LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has disposed of an application filed by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), challenging property tax notice of Rs 25 million issued by Excise and Taxation Department. The court ordered the petitioner to contact the relevant officer of the department.
Before the court the counsel of appellant argued that Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is the Federal Government institution and Punjab Government cannot impose taxes on that. Adding more beside the federal institution excise department has sent notice to the appellant. He prayed before the court that he may order to null and void the 25 property tax notice on the appellant.
On the other side, assistant advocate general Punjab Anwar Hussain appear before the court and argued that property tax cannot be challenged before the LHC directly. The district excise officer is only the authority where property tax can be challenged. He added that the PCSIR should file the appeal before the department.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the LHC disposed of the appeal and ordered the appellant to file appeal at the relevant forum.