While hearing a commercial case on Monday the Sindh High Court sought a comprehensive report from provincial and federal governments pertaining to detail of tax collection from Karachi and its spending in the metropolis for the past three years.
Granting two weeks-time in the matter, a single-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam issued the directives in response to pleas of Muhammad Rameez Khan and others who made Sindh province and others as respondents in the case.Justice Alam also asked President Sindh High Court Bar Association to assist the court in the case which is fixed for March 20.
The bench said in its order, “Before the next date of hearing, learned Additional A.G. Sindh, will file the precise report under his statement containing that how much sales tax on services and other provincial taxes have been collected from Karachi in the last three years; how and to what extent, it is expended”.Similarly the bench issued notice to the Deputy Attorney General and Chairman, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) at Islamabad, to submit a precise report showing the figures of federal taxes collected from Karachi for the past three years, and how much portion has been utilized for the development of Karachi.
“The law officers of federation, province and FBR shall submit the report in a tabular form, also containing figures of collection of taxes and its utilization in the city of Karachi in US Dollar. Being Public Interest Litigation, these matters are adjourned to 20.03.2023 at 11.00 a.m. Learned Additional A.G. so also other advocates will file written statements and counter affidavit in suit no.278 of 2023”, stated in the order.
