Tax matters hearing: RTO officials’ absence irks ATIR Multan bench

ISLAMABAD: The Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR), Multan Bench, comprising Khurram Shahbaz Butt, Presiding Member, and Naveed Zafar Khan, Member, Tuesday took serious note of the non-appearance of departmental representatives from Regional Tax Office (RTO) Bahawalpur and RTO Sahiwal in taxation matters fixed before the Bench.

Sources said that the Multan Bench Tribunal also took exception to the unauthorized representation made by Rao Talha Javed, Assistant Commissioner, Multan, who appeared on behalf of these RTOs without proper authorization under the law.

Expressing concern over the absence of the departmental representatives, the Multan Bench, however, took a lenient view of the matter. Upon receiving assurance from the Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal, that proper representation would be ensured before the Tribunal, the Bench adjourned the matters without recording the attendance of the departmental representatives and refixed the cases for hearing on 20.08.2026.

Legal circles have taken note of the growing pattern of departmental representatives failing to appear before Appellate Tribunals, and unauthorised officers stepping in without proper authorisation in their place, a practice that has repeatedly drawn adverse observations from various Benches of the ATIR and High Courts of Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026