The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has begun delivering new Honda City cars to its tax officers, with dozens already received at its Karachi headquarters.
In total, the FBR plans to acquire 1,010 vehicles at an estimated cost of Rs6 billion. Half of this amount, Rs3 billion was paid in advance to secure the first batch of 500 cars, following a procurement agreement signed in January 2025.
According to the FBR, the vehicles are meant to enhance field mobility for officers involved in tax enforcement.
However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and the general public, many of whom are questioning such high spending during a time of economic strain.
In response to the backlash, the FBR previously submitted a letter to a parliamentary committee, explaining that the cars are only being assigned to officers in grade 17 and 18 stationed at field offices. Senior officers in grade 19 and above are not part of this allocation.
The department emphasized that the cars won’t be owned by individuals but will remain under the control of their respective offices. To ensure transparency and prevent misuse, all vehicles will be marked with official FBR stickers.
Despite these clarifications, public criticism of the move remains strong.