SC, FBR to streamline data sharing

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has emphasised that the resolution of tax disputes is essential for strengthening public confidence and improving governance. The top judge made the remarks as he chaired a consultative meeting aimed at improving the performance and harmonisation of tax litigation in the Supreme Court and across the country's judicial system, an official statement said. The meeting, convened by the National Judicial (Policy-Making) Committee, was attended by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, as well as Shad Muhammad Khan, chairman of the prime minister's task force on the tax litigation framework. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, the registrar of the Supreme Court, and nominated judges from all five high courts also participated in the session. The chief justice emphasised that the effective resolution of tax disputes is essential for strengthening public confidence and improving governance. During the meeting, Justice Aurangzeb briefed participants on his recent judicial decision related to tax matters. He noted that repeated litigation places an unnecessary burden on courts and leads to wastage of public resources. He further observed that government departments should refrain from filing appeals on issues that have already been settled by superior courts. The FBR chairman informed the participants that steps would be taken to improve the attendance, preparedness and effectiveness of legal counsels and departmental officers in tax cases. He added that the FBR's IT wing is working in coordination with the judiciary's IT directorate to streamline data sharing. He also announced that director-level officers would be designated to represent the FBR in each high court. Furthermore, scrutiny committees would be established in each province to review references before they are filed, the statement said.