Court Prohibits Govt From Appointing ATIR Members

The Islamabad High Court has barred the federal government from making final appointments till February 13, 2025, for appointment of Members in the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR).

IHC judge Justice Babar Sattar while issuing the notices to the federal government fixed the petition on 13/02/2025.

The IHC Judge in its order states that the Ministry of Law and Justice may continue with the evaluation process being undertaken for appointment of member ATIR Islamabad but no final appointment will be made and the recruitment process shall remain subject to the outcome in the instant matter.

NUST on the request of the Ministry of Law and Justice, Islamabad organized a written Test for appointment of vacant posts of Members ATIR on December 8, 2024.

In June 2024, the Ministry of Law and Justice invited applications to fill these vacancies. Approximately 300 applicants applied, and after thorough scrutiny 262 were invited to participate in the test. To ensure the test process was transparent, fair, competitive, and in a secure environment, the NUST has been selected.

The ATIR is a quasi-judicial forum that hears appeals against the orders passed by the Regional Commissioners/Commissioners of Inland Revenue Services (IRS). The Tribunal plays a critical role in ensuring effective tax recovery and resolution of disputes, directly influencing national revenue generation.

Moreover, it is a pivotal step towards filling key vacancies through a competitive process in ATIR to expedite the resolution of cases pending for years and the collection of taxes is essential for addressing national challenges.