DJ Butt faces the music?

E-Paper | March 01, 2026

LAHORE: DJ Butt has been served notice of Rs17 million tax on services according to media reports. Mr Butt denies having received any such notice.

Mr Butt told Dawn he had heard about it but not received anything from the Revenue Authority.

DJ Butt had on Monday asked his party, the PTI, to clear his dues amounting to Rs140m, out of which he had only received Rs52.9m.

According to the media reports, the Punjab government on Tuesday moved to recover tax on his service which he rendered during the 126-day sit-in by the PTI last year, where he provided acoustics and generators to power the entire gala.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Pakistan

Punjab govt shuts colonial-era printing press, leaves 300 employees in limbo

Lawmaker’s open letter calls for debate on CCD functioning

Hamid Khan group wins top Lahore High Court Bar Association slot ‘amid rigging charges’

Ahmed USA

Jul 08, 2015 08:43am

Talk about priorities... PTI spent Rs. 140 million just to play music... PTI could have easily donated this money to thousands of poor families which are in urgent need of food, shelter and medicine...

Recommend 0

Shahid

Jul 08, 2015 08:52am

He is a rich man

Recommend 0

Proud Pakistani

Jul 08, 2015 09:34am

What about the PTI and its financial supports???

Recommend 0

Ali

Jul 08, 2015 10:19am

This is good :)

Recommend 0

Salim Khan

Jul 08, 2015 10:26am

Great job.

Recommend 0

Saad S.

Jul 08, 2015 11:06am

is this tax on income or on music? poor soul

Recommend 0

Snapshot

Jul 08, 2015 11:53am

This is sad PTI spending an enormous amount on an unknown musician who is more expensive than Shahrukh Khan.

Recommend 0

Khuram Nisar

Jul 08, 2015 12:16pm

I am failed to understand 140 Million dues for playing the music. Guy is just smart and using media to make some bucks. Now, he needs to share it with revenue department as well.

Recommend 0

KaKa

Jul 08, 2015 12:42pm

HaHaHa..revenue authorities must focus on people with whom they can get money.

Recommend 0

Shabbir Ahmed

Jul 08, 2015 01:11pm

Imran, what a disappointment you are to your supporters. You spent a whopping sum of 140 million rupees on lighting and sound system during your 'Dharna' in Islamabad. You couldn't find any better use of this money. Please, set your priorities right!

Recommend 0

Moona

Jul 08, 2015 01:36pm

140 million! That's 1,376,026 USD just to pay a DJ! They could have saved many lives in Peshawar with this money. Shame, shame.

Recommend 0

Moona

Jul 08, 2015 01:37pm

@Saad S. Poor? hardly! He already has 52.9 million rupees.

Recommend 0

asgher

Jul 08, 2015 01:46pm

is he the richest DJ in the world? have Pakistan broken another world record ???

Recommend 0

Dija

Jul 08, 2015 01:52pm

Disappointing on PTIs part to make such an arrangement in a country where people die out of hunger....such a high amount only for PLAYING music DOES sound weird!

Recommend 0

Muhammad Zafar iqbal

Jul 08, 2015 02:38pm

Revenue authorities are absolutely right to recover legal taxes on what Had earned by the the DJ . And also recover taxes frI'm dharna masters who had such a huge amount of money just on dancing,& singing and other wrongdoings during this fashion gala.

Recommend 0

funnyLand

Jul 08, 2015 02:47pm

Making a committee to sort out what to pay to a DJ..raises serious doubts about PTIs processes..and intentions. How complicated can it be ? You made a contract and you pay a bill accordingly..its simple. Committees are made when you really don't want to do the right thing...

Recommend 0

Dr. Sadaf

Jul 08, 2015 02:49pm

Poor guy like many of us he trusted them and the dharna and look where he has landed.

Recommend 0

Shahid

Jul 08, 2015 03:38pm

He was stupid to come in the open.

Recommend 0

maliksana

Jul 08, 2015 03:42pm

PTi is paying this amount from there own pockets. So patwaries shouldn't worry about anything.

