LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to decide PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz’s application against a notice for recovery of income support levy.

Justice Ayesha A. Malik was hearing a miscellaneous application filed by Ms Nawaz in a main petition challenging a notice demanding over Rs1.257 million as income support levy tax for 2013.

Her counsel submitted before the court that an appeal against the tax notice was pending with the Commissioner Inland Revenue but a stay order previously obtained was going to expire which would pave the way for the FBR to initiate the recovery process.

He asked the court to restrain the FBR from demanding the amount till the decision on the appeal.

Justice Malik disposed of the application and directed the FBR to decide appeal of Ms Nawaz within 30 days. The judge also restrained the board from making recovery till final outcome of the appeal.

In the main petition, Ms Nawaz through her counsel stated that the recovery of income support levy was a violation of the Constitution. She stated that it was up to the provincial social welfare department to work towards the welfare of the public and that the Inland Revenue department lacked authority to impose and recover a tax in the name of social protection after the passage of the 18th constitutional amendment.

The petitioner asked the court to declare the impugned notice unlawful.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2019