KARACHI: Hearing four identical petitions filed by Ms Mariam Tahir and others, an appellate bench of High Court of Sindh comprising Acting Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar and Justice Mohammad Abdul Rahman ordered issuance of notice to the Secretary Revenue, Chairman FBR Assistant Commissioner IR Unit 4, Zone I, Corporate Tax Office Karachi for April 21 while suspending notices and summons dated 25.2.2025 and 26.2.2025.
The petitioners through their counsel Ahmed Masood and Syed Naveed Wasti impugned the notices, summons issued under Section 37 of the Sales Tax Act 1990.
The counsel for petitioners at the outset submitted that prior to the filing of these Petitioners, the Petitioners premises was searched by initiating proceedings under section 40 of the Sale Tax Act 1990 after which premises was sealed vide order dated 20.2.2025 which was impunged by way of CP–D 881/2025 and on 3.3.2025, the Sealing Order was suspended where as the said Petition is still pending. The counsel further submitted that thereafter the petitioners in Petition 1096 has already been issued a Show Cause Notice under section 11-E of the Sales Tax Act 1990 which has been responded and the said proceedings are still pending and no final order has been passed. He contended that entire exercise was carried out by the respondents is in violation of the various judgment of this Court as well as the learned Lahore High Court in cases reported as Taj International (PVT) Ltd 7 Others versus Federal Board of Revenue, Waseem Ahmed & another versus Federation of Pakistan, Agha Steel versus D.I.T.
The bench after hearing such arguments ordered issuance of notices to the respondents for April 21 while suspending the notices/summons.