Near-concluded super tax case now starting fresh at FCC

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan has observed that proceedings before a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court in a super tax case were a waste.

The CJ made this remark on Tuesday while leading a three-member bench, including Justice Syed Arshad Hussain Shah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, hearing various petitions filed against various high courts' orders in a super tax case.

Before the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment in October 2025, nearly 50 hearings were conducted by a three-member constitutional bench of the SC, also comprising Justice Khan and Justice Rizvi. The proceedings were close to conclusion when the case was transferred to the FCC formed through the amendment. The FCC took up the case on Monday.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, counsels for the petitioners, Makhdoom Ali Khan, Dr Farogh Naseem, and Salman Akram Raja appeared at the rostrum.

Dr Naseem informed the court that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would submit a written reply along with its oral arguments, after which the petitioners would file their written responses.

Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan remarked that the time spent earlier should be treated as wasted.

In response, Makhdoom Ali Khan said that the responsibility for this waste lay with the government. The CJ replied that no blame should be placed on anyone. Makhdoom Ali Khan clarified that he was not assigning blame but pointing out that the responsibility rested with the government.