Islamabad High Court Suspends Pakistan Information Commission Orders on Disclosure of Taxpayers’ Data
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the Pakistan Information Commission’s (PIC) orders directing the disclosure of taxpayers’ data, ruling that financial confidentiality takes precedence over the right to information.
According to Express News, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro issued a stay order on the PIC’s directives while hearing a petition filed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The court observed that tax records cannot be disclosed even under the Right of Access to Information Act, as financial secrecy is protected by law.
The FBR had challenged the PIC’s orders issued on January 8, 2026, and December 3, 2025, which had directed the tax authority to provide taxpayers’ data.
During the hearing, senior counsel Hafiz Ehsan Khokhar appeared on behalf of the FBR and argued that Section 216 of the Income Tax Ordinance overrides all other laws and imposes a complete legal bar on the disclosure of taxpayers’ information.
The FBR’s counsel maintained that revealing even the identity of taxpayers would constitute a violation of the law and that the PIC had exceeded its jurisdiction. He emphasized that the confidentiality provided under tax laws is neither accidental nor discretionary, but the result of deliberate legislation aimed at protecting taxpayers’ information, restoring confidence in the tax system, and preventing misuse of sensitive financial data.
He further argued that the PIC’s orders were in direct conflict with special financial laws enacted to safeguard taxpayer confidentiality.
After hearing the arguments, the Islamabad High Court suspended the Pakistan Information Commission’s orders and issued a stay against their implementation.
