ISLAMABAD: A senior tax lawyer has approached Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Javed Ghani to provide information related to the exact quantum of pending income tax refunds as on June 30, 2020.

According to the tax expert, a request has been forwarded to Chairman FBR, Member (IR) Policy, Member (IR) Operations and Member (FATE) by a Lahore-based lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt, under Article 19A of the

Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 for providing information related to income tax refunds.

Requester vide letter FBR-RTI-Refunds-01 dated 07.07.2020 states "Being a responsible taxpayer citizen of

Pakistan and belonging to the most vigilant community of the Country, instant applicant/request is forwarded to the FBR," the lawyer said.

The taxpayer honestly and sincerely believes that the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan is committed to eradicate corruption across the country by using all its resources. Menace of corruption leads to injustice, lawlessness and creates a sense of insecurity, hopelessness and despondency.

Waheed told this correspondent that it is an admitted truth on the part of FBR that FBR is not paying full refunds for the past 10 to 15 years, which has resulted in an increase in the stock of refunds.

At present RTOs, CRTO(s) & LTU(s) are working/operational across Pakistan headed by Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue, which includes: Large Taxpayer Unit (LTU), Islamabad; LTU, Lahore; LTU I+II, Karachi; Regional Tax Office (RTO), Islamabad; Corporate Regional Tax Office (CRTO) + RTO, Lahore; CRTO + RTO, Karachi; RTO, Rawalpindi; RTO, Sahiwal; RTO-II, Karachi; RTO, Peshawar; RTO, Sialkot; RTO-III, Karachi; RTO, Abbottabad; RTO Gujranwala; RTO, Hyderabad; RTO, Faisalabad; RTO, Multan; RTO, Sukkur; RTO, Sargodha; RTO, Bahawalpur and RTO, Quetta.

In the name of rule of law and in the light of orders passed by the apex court and High Courts of

Pakistan in PLD 2012 SC 292, PLD 2008 Karachi 68, 2012 PLC (C.S.) 566, 2016 LHC 61 - [(2016) 113 Tax

160 (H.C. Lah) - 2016 PLD 872], kindly provide LTU/CRTO/RTO wise requisite information in terms of rights provided to the citizens by the Constitution under Article 19A, Waheed added.