LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging the exemption from income tax on property sales granted to retired and serving army personnel and bureau­crats in the budget for fiscal year 2024-25.

The petition filed by citizen Mashkoor Hussain through Advocate Nade­­em Sarwar pleaded that the tax exemption given to the bureaucrats and military personnel was in violation of the equality clause of the Constitution, which stated “all persons are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law”.

The petitioner argued that the impugned tax exe­­mption amounted to exploitation of people as the ruling elites got the exemption by misusing their position while the common citizens — the paymaster of state functionaries — are forced to pay heavy taxes.

He contended that Arti­cle 8 of the Constitution stated that laws inconsistent with the fundamental rights were to be void. Therefore, he said, the amendment made to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 to grant exemption to the bureaucrats and military personnel was a violation of various articles of the Constitution.

The petitioner reques­ted the court to strike down Section 236-C of the Finance Act 2024 granting the impugned tax exemption for the bureaucrats and army men, except the war-wounded armed force personnel and martyrs.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2024

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.