22/07/2025
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken major action against Forvil Cosmetic Private Limited (Lahore) and Forvil Cosmetics (Peshawar), the makers of Bio Amla, over massive tax evasion.
FBR has ordered license cancellation and declared production, stocking and sales of their products illegal.
In a decisive move to crack down on tax evasion, the FBR has intensified enforcement actions across the country through its Large Taxpayer Offices (LTOs), Regional Tax Offices (RTOs), and Corporate Tax Offices.
Acting on FBR’s directive the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in Peshawar has been formally instructed to immediately revoke the manufacturing license issued to Forvil Cosmetics, a company blacklisted for evading taxes worth hundreds of millions of rupees.
The FBR has not only declared the production, storage and sale of this company’s products illegal but has also prohibited any other firm or third party from manufacturing, stocking, or selling goods under the trademark “Bio Amla” or any similar name. The banned products include Bio Amla Shampoo, Bio Nikhhar Cream, Seven Day Cream, and Prima Hair Color, among others.
According to official documents, the FBR has explicitly directed PSQCA to neither issue a new license nor renew any existing one under the said brand, including any entity associated with Forvil Cosmetics. Following these instructions, PSQCA Peshawar has given the company a seven-day deadline to submit a clearance certificate from FBR, valid sales tax registration, recent income tax returns, proof of tax payments, and certified compliance documents. Failure to comply will result in legal action.
In a letter sent to PSQCA, FBR said that Forvil Cosmetics registered in Peshawar is owned by partners Muhammad Owais and Kashif Zia both of whom are defaulters of FBR in tax liabilities amounting to more than Rs. 300 million. The case is also under investigation by the Directorate General Intelligence & Investigation, Inland Revenue. Sources confirmed that the FBR has launched similar crackdowns on tax defaulters in other cities, including Karachi and Lahore.
In Lahore, under the supervision of Chief Commissioner Saadia Sadaf Gilani from the Corporate Tax Office, it was discovered that certain PSQCA officials may have colluded to issue a license to the blacklisted company without securing necessary recovery or informing higher authorities.
In response, a special team led by Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue Muhammad Qamar Minhas was formed, which promptly wrote to PSQCA and recommended cancelling the license issued for the seized trademark.
FBR documents show that Forvil Cosmetics (Pvt) Ltd (Lahore) owes Rs. 570 million (including surcharge and penalties) as of October 2022. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has upheld the assessment order issued against the company. Both directors of the company are currently in jail, and the company has ceased operations for several years. Its sales tax registration has also been cancelled and blacklisted.
Expressing concern, the FBR noted that despite being blacklisted the company’s products are openly available in the market. The license was reportedly issued to Forvil Cosmetics (Peshawar) by PSQCA Peshawar based on a misinterpretation of the licensing order and without obtaining clearance from FBR or the Trademark Authority. The FBR emphasized in its letter that no license should be granted until all tax dues are cleared, and any existing license should be immediately revoked.
Following this strong action by the FBR, PSQCA’s senior management has launched an internal inquiry to determine which officials were involved in issuing the license without the required NOC from FBR and Trademark Authority According to sources, once identified, strict disciplinary action will be taken against those responsible.
