CJP Nisar hints at reviewing PML-N's tax amnesty scheme

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday has hinted at reviewing the tax amnesty scheme recently announced by the government.

During hearing of a case related to state land, the CJP observed that the court will review the amnesty scheme and directed the court office to fix the case of Pakistanis having assets and foreign accounts abroad.

Last week, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi announced a tax amnesty aimed at broadening the government´s revenue base in a country where only about 1 percent of the adult population are tax payers.

"Under the amnesty plan, all Pakistanis will be able to declare their unreported income and assets and bring their money into the tax base after paying a 5 percent one-off penalty, Abbasi said while announcing the economic reforms package.

Opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Peoples' Party have criticised the government for the amnesty scheme saying the PML-N is trying to save their leaders who have stashed their billions of rupees in foreign bank accounts.

According to a report in this newspaper, PM Abbasi took on board all the key stakeholders, including Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa before the launch of what is termed as historic tax reforms agenda.

In National Assembly on Wednesday, the opposition lawmakers rejected the tax amnesty ordinance and questioned the government for introducing the scheme in its last 45 days of 5-year tenure while saying that it is direct abetment of tax evaders, asset concealers and money launderers.

The opposition refused to accept the Tax Amnesty Scheme and also questioned the government move of presentation of the budget for the next fiscal year asking how the government whose tenure is about to complete present the budget for the whole year.