RAWALPINDI, March 20: The sit-in scheduled to be staged by the suspended members of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board on March 21 was averted on Wednesday after the RCB authorities accepted some of their demands including modification in tax forms and framing of a new tax formula.

Speaking at a joint press conference, the RCB chief executive officer, Khwaja Iftikhar Mir, said the property tax issue had been resolved amicably.

“An 8-member committee has been constituted which will frame the new tax formula,” he said adding “four members including he himself, two additional executive officers and one assistant secretary will be from the administration side whereas rest of the four will be among the ex-councillors.” “The latter’s include Haji Ijaz, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, Ghulam Habib Rana and Malik Ghulam Raza.”

According to the agreement reached between both the sides, the tax assessment will remain suspended unless the new formula is devised through mutual consultations. The tax survey and the rationalisation process will, however, continue.

As part of the rationalisation process, different localities will be re-categorised while keeping in view their location, social, environmental and commercial position and width of the streets. The houses, that are located in wide streets or on the main roads, will be taxed more than those which are located in small streets.

No more tax notices will be served on the residents and they will be taxed according to the new assessment on the basis of the new formula. The new forms will be delivered at people’s residences who after filling them returned them to the cantonment board. These forms will then be reviewed by the board officials and taxes will be levied accordingly.

The members appreciating the reconciliation move warned that they would withdraw from the committee and resort to agitation if their demands were ignored at any stage.