PML-N, FBR refuse to disclose Sharif family’s tax returns to Senate body

ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday refused to disclose the details of Sharif family’s tax returns to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, as the this parliamentary panel wanted to know that whether any tampering and restructuring in documents has been committed.

The documents have been submitted to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), but when the parliamentary panel asked to share them with it, the PML-N lawmakers protested that as the case is sub judice, it cannot be discussed nor the FBR is liable to provide the record to the committee. Committee Chairman Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said, “If we are not privy to the public information, then why these have been shared only with the JIT and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Whether they are above Parliament?

“We had written to the FBR on the request of senators to get these documents and discuss it in the committee, but the FBR was unable to give us details and refused to disclose them to the committee,” he added.

Senator Mushahidullah Khan replied, “The JIT is a big issue, it is politically motivated. Don’t discuss it. Don’t ignite this ember; it will engulf all of us.” 

Mushahidullah said if the supposed tampering has been made, then the committee is not competent to decide it, as it (committee) is not a trial court.

Later, it was decided that the issue will be referred to the Senate chairman that whether the committee can discuss the issue and see the documentary record of the Sharif family’s tax returns. 

Interestingly, on another issue, the parliamentary panel also questioned the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Petroleum that where the huge Rs255 billion collected till June 2017 under the head of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) from gas consumers have gone, as this money was meant for executing projects regarding laying gas pipeline, but not a single billion has been spent nor even a project has been conceived. 

Officials of both the ministries failed to answer the queries of the lawmakers. However, they said that out of this amount, Rs25 billion were allocated for FY-17 and Rs25 billion for FY-18. When the committee members asked them that against what projects the money has been allocated? The officials were entirely clueless, and requested the committee to give then some more time to get the information. 

Senator Mohsin Aziz asked the officials that why GIDC of billions of rupees has been collected, but projects have not yet been conceived? 

Joint Secretary of the Finance Ministry Muhammad Anwar said the money is being collected since 2011 for pipeline projects including Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, laying North-South gas pipeline and other relevant projects. He said Rs50 billion have been earmarked to the Ministry of Petroleum.