KARACHI: The Overseas Investors Cha­mber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has informed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that the outstanding ref­und claims of its members as of November total Rs96 billion, which includes Rs61bn in income tax and Rs35bn in sales tax.

OICCI Secretary Gen­eral M. Abdul Aleem, in a letter to FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Lang­rial, stated that despite numerous discussions, the outstanding tax refunds remain excessively high, posing significant financial and operational challenges for foreign investors.

The prolonged delay in the release of legitimate tax refunds is adversely aff­ecting the foreign inve­s­tm­ent climate at a time when Pakistan urge­ntly needs to reinforce foreign investor confidence, he said.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2025