LAST year, the authorities in Rawalpindi increased the property tax in all the cantonments based on deputy commissioner (DC) rate list for each cantonment area and the assessed market value of the house and its location.

The method has not been approved by elected cantonment boards that are currently unrepresentative due to the expiry of tenure. Furthermore, due to demand and speculation in smaller cantonments, the property prices have appreciated due to a limited supply of residential lots. However, this in itself is a penalty for old residents who have resultantly seen their property tax rates climb exponentially due to the imposed formula of DC rate assessment.

Our family is a resident of a small cantonment for more than six decades.

The property we have was bought in some thousands of rupees in the 1960s.

Now the DC rate formula has increased our property tax multiple times from around Rs36,000 per annum to around Rs150,000 in one go, without there being any avenue of appeal.

This hyper increase in property tax is a violation of the countrywide applicable cantonment board laws that only allow an increase in house tax of up to 30 per cent every three years, and that, too, after assessment by a representative board`s assessment committee, and there is a subsequent appeals process as well.

The authorities concerned should assess the property tax as per the relevant laws, and not through arbitrary orders,unapproved by the representative cantonment boards.

Otherwise, old residents will be compelled to sell their properties to pay the property taxes, which, according to an Islamabad High Court (IHC) judgment last year, is a violation of the citizens`right to hold property.

Name withheld on request Multan