World Bank team reviews property tax collection system in Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah chaired an important meeting with a World Bank delegation to review the collection of property tax on immovable properties in the province, improvements in the collection system, transparency and measures to strengthen the financial position of local government institutions.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the World Bank, Chairman P&D, Additional Chief Secretary Local Government and other relevant officials. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the existing property tax collection mechanism, town-level tax collection and utilisation of the funds generated through property tax.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the basic objective of collecting property tax at the town level was to make local councils financially self-reliant and enable them to provide better municipal services to the people. He said strengthening elected local representatives and institutions at the grassroots level was a guarantee of delivering relief to citizens at their doorsteps, adding that strengthening the local government system financially and administratively was among the priorities of the Sindh government.

The provincial minister directed that a special and effective monitoring mechanism be established for funds generated through property tax to ensure that taxpayers’ money was utilised fairly, transparently and in the public interest. He said property tax revenue would be utilised for improvement of streets and roads, streetlights, drainage systems and other basic infrastructure, so that taxpayers could see the benefits of their contributions through improved civic facilities in their neighbourhoods.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said providing relief to the people was the vision of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the mission of the Sindh chief minister, adding that local government institutions needed to be made effective, functional and accountable to achieve this objective.

He said healthy competition would be promoted among all towns on the basis of performance and provision of better municipal services, while towns demonstrating outstanding performance would be provided special development grants to encourage further improvement. He further said officers and local government institutions showing good performance in providing better relief to citizens would be encouraged, while an effective performance-based monitoring mechanism would also be developed.

The provincial minister directed the establishment of a modern system for maintaining complete and authentic records of property tax collection, stressing that transparency must be ensured at every stage of tax collection and utilisation. The meeting also discussed various proposals aimed at improving the coverage of property tax, making the collection process more effective and enhancing the financial autonomy of local government institutions. The World Bank delegation appreciated the measures being taken by the Sindh government to provide better municipal services and relief to the people and assured continued cooperation, while the provincial government also assured the delegation of its full cooperation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026