Farhat Nawaz Lodhi

Service Description

Practicing Advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan, since year 2008, primarily dealing with Constitutional, Tax, Commercial laws and service matters, with over thirty years of experience (Earlier, served Govt of Pakistan (GoP), Central Board of Revenue—CBR--(now Federal Board of Revenue--FBR), as a Revenue Collecting/Preventive services Officer) Since March 1996, has been representing Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) before the High Courts and the Supreme Court. In this capacity, has had the opportunity to study, understand and present the view point of the contesting parties, including the Government of Pakistan, Finance/Revenue Division, with reference to tax laws and procedures and different issues relating thereto. Remained ‘Standing Counsel’ (i.e. Lawyer having General Power of Attorney to represent the FBR and all the Collectorates of Customs, Excise and Sales Tax, in Pakistan, before Lahore High Court, in all the cases in which FBR/ Collectorates of Customs in/of Pakistan were the contesting parties, for over 11 years, i.e. from March, 1996 to April, 2007, even thereafter have been representing FBR before the Superior Courts of the Country, in tax matters. Have a deeper understanding of the process of policy formulation and changes in Constitution and other laws and on many occasions extended advice to Government of Pakistan (GoP) on policy formulation relating to legal aspects of taxation etc. This has provided useful exposure to legal drafting with particular reference to trade, commerce and taxation laws. Besides the GoP cases, have been representing many of the leading business and industrial groups in Pakistan; including international ones, has advised them on Government Policies, taxation laws and procedures and a host of other matters relating to trade, commerce, taxes, finance, property and the like. The legal experience at bar and at Chambers has been a unique experience of interaction with different stake holders and of gaining a deep understanding of rationale/objectives as to policy formulation and tariff structuring and the genesis of regulatory mechanism of GoP impacting imports, exports and trade in general. In 2004, was appointed a member of alternate dispute resolution by Federal Board of Revenue (then Central Board of Revenue), vide S.R.O.888(I)/2004, dt 30-10-2004.