Recovery of income support levy: LHC directs FBR to decide Maryam’s appeal in 30 days

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to decide PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s appeal against its notice for recovery of income support levy within 30 days.

Justice Ayesha A Malik was hearing a miscellaneous application filed by the PML-N leader in the main petition challenging a notice demanding over Rs 1.257 million as income support levy tax for the year 2013. Maryam’s lawyer contended before the court that an appeal against the tax notice was pending before the commissioner Inland Revenue but the stay order would cease soon, which would pave the way for the FBR to start recovery process. He pleaded with the court to restrain the FBR from demanding the amount till the decision on the appeal. To it, Justice Malik directed the FBR to decide the appeal in 30 days and no recovery would be done till the final outcome of the appeal.

In the main petition, the PML-N leader had stated that the recovery of income support levy is a violation of the Constitution. She argued that it was up to the provincial Social Welfare Department to work towards the welfare of the public and that the Inland Revenue Department lacked authority to impose and recover a tax in the name of social protection after the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

Her counsel stated the PML-N leader had been asked to pay income support levy on her assets worth more than Rs 317 million. He demanded that the impugned notice be declared unlawful.