Rawalpindi: The Punjab Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has instructed its officials to collect taxes from the owners of commercial and residential properties located along the province’s highways and motorways, a news source reported.
Tax on these properties was imposed last year and for this purpose, the department also completed its property-tax assessment survey. Reportedly, the tax collection process could not initiated due to shortage of staff and transport facilities.
As per the sources, each tax inspector has been assigned an area spanning 25 square kilometers. These officials have been directed to collect taxes from property owners residing in areas designated for tax collection. In order to ensure smooth operations of property tax collection, the Excise offices in all divisions and districts have requested the head office to provide the required work force and transportation facility.
As reported earlier, the Excise Department had imposed property tax on over 700,000 commercial and residential buildings located along the 4,000-kilometer-long network of highways and motorways in Punjab. For this purpose, the department had also notified rules; according to which properties owned by the local government department, retired government employees, welfare institutes, and buildings spanning an area of 5 marlas will enjoy the tax exemption.
For rest of the buildings, the department had decided to impose property tax according to its Deputy Collector (DC) Rate and covered area. In order to determine the covered area, the department had announced its decision to use drone cameras and 3D photography.
