Misbah, three other Pakistan crickters taxed heavily by Pakistan Federal Board of Revenue

Karachi: Four Pakistani cricketers, including skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, have been taxed heavily by the Federal Board of Revenue for not informing the tax collectors about additional incomes in their tax returns. Muhammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali and Taufiq Umar are the other Pakistani players who have been taxed.

According to details, the FBR imposed the additional taxes after checking the bank accounts and returns of the four players that they had not disclosed additional income in 2010 and 2011 from sponsorship and other endorsements.

"Misbah has been taxed heavily for around Rs 3.2 million for the two years while Hafeez has been directed to pay additional taxes of Rs 1.7 million as additional taxes for the year 2010 and another Rs 2.5 million for the year 2011," a source said. He said batsman Azhar Ali has also been taxed additionally for Rs 300,000 in 2010 and Rs 1.2 million for the year 2011 while Test opener, Taufiq has been ordered to pay additional taxes of Rs 1.2 million for the year 2011 only.

"The FBR has sent notices to these players to pay the additional taxes and if they don't do it within the given time frame than they would be declared as defaulters and legal action would be taken against them," the source said. He said the players maintain that all their tax issues were looked into by the Pakistan Cricket Board and they had got deducted all taxes on their incomes earned via the board.

"The board taxes us heavily for any income we get from them be it from central contracts, match fees, bonuses, sponsorship and endorsement amounts," one player, who declined to be named, said. The source said the tax issues have arisen because of earnings by the players from other commercial sources and avenues.