June 28, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 23, 1429

LAHORE, June 27: The income tax appellate commissioner has annulled a case against Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif for defaulting on the price and maintenance of his helicopter, said Supreme Court lawyer Tariq Aziz.

The lawyer said the case was reopened against Mr Sharif in 2005 after the department had gone through the first assessment. The department said Mr Sharif owed Rs40 million to it for the price and maintenance of the helicopter.

Mr Sharif’s counsel said before the commissioner that the department did not provide his client the opportunity to contest the case. He added his client had moved abroad and the court ignored the principal of natural justice that no one could be condemned unheard.

The lawyer said the whole case was fabricated because the department had no evidence of the purchase or maintenance of the helicopter.

The commissioner wrote in his verdict: “The assessment completed under section 64 for the assessment 1994 to 1995 and 1996 to 1997 are declared to be annulled.”

FORUM: The Pakistan Lawyers’ Forum on Friday moved the Supreme Court for a declaration that PML-N patron Nawaz Sharif has a fundamental right to contest election.

Forum president AK Dogar advocate also asked the court to declare the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) as a violation of the constitution because its scope was being limited to a few politicians.