LAHORE: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Advisor Mian Munawar Ghafoor seeks details of the record to conclude the case. The FTO has heard a case filed by the proprietors of M/s Haider Traders against the Regional Tax Office (RTO-II) Lahore and adjourned it until the next date of hearing.
During the proceedings, the counsel for the appellant argued that the RTO-II had failed to release the sales tax refund to the appellant since two years.
He said the RTO-II has been collecting excessive taxes from the company for the last two years. The petitioner approached the officials concerned several times for the release of refunds, but the RTO officials failed to clear refunds, even 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 refund claims.
The counsel further said delay in release of refunds puts the burden on the taxpayer so the RTO-II should make audit of the case 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 to the office for claiming refunds. If he provides the accurate record, the RTO-II will release refunds after a proper assessment, he maintained.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the Consultant for FTO postponed the hearing of the case by the next date hearing and directed the parties to appear before him on said date to conclude arguments in the case.
