KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has dismissed an application filed by Ssang Yong and Construction Company Limited for urgent hearing. The company challenged an impugned demand notice of Rs 124.9 million issued by the Regional Tax Office – II, Zone-I under Sales Tax Act. 1990.
A two-member , comprising Justice Nadeem Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal, heard the constitution petition. During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner requested the court to hear its petition on urgent basis. However, the court dismissed the application observing that “no case of urgency is made out .”
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel submitted in the petition that petitioner is company incorporated in Korea and maintained it branch office in Pakistan and it is a port of a joint venture with M/s Qongyang Korea. The petitioner participated in an international tender floated by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) for construction of berth NOs 15-17A and SRBs 1 and 2 at East whareas and imported material according with the law.
According to the petitioner, it fulfilled of all legal requirements. However, officials of the tax authorities issued a notice to it claiming that the petitioner is involved in non-payment of sales tax of import stage amounting to Rs124,952,308 as required under Sales Tax Act. 1990.
The petitioner said that it filed an appeal before concerned appellate authority which ignored facts and petitioner was directed to pay alleged disputed amount.
Citing secretary Revenue Division, Regional Tax Office – II, Zone – I, Chief Collector of Customs South as respondents, the petitioner pleaded the court to quash and set aside impugned notices and restrain the respondents from taking any coercive measures against it.
