Rawalpindi: The Punjab government has decided to cancel the 10-year property tax notices sent to the residents of the 24 newly-merged Union Councils (UCs) of Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) – a news source reported.
These UCs had been merged into the RMC, following which the
residents had been sent property tax notices for a period running up to 10
years prior. Now the government has decided to cancel these notices.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had recently taken notice
of the matter and has now formally approved the decision to withdraw the
notices. Reportedly, an official notification on the matter will be issued soon.
Meanwhile, in a bid to add transparency to the process, the Rawalpindi Development Authority has decided to outsource the process of field inspection. The authority has invited bids for Expression of Interest from interested firms.
The building inspectors would be authorised to issue notices
to the owners of illegal buildings and initiate action against them.
Consequently, it would become mandatory for the owners of such constructions to
get their structures regularised after paying heavy fines.
Sources added that the buildings that could not be brought
under the legal bracket would be demolished, followed by legal action against
the owners.
