ATIR benches not fully functional: Billions of rupees stuck in appeals against FBR

The government revenue to the tune of billions of rupees is stuck up in appeals filed by taxpayers against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) due to delay in full-fledged functioning of benches of Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue at Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar.

According to a communication of Javed Iqbal Qazi, Chairman Pakistan Tax Advisors Association, to Dr Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister for Law and Justice, various Benches of Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue at Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, & Peshawar are not functioning with full strength as judicial members have not been appointed and there is lot of pressure on the existing strength of the judicial members.

For instance at Lahore 7 vacancies are lying vacant while at Karachi, Peshawar, and Islamabad appointment of at least 6 judicial members have not been appointed as yet, Javed Iqbal Qazi said.

Due to non-appointment of 13 members, the appeals of tax payers are being pilled up and as such they are facing lot of problems while billions of rupees government revenue is also at stake, Chairman PTAA said.

Javed Iqbal Qazi pointed out, "Our association feels that speedy justice is not being provided to the tax payers of the country at their doorstep."

In view of above, Law and Justice Division is requested to make appointments of the judicial members who have already gone through the tests/interview by the Federal Public Service Commission.

An early action in the matter will be highly appreciated by all the appellants whose appeals are lying pending with the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue, Javed Iqbal Qazi added.