SC directs PRAL to submit details about tax collection expertise

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday directed the Pakistan Revenue Automation (Pvt) Limited (PRAL) to submit details regarding its recruitment procedure and expertise in tax collection matters.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the case regarding hiring of a private company by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for app automation services.

During the course of proceedings, the Chief Justice directed the PRAL to submit details regarding its work in two months. The court also ordered the FBR and the company to submit details about collection of income tax before and after 1994. Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi asked the PRAL’s counsel about the qualification of its six directors.

The CJP questioned about the real purpose of the company, whether it worked for tax collection in the FBR or also looked after other matters. Who gave its budget, he added. He also asked as to what was the procedure for hiring of experts in the company.

Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed responded that the government would check whether the experts were qualified according to the market. The CJP asked whether the company had so far anything that had benefited the FBR.

The court was already hearing a case regarding establishment of 56 companies in Punjab, he added. Justice Naqvi said the employees, who were getting Rs0.1 million salary, were hired in 56 companies of Punjab against Rs1.5 million salary.