Income tax: Court postpones the Sharifs’ hearing

LAHORE: Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday deferred the hearing of three petitions moved by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his wife Kulsoom Nawaz and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif against income tax notices for additional wealth tax. The proceedings were postponed as no one appeared on the respondents’ behalf. The Income Tax Department had accused Nawaz Sharif of not paying tax after purchasing a helicopter in the mid-1990s. Shahbaz Sharif had been directed to pay Rs2.3 million as additional wealth tax and Rs1.6 million as additional income tax for the years 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98. Kulsoom was asked to pay Rs6 million as additional wealth tax. Petitioners’ counsel said the department had not disclosed the amount of tax due against Nawaz.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2013.