Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has challenged SRO-191(1/2012) issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Peshawar High Court (PHC). Under the SRO-191, it would be mandatory for a buyer to give his national identity card number, national tax number and sales tax registration number to a manufacturer.
SCCI President Afan Aziz is on record to have repeatedly said that it was not the responsibility of industrialists, businessmen or taxpayers to bring non-taxpayers to the tax net. He said it was the duty of the FBR to devise a comprehensive mechanism so it could bring tax evaders to tax net, adding but in the present SRO, the FBR had shifted responsibility to industrialists, businessmen and genuine taxpayers which was unjustified and unacceptable.
The petition was filed by Zahid Shinwari, prominent industrialist who argued before the court that the notification with regard to the conditions set by the FBR was illegal. He has told the court it was impossible to fulfil the conditions as most people living in this region were either from Afghanistan or Federally Administered Tribal Areas and thus the SRO could not be implemented.