AGL 40.01 Increased By ▲ 1.23 (3.17%)
AIRLINK 197.85 Increased By ▲ 3.56 (1.83%)
BOP 10.37 Decreased By ▼ -0.47 (-4.34%)
CNERGY 7.13 Increased By ▲ 0.26 (3.78%)
DCL 10.61 Increased By ▲ 0.42 (4.12%)
DFML 43.82 Increased By ▲ 0.69 (1.6%)
DGKC 105.67 Increased By ▲ 9.06 (9.38%)
FCCL 39.60 Increased By ▲ 1.53 (4.02%)
FFBL 80.25 Decreased By ▼ -1.18 (-1.45%)
FFL 14.14 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.78%)
HUBC 120.56 Increased By ▲ 1.58 (1.33%)
HUMNL 14.67 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.68%)
KEL 6.16 Increased By ▲ 0.42 (7.32%)
KOSM 8.26 Decreased By ▼ -0.23 (-2.71%)
MLCF 49.61 Increased By ▲ 3.07 (6.6%)
NBP 74.48 Decreased By ▼ -2.75 (-3.56%)
OGDC 197.07 Increased By ▲ 2.29 (1.18%)
PAEL 35.10 Increased By ▲ 0.36 (1.04%)
PIBTL 8.52 Increased By ▲ 0.14 (1.67%)
PPL 176.26 Increased By ▲ 1.69 (0.97%)
PRL 33.26 Increased By ▲ 0.09 (0.27%)
PTC 25.59 Increased By ▲ 1.02 (4.15%)
SEARL 121.04 Increased By ▲ 11.00 (10%)
TELE 9.90 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (11.24%)
TOMCL 35.23 Increased By ▲ 0.40 (1.15%)
TPLP 12.74 Increased By ▲ 1.05 (8.98%)
TREET 18.97 Increased By ▲ 0.41 (2.21%)
TRG 60.28 Increased By ▲ 0.22 (0.37%)
UNITY 39.02 Increased By ▲ 2.53 (6.93%)
WTL 1.83 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (4.57%)
BR100 11,749 Increased By 48.7 (0.42%)
BR30 36,171 Increased By 760.4 (2.15%)
KSE100 109,970 Increased By 916.4 (0.84%)
KSE30 34,131 Increased By 281.6 (0.83%)

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) Tribunal has taken judicial notice of illegal housing schemes being executed without taking approval from the concerned development and local authorities and those which have not been registered with the PRA for paying provincial sales tax on services as developer/builder.

While disposing of an appeal of a real estate developer, the Tribunal observed, “It has come to notice of this Tribunal that a significant rather countless number of housing societies in the Punjab are operating without compulsory registration, thereby evading sales tax on services and undermining the integrity of the tax system.”

Tax collection: PRA declares WH agents as collecting agents

The Tribunal further observed that “the failure of these societies to comply with compulsory registered requirements poses a serious threat to the enforcement of tax laws and the fair collection of public revenues causing heavy loss to government exchequer.”

With this observation the Tribunal Bench comprising Bakht Fakhar Bahzad Chairperson and Raza Ashfaq Sheikh Accountant Member commanded the chairman PRA to undertake an immediate and exhaustive review of all the housing societies in Punjab and has directed to ensure that all unregistered housing societies are promptly identified and subjected to compulsory registration without any delay.

The Tribunal has issued directive to relevant authorities as well. All Deputy Commissioners, Chief Executive Officers of Metropolitan Corporation /Municipal corporations working in Punjab are hereby ordered to compile and submit a comprehensive and detailed report listing all housing societies within its jurisdiction, explicitly identifying those that are operating without required NOCs. The Tribunal has directed all the above officials to appear personally before the Tribunal with report.

The Tribunal has lastly observed that “any failure to comply with this judgement will result in severe legal repercussions and this Tribunal will not tolerate any obstruction, delay, or evasion of justice.”

When contacted for comments regarding the legal mandate and jurisdiction of the PRA Tribunal to pass such orders Sukaina Tehreem Advocate, a Lahore based tax lawyer observed that as per section 67(1) of the 2012 Act the Tribunal can call for record in a pending appeal or can conduct inquiry through PRA officers in deciding that very appeal. Sukaina observed that though there is no express power to pass such order yet the Superior Courts of Pakistan have laid down the principle that the Tribunal has inherent power to pass any interim order as well which is warranted in the facts and circumstances of the case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Comments

Comments are closed.