Hamza Shehbaz challenges Income Support Levy in LHC

LAHORE: A bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) heard a petition of Hamza Shehbaz against imposition of Income Support Levy, ARY News reported on Monday.

Hamza Shehbaz, the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, in his petition pleaded to the LHC bench, comprised of Justice Asim Hafeez, that he is a registered taxpayer and also pays Zakat in accordance with the Fiqah ( religious law).

He further pleaded that he pays tax regularly as per the law without any default.

He petitioned that the tax is an amount recovered by the government to meet its public welfare targets. Social welfare is a provincial subject under the 18th Amendment of the constitution. The petitioner argued that the federal government does not have the authority to pass any legislation on the social welfare of the public at large. After the 18th Amendment the right to legislate about the social welfare issues has been devolved to provinces. If any such legislation is to be passed, it is within the domain of the provincial legislature.

The petitioner has pleaded to the court to declare recovery of the Income Support Levy by the Inland Revenue department as void.

The bench issued notices to the federal government and other concerned parties for March 19.

It is to mention here that the Inland Revenue department has sent a notice of recovery of 1.2 million rupees income support levy to Hamza Shehbaz.

The Income Support Levy, meant for helping the economically distressed persons and families and first introduced in 2013, faces vehement opposition from the wealthy elite of the country.