Tax evasion: Excise department seals school gate

"We only sealed the main gate of the school and left the second gate open," says ETO.

RAWALPINDI:

The Excise and Taxation Department has sealed the gates of a private school due to non-payment of property taxes by the management. Taxes were not was not deposited since 2004 despite repeated notices being served on the owner.

Excise and Taxation Officer Latif Ahmad said several notices were served on the owners of Noor Grammar School in Mohalla Raja Sultan for the last 10 years. He said due to non-payment of tax, the amount reached Rs30,000. He said the department set January 22 (Wednesday) as the deadline to deposit the amount, but they still did not pay.

“However, we only sealed the main gate of the school and left the second gate open so that children’s education would not be disturbed,” the ETO said, adding that the owners have been informed that the gate will be opened after payment of the arrears.  However, he also claimed to have heard that the owner has broken the lock and said action will be taken if the lock is found broken.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2014.