings breach judicial orders and fall outside the agency’s jurisdiction. Others named in the case include Hussain Kazmi, Syed Ali Masoom Naqvi, and Imran.
