THE residents of Karachi`s cantonment areas, including Karachi Cantonment, Clifton, Malir, Faisal, Korangi Creek and Manora, are facing an increasingly inequitable burden in the form of steep property tax hikes imposed by their respective cantonment boards. This year`s tax bills reflect an arbitrary increase of 15-20 per cent, with no public consultation or justification.

Property taxes are significantly lower in other parts of Karachi that are governed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other local bodies. Citizens of all zones, cantonment or otherwise, live in the same city and use similar infrastructure,yetthose underfederal cantonment boards are penalised by a taxation regime that is neither balanced nor uniform.

There have been multiple court cases in the past on this matter, with at least one notable judgment directing the cantonment boards to ease the burden on residents. Yet, these legal directions seem to have been ignored in the latest round of tax assessments.

Residents feel doubly burdened first, by the lack of uniformity in municipal services, and, second, by high, unregulated property taxes that outpace inflation and earnings.Besides,thereisno clear breakdown or rationale provided for how these taxes are assessed, or used for local improvement.

The federal government, particularly the Ministry of Defence and the Directorate-General of Military Lands and Cantonments, should immediately review and rationalise the property tax structure in all cantonment areas of Karachi.

Until such a review is conducted, the recenttaxincrease shouldbe suspended.

ProfShahabAfrozKhan Karachi