A Senate subcommittee has transferred the investigation into an alleged Rs1.12 trillion cigarette tax theft case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), citing dissatisfaction with the Federal Board of Revenue’s handling of the matter.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Senate Subcommittee on Interior chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, where the FBR chairman did not appear despite the significance of the case.

The committee instructed the FIA to complete its investigation within two months and submit a report. It also ordered the agency to examine all cigarette manufacturers and brands, while expanding the inquiry to include factories importing raw materials under quota schemes.

Abro maintained that the FBR was unlikely to carry out an effective investigation, prompting the committee to assign the case to the FIA instead.

Lawmakers also raised concerns over the alleged involvement of customs officials and directed that the entire supply chain, from quota-based imports to cigarette production and distribution, be scrutinized.

The matter stems from a recent customs operation in which a large consignment of smuggled cigarettes was intercepted. Customs officials informed the committee that all trucks carrying the consignment had been taken into custody after authorities received advance intelligence about the smuggling attempt and alerted the Motorway Police.

During the discussion, Senator Talha Mahmood questioned whether the case fell within the Customs Department’s jurisdiction, while customs officials indicated that the seized cigarettes were suspected to have been smuggled into Pakistan from Afghanistan.

The committee’s directives significantly escalate the case by placing the alleged Rs1.12 trillion tax theft under an FIA investigation, while keeping pressure on the FBR and customs authorities over their handling of the matter.