ISLAMABAD: A single member bench of Justice Aamer Farooq will hear the petition filed by Muhammad Mazhar Qayyum today at Islamabad High Court. The petitioner has challanged the Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) issued by Federal Government on December 30, 2014 under which General Sales Tax (GST) on petrolium products has been increased by five percent.
The petitioner has made Federation through Secretary Ministry of Finance, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) respondents in the matter. The petitioner pleaded before the court that the government increased GST on petroleum products without taking the parliament into confidence as under Article 77 of the Constitution, the government could not impose any tax without the permission of parliament.
The petitioner contended that as per Article 162 of the Constitution, no tax could be imposed through an executive order. The recent increase in GST on petroleum products was also in violation of the Supreme Court Order (PTD1491). The petitioner prayed before the court to declare the recent increase in GST on petroleum products illegal.
