The FTO has ordered the FBR to investigate its officers for submitting a wrong or misleading report about attachments of bank accounts. This had done when an appeal was still pending. The FTO, whose order was confirmed by the President, has ordered the FBR to take disciplinary action against the officers who had carried out the attachment of the banks when the appeal was still pending.
Dr. Iqbal Aujla, a taxpayer, had filed a complaint with FTO after FBR officers submitted an inaccurate report about the bank attachments. The report suggested the attachments were part of implementing the FTO’s previous order, but the due process of law was not followed.
The FBR filed the appeal with the President against the decision of the FTO, but the President also maintained the order with a further comment that FBR officers must be allowed to defend themselves before their case is made.
In this regard, Waheed Shahbaz Butt, counsel for Dr. Aujla, in an interview explained the mal-administrative action as taken by the FBR during the process of recovery made from banks. He further pointed out that in Pakistan FTO forum is the only remedy for taxpayers facing such problems. He stressed that any system of judiciary in the world would fail if falsehoods are allowed to persist. A society that allows such behavior is on the way to self-annihilation.
Waheed Butt stressed that laws must be followed impartially, and public officials, including officers of the FBR, are obliged by the Constitution to act equitably. These officers must follow both the law and the commands of the Constitution.
The FTO has now instructed FBR to admonish officers who had wrongly attached banks during the appeal. FBR is also instructed to look into similar cases across the country and proceed with appropriate action as there is merit in not following instructions strictly. FTO has directed FBR to warn any officer who do not follow the instructions appropriately.
