Drone survey reveals major property tax evasion in Rawalpindi

Up to 400 major villas, commercial buildings, and plazas in large housing societies and VIP localities were excluded from the property tax net, according to an aerial drone survey conducted by the Property Tax Wing of the Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department.

Director Audit and Enforcement Asim Bukhari has referred five excise inspectors to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), alleging that these properties were kept outside the tax net in exchange for substantial illicit payments.

The drone audit was carried out in late October and early November. The survey identified numerous significant properties—large houses, commercial plazas, and commercial buildings—that had been omitted from the tax system. The excise inspectors responsible for the respective areas were unable