Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to issue contradiction of a circular/letter issued against a member of the LHCBA on the subject of non-professional and unethical behaviour of a tax lawyer. It is learnt that the LHCBA has written a letter to the FBR Chairman in this regard.
Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had directed Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals-II) Lahore to file a prosecution suit against Waheed Shahzad Butt, advocate, and his client if both have insulted Commissioner or caused any interruption, while Commissioner was hearing a judicial proceeding under the Sales Tax Act, 1990. The FBR had also issued instructions to all Chief Commissioners Appeals and Commissioners Inland Revenue of Large Taxpayer Units and Regional Tax Offices on the alleged non-professional and unethical behaviour of the tax lawyer and his client CEO of a company.
The LHCBA has said that on the application/request of member of the LHCBA has taken serious notice of the utterly false and scandalous letter/circular issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) vide C.No 3(21)(L-DT)/15 dated February 12, 2015 (the "Circular"), apparent contents of the said circular are shocking and distrustful.
The LHCBA issued the intimation/letter, in response to false, ill-founded, unsubstantiated and malicious remarks and insinuations made in the letter dated February 12, 2015 (the "Circular") addressed to CIR Appeals II, Lahore (Syed Ashraf Ahmed Ali) and circulated to all Pakistan tax employees/functionaries (CCIR & CIR-Appeals), the LHCBA said.
Apparently, the most controversial circular is irresponsible, unsubstantiated and libellous in nature constituting severe defamation. Nonetheless tax employee masterly used the incorrect and distorted information and cunningly drafted the circular maligning the Member's reputation. The FBR willingly chose to mention Member's name in a bid to lower his reputation and undermine his credibility in the circles of professional bodies. The Circular is so ill founded that it had a belittling effect on the FBR, the LHCBA said.
It appears FBR intentionally chose to damage the reputation of respectable Member of LHCBA by wrongly maligning him in person. The FBR's action apart from damaging the credibility of Member-also defames and ridicules the higher noble profession of law and lawyer community.
The FBR hereby granted an opportunity through the letter/notice to publish a contradiction and an apology for the malicious, fallacious and scandalous circular as the allegation are totally vague that there are "frivolous, immaterial and baseless applications" (as mentioned in the circular) filed by the Bar Member personally. Such a contradiction and apology must appear within seven days of the receipt of the instant letter/notice failing which the LHCBA Member as well as this august forum of the LHCBA may commence, simultaneously or successively, legal actions for civil and criminal remedies against concerned officials, the LHCBA added.