CJ highlights impact of tax disputes on economy, calls for better coordination to resolve tax disputes
Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice of Pakistan. Photo: Supreme Court of Pakistan/File
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has called for better coordination between tax authorities and the judiciary and stressed the need to prioritize and expedite high-value and long-pending tax cases. He also emphasized the establishment of a permanent institutional framework to resolve these disputes, according to an official statement from the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice made the remarks on Saturday while chairing a high-level meeting focused on developing a sustainable institutional mechanism to resolve long-standing and high-value tax disputes.
The meeting was attended by Supreme Court Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), FBR Legal Member and other senior officials. Participants held in-depth discussions on developing a sustainable institutional mechanism to handle complex tax disputes, with a focus on reducing case backlogs, improving legal certainty and safeguarding public revenue.
Read: CJP Afridi calls for institutional harmony and respect for the rule of law
“Protracted tax disputes not only limit fiscal space, but also undermine investor confidence and economic stability,” the CJP said in the statement. He highlighted the commitment of the judiciary to support reforms that promote timely justice, efficiency and predictability, particularly in cases with a direct impact on the national economy.
According to the statement, discussions focused on strategies including prioritizing and accelerating the processing of high-stakes tax cases, improving coordination between tax authorities and the judiciary, strengthening legal preparation and case management, and exploring procedural and institutional measures to ensure consistency and timeliness of decisions.
The meeting was described as part of a broader justice sector reform agenda aimed at improving governance, reducing systemic delays and aligning judicial processes with Pakistan’s economic and development priorities.
