Fozia Azam

A total of 88,317 tax cases worth PKR 2.6117 trillion are stuck in courts across Pakistan, according to the data shared by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Among them, 75,021 cases worth PKR 2382 billion are from the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) department, while 13,296 cases worth PKR 229.7 billion are from the Customs department. Of the IRS cases, 5,386 cases worth PKR 370 billion are pending with the Lahore High Court, whereas 3,271 cases worth PKR 95 billion are stuck in the Supreme Court.

These figures are updated as of October 31, 2022. Similarly, 2,580 cases worth PKR 212 billion are pending in Sindh High Court, 1,095 cases worth PKR 180 billion in Islamabad High Court, 380 cases worth PKR 9 billion in Peshawar High Court, and 62,298 cases worth PKR 1513 billion in the Appellate Tribunal. As for Customs cases, 203 of them worth PKR 1.4 billion are tied up in the Islamabad High Court and 5,468 cases worth PKR 145.8 billion are stuck in the Supreme Court.

Also, 548 cases worth PKR 5.2 billion are pending with Lahore High Court, 676 cases worth PKR 2 billion with Peshawar High Court, and 58 cases worth PKR 2.5 billion in Baluchistan High Court. In addition, 4,911 cases worth PKR 72.7 billion are pending in the Appellate Tribunal Customs. The FBR was directed by the Senate’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue to share the details of all pending cases across the country in various courts at its meeting on November 23, 2022.

Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee Saleem Mandviwala said that non-resolution of cases pertaining to revenues and taxes was causing a lot of financial harm to businessmen and traders. It was therefore important that courts deal with these pending cases in time so that confidence can be restored in the functioning of courts and institutions.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk