RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) sealed 25 shops on Friday for non-payment of property tax together worth Rs2.7 million and also discontinued water supply to different areas for non-payment of bills.

RCB spokesperson Qaiser Mehmood told Dawn that RCB teams had found that some shops in Saddar, Westridge, Naseerabad and Peshawar Road had not paid property tax for many years.

He said the shop owners had been served notices three times over the last few years, which the owners had not answered.

The shops will be allowed to open once the taxes have been paid in full, he added.

RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Dr Saima Shah directed RCB officials to speed up the campaign for recovering property tax from those who do not pay it.

“If the defaulters failed to submit their dues by May end, the RCB will confiscate the property of defaulters under Cantonment Act 1924. For the convenience of the people, the offices of the cantonment will open on Saturday and Sunday till May end,” reads a directive she issued.

The water department of the civic authority on Friday disconnected water supply to 40 consumers as they had not paid their bills for three years. These houses are in Naseerabad, Chistiabad and Aliabad.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2016