PHC halts deployment of security personnel at tobacco units

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has barred the deployment of Rangers and other law enforcement personnel at industrial units involved in tobacco processing. The court issued this order while hearing a writ petition challenging their deployment by the Revenue Department for monitoring operations and other activities.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Khurshid Iqbal heard the petition filed by Mujeebur Rehman. The petition, filed through advocates Shumail Ahmad Butt and Khizrath Bilal Khan, named the Secretary Revenue Department, Federal Secretary of Interior, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and Chief Commissioner Peshawar among the respondents.

The petitioner owns a tobacco processing unit in Mardan that supplies raw tobacco for cigarette manufacturing. According to the petition, the unit is duly registered with the Regional Tax Office and provides employment to hundreds of workers. Despite paying all applicable taxes, the petitioner claims the unit is being harassed under various pretexts.

The petition highlights that under Section 45 of the Federal Excise Act 2025, Inland Revenue officers have been deployed at such units to monitor production, sales, stock levels, and inspect records. However, the petitioner argues that a monitoring system already exists, with regular scrutiny by the authorities.

Recently, an order dated July 10 mandated the installation of CCTV cameras at all Green Leaf Threshing (GLT) units, granting monitoring access to the authorities. The petitioner contends that this is the peak threshing season and unnecessary interference could cause irreparable financial losses.

The petition also alleges that the government has deployed Rangers personnel within the industrial premises, which violates not only fundamental rights but also FBR's own rules.