GUJRAT, June 13: The excise and taxation department’s Kharian circle has issued warrants for the arrest of 243 people who owe Rs7.2 million to the government on account of property tax.

Excise Inspector Amir Shahzad Gondal told newsmen that more than 500 defaulters of property tax owed Rs16 million to the department when he assumed the additional charge of Kharian circle two months ago. The department had recovered arrears worth Rs6.4 million.

The excise office had served arrest warrants on at least 243 defaulters including politicians, lawyers, doctors, government officials and industrialists. Meanwhile, defaulters owing Rs2.4 million had filed for exemption, he added.

Reliable sources told Dawn that the concerned authorities had issued notice to Inspector Gondal for removal from service for showing poor performance in achieving the recovery target.

According to them, his predecessor, Sheikh Muqeem Haider, who had only been able to recover only 17 per cent of the arrears during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year escaped disciplinary action.