Islamabad, 24 Apr, 2025: Designer Nomi Ansari, a well-known name in Pakistan’s fashion industry, has secured temporary relief from the Sindh High Court (SHC) after facing a major tax fraud allegation amounting to over Rs1 billion.
The court has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to pause legal proceedings in the matter until further hearings.
The decision came from a two-judge bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, who reviewed a petition questioning the legality of a First Information Report (FIR) lodged against the designer and his associates.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the SHC issued formal notices to top federal tax officials, including the FBR chairman, the secretary of the revenue division, and the assistant commissioner of inland revenue.
READ MORE: FBR Registers Rs1.25 Billion Sales Tax Fraud Case Against Fashion Designer Nomi Ansari
These officials have been instructed to appear before the court on May 23, where they are expected to explain the grounds for initiating criminal charges.
In a significant move, the court also summoned the FBR official responsible for filing the FIR. The judge requested a clear justification for the actions taken against designer Nomi Ansari, whose legal team claimed that the agency acted in violation of earlier court orders.
According to the petition, the disputed FIR directly contradicts an interim directive already issued by the SHC in a related case.
The legal representatives for the fashion entrepreneur argued that the FBR’s actions, including an unannounced raid and sealing of the business premises, were not only illegal but had also been stayed in a previous court decision.
The petitioners emphasized that notices and summons linked to the same case had been suspended in earlier proceedings, making the latest FIR procedurally flawed.
They claimed the FBR had overstepped its jurisdiction, taking enforcement measures that had not been cleared through proper legal channels.
READ MORE: FBR Sets Final Deadline for Businesses to Adopt Electronic Invoicing System
The SHC’s latest intervention places the tax authority under scrutiny, particularly over its compliance with judicial orders. The upcoming hearing on May 23 will determine whether the FIR stands or is struck down for procedural lapses.
This legal standoff between a high-profile designer and the tax authority underscores broader concerns about due process in revenue investigations, particularly when involving prominent individuals from Pakistan’s creative industries.
