DMC South sends property tax notices to CM House

Also demands property tax from tax exempted buildings like NAPA, tiny houses in slums

KARACHI:

The district municipal corporation (DMC) South has also sent property tax notices to institutions who are exempted from the said tax. In an amazing 'feat of efficiency' DMC South sent a property tax notice worth Rs15,770,757 to the Chief Minister House.

Similarly, the municipality has issued dozens of property tax recovery notices to properties owned by the federal and provincial governments. Besides the CM House, the administrations of Chief Secretary House, General Post Office, Urdu Dictionary Board, National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) and many important federal and provincial buildings among received property tax notices.

However, according to the Sindh Urban Immovable Property Tax Act 1958, all federal and provincial buildings are exempt from any type of taxes. Moreover, this tax is not applicable on historical buildings, religious places, government educational institutions and residential houses up to 120 yards and residential flats up to 600 square feet.

Recently, the Government of Sindh has given the authority to collect property tax from the Excise Department to the District Municipal Corporations under the Sindh Local Government Department. The Excise Department is assisting the Local Government Department in this process. A similar incident took place in India last month where property tax notices were sent to some other historic buildings including the Taj Mahal, and government departments faced a lot of jibes and criticism on the social media.

In Karachi, this year, property tax challans have been sent to not only government properties, but also estates that are exempt from property tax. Property tax notices have also been sent to houses in slums across the city, including Korangi, Orangi, Malir, on which this tax is not applicable. Residents of such areas are very scared and worried about this new tax challan. In this way, property tax has also been sent to the Chief Minister's House, whiles other important institutions including the Urdu Dictionary Board, Napa and other.

On other hand, sources of the chief minister house expressed their ignorance about the property tax challan and said that how can the government agencies send the property tax challan to the chief minister's house which enjoys exemption irrespective of who is the incumbent CM.