LAHORE: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has adjourned the hearing of a case filed by Hafiz Ehsan Rasheed until next date.
According to the details, FTO Advisor Muhammad Muneer Qurashi heard the case in which the counsel for the appellant argued that the Regional Tax Office (RTO) Sargodha failed to release the sales tax refund of the last three years.
He said that the RTO collected excessive tax from appellant Hafiz Ehsan Rasheed during the last three years. He approached the commissioner concerned many time for issuance of refunds but the RTO officials did not pay the refunds after the passage of reasonable time.
At the end, the company decided to approach the FTO seeking interference in this case. The counsel appealed the FTO advisor to direct the RTO to clear the refund claims.
The counsel further said that the RTO Sargodha should refund the excess collection in wake of taxes by the end of financial year but the situation is quite otherwise. Delay in issuance of refunds put burden on the taxpayer, he said, adding that the RTO should make audit of the cases and release the extra amount collected by it from the taxpayers.
On the other hand, counsel for RTO Sargodha argued that case is under process in the Regional Tax Office and after the final assessment RTO will release refunds to the appellant.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, Adviser Muhammad Muneer Qurashi adjourned the case until for further hearing and directed the parties to appear on said date to present arguments in the case.
