KARACHI: The President Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) Muhammad Zubair has lauded the efforts of Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Tariq Bajwa towards eliminating the corrupt practices in all field formation offices of the FBR.
In a letter, President KTBA Muhammad Zubair congratulated Chairman FBR on sending clear directives to all the FBR field officers that Board will be adopting a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption.
President KTBA said that the recent step of Chairman FBR was indeed a very important move towards eliminating the corrupt practices in all concerned offices; adding that the KTBA was sure, if the Board will continue on stressing towards uprooting the corrupt elements, then the corruption would be reduced to a large extent.
In the letter, the President KTBA Muhammad Zubair further stated that the members of tax fraternity were surprised on a rumor started to circulate in the department that the Chairman FBR had summoned the Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals) and strongly advised them to be very conservative in granting stay of demand and relief in appeals.
“The members of KTBA are confident that this rumor is based on false grounds and has been circulated by the officers who are not happy with FBR chief’s proclamation of zero tolerance for administration”, he added.
The President KTBA further stated that the members have full faith on Chairman FBR that he is a law abiding officer and will not violate any provision of relevant law. On this point, the KTBA would like to refer to the provisions of Sections 214 and 224 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, which read as under:
214 Income tax authorities to follow orders of the Board: (1) Subject to sub-Section (2), all income tax authorities and other persons employed in the execution of this Ordinance shall observe and follow the orders, instructions and directions issued by the Board.
(2) No orders, instructions or directions shall be given by the Board that will interfere with the discretion of the Commissioner (Appeals) in the exercise of his appellate function.
224 Proceedings under the Ordinance to be judicial proceedings: Any proceedings under this Ordinance before the Commissioner, Commissioner-Appeals or Appellate Tribunal shall be treated as judicial proceedings within the meaning of Sections 193 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 186 (Act XLV of 180) and for the purposes of Section 196 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (Act XLV of 1860).
The president KTBA further said that the members are always defend the independence of judiciary at all cost as it is their duty, adding that the cardinal principal on independence of judiciary is that the judiciary shall decide matter before them impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law without any restriction or interference, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason.
He further said that the FBR authorities concerned have never violated, nor will ever violate the above provisions of the law.
