‘FBR can’t seek taxpayer clients’ data from lawyers’

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court declared unconstitutional the demand of Federal Board of Revenue seeking record of taxpayer clients of lawyers.

As hearing started, an amicus curie told the bench that the lawyers did not share details of their clients across the globe; they are not bound to share information. The FBR lawyer had submitted that lawyers could provide credible information about tax defaulters.

A division bench headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the LHC passed the order on the appeal of FBR against the order of a single bench. The bench held that FBR had no powers to summon record and data of taxpayers clients of lawyers as they protected their clients’ details in all parts of the world.

The court held that FBR should collect details of taxpayers by its own resources as the lawyers could not be used as tool to get this information. The bench held that FBR could also use other ways to stop tax default.

Earlier, a single bench had announced a verdict on a petition that the lawyers were not bound to share information with FBR. The FBR had challenged that decision before the division bench.

detainees recovered: Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem of the Lahore High Court on Friday ordered to release 28 workers, including women and 10 kids who were recovered from detention of a kiln owner Sabir Hussain of Alipur Chattha Mandi.

Judge also ordered for medical examination of the recovered kiln workers, so that legal action could be taken against Sabir.

A woman relative of the detainees moved a habeas corpus petition for the recovery of her 28 family members from detention of Sabir.

Petitioner counsel alleged that the kiln owners violated the agreement and never paid them salary according to the agreement and when they made demand for their wages, Sabir detained them.

He also alleged that the detainees were kept in chains and were being subjected to torture and forced labour by the kiln owner. He said that all these workers were not allowed to go outside.

He requested to depute a bailiff for recovery of all detainees.  On court direction, a bailiff raided the kiln of Sabir and recovered all 28 detained workers and produced them before court. Bailiff in his report submitted that detainees had been recovered from the detention of kiln owner.  After bailiff’s report, the judge ordered to set the detainees at liberty.