RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department has directed the immediate sale of residential and commercial property units of commercial tax defaulters to recover all tax dues.
As per the department officials, they have been ordered to collect all applicable commercial taxes including property tax, professional tax, and luxury tax.
The sealing of property units under the Property Sale Law has also been implemented, which means that the premises will remain sealed until 100% payment of tax dues.
Furthermore, the field staff has started making regular recoveries, and on the first day, 11 property units were sealed, and Rs. 3.4 million were collected.
Previously, officials were only authorized to serve notices on tax defaulters, but orders to arrest defaulters have been issued in addition to the sealing of their properties.
The excise, taxation, and Narcotic Control Director General, Muhammad Ali, has ordered all excise inspectors and field employees to recover dues from defaulters.
Moreover, the excise department has okayed the installation of a plant in Rawalpindi for the production of smart vehicle registration cards at an estimated cost of Rs. 150 million.
Meanwhile, citizens and traders of the garrison city have decided to move the Lahore High Court against the excise department’s decision to seal the properties of defaulters until clearance of all dues.
Anjuman-I-Tajran President Sharjeel Mir said keeping the property units sealed for an extended period is a violation of fundamental human rights and would be challenged in court in the coming week.
