Threats to lawyer: LTBA demands disciplinary action against taxmen

ISLAMABAD: The Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) has demanded of the government to immediately initiate disciplinary proceedings against Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) tax officials, who have threatened a tax lawyer of severe consequences.

According to a letter of the LTBA to federal government on Tuesday, the Cabinet and Members of the Lahore Tax Bar Association strongly condemn for using threatening, and contemptuous tone “Irresponsible blame-shifting will not overshadow the facts without any proof of blaming which can lead to “severe consequences” for the lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt.”

“Accusing an officer of Government of Pakistan just in a few fancy lines without any proof can result in legal action against the lawyer which he seems to have forgotten” against Mr. Waheed Shahzad Butt, Advocate Supreme Court, such remarks, coming from a government functionary in an official reply, amount to institutional intimidation and are entirely incompatible with the decorum of quasi-judicial proceedings before the FTO. This is also against The Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act, 2023, particularly Sections 2 and 9, defines “intimidation, threat, coercion, insult, or interference” with a lawyer performing his professional duty as an offence punishable under law.

The LTBA has urged the government to take the following steps:

(i); Initiate the disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020;

(ii); Direct the said tax employee to issue a written apology and submit the same before the honorable Federal Tax Ombudsman Office.

(iii); Refer the matter to the relevant Police Authorities for registration of a FIR against the said tax employee under the applicable provisions of the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act, 2023, in view of the intimidation and harassment caused to a practicing Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the LTBA added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025