ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) customs authorities have delayed investigation against allegations of gang involved in selling non-custom duty paid products in alleged connivance with some FBR employees, causing huge loss of revenue.
It is reliably learnt that on the basis of public interest complaint lodged by tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt, Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has ordered the Chairman FBR to conduct an investigation with the help of (FIA) and other agencies and submit a detailed report within one month but after lapse of two months FBR is not ready to investigate this violation of law resulting in sale of non-customs paid goods without any check.
Despite four notices no comments have been offered against the allegations. When contacted international human rights activist and constitutional lawyer Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who is representing the complainant, informed that complainant requests the FTO to intervene to uphold the integrity and stature of the FTO to check huge revenue loss under the garb of smuggled/ non-custom paid products fraudulently sold to the general public.
Azhar Siddique alleged that a very strange activity on the part of FBR with active connivance of some FBR personnel in collaboration with said financial institutions, as well as, through using Mobile Phone SIM Cards, has been highlighted but all in vain.
Reference is invited to this office letter dated 25.03.2024, 30.04.2024 and 14.05.2024, wherein it is required to submit parawise comments but no response has been received so far despite lapse of more than two months, which is a clear defiance of the notices of the FTO. Now therefore, the department is provided a final opportunity for sub mission of parawise comments before 14.06.2024.
The case is also fixed for hearing on 14.06.2024. FBR is required to depute the DR (not below the rank of BS-19) to attend the hearing at Regional Office, Lahore along with parawise comments, failing which the complaint would be decided ex-parte in view of the available record/facts of the case, FTO order added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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