PAC body to back FBR for law to fix timeframe for tribunals to decide cases

ISLAMABAD: The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday assured its full support to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the legislation with regard to give timeframe to tribunals regarding cases of the taxes and Custom duties.

The FBR in the meeting of the sub-committee of the PAC revealed that a case had been pending in tribunal for the last one decade and not a single hearing was made in tribunal of the case for last 7-year.

The meeting was held Tuesday with the chair of its convener Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in which the audit paras relating to Revenue Division and FBR were examined.

It was told to the sub-committee that there was no time limit for the tribunals to decide the cases. The sub-committee was informed that case of Mehran Industry of Rs221 million was pending in the tribunal and not a single hearing of this cases was held for last 7-year.

The sub-committee of the PAC directed for bringing the legislation of fixing the timeframe for the tribunal to decide the cases and also assured that the members of the PAC would support the legislation in this regard.

During the meeting, the committee was informed that neither the registration nor auction of the tempered vehicles was held but these could be provided to government departments on their request.

PAC member Noor Alam Khan remarked that it was noted that tempered vehicles were being in use of friends and families of custom officials.

While examining another para, the sub-committee directed the secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to hold the inquiry on providing the plots to EOBI from DHA on the investment of Rs1440 million for the 400 plots and to present the report to the committee within 7-days.

The audit official told the sub-committee that the EOBI has made the payment of Rs1440 million to the DHA but did not get the acquisition of the plots. They told the committee that because of funds blockage, the EOBI faces a loss of Rs721.3 million in income.

Convener of sub-committee Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said the committee has directed in September, this year for conducting the inquiry within 30 days of time but it was not conducted so far.

He directed the secretary Overseas Pakistan and Human Resources Development to conduct the inquiry within 7-days of time.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also directed the FIA, EOBI, FDA and LDA to complete the tally of record within 3-days of time and to report to the committee.

In the meanwhile, the sub-committee of the PAC settled the 11 audit pars of Rs 3.39 billion of the FBR.

The committee has also examined 16 audit paras of worth Rs18.55 billion of the FBR and some of the parts of these audit paras were settled while the examination on some of the audit paras were deferred.