Rawalpindi: Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared the property tax notices sent to the owners of houses and shops in rural areas to be illegal, reported a news source. Justice Shakeel-ur-Rehman gave the verdict while hearing a petition.
The petition was filed by chairmen of four different union councils and nine other people. The petitioners contented that the Government of Punjab cannot charge property taxes in rural areas as no amenities are offered to these people. The amenities against which a government can charge property tax includes provision of water supply via lines, sewerage facilities and cleanliness. All of these facilities are missing in many rural areas of Punjab.
The petitioner informed the court that taxation department has sent property tax notice of PKR 10,000 to 20,000 to property owners in rural areas.
After hearing their argument, Justice Rehman said that rural areas cannot be charged with property taxes in a fashion similar to that observed in the urban areas.
The court stopped the government from charging property tax from property owners in the rural areas. The tax was imposed back in 2017 through a notification issued by the then Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
