ISLAMABAD: The Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) has called on the Chief Justice of Pakistan to uphold the rule of law and initiate legal proceedings against officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) accused of issuing threats of “severe consequences” to a Supreme Court advocate who exposed alleged corruption within the tax department.
In a formal letter addressed to the Chief Justice, with copies sent to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Minister for Law, Chairman FBR, and key Bar associations, the LTBA strongly condemned what it described as the use of “threatening and contemptuous language” by an FBR officer toward Advocate Waheed Shahzad Butt.
The association noted that the officer’s remarks represented an attempt at “irresponsible blame-shifting,” intended to divert attention from established facts. It alleged that instead of addressing the corruption claims raised by the lawyer, the officer resorted to intimidation and warnings of “severe consequences.”
Terming the incident a direct attack on the legal profession, the LTBA urged the judiciary and the government to ensure that no public officer is allowed to threaten or harass members of the Bar. It emphasized that the independence of lawyers and the supremacy of law must be preserved at all costs.
Citing the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act, 2023, particularly Sections 2 and 9, the LTBA reminded authorities that acts of intimidation, threat, coercion, or interference against lawyers performing professional duties are punishable offences. The association urged the government to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020, direct the tax official to issue a written apology to be submitted before the Federal Tax Ombudsman, and register an FIR under relevant provisions of the 2023 Act to address the alleged intimidation of a practicing Advocate of the Supreme Court.
