RAWALPINDI, June 23: The suspended members of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) have accused the board’s management of harassing them into accepting the increase in property tax.

Talking to Dawn, the former vice-president of the board, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad Malik, said: “The RCB officials have been harassing us in different ways. Sometimes, they send baseless tax notices, and sometimes raid our business concerns on the pretext of measuring width and length of our shops. All this is due to our opposition to the irrational increase in property tax.”

But, he said, such tactics could not deviate them from their struggle. “We are not opposing the increase for our own interests, but are fighting for the poor residents, he added.

Mr Ahmad said the cantonment officials had sent property tax notice of Rs168,000 to him.

He said they had been asking him to produce map of his house, water bills and other documents just to harass him. The suspended members have written to Director-General of Military Lands and Cantonment Maj-Gen Mohammad Javed, complaining him about the excesses of the RCB officials.

As members of the suspended board, we have the right to support or oppose any decision of the cantonment officials, they said.

According to them, the existing board was only a temporary mini-board whose authority did not cover decisions like increase in property tax. Until new elections are held and members take oath of office, we, the suspended members, have the right to reject any decision of the RCB management which we consider as going against the interests of the residents, they added. When contacted, the RCB’s chief executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, denied that the suspended members had been harassed.

“We are not harassing anyone. We are a civic body and working for public welfare. Those who have a straight record need not worry,” he added.

He said they were in touch with the former members and a meeting would be held next week in which the property tax issued would be taken up.

He said sending notices was a routine matter because June 30 was the last date for recovery of taxes. We have a transparent system and if anyone, including the ex-members, finds any flaw in the notices or bills send to him is welcome to come to us and discuss the matter, he added. He said the property tax issue had not yet been finalized.