Recommend 0

Shakil Ahmed Khan

Jul 08, 2015 04:37pm

There is difference between a daily contract and long term contract both varies hugely on paid sums. 140millions is a large amount and tax authorities should certainly ask him for Income tax. PMLN supporters shouldnt worry about PTI! unlike PMLN that rely on Punjab Public funds spent on all PMLN media and public gatherings, PTI raise its own funds through its workers and fund raisers.

Recommend 0

Common man

Jul 08, 2015 04:45pm

Good job revenue agency

Recommend 0

Yasir Khan Bhittani

Jul 08, 2015 07:04pm

I am an engineer and it is fascinating that a DJ is earning in millions.I don't have enough money to apply for post-grad study and my govt is spending all the money on DJs. 140 million PKR are enough for 1400 Engineers to have their Masters/M.phil/Phd from foreign countries and in return those engineers serve our nation.But No! A DJ is more important I guess.My Govt is doing nothing for me yet collecting TAX on every single item of daily use.

Recommend 0

Jul 08, 2015 07:58pm

very interesting. Is there any thing right, any where in Pakistan ?

Recommend 0

Khalid Toronto

Jul 08, 2015 08:29pm

Man, I am in the wrong business. Should have become a DJ instead.

Recommend 0

Ali S

Jul 08, 2015 08:29pm

Why the hell would anyone be paid 14 CRORES (that's 1.4 million dollars!) for manning a laptop and a mixer with barely decent sound quality. Even most famous DJs in the US don't charge that much. What kind of ridiculous things was IK spending this much on, and where is all that money coming from? Imagine what could have been done had he given it away to Shaukat Khanum.

Recommend 0

Talha

Jul 08, 2015 08:39pm

@Ahmed USA PTI is fighting for the long term, trying to get rid of the corrupt. That way the poor won't need PTI's donations and would become self-sufficient.

Recommend 0

Adnan

Jul 08, 2015 08:44pm

PMLN wanted him to go against PTI.when they failed now threatening him with notices. if he agreed to what noora was asking ,he would be exempt from tax in the same way as sethi and others was exempted.

Recommend 0

Erik

Jul 08, 2015 10:11pm

Imran Khan you have disappointed us. You have shattered our hopes and dreams of a new Pakistan. You could have used this money to fund your cancer hospital. Now what face will you carry when you go out begging for funds for cancer hospital?

Recommend 0

Erik

Jul 08, 2015 10:15pm

@Yasir Khan Bhittani You are right in saying that hundreds of post grad scholars could've been supported by this money. On the other hand you are wrong in saying that these scholars in return serve their country. I have yet to meet such a scholar who returned to Pakistan after his graduation to serve his country. They serve their own selves (and there is nothing wrong in it).

Recommend 0

ishaq Khan

Jul 08, 2015 11:30pm

Rome was burning and Nero was playing flute

Recommend 0

ahmed

Jul 09, 2015 02:28am

What were the priorities of pti again :P

Recommend 0

wshaikh

Jul 09, 2015 03:42am

It is very sad and tragic that politician after politician are exploiting the poor man.People thought that IK cares about ordinary Pakistan and wants to bring real changes. PTI paid 140 million rupees just to a DJ during the Dharna. They could have spent this money on poor people. I am deeply saddened by the news coming out about IK and his entouage. Another opportunity lost for the poor folks.

Recommend 0

wshaikh

Jul 09, 2015 03:47am

@Erik I am glad that I did not support IK from the very first day. I was not very enthusiastic about him because he has accepted all LOTAS in his party. A man is known by the company he keeps.

Recommend 0

Nasir

Jul 09, 2015 05:19am

Damn, ruining the party!

Recommend 0

Syed Abu Mokaarim

Jul 09, 2015 06:44am

I would suggest FBR to catch and fine those as well to whom he is to pay his share of dues. The generator, truck and fuel supply party. Their bills are also in millions. Also give and audit account of that party or individual who clear his bill, did they have taxed money. Better concentrate on such hundreds of cases with iron hands and cover 30 billion target instead of 0.6pc wht on general public.

Recommend 0