Automated property tax initiative unveiled

50,938 new property units identified in Abbottabad and Nowshera

PESHAWAR:

In a significant move towards enhancing tax collection and optimizing public resource management, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has successfully rolled out the GIS-based Centralized Urban Immovable Property Tax Management and Information System (CUIPTMIS), revolutionizing the property tax framework into an automated, transparent, and robust mechanism.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar, saw caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Syed Arshad Hussain Shah as the chief guest, accompanied by provincial ministers Ahmed Rasool Bangash and Engr Ahmed Jan, along with Secretary Excise and Taxation Syed Fayyaz Ali Shah, Secretary Local Government Daud Khan, and other officials.

Completed at a total cost of Rs95.898 million, the newly launched Management and Information System (MIS) initially targets two districts, Nowshera and Abbottabad, with plans for replication across the province.

The identification of 50,938 new property units in these districts has significantly bolstered tax revenue, elevating demand from Rs69 million to Rs123 million in Nowshera and from Rs83 million to Rs143 million in Abbottabad.

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During the ceremony, the chief minister commended the Excise and Taxation department for this pivotal project, emphasizing its dual impact of improving tax collection efficiency and enhancing taxpayer facilitation through an integrated online system and grievance redress mechanism.

He highlighted the anticipated revenue growth resulting from the addition of new property units to the valuation list, noting that the streamlined UIP Tax Management and Information System enables citizens to conveniently pay taxes from home via online platforms, addressing historical challenges in tax payment processes.

Expressing optimism for the future, the chief minister encouraged continued adoption of advanced technological solutions by the excise department to further elevate tax collection mechanisms and public service standards.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th 2024.