No Unjust Arrests of Taxpayers: Shehbaz Sharif

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, while taking immediate notice of the news of the arrest of tax defaulters, has made it clear that harassment of regular taxpayers will never be accepted. 

The respect and dignity of the business community and investors are our top priority, and it is unacceptable to harass them without justification, even though they have directed the formation of a special committee on this matter.

According to a press release issued by the Media Wing of the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday, a review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on the affairs of the FBR. The Prime Minister took immediate notice of the arrest of tax defaulters reported in the media.

The Prime Minister was informed that the power to arrest sales tax defaulters has been part of the law since the 1990s; however, amendments are being made to the relevant provisions to make it more coherent, taking into account the decisions of the higher courts.

The Prime Minister directed that the power of arrest in tax laws should be limited only to tax defaulters of an extraordinary magnitude. The Prime Minister directed that an effective system of external review and checks and balances be developed regarding arrest, and provisions related to protection against misuse of these laws should be made part of the Finance Act.

The Prime Minister directed that consultation with all coalition parties in Parliament be ensured on this issue. The meeting was attended by the federal ministers for defense, law, commerce, economic affairs, and information and broadcasting; the minister of state for railways; the chairman of the FBR; economic affairs experts; and senior government officials.