Tax dept official summoned in parlour case

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court Thursday summoned Punjab Deputy Commissioner Enforcement Sales Tax Department Zaka Ullah on a petition challenging sealing of a beauty parlour allegedly for non-payment of sales tax.
The court observed that without assessing liability and creating tax demand, business premises couldn’t be sealed. The court held that coercive measures could only be initiated after determination of tax liability.
The owner of Chinese Zeng Li Chun moved the petition against sealing of the parlour. The petitioner’s counsel has challenged the rule 6 of the Enforcement Rules 2014 empowering the department to seal a business place. He said this rule was ultra vires article 10-A of the Constitution and Punjab Sales Act 2012 and department has no authority to seal the premises as it is an act to close the business. He said sealing of the parlour was violation of article 18 of the Constitution. Justice Shahid Jamil Khan directed Zaka to appear with record on Friday (today).
dismissed: The Lahore High Court Thursday dismissed pre-arrest bail petition of a swindler facing charges of grabbing Rs10 million. The petitioner-accused through his counsel pleaded that Gujranwala police had lodged a fake case against Irshad Nasir on the false complaint of traders. Opposing the bail, the prosecutor argued that the accused had deprived traders of more than Rs10 million.