LAHORE: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has heard a case filed by proprietors M/s Ashraf & Brothers against the Regional Tax Office (RTO-II) Lahore and adjourned it until the next date of hearing.
FTO Advisor Mian Munawar Ghafoor heard the case. The counsel for the appellant argued that the RTO had failed to release the sales tax refund to the appellant since two years. He said the RTO-II has been collecting excessive tax from the company for the last two years.
Although the petitioner approached the officials concerned several times for release of refunds yet the RTO officials failed to clear the refunds after the passage of a reasonable time.
Finally, the appellant decided to approach the FTO seeking intervention in this case. The counsel appealed the FTO advisor to direct the RTO-II to clear the refund claims.
The counsel further said that delay in release of refunds put burden on the taxpayer therefore RTO-II should make an audit of the cases and release the extra amount collected from the taxpayer.
On the other hand, counsel for RTO-II argued that the appellant has not submitted all the record in the office for claiming refunds. If he provides accurate record, the RTO-II will release refunds after a proper assessment, he assured.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, Advisor Mian Munawar Ghafoor postponed the case of Proprietors Ashraf & Brothers by the next date for further hearing and directed the parties to appear before him on said date to present arguments in the case.
