FBR withdraws order to freeze Akram Sheikh's accounts

The lawyer is contesting high treason case against Musharraf, pleading disqualification petition against PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: A day after severe criticism, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has withdrawn its order to freeze all bank accounts of senior lawyer Akram Sheikh, who earlier claimed it was a consequence of contesting a high treason case against former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf as well as pleading Hanif Abbasi’s petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Deputy Commission Inland Revenue Lahore has issued a letter to all concerned banks on November 27, wherein it is stated bank accounts were attached under section 140 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 vide with office letter No 71/ 05 dated 20.11.2018. Now the attachments in case only under section 140 are hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.

Earlier, Sheikh while talking to media men said neither can he pay salary to his employees nor tax.

The senior lawyer said everything had been done by the FBR for not paying “advance tax” of more than Rs10 million, adding the revenue authority took the step with the consent of top brass of the government.

He wondered how accounts could be frozen over non-payment of advance tax.

The veteran lawyer claimed media and other institutions were being suppressed in the country. “I will raise my voice against this oppression before the United Nations (UN) as this is interference in my right to practice,” he added.

He said that he was continuously being harassed after Musharraf’s case and his practice had been severely damaged.

In July, Sheikh had stepped down as the head of the prosecution team, tasked by the previous federal government to prosecute Musharraf on charges of high treason under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Kamran Murtaza strongly condemned the government’s action of freezing the bank accounts of the senior lawyer. “Accounts of a lawyer have never been frozen in the past,” he added.