LAHORE: Tax exemptions provided to bureaucrats and military officials by the federal government were challenged at the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday.
The challenge targets Section 236C of the Income Tax Ordinance, cited as a potential breach of constitutional rights.
The petition, initiated by citizen Mishkoor Hussain and represented by advocate Nadeem Sarwar, argues that this section contravenes Article 2 of the Constitution, which ensures equality before the law.
Specifically, it criticizes the provision in the recent budget that exempts bureaucrats and military personnel from income tax on property transactions, highlighting a disparity in tax obligations that, according to the petitioner, violates the principle of equal treatment under the law.
The court is requested to deem Section 236C unlawful and to revise the Finance Act to rectify this issue. Additionally, the petitioner seeks an interim suspension of this section while the court deliberates, to halt its application.
The Federal Government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have been named as respondents in this case, which could set a precedent regarding tax policies and equality rights in Pakistan.
