MIRPURKHAS: Private persons are illegally collecting taxes in cattle pen, new bus terminal and toll tax at the behest of chairman and vice chairman of Municipal Committee Mirpurkhas (MCM), causing huge financial losses to the MCM as the funds thus collected are not deposited in the municipal account.

Chief Municipal Officer (CMO) Shafique Ahmed Shah sent a letter on Oct 9 (No. MC/MPK/CMO-PA/163) to director of local government, commissioner, deputy commissioner, MCM accounts officer, tax superintendent and assistant director local fund audit, complaining that income generation from cattle pen, new bus terminal and toll tax had stopped for the past several months because of the authorities’ failure to take action against the illegal tax collectors.

He said that he had time and again drawn attention of the authorities concerned to the illegal practice verbally and in writing and issued directives to tax department as well but tax recovery was on the decline with each passing day because of illegal interference of public representatives, MCM chairman Farooque Jameel Durrani and vice chairman Fareed Ahmed.

He requested high-ups to recommend stern action against the unauthorised tax collectors and order open auction of all taxes through a transparent mechanism without involving public representatives in the best interest of the council and general public to save the council from further financial losses.

Chairman Mr Durrani, who was associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, blamed the MCM tax branch for steep decline in tax recovery and admitted that no tax had been deposited in the municipal account for the past several weeks.

He said that he was taking measures to ensure transparent auction of all taxes and parking fees of motorcycles and vehicles in the city within a week.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2017