Bench notes autonomous bodies like PIA, steel mills run at loss yet in super tax list
\n ISLAMABAD
\nThe Supreme Court on Monday questioned the government\u2019s rationale behind the windfall profit tax, probing whether ordinary price hikes could be treated as extraordinary profits.
\nA five-member constitutional bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard arguments from petitioners\u2019 counsel Ahmed Jamal Sukhera.
\nJustice Hassan Azhar Rizvi asked: \u201cIf petrol rises from Rs150 to Rs200, would that be windfall profit? If sugar goes from Rs160 to Rs170, would that still count?\u201d
\nSukhera argued that the tax unfairly targeted a few sectors. \u201cIf three or four people benefit while the majority incur losses, how can tax be imposed?\u201d he said, noting contradictions in government policy and that the measure was driven solely by the \u201cwindfall profit policy.\u201d
\nJustice Muhammad Ali Mazhar reminded him that constitutional safeguards have limits: \u201cArticle 10-A is about fair trial \u2014 what does that have to do with taxation?\u201d
\nSukhera insisted taxation should involve public participation, arguing that the tax violated Entry 47 of the Constitution, which governs Parliament\u2019s taxation powers.
\nJustice Mazhar responded that while some municipal taxes include such provisions, \u201cincome tax law has no clause about public hearing.\u201d
\nDuring proceedings, Sukhera remarked, \u201cSimplicity too can be a captivating charm,\u201d prompting Justice Mazhar to quip, \u201cPerhaps this is your kind of simplicity?\u201d \u2014 drawing laughter.
\nReferencing his age, Sukhera said, \u201cI am old now; my children are barristers and they are sitting here.\u201d
\nJustice Jamal Khan Mandokhail asked his age, and upon hearing \u201c57,\u201d remarked, \u201cYou consider 57 old?\u201d \u2014 prompting further laughter.
\nSukhera concluded, \u201cOne day, none of us will be here, but this judicial decision will remain.\u201d
\nThe bench noted that autonomous government institutions, including PIA and steel mills, were running at a loss yet were included in the super tax list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bench notes autonomous bodies like PIA, steel mills run at loss yet in super tax list ISLAMABAD The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the government\u2019s rationale behind the windfall profit tax, probing whether ordinary price hikes could be treated as extraordinary profits. A five-member constitutional bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard arguments from petitioners\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-504434","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n