SHC issues contempt notices to FBR officials in Nomi Ansari case

Fashion designer moved court after his name was Put on PCL despite SHC order suspending proceedings in tax fraud case

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued contempt notices to senior Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials in a case filed by fashion designer Nomi Ansari, directing the advocate general and prosecutor general of Sindh to prosecute them.

A two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, fixed August 20 for framing charges against Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue Zahid Masood, Commissioner Rizwan Memon and Assistant Commissioner Sehrish Javed.

Ansari moved the court after his name was placed on the Passport Control List (PCL) on June 9 despite an earlier SHC order suspending proceedings in a tax fraud case against him and seeking reasons from the Inland Revenue Department for registering it. He was later also placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), preventing him from travelling to Dubai and representing Pakistan at a fashion show in the United States on July 9.

The bench expressed displeasure that instead of complying with court directives, the FBR had gone ahead with registering a criminal case. The CJ noted that superior courts had laid down the procedure for criminal proceedings in tax matters and observed it was “too late” for the revenue body to file a counter-affidavit.

FBR counsel Zahid Ibrahim sought time to submit a reply, but the bench said the officials and the federal government had failed to satisfy the court over their actions and proceeded to initiate contempt proceedings.