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The Sindh High Court (SHC) has barred the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) from taking further legal action against fashion designer Nomi Ansari in a tax fraud case exceeding Rs1 billion.
A two-member bench led by Acting Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar issued the stay order during a hearing, suspending an FIR registered against Ansari and others.
The court served notices to top FBR officials, including the chairman, revenue division secretary, and assistant commissioner, directing them to appear at the next hearing on May 23.
SHC also summoned the FBR officer who filed the FIR to explain the justification and legality of his actions during the next session.
READ: Fashion designer Nomi Ansari booked in Rs1.25b tax fraud
The designer’s legal team argued that the FIR was in violation of a prior SHC interim order in a related case, and thus held no legal standing or jurisdiction.
The petition further claimed the FBR had conducted an unlawful raid and sealed Ansari’s premises, an action already suspended by the court last month.
Lawyers also cited that prior notices and summons issued in the same case were previously suspended by SHC in earlier proceedings, reinforcing the argument of legal overreach.
The case will now resume on May 23, with the court seeking clarity on the FBR’s procedures and legal conduct in the matter.
