ETOs fail to meet property tax targets

Dept considers strict action which could lead to officers' termination

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has failed to achieve its tax targets for commercial and residential properties, with the Rawalpindi division's property tax shortfall exceeding 55 per cent.

Punjab DG Excise and Taxation Muhammad Umer Sher has taken strict notice of the failure to meet the property tax target and has issued show-cause notices to the Excise and Taxation Officers of three zones in Rawalpindi district and a total of 7 ETOs in the districts of Jhelum, Attock, Murree and Chakwal.

The department has also initiated strict action under the Punjab Efficiency and Accountability Act (PEDA), which could lead to the termination of the services of the officers who failed to meet the tax targets. This has caused a stir among the officers and field staff, including field inspectors and other employees.

The property tax target for Tax Zone 1 under ETO Tahir Mehmood was Rs1220.367 million, but only Rs412.349 million have been collected so far. Similarly in Tax Zone 2 under ETO Waseem Haider, the target was Rs1653.476 million, with Rs470.752 million collected.

In Tax Zone 4 ETO under Muhammad Umar Farooq, the target was Rs368.983 million, against which Rs94.884 million has been collected. In Zone 5 under ETO Ahmad Shehbaz, the target was Rs3740.393 million, but only Rs516.153 million were collected.

In District Attock under ETO Farrukh Saeed Butt, the tax target was Rs313.956 million, with Rs142.500 million collected. In Jhelum, ETO Muhammad Munawar Hassan's target was Rs374.141 million, against which Rs207.777 million collected.

In District Chakwal, ETO Zafar Ishaq's property tax target was Rs278.524 million, with Rs127.101 million collected. In Malka Kohisar District Murree, ETO Gul Sher Khan's target was Rs277.768 million, but only Rs54.487 million were collected.

In mid-May, the Director General of Excise Taxation will visit Rawalpindi Division to review the progress toward meeting the targets. Strict departmental action will be taken against all ETOs, Excise Inspectors, and field staff who fail to meet their targets.