January 17, 2025 (MLN): In a bid to accelerate the resolution of pending tax cases, authorities have been instructed to expedite the legal processes being carried out by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
This directive aims to ensure the swift conclusion of under-trial tax revenue cases, as stated by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
Chairing a review meeting in Islamabad, the Prime Minister further instructed the hiring of reputed lawyers to represent the FBR in these tax revenue cases, according to the press release.
The meeting was also informed that currently, 33,522 cases involving 4.7 trillion rupees are pending in various courts and tribunals across the country.
He also directed the forensic audit of causes related to tax matters.
The Prime Minister committed that officers found responsible for creating cases based on weak or false grounds will face strict punishment.
However, he emphasized that officers who have built cases on merit, with honesty and dedication, will be rewarded with special incentives.
The meeting was told that, after the prime minister’s instructions, reputable lawyers were brought onto the panel, and as a result, from July to December 2024, 586 cases were resolved in the High Court, and 637 pending cases were resolved in the Supreme Court.
It was said that a litigation management dashboard for higher courts has been developed in the FBR, whereas the preparation of a tax tribunals management system at the Ministry of Law and Justice is in its final stages.
