Property Taxes in the Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This note provides an overview of the current property taxation system in the Punjab Province based on the premise that the property tax: 1) is essentially a fiscal tool; 2) is not an instrument of social redistribution; 3) system should be kept simple; and 4) is a technical instrument with strong financial, institutional, and political connotations. This note summarizes the key attributes of the present property taxation system of the Punjab Province and proposes some solutions for improving the property tax system. Our analysis is based on the following premises: first, the property tax is essentially a fiscal tool. Second, it is not an instrument of social redistribution. Third, the property tax system should be kept simple. Fourth, the property tax is not merely a technical instrument, but it is a substantial revenue factor with strong financial, institutional, and political connotations. Property taxes are levied on a banded annual rental value (ARV) basis, calculated from valuation tables issued by the excise and tax department.