ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to consider amending relevant section of Customs Act, 1969 for inclusion of a specific period for deciding refund applications, it is learnt here.
According to sources, FTO has written to FBR that Section 19-A of Customs Act, 1969 does not prescribe certificate by chartered accountants. It is evident that same matter is pending before the Revenue Division Islamabad for the last nine months but since no timeline is provided in the act for passing orders on refund applications, sources added.
Sources added that FTO, while hearing the case filed by M/s Pioneer Cables Limited against the customs department for delay in the refund of customs duty and additional custom duty which the company paid due to inadvertence at the time of importing 7 consignments when it failed to claim exemption under S’ schedule of the Customs Act, 1969, directed Revenue division Islamabad to finalize the proceedings expeditiously, and preferably within 45 days and also directed FBR to consider for amending relevant Section of Customs Act, 1969, for inclusion of a specific period for deciding refund applications.
