Excise dept seals LDA project over property tax issue

LAHORE: Punjab Excise and Taxation Department (E&T) has sealed the building of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) landmark project Global Village previously known as Arena for nonpayment of property tax, which was later de-sealed on the intervention of top management of both the organisations.

The excise department’s move came the very next day after the team of LDA sealed the regional office of Excise Department in Faisal Town during its ongoing drive against commercial fee defaulters some three days back.

LDA’s operation was led by the director concerned during which several properties were sealed in Faisal Town and Garden Town area including the office of the Excise and Taxation Department. Excise Director General Faisal Fareed while talking to The News said he didn’t know about any such operation and denied that there was any rift between the two government departments. He said he even didn’t know that the Global Village (Arena) belonged to LDA. He, however, said there was a possibility that sealing of Arena may be done by lower staff on its own. He said when LDA sealed the excise office, he called the LDA DG who also didn’t know that his team sealed the office.

To a question about using residential property as commercial, he said Excise Department was giving services to the general public and it didn’t come in ‘Commercial Activities’. He said that a large number of private residential building were turned into the offices of different government departments in Lahore and other cities and this was not a new thing done by Excise Department.

LDA DG Tahir Farooq while talking to The News confirmed that the Excise Department sealed the Global Village and added that LDA paid Rs2.5million property tax and got the building de-sealed. To a question, he said the fee was to be paid by the owner of the property, which Excise Department got on rent. He said he didn’t know exactly about the recovery but assured that it will be taken.