Civil Society Group Backs National Assembly, Says Passed Tax Laws Are Intact Amid Alteration Claims

• A prominent civil society coalition, The Patriots, has thrown its weight behind the National Assembly’s move to re-gazette the Tax Acts 2025, asserting that its independent review found no material discrepancies in the laws as passed by parliament.

The group’s statement comes amid a brewing controversy over allegations that the versions of the tax laws circulating within government agencies differ from those officially passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In a statement released on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Muhammad Dauda, The Patriots stated that a careful comparison of the legislative records shows the laws remain intact. The allegations had sparked concern among tax professionals, lawmakers, and other stakeholders about potential post-legislative tampering undermining legal certainty.

“The Votes and Proceedings of May 28, 2025, of the Senate and the House of Representatives constitute the authoritative records,” the group stated, adding that these documents have been public since May 29, 2025.

The House of Representatives has already constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the claims and directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to release Certified True Copies of the Acts to the public for transparency.

Addressing the core of the controversy, The Patriots emphasized that gazetting is a ministerial, not legislative, function. “Any variance arising from administrative publication cannot override what both Houses of the National Assembly duly approved,” the statement read, citing several judicial authorities to support this position.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the coalition argued that the burden of proof lies with the accusers and that its own findings revealed no alterations. It strongly endorsed re-gazetting the correct version as the proper remedy, warning that calls for suspension or re-enactment are “unnecessary” and risk creating legal and fiscal uncertainty.

The Patriots commended the National Assembly’s directive to issue Certified True Copies as a boost for public trust and urged all parties to respect parliamentary records and support the re-gazetting process to avoid undermining democratic institutions.