KARACHI, June 25: The Sindh High Court suspended on Monday an order freezing the bank accounts of a satellite television channel and issued notices to the respondent tax authorities for June 29.
A division bench comprising Justices Mohammad Athar Saeed and Mrs Qaiser Iqbal also restrained the Central Board of Revenue and other respondents from recalling the CBR letter under which the Geo channel owners, M/s Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Limited, claim to have satisfied their sales tax liability. The CBR reassessed the sales tax due from the channel at Rs285 million and ordered freezing of its owners’ bank accounts when it failed to pay off the amount. The company submitted through its counsel, Dr Mohammad Farogh Nasim, that it had already discharged its sales tax liability in terms of a CBR letter and no amount was outstanding against it.
The counsel said the subsequent CBR order was an infringement of the freedom of expression and trade and the right to hold property guaranteed by Articles 17, 18 and 23 of the Constitution.
The bench sought the respondents’ comments by June 29 and suspended the impugned order in the meantime.—Staff Reporter
