AQEEL HAIDER

The Islamabad High Court has issued a temporary injunction preventing the government from proceeding with its plan to block mobile phones of tax non-filers. The court has also scheduled a hearing for May 27 to further address the matter.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court issued the injunction in response to an application filed by Zong Telecom. The application challenged the government’s use of new powers, including the introduction of section 114-B and the involvement of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the Income Tax Ordinance.

Advocate Salman Akram Raja, representing the petitioner, argued that the amendment to Article 18 of the Pakistani Constitution violates the fundamental right to business freedom. He emphasized that the government should not have the authority to block people’s phones under this constitutional provision. Raja highlighted the coercive nature of the law, stating that its implementation could deprive citizens of essential services in various business sectors. Additionally, he noted that if more than five hundred thousand phones from all phone companies were blocked, it would result in an annual loss of one billion rupees for Zong, the telecom company he represents.