KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) dismissed a contempt application against Commissioner Inland Revenue Zone-IV, Regional Tax Office-II, filed by M/s Cosmos International seeking restoration of its sales tax registration suspended by tax authorities.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, and Justice Muhammad Arshad Khan, was hearing the petition.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner filed the contempt application and submitted that on the last date of hearing, court had disposed of the petition with direction that “respondent shall decide the fate of the impugned show cause notice. However, keeping in view the response submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the decision of this court in another petition to decide the same within one week from the date of receipt of this order, shall be communicated to the respondent by the learned counsel for the petitioner. However it is clarified that if an appropriate order is not passed within the aforesaid period, the sales tax’s registration of the petitioner shall stand restored.
After both sides’ arguments, court dismissed contempt application. Earlier, counsel for the petitioner had stated in its petition that it is engaged in the business of import and supply of goods being description “porcelain and ceramic tiles” and paying all liabilities regularly, however officials of the custom department suspended its sales tax registration without showing any lawful reason. Being aggrieved, it filed an appeal which is pending before the authority concerned; however, due to delay, the same petitioner is suffering heavy losses.
Citing Commissioner Inland Revenue Zone-IV, Regional Tax Office-II as respondent, importer had pleaded with the court to direct the respondent to decide its appeal as soon as possible.
