RAWALPINDI, Dec 18: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has planned to remove signboards of all companies that have defaulted on paying advertisement tax to the civic body, official sources told Dawn.

A TMA tax official said about Rs8 million were outstanding against big companies. The outstanding amount against these companies ranges between Rs0.1 million to Rs1 million. This remains unpaid for the last one year.

During the financial year 2001-2002, the TMA advertisement tax contract was not auctioned and the Tehsil taxation staff started departmental recovery. About 30 companies that have displayed their publicity boards on Murree Road and other areas, falling within the jurisdiction of the Tehsil, did not pay advertisement tax.

Since then, the TMA had been using different tactics to recover the pending money but could not succeed, compelling the civic body to go for the last option.

“We have launched a campaign against all defaulting companies. We have been forced to take this extreme step. Now, all signboards of these companies would be removed and confiscated. Fines will be imposed on them and even the courts will be moved if needed,” the TMA Tehsil officer, taxation, Farhat Hussain Shah, said.

He said some of the signboards had been removed and the operation would continue till all defaulting companies had paid the amount pending against them.