The Islamabad High Court has stayed orders from the Pakistan Information Commission, ruling that financial secrecy and taxpayer confidentiality take precedence over disclosure under the Right to Information Act.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro issued the stay against PIC directives, which instructed the Federal Board of Revenue to provide taxpayer information on January 8, 2026, and December 3, 2025.
The court ruled that tax records cannot be disclosed under the RTI framework, emphasizing that taxpayers’ identities remain protected by law despite transparency obligations mandated by the Right to Information Act.
The Federal Board of Revenue had challenged the PIC’s orders, arguing that the commission acted beyond its legal jurisdiction and lacked authority to demand disclosure of confidential taxpayer information.
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The Islamabad High Court accepted the FBR’s position, noting that Clause 2 of the Income Tax Ordinance legally bars the release of taxpayer identities to any public body or commission.
During the hearing, FBR’s legal counsel stated that disclosing taxpayer information would breach existing laws, violate financial confidentiality, and expose sensitive data to misuse, which is explicitly prohibited under Pakistani legislation.
The court concluded that the protection of financial information takes legal precedence over public disclosure, even when such disclosure is sought under the Right to Information framework, ensuring strict adherence to taxpayer confidentiality rules.
Justice Soomro emphasized that any attempt to release confidential tax records without explicit legal provision would constitute a violation of existing statutory safeguards governing taxpayer information in Pakistan.
