Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has provisionally attached suspected benami properties worth millions of rupees – a news source reported. Under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Law, officials of the taxation authority’s Zone-I (Islamabad) seized 3,140 kanals of land in the Rawalpindi Division.
The land in question was attached in several different jurisdictions of the division through 12 provisional attachment orders issued by the taxation agency. As per officials, the provisional attachment order will remain in effect for 90 days.
Further, the authorities concerned are expected to extend the period through the issuance of an order to facilitate the continuation of the said provisional attachment. If such an order is not issued, the attachment order will stand revoked.
Previously in 2017, the parliament had approved the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act – and the said law came into effect this year following the approval of its rules by the incumbent government.
Provisional attachment is the first step in the process of catching and prosecuting benami properties and their owners. Throughout the process both the FBR and accused can take their cases to first the Adjudicating Authority, and then, if they wish to appeal, to the Federal Appellate Tribunal, the high court, and finally before a special court.
