ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The chairman, Central Board of Revenue (CBR) M. Abdullah Yousuf has asked all the Commissioners of Income Tax (Appeals) to clear all pending cases by June 30, 2005 to ensure a fresh and promising start from the next financial year.

He was speaking at a conference of Commissioners of Income Tax (Appeals) held on Thursday to review in detail the number of pending appeals by the individual taxpayers/companies along with aging composition and revenue involved in these appeals, and evolved a strategy for their early disposal.

He informed the conference that the commitment made by the CBR to the prime minister to achieve 10 per cent reduction in appeal stock in each quarter of current financial year has to be fulfilled.

Out of total pendency of 35,753 appeals on July 1, 2004, 11,942 appeals were disposed of in the first quarter that ended on September 30, 2004. The total revenue of Rs34 billion involved in the pending appeals has now been reduced to Rs21 billion.

Mr Abdullah said that it was encouraging to note that the commissioners have shown better performance as compared to last quarter in disposal of pending cases and hoped that this trend would continue.

He directed all commissioners to dispose of as early as possible all those appeals, which were pending for the last one year. In this regard, there was a need to have a closer look at the re-distribution of work, which could give better results, he added.

"Our major aim is to make the CBR a vibrant and progressive organization and we will achieve it with our collective efforts," he stated.

Member (Legal), CBR, Saeed Ahmed Zaidi gave a brief resume of the over all performance of income tax commissioners (Appeals) in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.