KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the tax authorities and asked them to file their respective comments on a constitutional petition filed by M/s Mobile Traders (Lahore) against impugned demand tax amounting to Rs 3.869 million.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Khadim Hussain M Sheikh heard the petition.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner submitted that Appraisement-West deputy commissioner passed an order dated September 8, 2006 and levied unlawful and unjustified tax amounting to Rs 3,869,048. It is pertinent to mention here that the petitioner came to know about the order, when its business accounts were attached on June 02, 2016; therefore, the said order is against the rules of natural justice and is also hit by limitation.
According to the petitioner, it filed an appeal along with the stay application before Customs Appeals collector which is still pending for disposal. However, officials of the customs authorities have taken coercive measures for recovery of alleged tax demand against the petitioner.
Citing Appraisement West collector, deputy collector and Customs Appeals collector as respondents, the petitioner pleaded the SHC may suspend the operation of impugned notice and prohibit the respondents jointly and severally, from taking any adverse action or coercive measures against the petitioner.
