IHC summons journalist Meher Bokhari in Tax evasion case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notice to senior journalist and anchorperson, Meher Bokhari, in an alleged income tax evasion case.

The court issued a notice in an income tax reference field by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) challenging the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue’s decision.

After hearing the case on January 21, the IHC framed three questions of law for determination and sought Anchorperon’s response to the FBR’s allegations.

FBR’s Advocate Osama Shahid pleaded before a division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas.

The FBR asserted that Bokhari misclassified her income under the Final Tax Regime (FTR) instead of the Minimum Tax Regime (MTR), thereby evading her actual tax liability.

According to the FBR, the anchorperson declared receipts amounting to Rs 33.34 million in her tax return for the tax year 2017 and claimed tax deductions at 10% under the FTR.

However, through an assessment order dated 05.06.2023, the Additional Commissioner Inland Revenue reclassified the receipts under the MTR, raising a tax demand of Rs 7.53 million.

Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals) upheld the assessment order, which was later overturned by the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR), stating that the receipts could not be treated as income for tax purposes and annulling the tax demand.

FBR counsel argued that the ATIR failed to consider key aspects of the case.