LAHORE, April 8: The Punjab Assembly on Friday passed the Punjab Urban Property Immovable Property Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2005, and exempted houses, used for residential purposes, of up to five marla from property tax.

The law will come into force with retrospective effect from July 1, 2004.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had promised relief in the beginning of the year and the Punjab Assembly referred the bill to its standing committee. On Friday, the assembly suspended its routine business to take up the bill.

Dr Shafique Chaudhry said it was a Rs500 million gift from the Punjab government to the poor. It also showed the government’s commitment to provide maximum relief to common man.

Deputy opposition leader Rana Sanaullah thanked the government for taking up a bill on initiation of the opposition. He reminded the minister concerned that he opposed the bill when it was first brought in the house.

“During one of his visits to the house, the chief minister was asked by the opposition to provide some relief to common man by exempting five-marla houses used for residential purposes. He agreed and instructed the department for necessary legislation. But, the minister and the department first opposed the entire bill and then categorized five-marla houses to avoid blanket exemption. The chief minister must be credited for persisting with the stance and ultimately getting the result,” he added.