LAHORE: Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of Lahore High Court hearing a writ petition filed by Federal Board of Revenue against FIA, restrained the investigating agency from taking any coercive action against the IRS officials who have been summoned by FIA in an enquiry initiated on a private complaint by one Shabbir Ahmed.
The learned judge also issue notices for 13.8.2024 to the respondents with directions to file written statements as well as to the Attorney General for Pakistan observing that petition raises important questions involving interpretation of the Constitution and Statutory Law.
According to details, Assistant Director Nadeem Akhtar of FIA AMLC (Anti Money Laundering Cell) Lahore issued a notice under section160 Cr.P.C 1898 to Mir Badshah Khan Wazir, Member Operation, FBR House, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad in connection with an Enquiry No E-77/2024 into allegations of corruption, kickbacks, bribery, corrupt practices, illegal approval of tax refunds to large tax payer companies etc.
The Member Operation FBR was asked to appear in person along-with all record/ documents on 26.7.2024 to explain his position. The notice was ignored and instead LHC was moved for alleged transgression of jurisdiction by FIA authorities.
The FBR maintains that Sale Tax or Income Tax matters are not under Schedule of F.I.A hence the federal agency cannot initiated any enquiry.
It is alleged that complaint is based on proof of facilitation to a number of companies and scam involves billions of rupees but hushed up by the FBR. The top FBR officials are alleged to be involved in a coverup and saving Mir Badshah Khan Wazir and others of the ring.
This case has brought FIA and FBR face to face and now the court will decide the issue of jurisdiction by FIA.