Daily Times

The collection of motor vehicle tax increased by 15 percent to Rs12.7 billion during the first half (July–December) of the financial year 2020-21 owing to improved business and commercial activities after ease in coronavirus lockdown.

According to official statistics, the motor vehicle tax collected by all the provinces increased to Rs12.7 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with Rs11 billion in the corresponding half of the last fiscal year.

Province wise collection data revealed that Punjab contributed the major chunk under this head. The Punjab province collected Rs7.08 billion as motor vehicle tax during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with Rs6.52 billion in the corresponding half of the last fiscal year.

In terms of growth, the Sindh province registered an increase of 28.48 percent to Rs4.28 billion during the period of July–December of the current fiscal year as compared with Rs3.33 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year.

The collection of motor vehicle tax by the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered an increase of 2.24 percent to Rs865 million during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with Rs846 million in the corresponding half of the last fiscal year.

The Balochistan province collected Rs413 million as motor vehicle tax during July–December 2020/2021 as compared with Rs303 million in the same period of the last fiscal year.

Earlier in January, the Excise and Taxation (E&T) department, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) extended the deadline for submitting token tax on vehicles without penalty till January 31.

The decision was taken by keeping in view the enormous rush from the vehicle owners inside the office, Director, E&T Bilal Azam said.

The motorists could submit their vehicle token fee at the excise office from 9 am to 8 pm even after their office time or any designated branch of National Bank of Pakistan in the federal capital, he added. An online interface, he said, had also been set up between the Pakistan Post and the Excise and Taxation department, for collection of token tax of vehicles having Smart Card registration book.

The appellants could submit their token to the authorized Pakistan Post’s offices located in various sectors of the city including, F-8 Markaz, G-9 Markaz, I-10/4, G-8, G-10 Markaz, F-6 and G-6.Azam urged the motorists to use online appointment system, introduced by the department recently, to get their vehicle registered without waiting in long queues.