Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the federal government from making final appointments for the vacant positions of Members in the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) until February 13, 2025. Justice Babar Sattar of the IHC issued this directive while hearing a petition on the matter and has scheduled the next hearing for February 13, 2025.
In its order, the court allowed the Ministry of Law and Justice to continue the evaluation process for the appointments but prohibited final decisions until the case was resolved. The recruitment process will remain subject to the court’s final verdict.
The Ministry of Law and Justice, in collaboration with the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), conducted a written test on December 8, 2024, for the appointment of ATIR members. This test was part of a transparent and competitive recruitment process initiated in June 2024, when the ministry invited applications for the vacant positions. Out of approximately 300 applicants, 262 were shortlisted to participate in the test after a thorough scrutiny process.
NUST was selected to ensure the test was conducted in a secure, fair, and competitive environment. The recruitment aims to fill key vacancies in the ATIR, a quasi-judicial forum that hears appeals against decisions made by the Regional Commissioners and Commissioners of Inland Revenue Services (IRS). The tribunal plays a crucial role in resolving tax disputes and ensuring effective tax recovery, which directly impacts national revenue generation.
