RAWALPINDI: Owners of some of the city’s smallest homes are being served property tax notices worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, months after the provincial tax machinery failed to recover dues from bigger defaulters, The Express Tribune reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department in the Rawalpindi Division has sent bills of Rs150,000 to Rs300,000 to houses of two to four marlas. Residents say the amounts are far beyond what such households can afford.
Punjab exempted privately owned houses of up to five marlas from property tax about 25 years ago. Many owners of small plots had never received a notice until now.
The department’s collection record in the division points to the reason. For the past two years, revenue from shopping malls, plazas, large houses and major housing societies has fallen short of targets by around 50 per cent. Residents allege the department is now trying to cover that gap by going after smaller properties.
Owners also report that non-payment has led to houses being sealed and, in some cases, owners being arrested. The report adds that in a few instances, officials recovered dues by taking away household belongings, which has caused heated exchanges between officials and residents.
The department had not issued a public response to these allegations at the time of reporting. It also remains unclear whether the exemption for homes under five marlas has been formally withdrawn.
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