LAHORE, June 27: Punjab Excise and Taxation Department teams arrested on Monday over 100 defaulters in Lahore as part of its crackdown on 100,000 property tax defaulters as only three days are left to meet its target of Rs12.5 billion of fiscal year 2010-11.

The teams also sealed the properties of many defaulters for not responding to warnings and notices, Excise and Taxation Department Additional Director General Akram Ashraf Gondal told Dawn.

The department had given raiding teams 'sweeping powers' to carry out a “hard-hitting” crackdown to meet its revenue target, he said. Mr Gondal said the department had recovered Rs10.2 billion from its defaulters till the end of May.Dawn learnt the officials are facing immense problems to hit their target before deadline as most of the defaulters have transferred their properties to either their children or female family members to avoid arrests or prolong the recovery process.The action against the property tax defaulters is being taken under the Urban Immoveable Act 1958 and Land Revenue Act 1967.

Mr Gondal said the result-oriented crackdown had proved fruitful as they were collecting Rs60 million every day. He added the department had an effective monitoring system to ensure transparency in tax collection.