Property tax from PTA: PHC stops Excise & taxation

Humayun Khan

PESHAWAR: A divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice SM Attique Shah stopped Excise& Taxation from receiving property tax from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), on Wednesday.

PHC has also stopped provincial government from any adverse actions in this regard while PTA’s lawyer Jahanzeb Mehsud Advocate appeared before court.

The counsel informed that PTA is a federal department while its operations are carried out as per procedure and rules of federation, but from last few years Excise& Taxation is demanding property tax while the petitioner submit it with observations.
PTA’s lawyer further argued that PHC has already declared null and void notification issued to State Bank in this regard by stating that Federal Government didn’t liable to submit property tax while added that telecommunication authority is also a federal department.

However, Assistant Advocate General Yasin Raza argued that the writ petition is not maintainable because PTA has already submitted property tax while approached PHC after four- or five-year following submission of taxes consecutively.

PHC’s divisional bench comprised of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice SM Attique Shah stopped Excise& Taxation department from receiving property tax from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and ordered respondents to submit reply in this regard.