Islamabad :A single bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) comprising Justice Shahid Karim has summoned Commissioner Inland Revenue, RTO Lahore for harassing a taxpayer, closing down his business and ignoring orders of Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) to reopen business. .
According to details Commissioner Inland Revenue Khaliq Farooq Mian demanded extra tax from a leading textile mill owner and unilaterally suspended his sales tax registration upon refusal hitting the business activity.
The owner of the mill moved ATIR through Qamar Abbas Advocate which granted a stay order for two months in favour of the applicant but the FBR official ignored the orders of the tribunal after which the petitioner moved the LHC to redress his grievance.
In his arguments before the court, lawyer of the petitioner Qamar Abbas Advocate said that FBR has taken an illegal, unjustified and unilateral decision by suspending sales tax registration without hearing the taxpayer.
Moreover a stay order was granted to the applicant by Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue which was also ignored by the tax official.
He said that the government is doing its best to promote businesses and facilitate them to boost the limping economy and revenue but some officials of the FBR are harassing businessmen on one pretext or other which is not only resulting in widespread disappointment.
The frustration in the business community is not a good omen for the economy therefore the matter should be noticed and resolved at earliest.
After hearing the arguments, the LHC summoned Commissioner Inland Revenue on December 30th to explain his actions.