PHC issues notice to FBR, federal govt

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and federal government in a writ petition filed against imposition of excise duty on free tickets of employees of Pakistan International Airlines.
A division bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Roohul Amin Khan issued the notice in a writ petition of Officers Association of PIA. The petitioners’ lawyer, Muhammad Ijaz Anwar, submitted that the PIA was providing 100 percent and 95 percent free tickets for its employees in two different categories.
He said that now the FBR made amendments in the rules and imposed federal excise duty at different rates on the free tickets to the PIA employees, which he called unlawful. The bench, after hearing the petition, issued a notice to the FBR chairman and federal government to submit replies.
The same bench also issued direction to the Fata education officers to make appointments on various posts in Fata education department, advertised in 2012 for Frontier Regions (FR) Kohat, within one month. The direction was issued in a writ petition of candidates who applied for various posts including PET, PST, CT, Pesh Imam, Qari, theology teachers, Arabic teachers and drawing master for FR Kohat. The court asked secretary and director education Fata, agency education officer FRs, and assistant political agent FR Kohat to make appointments on the all posts advertised in 2012.