A full bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday adjourned the hearing of 102 appeals in property tax case of several parties, against the addition of section 5-A in Property Tax Act-1958 by the government of Punjab regarding property tax, for last week of next month. The provincial government has imposed property tax on commercial and residential buildings on the basis of localities under letting value system of the property.

The bench of the Apex Court comprising Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Rana Baghwandas and Justice M Javed Buttar adjourned the case for last week of next month, after the request by various counsels of several appellants. A number of advocates appeared before the court as counsels of different parties (appellants). Tariq Aziz Advocate, who also appeared before the court as counsel of nine appellants, said that that property tax system was discrimination, which created a lot of problems for the people.

It may be recalled here that about 500 owners of commercial and residential buildings filed petitions before the Lahore High Court, which were dismissed by the single bench of the court.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005