ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO), Justice Saleem Akhtar, has directed the collector of customs to release the refund of Rs0.976 million to a complainant shortly.

The ombudsman directed the collector of sales tax and central excise, Karachi (East) to also pay the additional duty of Rs0.159 million to the complainant, who paid it for the period of January 1992 to June 1995.

According to the FTO’s judgment released on Friday, the ombudsman asked the CBR to set aside the order of the collector of customs, sales tax and central excise (Adjudication), Karachi-III shortly.

The complainant, M/s Habib Insurance Company, stated that services provided or rendered by insurance companies in respect of goods insurance business prior to July 1, 1990 were exempt from payment of CED and its levy was introduced from July 1, 1990.

They further said that the adjudicating collector passed an order that the complainant should deposit CED of Rs0.976m and an additional duty of Rs0.159m for the period January 1992 to June 1995, which the complainant paid to the department.