Excise officials’ leave cancelled to meet collection target

Department issuing property tax notices to show performance at the end of financial year

RAWALPINDI: The closing of financial year has coincided with end of Ramazan and start of Eid holidays, making it arduous for tax collectors to complete their last minute exercise of chasing targets.

Subsequently, Rawalpindi Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has suspended Eid holidays of field staff and inspectors for achieving targets of property tax and vehicle token tax.

According to a notification, besides cancelation of leaves, all transfers and postings have been stopped until June 30 in the department.

The department had failed to meet the target as the tax collection exercise started very late in the financial year, therefore it has now given instructions to officials to complete these targets before the end of fiscal year.

The secretary excise has given directions to send a daily report to him on the progress.

E&T property tax recovery drive soon

Further, the department has started arresting and penalizes owners of five marla or smaller houses on non-payment of dues. Some have been told to cough up property tax outstanding for over 25 years. People told The Express Tribune they have received notices to pay Rs100,000 in back taxes for houses on five marla plots.

Excise officials said these notices had been issued before the announcement of amnesty for property tax, therefore such assessees will not be able to avail the facility.

The department officials are forcibly collecting dues owing to which the citizens are facing extreme difficulties. It has been known that the department has constructed an alleged secret torture cell near the head office where the citizens are called to have negotiations and not released until exaction of some handsome amount.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2019.