PHC seeks PM, FBR's comments over 'inaction' against senior officer

Peshawar High Court (PHC) has sought comments from Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PS to the PM Fawad Hassan Fawad, Special Assistant to the PM on Law Barrister Zafar Ullah, Special Assistant to the PM on Revenue Haroon Akhtar and Member Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) in a petition moved against lack of disciplinary proceedings against a senior BS-21 official.
The taxpayer based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has approached the Prime Minister through lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt and urged that disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against officer working as Member in Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) Islamabad. The petitioner has accused said Member of having been involved in mal-administration.
Due to silence of the PM's Office for a long time, the petition has been moved in Peshawar High Court against the Prime Minister, PS to the PM, special assistants to the Prime Minister on Law and Revenue, Secretary for Law, chairman of FBR and ATIR and ATIR's member.
When contacted, aggrieved taxpayer Dr Sajid Nazir Bhatti informed that accountability law should be applicable across the board without any fear and favour. Strict action should be taken by the competent authorities including Prime Minister's office against corrupt and inefficient public servants so that their punishment might serve as a warning to pre-empt illegal activities in the future by those others who get encouraged to do so.
Petitioner said ATIR is the final fact-finding forum in the hierarchy of taxation laws; therefore, it is bound to discharge its functions diligently. Petitioner claimed facts in the case unambiguously proves that it is a unique case of novel nature, which is nothing but a classic example of bureaucratic incompetence, inefficiency and corrupt practices, wherein one of senior officials is involved in severe mal-administration of justice to the innocent taxpayer solely for some hidden motives.
He said taxpayer citizens honestly and sincerely believe that the honourable office of Prime Minister is committed to eradicate corruption across the Country by using all its resources. He said menace of corruption leads to injustice, lawlessness and creates a sense of insecurity. He said every public functionary is bound to obey provisions of Constitution and nobody should suffer by inaction of public functionaries because public functionaries are duty bound to act in accordance with law. He said people must be provided justice by all organs of State and everybody has to work honestly, fairly and justly for building national character. PHC sought para-wise comments from respondents within a fortnight. Aurangzeb Mughal, Deputy Attorney General present in the court in some other cases, accepted notice on behalf of respondents and ensured availability of comments within above time.