Over 50,000 Tax Cases Worth Rs5.7 Trillion Pending Across Pakistan, FBR Sources Reveal

Islamabad: More than 50,000 tax and customs-related cases worth approximately Rs5.7 trillion are currently pending before various courts and tribunals across Pakistan, according to sources within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The large number of unresolved cases has tied up a substantial amount of potential government revenue in legal disputes, highlighting the growing burden on the country’s judicial and tax adjudication systems.

FBR sources stated that appellate tribunals account for the highest number of pending cases, with 27,621 cases involving a total disputed amount of Rs3.383 trillion.

According to the data, 2,155 cases worth Rs58.3 billion are pending before Collector Adjudication authorities, while 322 cases involving Rs46.3 billion are awaiting decisions before Collector Appeals offices.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing 3,961 tax and customs cases with a combined value of Rs184 billion.

Among the high courts, the largest number of pending cases is before the Lahore High Court, where 8,232 cases involving Rs977 billion are under adjudication. The Sindh High Court is hearing 5,521 cases worth Rs558 billion.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court has 2,210 pending tax and customs cases involving Rs492 billion. The Peshawar High Court is dealing with 528 cases worth Rs28 billion, while the Balochistan High Court has 186 pending cases involving approximately Rs8 billion.

Officials say the resolution of these cases could unlock significant revenue for the national exchequer and help improve tax collection efficiency, though many disputes remain tied up in lengthy legal proceedings.