FBR freezes Misbah, Azhar Ali’s bank accounts

LAHORE: Bank accounts of Pakistan cricket captain Misbah ul Haq and Azhar Ali have been frozen according to sources in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) spokesman, Shahid Hussain said: "Misbah has not paid taxes of 3.9 million rupees and Ali owes 1.5 million rupees in taxes, so the FBR has frozen their accounts and as per rules, their banks will be asked to deduct the amount if it is there in their accounts."

A number of players have been investigated for tax evasion of the past few years.

In 2012, the FBR warned Misbah and a number of players over tax evasion, and in July this year the 40-year-old approached finance minister Ishaq Dar to resolve the income tax issues.

Dar reportedly promised to resolve the issue but categorically told the players that paying taxes is a national obligation for every citizen.

Tax evasion is rampant in Pakistan -- according to FBR figures, less than 0.5 per cent of Pakistanis pay income tax, or just 750,000 individuals out of a population of some 180 million.