IHC only bars action against private company, not blocking sims

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq Friday said in the hearing of the case of blocking the mobile sims of tax non-filers that the court did not stop from blocking the sims, but only the action against the private company.

Islamabad High Court’s Aamer Farooq heard the miscellaneous petition in the case of blocking mobile sims of tax non-filers.

Justice Aamer Farooq inquired from the Attorney General about his presence in IHC. To which he replied that there was an order with mobile sims, its stay order was to be quashed.

The Chief Justice requested the media that the order made last time was not such that the poor or laborers will not be included in it. The Attorney General replied that exactly, they will not be notified.

Justice Aamer stated the fear is that Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) takes everyone in their loop, now everyone goes and tells that it is not like that, who will go to FBR now? There should be some rules and regulations too.

The Chief Justice asked what will happen if a child is using a sim registered in the name of a non-tax payer. What will the working poor man do who has not registered himself?

The Attorney General said that the notice will not go to any poor person, notices are being issued to non-filers from November 2023, if the person submits a reply or satisfies the FBR, his sim will be restored.

Justice Aamer Farooq said that sims blocked was not prevented, but only the action against a private company.

Later, the Attorney General requested the court to vacate the injunction, on which the court issued a notice and asked for a response by May 22.