Daily Times

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Lahore, Sohaib Butt, has set an exemplary precedent by achieving a record-breaking 100% recovery in Abiana tax collection, surpassing all previous benchmarks in Punjab. According to the latest performance report, Model Town and Shalimar tehsils have emerged as top performers, with their Assistant Commissioners successfully achieving 100% recovery. However, the Ravi tehsil lagged, with water dues recovery efforts still pending.

The report reveals that by November 2024, Lahore’s total Abiana tax collection amounted to PKR 78 million against an annual demand of PKR 144.6 million. This constitutes 55% of the annual target and 66% of the pro-rata target.

Assistant Commissioner Model Town, Yousuf Sahibzada, and Assistant Commissioner Nishtar Town, Muhammad Saleem, exhibited stellar performance with 100% and 66% recovery, respectively. Similarly, the Assistant Commissioner for Sadar tehsil topped the charts, contributing PKR 51.1 million to the provincial treasury, the highest among all tehsils.

However, challenges remain in certain areas. Wahga and Lahore Cantonment tehsils recorded comparatively lower recovery rates, achieving 46% and 21% of their respective targets. Sources indicate that these Assistant Commissioners were burdened with additional assignments, including spearheading the district administration’s cleanliness drive, which impacted their recovery performance.

Meanwhile, Ravi tehsil reported zero recovery, raising concerns over its performance.

Speaking on the achievement, ADC Revenue Sohaib Butt emphasized the district administration’s commitment to exceeding Board of Revenue’s assigned targets. He assured that upcoming recovery figures from Lahore would set a new standard for other districts in Punjab.

“The timely completion of recovery targets remains our top priority. In the coming days, Lahore will emerge as the province’s leader in tax collection,” stated Sohaib Butt.

The report also highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance collection rates across underperforming tehsils, ensuring that Lahore’s recovery efforts remain unparalleled across Punjab.