ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has warned Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue that non-compliance of the Court’s directions or non-submission of comments shall not be tolerated and such lapses will be treated as inefficiency/ misconduct of the chief commissioner.
The FBR has issued instructions to all Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue that chief commissioners shall also be held responsible for non-compliance of the court’s directions.
Sources told this correspondent that the FBR has issued strict instructions to all Pakistan chief commissioners to obey the Court’s orders and any lapse on the part of field officers shall be treated as inefficiency/ misconduct.
When contacted, tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt told this correspondent that taxpayers of Pakistan expected the enforcement of law and Constitutional rights and exercise the powers conferred on the FBR by the Legislature honestly in the interest of Pakistan, but tax authorities are involved in violation of constitutional rights of the taxpayers for openly violating the Courts orders without any fear of accountability.
The FBR instructions states, “I am directed to say with grave concern that instances have been noted where for non-compliance of high court’s directives on part of the field officers, the Hon’ble Courts have not only shown displeasure but also has directly sought the indulgence of the chairman FBR and rightly so. Even in a case for non-submission of para-wise comments Additional Registrar of Peshawar High Court has attached the salary of chairman FBR for non-submission of comments. This show how poorly legal matters are being dealt (with) by the field offices. These kinds of lapses are unacceptable and the chairman has shown displeasure over this state of affair.”
All the chief commissioners are therefore requested to take immediate steps and evolve a mechanism to avoid occurrence/reoccurrence of such incidences under their jurisdictions. It must be ensured that at all costs the directives of the Hon’ble courts are complied in strict sense and para-wise comments are field within the given time lines. Any such lapse where the salary of any officer of the FBR is attached or any cost is imposed for non-compliance of Court’s directions or non-submission of para-wise comments shall not be tolerated in future and the Chief Commissioner being supervisory/ administrative head of the field office shall also be held responsible along with delinquent officers. I am also directed to say such lapse will also be treated as inefficiency/misconduct on the part of the delinquent officer for proceedings under the relevant law, the FBR order reads.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024