Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

Islamabad: Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Syedaal Khan Nasar, said on Friday that the services rendered by the Kashmiri community residing in Balochistan for the province’s development and prosperity were invaluable and deserve due recognition.

He reaffirmed that every possible effort would be made to address the issues faced by the Kashmiri community, emphasising that Balochistan was the shared home of all its people and that its progress and prosperity required collective efforts.

He expressed these views while meeting with various delegations in Quetta, including representatives of the Kashmiri community residing in Balochistan, said a message received here.

The delegations included Advocate Tariq Butt, Javed Ahmed Khan, Jahangir Khan Khuroti, Sameera Khan, Mir Zaman Lehri, Mir Liaquat, Liaquat Rajput, and others.

During the meetings, discussions were held on the country’s overall political situation, ongoing federally funded development projects in Balochistan, and other matters of public importance.

The delegations apprised the Deputy Chairman Senate in detail of the issues being faced by the local population, upon which he assured them that all possible measures would be taken to resolve their concerns.

Deputy Chairman, Senate Syedaal Khan Nasar reiterated that Pakistan had consistently extended its unwavering support for the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people and had always strongly condemned the atrocities committed against them by India. He affirmed that Pakistan would continue to stand firmly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He further stated that the Kashmiri community had been living in Balochistan for centuries in an atmosphere of brotherhood and harmony, making significant contributions to the province’s socio-economic development.

He emphasised that Balochistan belonged to all communities residing in the province and that safeguarding its development and prosperity was a shared responsibility.

He assured that every possible effort would be made to address the issues faced by Kashmiris living in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. During the meeting, the Deputy Chairman Senate’s Coordinators briefed him on their performance over the past month and provided a detailed overview of the public issues brought to their attention across the province.

Syedaal Khan Nasar said that Coordinators had been appointed to maintain close contact with the people, identify their problems, and communicate them directly to him so that practical and timely measures could be taken for their resolution.

He further stated that President Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif attached special importance to the development of Balochistan and had allocated substantial funds in the federal budget for development projects in the province.

He expressed confidence that the completion of these projects would significantly improve the provision of essential public services and enhance the quality of life of the people.

The Deputy Chairman Senate concluded by assuring the Coordinators and the visiting delegations that every possible step would be taken to resolve the issues they had highlighted.

Islamabad: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati in a case related to the alleged financing of the October 4 protest, citing a lack of evidence.

ATC Judge, Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the verdict during the hearing, observing that the prosecution had failed to produce any evidence linking the senator to the alleged offence.

Addressing Azam Swati in the courtroom, the judge remarked that not a single prosecution witness had testified against him. He further noted that although the prosecution had alleged financial support for the protest, it had failed to produce even a single bank account or financial record to substantiate the claim.

The court also observed that Azam Swati was already in jail when the case was registered against him.

Judge Sipra clarified that Swati’s acquittal would not affect the proceedings against the remaining accused, as their trial would continue separately and the nature of the allegations against them was different.

The court subsequently acquitted Azam Swati for want of evidence. The case had been registered against the PTI senator at Noon Police Station.

Islamabad: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to launch a Faceless Income Tax Refund System to enable the automated processing of eligible tax refunds and their direct electronic transfer into taxpayers’ bank accounts, saying the move would reduce delays and improve taxpayer facilitation.

The recommendation came while deciding a complaint filed by M/s Sprint Oil and Gas Services FZC, which sought the release of an income tax refund of Rs 42.86 million for tax year 2025. The company had submitted its online refund application on April 13, but alleged that the refund remained pending despite the expiry of the statutory 60-day processing period.

According to the complaint, the delay constituted maladministration under the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000. The complainant also referred to an Islamabad High Court directive calling for the implementation of an automated refund mechanism under Section 170A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, to minimise taxpayer interaction with tax offices and speed up refund payments.

In its response, the Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue, Corporate Tax Office (CTO), Islamabad, stated that refund applications were being processed on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis under FBR instructions and that the taxpayer’s claim was still under verification after notices were issued seeking supporting documents.

After reviewing the record, the Tax Ombudsman Zafar Hijazi ruled that the refund application had remained pending beyond the statutory timeframe and that such delay amounted to maladministration due to departmental neglect and inattention. The FTO rejected the department’s reliance on the FIFO policy as a justification for prolonged delays, observing that administrative procedures could not override taxpayers’ legal rights.

The FTO directed FBR to instruct the Commissioner Inland Revenue (Refund Zone), CTO Islamabad, to decide the pending refund claim in accordance with the law after determining the nature of the taxes paid or deducted and submit a compliance report within 30 days.

In a significant policy recommendation, the Ombudsman advised FBR to operationalise a Faceless Income Tax Refund System under Section 170A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The proposed system would allow refunds, verified through the Board’s computerised system, to be transferred electronically into taxpayers’ notified bank accounts without requiring formal refund applications, similar to the faceless customs clearance and assessment regimes already introduced by FBR.

The FTO said such a mechanism would enhance efficiency, reduce taxpayer hardship and promote a modern, technology-driven tax administration.