PHC issues notice to KP govt in agri tax case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday issued notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in a writ petition challenging imposition of Agriculture Land Tax and Income Tax in the province through an ordinance.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Irshad Qaiser and Justice Syed Afsar Shah issued notice to the provincial government through Board of Finance and Revenue, directing it to submit reply before the next hearing.

The agriculture land owners from Tangi tehsil in Charsadda district including Mian Younas Gul had filed the petition through their lawyer Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah. The lawyer submitted before the bench that the provincial government had imposed Agriculture Land Tax and Income Tax on agriculture land in 2001.

He said through the ordinance the government was collecting land tax and income tax, which is illegal and unconstitutional. He said that the government can only collect such taxes when the law regarding taxes was passed from the Provincial Assembly.