Excise department falls short of property tax goal despite recovery drive

ISLAMABAD: The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has failed to meet its property tax collection target for fiscal year 2025-26, even after widening the tax base and applying revised property valuation rates notified by deputy commissioners.

In an effort to raise recoveries before the fiscal year closes, Director General Excise and Taxation has ordered officers and field staff to stay in the field for tax collection work and cancelled leave until June 30. Following the directive, ETOs, inspectors and staff across all five property tax zones intensified operations.

During the past week, officials sealed 362 defaulting property tax units and recovered Rs9.3 million. Department officials said notices had already been served on all defaulters and recovery operations were continuing from morning till night. ETOs said two weeks still remained before the end of the fiscal year and that they expected further significant recoveries in that period.

Among individual officers, Zone-IV ETO Abdul Qadir of Gujar Khan was reported to be leading in property tax collection, followed by ETO Asim Sardar and ETO Kulsoom Zahra. Property tax recovery was weakest in Zone-V despite the presence of major upscale localities and large taxable units. Complaints had been made to the DG regarding the submission of bogus taxable properties from that zone.