Senior bureaucrat reportedly spends Rs. 25 crore on daughter’s wedding.
A prominent wedding in Pakistan has reportedly ignited controversy after reports highlighted that the daughter of a senior government official celebrated her marriage with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 248 million, despite the country’s ongoing economic freefall.
According to official sources, the extravagant event included six separate ceremonies, with nearly Rs. 40 million spent on décor and venues and another Rs. 30 million spent on food for 400 guests.
Bride outfit cost Rs. 30 million
Designer outfits for the bride, groom, and close family reportedly cost Rs. 30 million, while diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs. 80 million was also purchased.
The scale of the spending went beyond traditional celebrations, featuring fireworks, drone light shows, cinematic video shoots, foreign consultants, handmade invitations, and luxury gifts.
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Around Rs. 30 million was spent on styling, entertainment, and photography, and nearly Rs. 28 million went towards invitations, gift hampers, and creative consultancy.
Despite these lavish expenses, tax authorities found no record of the wedding costs in the returns of the official or his daughter. Sources said payments were mostly made in cash without invoices, a tactic often used to evade taxes.
FBR is investigating
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which has begun targeting such cases, is investigating the matter as an example of blatant tax evasion.
Officials noted that the bride’s frequent foreign trips to Canada, the UK, Mexico, and the UAE point to a lifestyle far more lavish than what is reflected in her declared assets.
Tax officials described the case as a classic example of hidden wealth. While the rich continue to spend billions on luxury weddings, foreign travel, real estate, and jewellery, much of it remains outside the formal tax net.
