SWAT: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared taxes in the bills of industrial and commercial meters in Malakand division as illegal and has ordered the FBR to refund the amount collected from the owners of commercial and industrial meters installed after 2018.
Yousaf Ali Khan, focal person of the Swat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, told the media that the Supreme Court of Pakistan, while upholding the decision of the High Court, while pronouncing its decision on the petition filed by the Swat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, has declared the sales tax, income tax and forward taxes collected on industrial and commercial electricity meters in Malakand Division as illegal.
The focal person further said that all taxes including FBR sales tax, income tax and forward taxes have been collected regularly in industrial and commercial electricity meters installed after 2018. Against which, the Swat Chamber of Commerce and Industries filed a case in the Peshawar High Court and the High Court ruled in favor of the Swat Chamber of Commerce and declared the said taxes illegal.
On behalf of the Swat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, prominent lawyer Aurangzeb Advocate pursued the case in the High Court.
The FBR approached the Supreme Court against the High Court decision and the Supreme Court also upheld the High Court decision and rejected the FBR’s appeal and ruled that millions of rupees in taxes should be refunded every month from the owners of commercial and industrial meters installed after 2018.
Swat Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Noor Muhammad Khan, other cabinet officials and executive members have called the Supreme Court’s decision a victory of truth and justice and clarified that Malakand Division is exempt from all types of taxes until 2025.
