Officers given deadline to identify benami properties

LAHORE: While giving deadline of September 30 for benami properties, Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat has said the commissioner and deputy commissioner concerned would be responsible if any of the benami property is reported in the province after the given timeframe.

He was chairing a meeting of the Provincial Anti-Benami Transactions Committee in the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. Chief Secretary (CS) Yusouf Nasim Khokhar, Senior Member of Punjab Board of Revenue Shaukat Ali, Director General Benami-II of Federal Board of Revenue Asim Ahmad, Commissioner Benami Zone II Lahore Khalid Khan, Additional IG Special Branch and other officers from FBR and Punjab departments also attended the meeting.

The commissioners and deputy commissioners from across the province briefed the meeting via video conference. The law minister said that public support should also be sought through publicity for identifying benami properties. The officers in Punjab should have effective contacts with the relevant FBR officers to achieve the stated goals. Excise Department and Special Branch should also be included in the process.

The chief secretary directed all the commissioners and deputy commissioners to submit reports on the progress and obstacles faced in this regard within two days. Asim Ahmed said that the task of the commissioners and deputy commissioners was to identify and report only benami properties.

The investigation would be conducted by the FBR. He said that the FBR officers had full support of Punjab departments. Earlier, FBR officers briefed the meeting on the Benami Act, information acquisition and reporting procedures.