ISLAMABAD, April 27: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Justice Saleem Akhtar (retired) has asked the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to immediately refund excess duty and taxes charged on several consignments of coaches imported by a complainant.

The tax officials were directed to refund the customs duty and taxes amounting to Rs2.824 million which had been recovered from the complainant during the pendancy of the case before the appellate tribunal.

The CBR was also asked to refund excess customs duty and taxes amounting to Rs10.293 million charged on the import of 44 coaches assessed at 60 per cent duty, when it was actually liable to 35 per cent. It was asked to make the refund to the complainant in accordance with the appellate tribunal’s decision.

The ombudsman also directed the tax officials to quash the show cause notice issued by the assistant collector to the complainant and refund the amount within 45 days of this order.

He observed that the delaying tactics used by the customs department in not refunding the amount was contrary to law.

The compliance report should be produced to this office within two months, the FTO said.

The decision was taken on the complaint of Shahnawaz (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi, which had complained against the customs department for not refunding the excess duty and taxes charged on the import of coaches.