The views of Pro Bono Publico under the title of "Taxes & Basic Amenities" in Daily Business Recorder of 1 August 2007, portrays the correct picture of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Being a resident of this area, I fully endorse the genuine grounds pleaded by the author for outright withdrawal of 20% increase in House and Conservancy Taxes by the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) effective 2005-06, the fiscal year of imposing retrospective increase.
In fact, the increase is in violation of the standing decision dated 17-11-2002 taken by the committee formed by the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) on 12-11-2002 for assessment of conservancy and property taxes of flats/apartments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi. The committee included senior representatives of several important residents welfare associations of flats, headed by Coordinator of the area Dr Khurshid Alam.
This committee held a meeting on 17-11-2002 in which it was agreed that properties/apartments which are already assessed and their owners are regularly paying house tax will be assessed at Rs 1.25 p/sq feet upto 30-06-2006. It was also decided that residential flats, which are not assessed will be assessed at Rs 1.25 p/sq feet from the date of possession till 30-06-2006.
The decision of adopting the said uniform rate/formula was to enhance and facilitate maximum recovery of house tax. It was also decided in the meeting that noticeable improvements in civic amenities of the area will be brought about to review taxes later.
But since then, the condition of basic civic amenities deteriorated from bad to worse and neither any improvement nor development has been provided till the fiscal year 2007-08, as highlighted from time to time for attention of CBF and ML&C.
In whole of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, all roads, service lanes, traffic islands and footpaths broke into pieces and each broken piece reshaped in full of potholes, cracks, dug up and badly damaged; spoiling the whole infrastructure due to lake of any repair or maintenance during last 6 years.
Lots of encroachments exist at each corner causing congestion. The conservancy arrangements are poor, creating dirtiness, pollution, and other environmental hazards. The greenery dried-up due to negligence.
The water supply comes on alternate days of the week instead of daily and blocked sewerage has stranded pools of sewerage water on roads and streets. All these factors deprived the residents of basic civic amenities of life, causing inconvenience and mental agony.
In view of the standing decision of committee on CBF record and prevailing conditions of living environment narrated above; the injudicious 20% increase in house and conservancy taxes effective 2005-06 imposed by the Cantonment Board Faisal, should be immediately withdrawn and adjusted in current tax bills.
All concerned authorities of Cantonment Board Faisal, Military Lands and Cantonments and Ministry of Finance are requested to please take note of the matter, in the larger public interest.