Supreme Court seeks details of wealth tax case against Sharifs

Directs FBR’s counsel to submit status of appeals filed by the Sharif family

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the counsel for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to submit details over the status of appeals filed by the Sharif family against the levy of wealth tax.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the case.

During the course of proceedings, the counsel said that the FBR issued a notice of additional tax to the Sharif family over late payment.

The Sharif family challenged the notice in the Lahore High Court (LHC), he added.

Justice Bandial asked the counsel when did the Sharif family file the application for tax refund?

Justice Shah said that the FBR had issued the first notice to the Sharif family in 1997, and then issued the notice of additional tax after five years in 2002. “Why did the FBR keep waiting for five years?” he asked.

Justice Akhtar asked the FBR’s counsel to inform the court about the status of appeals filed by the Sharif family against levy of wealth tax. He said that it could be possible that the Tax Appellant Authority might have decided in favour of the Sharif family, adding that the Sharif family filed a petition in the LHC on additional tax.

The counsel sought time from the court for getting fresh instructions from the FBR in the case.

The court adjourned further hearing of the case indefinitely at the request of the lawyer.