Property tax surge sends buyers reeling

Express Tribune

21-07-2025

With the start of the new fiscal year 2025–26, a massive hike in commercial and residential property registry fees across Rawalpindi district has left citizens and buyers deeply troubled.
Along with this increase, a building map fee has also been imposed on buyers. While advance tax on property registration has been reduced by 1.5 per cent, the gain tax has been raised by the same margin. Deputy Commissioners across the district have increased DC rates in all commercial and domestic zones by 10 per cent to 20 per cent.
These changes have led to a sharp spike in registry costs. According to the revised rates and taxes, the complete registry fee for a five-marla house has soared to Rs350,000. In the commercial sector, registry costs have gone up by Rs500,000 to Rs1 million. Despite the hike in taxes, gain tax and map fee, the online challan fee payment system remains non-functional. As a result, even ten days into the new fiscal year, not a single registry or power of attorney has been processed.
At Rawalpindi Cantonment and City Tehsil offices, registry work remains stalled. Registrations have been halted since June 15 and have yet to resume. According to the Property Registrar Office, the new DC rates have not yet been uploaded to the registry app. The app will only open for new registries once the updated rates are uploaded in the next three days.
Stamp Vendors Union Secretary General Sheikh Mudasir said that this year has brought extreme financial pressure on property buyers. For a new registry, buyers must pay 1 per cent stamp duty, 1 per cent municipal corporation duty, 4.5 per cent gain tax, 2per cent map fee, 1per cent FBR e-tax, 0.10per cent online processing fee, and 1.5per cent cantonment board fee. This brings the total to 10.5per cent of the property's value for filers and up to 18per cent for non-filers.
Property Dealers Association Vice President Hassan Shah said that the excessive increase in fees and taxes has opened doors for loopholes. Now buyers will declare residential properties as dilapidated structures to reduce costs with insider collusion, bringing down expenses by nearly 20 per cent. This will not only result in significant government revenue loss but also promote tax evasion and increase transactions through power of attorney, bypassing proper registration.
Billing delay halts property trades
Twenty-one days into the new fiscal year, residents of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards are facing difficulties as new billing for property tax, water charges, and other revenues has yet to be issued.
Sources said delays in issuing computerised bills under the new tariff - which includes a 150pc to 200pc increase in water and conservancy charges - have completely stalled property transactions and related services.
Despite the old tariff being applicable to outstanding dues, billing of arrears has also been linked to the new system. As a result, citizens seeking to clear dues and complete sale or purchase of properties are being told to wait.
Speaking to media, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board spokesperson Imran Habib said the new bills, including outstanding dues and revised charges, are being finalised. The delay, he added, was due to incorporating revised tariffs approved in the recent board meeting. He assured that billing would be issued within the next couple of days.