LAHORE: The excise and taxation department during a drive against “influential defaulters” on Monday sealed 17 more residential properties in posh areas of the city because their owners had failed to pay the luxury tax proposed during the last fiscal year.

The action was taken after the department directed the officials concerned to ensure meeting the target in the coming month (April) at any cost.

The Punjab government had imposed one-time luxury tax on big residential properties measuring two kanal and above by amending Section 8 of the Finance Act. The big houses were rated as “Category A” under the Punjab Urban Immovable Property Tax Act, 1958.

The department launched action against the defaulters who failed to pay the tax despite being served notices.

“We sealed over 17 big houses belonging to those residing in the city’s posh areas, including DHA”, Excise & Taxation Officer (ETO) Latif Anjum said.

He said the drive was launched on the direction of Excise Director General Ahmad Aziz Tarar.

He said the department had sealed a total 29 residential properties during the last two weeks. The city was divided in two zones – Region A and Region B, he said.

“As many as 60 residential properties had been marked as default premises in Region A only”, he said, adding that of them owners of some 50pc of the properties had paid taxes. Mr Latif said many of the remaining 50pc defaulters had moved the courts against the department instead of paying taxes.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2015

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