Pakistan tax authorities to look into players' assets

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will investigate the total assets of the Pakistan cricketers, team officials and top-ranking paid officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board, a senior tax official have said.

Israr Rauf, who is a member and director of tax in the FBR, told Reuters that regional income tax offices had been told to file reports on the assets of the Pakistan players and officials.

He said the investigations were separate from the Scotland Yard inquiry in Britain into corruption allegations.

Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been suspended by the International Cricket Council after reports in The News of the World newspaper.

"It is not linked directly to the spot-fixing scandal but, yes, we have taken note of media reports about the players building palatial bungalows and acquiring farmland," Rauf said.

"Every person whose income is above 500,000 rupees ($5,800) has to file a wealth tax return and we compare that with our own data and, if required, hold an audit to verify assets," he said.

Rauf said that the FBR would accumulate details of the players' income and compile details of the players' sources of income, vehicles, plots, farmlands, bungalows, national/ international bank accounts and movable/non-movable assets.

The News of the World also released a video of Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed on Sunday in which he claims that some players had have built up property and assets that included more than one bungalow through fixing matches.

The FBR has also asked its regional income tax offices to get details of incomes and assets of captains, coaches, managers, commentators, selectors and other office-holders in the national team and board for the past five years.

- Reuters