KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) suspended the impugned notice for recovery of disputed income support levy on a constitutional petition filed by Dewan Muhammad Yousaf Farooqui.
Hearing the petition, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, also issued pre-admission notices to the tax department and deputy general of Pakistan and directed them to file their respective comments for March 09, 2017.
During the hearing, counsel for petitioner stated that the officials of the tax department issued a notice dated 01/02/2017 under Section 5 of the Income Support Levy Act-2013 for payment of income support levy for the tax year 2013. He further submitted that a large number of petitions are already pending with this court whereby vires of income support levy act-2013 as well as at the proceedings initiated by the respondent there under, after repeal of the income support levy act-2013, have been challenged. Despite such facts, the respondents are adopting coercive measures for recovery of the impugned demand.
Citing Sectary Ministry of Law, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Commissioner lnland Revenue Zone-II, Large Taxpayers Unit-I, and deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue Enforcement & Collection Unit 3&4 Zone-II, Large Taxpayer Unit-I as respondents, petitioner pleaded with the court to restrain them from taking any coercive action against the petitioner.