DLP Report
ABBOTTABAD
The Cantonment Board Abbottabad has issued an official clarification and strongly rejected news items published in a section of the press and termed them as completely false, baseless, and misleading.
The Board stated that the interim order of the Peshawar High Court Abbottabad Bench was misrepresented and taken out of context to give the impression that Cantonment Boards across the country are not authorized to levy property tax, whereas the reality is quite the opposite.
The court’s interim relief is limited to the specific properties of a few petitioners and does not place any restriction on the taxing authority of the Cantonment Board.
The Board clarified that it has complete constitutional and legal authority to levy all forms of local taxes, including property tax, under the Constitution of Pakistan, the Cantonments Act, 1924, and the 26th Constitutional Amendment, 2024.
The Board emphasized that the constitutional amendment clearly included “local taxes, fees, charges, and tolls” in Entry No. 2 of the Federal Legislative List, leaving no ambiguity regarding tax collection in cantonment areas.
Along with legal reasoning, the Board also presented a practical example: Advocate Hashim Iqbal Jadoon, one of the petitioners against property tax, himself deposited partial property tax in 2025 on behalf of close relatives at Cantonment Board Abbottabad. This act clearly demonstrates the legal validity of the tax and that the Board’s action is taken seriously.
The Board stated that revenues generated from property tax are directly utilized for public services, including provision of clean water, modern streetlights, road recarpeting, organized garbage collection, and expansion of fire and rescue services. Additionally, the Board has established an e-payment portal, mobile app, and one-window facilitation desk to ensure convenient payment and record accuracy for taxpayers.
“Thanks to taxpayers’ contributions, the Cantonment Board Abbottabad is actively executing development works in various areas, including cleaning of drains and monsoon operations, to ensure public safety and a clean environment.”
The spokesperson appealed to all residential and commercial users to refrain from believing rumors circulating on social media and unverified sources.
For accurate information, they are encouraged to contact the official sources of Cantonment Board Abbottabad—website, verified social media accounts, and helpline 0992-9310248.
The Cantonment Board Abbottabad reaffirmed its commitment to perform its duties within the constitutional and legal framework, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous delivery of public services.
