JARANWALA:
The district administration has uncovered a Rs393-million scam involving the misappropriation of Transfer of Tax on Immovable Property (TTIP) fees during the registration of property sale deeds.
Municipal Corporation officials have been accused of negligence and misconduct, prompting recommendations for disciplinary action under the Punjab Employees Efficiency and Disciplinary Act, 2006.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Local Government and Community Development Punjab, Commissioner Silwat Saeed called for action against former Municipal Officer (Finance) Mujeeb-u-Zaman Shami and ex-Chief Officer Zubair Watto.
To ensure accountability, the formation of a committee comprising auditors from the Local Fund Audit, Board of Revenue, and the Auditor General of Pakistan’s office has been proposed. The committee will audit TTIP fees, stamp duties, registration fees, and other related taxes over the past five years.
The scam came to light following an inquiry by the Director of Local Government Faisalabad into property sale deeds registered between July 1, 2022, and June 15, 2023. The investigation revealed that TTIP fees were neither recovered nor deposited, resulting in significant financial losses for the Municipal Corporation.
Sources confirm that several Municipal Corporation staff members, including Sarfraz Ahmad Razi (Tax Superintendent), Muhammad Arshad Malik (Retired Head Clerk), Shahid Ali (Junior Clerk), Muhammad Zahid Nasir (Junior Clerk), Ghulam Yasin (Senior Clerk), Aslam Shahid (Junior Clerk), Amir Farooq (Junior Clerk), and Naseem Toor (Junior Clerk), have been suspended. Disciplinary proceedings are underway against them.
Commissioner Silwat Saeed has directed all deputy commissioners and revenue officers across Faisalabad Division—including Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, and Chiniot—to ensure the timely collection of taxes and fees under the Local Government Act. She warned of strict action against officials failing to comply.
The commissioner emphasized ongoing efforts to promote transparency and accountability in tax collection.
