ISLAMABAD (HRNW)- A massive backlog of tax-related litigation has paralyzed the recovery of over Rs. 5,457 billion across various courts and appellate tribunals in Pakistan. This significant amount remains stuck at a time when the country faces critical economic challenges.
Rising Trend in Litigation
According to official sources, there has been a sharp increase of over 30% in pending tax cases during the last two years. The volume of contested funds has surged from Rs. 3,760 billion to the current staggering figure of Rs. 5,457 billion. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has so far remained unsuccessful in recovering these stuck-up revenues.
Prime Minister’s Intervention
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed grave concern over the mounting pendency. He has sought a detailed report and a strategic action plan from relevant authorities to ensure the early hearing and disposal of these high-stakes cases.
Breakdown of Pending Funds:
According to official documents, the distribution of pending tax amounts across various judicial forums is as follows:
-
Appellate Tribunals: Over Rs. 3,330 billion (21,700 cases).
-
Supreme Court: Over Rs. 169 billion (3,277 cases).
-
Lahore High Court: Rs. 963 billion (7,490 cases) — the highest among provincial courts.
-
Islamabad High Court: Rs. 482 billion (1,979 cases).
-
Sindh High Court: Rs. 480 billion (2,081 cases).
-
Peshawar High Court: Rs. 27 billion (241 cases).
-
Balochistan High Court: Rs. 6 billion (37 cases).
Summary of the Stalemate
In total, approximately 11,938 tax cases are pending across different high courts and the Supreme Court, involving nearly Rs. 1,958 billion. When combined with the figures from the Appellate Tribunals, the total volume of litigated tax revenue exceeds Rs. 5,457 billion, highlighting a major bottleneck in the country’s revenue collection machinery.
Become a part of our mission to promote human rights and public awareness. Your support enables us to be a voice for the oppressed. Please contribute your donations through this link: https://www.hrnww.com/?page_id=1083
