GUJRANWALA, Aug 23: The excise and taxation department imposed property tax on five-marla houses in 26 residential colonies of the city and exempted 300 other colonies from the tax through a notification issued here on Monday.

The Punjab government had exempted all five-marla houses from property tax in the provincial budget this year. But the excise and taxation department have categorized these houses for the recovery of tax.

The department have exempted all the houses of category D and C and imposed the tax on the houses falling under category B and issued the notification for recovery from owners.

The colonies which have been included in category B are: deputy commissioner road, commissioner colony, Satellite town, sessions court road, Gill road, Model town, People's colony, Ratta road, Wahdat colony, Ehteshan colony, Sui gas road, Ziaul Haq road, Hamilton road, Asgahr Ali road, approach road, main disposal road, Popular nursery, Main Delta road, Sheikhupura road, Katchi Eminabad road, Amir park, Jinnah road, Sialkot road and Akram colony.

Meanwhile the citizen of these colonies have protested against the levy of property tax on their five-marla houses and demanded withdrawal of the decision.