Only president authorizes to appoint federal tax ombudsman: IHC told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law and Justice Monday submitted before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that only the president of Pakistan was authorized to appoint federal tax ombudsman in accordance of law.

The ministry this day filed a six-page answer to IHC in a petition filed by Federal Tax Ombudsman Mushtaq Sukhera challenging his removal notification.

The law ministry stated that the appointment of Mr. Sukhera was not made according to law, adding that there was no requirements of Supreme Judicial Council’s orders to remove him from the post.

It was also not necessary to issue a show cause notice to Mr. Sukhera before issuance of his removal notification, the ministry further said.  Mushtaq Sukhera had been appointed as federal tax ombudsman on August 30, 2017 on recommendation of the then prime minister.

It further said that the president was authorized to make this appointment under section 3(1) of 2000 Ordinance, adding that there was no recommendation of prime minister required under Ordinance and Ombudsman Act 2013.

It may be mentioned here that an IHC bench had issued a stay order against the removal of Mushtaq Sukhera from the post of federal tax ombudsman and had ordered law ministry to submit reply in a petition challenging the notification.

The petitioner had claimed in his plea that he could only be removed from his post through the orders of Supreme Judicial Council, adding that the president was not authorized to issue such orders.