ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited (PMCL) – the operator of Mobilink / Jazz paid an amount of Rs5 billion out of total Rs22 billion as tax demand created by Large Taxpayers Office (LTO) Islamabad.
The payment has been made as per the directions of Islamabad High Court (IHC) order in Income Tax reference No. 32/2020 dated November 10, 2020.
Earlier, the IHC allowed PMCL to deposit an amount of Rs5 billion against income tax liability.
A division bench of the IHC in a hearing on November 10, 2020 granted the application of the petitioner i.e. PMCL to deposit Rs5 billion. The high court also granted interim relief to the petitioner and suspended notices sent to the applicant under Section 140 of the Income Tax Ordinance, till the next date of hearing i.e. December 02, 2020.
During the proceedings the counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner was willing and ready to pay a sum of Rs5 billion.
The counsel for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) submitted that the sum offered to be deposited by the petitioner was meager as compared to the total liability. The counsel submitted that the applicant is liable to pay a sum of Rs22 billion plus penalty etc.
The LTO Islamabad last month initiated tax recovery of Rs25 billion from M/s. PMCL by sealing of its business premises.
The LTO Islamabad took the action against the mobile operator as income tax amount Rs25.39 billion was outstanding against the defaulter.
“The defaulter is refraining itself deliberately, dishonestly and without lawful excuse to discharge tax liability and thus causing huge loss to the national exchequer,” according to a notice of LTO Islamabad.
While responding to the report, the PMCL issued the following statement:
“Jazz is a law-abiding and responsible corporate citizen. Our contribution to Pakistan’s economy over the past 25 years is significant.
“We have received a notice from FBR this afternoon. Jazz has made tax submissions based on legal interpretations of the tax owed. We will review and take measures under our legal obligations and will collaborate with all concerned institutions for an early resolution of this issue.”
