ABBOTTABAD, Jul 03 (APP): Peshawar High Court (PHC) Abbottabad bench on Wednesday has ordered to suspend the tax collection by the Abbottabad Cantonment Board (ACB) from small industries in the region.
The decision came in response to a petition filed by local industrialists, citing overreach and distress caused by the ACB’s actions since 2022.
President Abbottabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association Abdul Rashid Khan highlighted the grievances of industrialists, accusing the Cantonment Board of exceeding its authority. This move, he claimed, had adversely affected small industries in Abbottabad.
The High Court’s Double Bench, upon reviewing the petition presented by prominent lawyer Gul Sherin Khan Jadon Advocate, issued a stay order. This order temporarily prevents the Cantonment Board from collecting taxes until further hearings take place.
The court has directed to submit records from both the ACB and the Small Industry Development Board of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for upcoming proceedings.
The Small Industry Development Board, responsible for facilitating services like electricity, gas and infrastructure to industrial units, operates within the jurisdiction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Industrialists expressed relief following the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of legal recourse in protecting their interests.
Former provincial president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Iftikhar, also criticized the ACB’s actions, urging accountability for what he described as unlawful activities.