IMC told to follow IHC stay on property tax

The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) is issuing property tax notices in spite of a stay order in this regard by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), said the representatives of the business community in a meeting with the top officials of the corporation.

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Senior Vice President Tahir Abbasi, ICCI Executive Committee Member Mehboob Ahmad Khan, All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad President Ajmal Baloch, and ICCI former SVP Khalid Chaudhry met IMC Revenue Director Amir Shehzad regarding implementation of the stay order of IHC on property tax collection.

Expressing his views, Abbasi said that ICCI had acquired a stay order from IHC against the excessive increase in property tax by IMC.

Despite this, the IMC Directorate of Revenue has issued new property tax notices clubbed with previous outstandings and added interest, which has caused uproar in the business community.

Abbasi said that issuing property tax notices in presence of a high court’s stay order is a blatant contempt of court. Therefore, he urged the IMC Revenue Directorate to ensure implementation of court orders regarding property tax.

Ajmal Baloch said that IHC had issued stay order against the new property tax rate and at the last hearing this case it has been linked to the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Moreover, Balioch said, the restraining order on property tax rate has not been removed. Baloch requested that the revised notices should be issued following the decision of the high court on the property tax rate.

Chaudhry and Mehboob Ahmad said that harassment of traders about property tax should be stopped and court orders should be respected. IMC Director Revenue Amir Shehzad said that the last date for payment of property tax is being extended till October 31, but they will have to pay it.

About a stay order on the collection of property tax in the remits of Islamabad Capital Territory, Shehzad said that a copy of the court decision is awaited in this regard.

“IMC will issue the revised property tax notices once we get a copy of the court’s decision,” he said adding that a summary has been sent to the mayor of Islamabad.

When it approved the revised property tax rate last year, the IMC said these had not been revised for more than 18 years and an increase was therefore imperative.

However, residents said it was the authority’s fault if tax rates were not revised on time and not the fault of property owners now facing the 200 per cent increase.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2020.