MULTAN: Business leaders have urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Yahya Afridi to establish video link conference facilities at all High Courts and circuit benches to facilitate taxpayers facing difficulties under the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024.
In a joint letter addressed to the Chief Justice, Anwar Kashif Mumtaz, President, and Mohammad Rehan Siddiqui, General Secretary, highlighted the challenges taxpayers face in pursuing appellate remedies following the reassignment of jurisdictions under the new tax regime.
The amendment has made the High Courts the second appellate forum for tax disputes, requiring taxpayers to file appeals under the following criteria:
Income tax disputes of Rs20 million or less, sales tax cases of Rs10 million or less, and federal excise duty (FED) matters of Rs5 million or less must be directly referred to the High Court.
Cases exceeding these thresholds must first be heard by the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) before proceeding to the High Court.
The business representatives argued that taxpayers from remote areas, where High Court circuit benches are unavailable, are facing significant financial and logistical burdens in traveling to divisional headquarters for legal proceedings. They asserted that the additional costs violate taxpayers’ fundamental right to appeal, as enshrined in Article 10A of the Constitution.
The letter pointed out that the Supreme Court of Pakistan already operates a video conferencing system, and extending this facility to High Courts would ensure greater access to justice while reducing travel-related expenses for taxpayers.
The petitioners have urged the Chief Justice to issue directives for the establishment of such facilities at principal High Court seats and circuit benches, ensuring a more efficient and accessible appellate process.
Business stakeholders believe the move would not only alleviate the financial burden on taxpayers but also help streamline the judicial system by easing case proceedings.
