PTI's Aleem Khan challenges Income Support Levy in LHC

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Abdul Aleem Khan has challenged imposition of Income Support Levy in Lahore High Court (LHC), ARY News reported on Monday.

In a petition PTI leader has made the federal government, Federal Board of Revenue and the Inland Revenue Department parties in his petition.

The petitioner challenging the Income Support Levy Act pleaded to court that he is a registered taxpayer and also paying Zakat in accordance with the Fiqah (religious law) regularly without any default.

The petitioner pleaded that he has received a notice for recovery of the tax under the income support levy law.

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 and the federal government does not have the authority to pass 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, petitioner said.

The Income Tax Levy Support Act 2013 is against the constitution, the petitioner said and pleaded the court to declare the law as null and void.

PTI leader also requested for halting the inland revenue department from recovery of the income support levy.

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