MULTAN, June 16: The district government announced changes in the existing property tax categories on Wednesday in order to lessen burden of taxation from the low-income strata of the town.

Talking to newsmen, District Nazim Riaz Hussain Qureshi said the provincial excise and taxation department had recently introduced a new system to collect property tax. He said the new system had categorized property in Multan into 'B', 'C' and 'D' classes.

The Nazim said, however, there was uproar as both the business community and the people at large were protesting against the new slab of property tax for being 'unjustified'. The traders had even observed a shutter-down strike to demand withdrawal of the new slab, he said.

Around 650 writ petitions, he said, were filed against the new property tax system, but all were dismissed by the relevant courts. However, he said the district government in consultation with the TMA (City) and local directorate of excise and taxation had proposed afresh property tax slab to the provincial government which had been approved without any amendment.

He said now most parts of the city would fall under category 'E' while only a few posh residential and commercial areas would remain in category 'B'. He announced that all those who had paid the levy under the existing categories could apply for refund under the revised slab of property tax.

The District Nazim said the revised slab had been sent to the EDO (Revenue) for final approval. We have opted a legal but short way to resolve the issue instead of going for a lengthy procedure to amend the law. He hoped that the EDO (Revenue) would approve the proposals within three days.

When contacted, EDO (Revenue) Chaudhry Nazeer Ahmed said he had yet to receive the summary for the revision of property tax categories. "I haven't seen the summary but what I know is that any change in taxation slab needs notification from a higher competent authority", he replied when asked that whether he was competent enough to order changes in the taxation categories.