LHC declares tax notices to Jahangir Tareen illegal

Court also stops criminal proceedings against Aleem Khan in separate case

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf enjoyed a great day in court on Friday as two of its leaders were given relief by different judges of the Lahore High Court.

Justice Ayesha A Malik stopped criminal proceedings initiated by the election commission against Abdul Aleem Khan for submitting fake affidavits before an election tribunal while Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza declared illegal the tax notices sent by the Lahore Inland Revenue commissioner to sugar mills owned by Jahangir Tareen.

Police surround Jehangir Tareen's residence in Islamabad



In the latter’s case, Justice Shams ruled the Lahore tax commissioner had no jurisdiction to issue tax notices to a mills in Multan and declared the notices illegal.

The PTI leader had submitted the Lahore Inland Revenue Circle issued notices for tax recovery of Rs420.5 million to the JWD Sugar Mills, which is situated in Multan despite having no jurisdiction to issue tax notices there. He argued the notices were illegal and amounted to political victimisation as he had already paid all taxes and no more dues were pending against him.

On behalf of Aleem, Advocate Anees Hashmi submitted the election commission initiated criminal proceedings against his client for the second time, which was illegal. The LHC, he added, had already declared contempt of court and other proceedings against his client as illegal.



He alleged the election body sent Aleem notices on the pressure of the National Assembly speaker after a case challenging the election of Ayaz Sadiq as a result of political victimisation. Ayaz had defeated Aleem in a by-poll held in NA-122 and retained the NA speaker’s office.

The ECP, he added, issued him summons asking him to appear and explain his position. But the summons issued had no legal values, he said, requesting the court to set aside the summons.

After hearing the arguments, the judge suspended the summons and sought the ECP’s reply by the next date of hearing on January 17.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2016.