As promised back in 2016, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has increased property valuation table rates for real estate across 20 major cities of Pakistan.

This rise, based on another board commitment, will proceed gradually. By increasing table rates by 15% to 25%, the federal authority hopes to raise tax collection from the real estate sector from the existing PKR 50 billion to the PKR 75 billion marks.

THE PREVIOUS PRACTICE

The revised valuation tables have enabled FBR to reduce the disparity between the rates at which a property deal concludes and those notified in the transaction deed. Before the board publicized the valuation tables for the first time in July 2016, property taxes were calculated according to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) rates.

Current DC rates throughout Pakistan are lower by approximately 80% than their concerned properties’ corresponding market rates. This observation comes despite the fact that the rates had been increased by almost 50% two years ago.

THE PRIME MOTIVE

As has been publicly stated, the FBR needed another set of valuation tables to make real estate tax collection more feasible. Many people believe that the main motive behind this revision is to prevent investors from parking their undocumented money into the real estate sector.

According to the estimates shared in certain news reports recently, Pakistan’s real estate sector is worth PKR 7 trillion. In the 2017-18 period, however, the sector contributed only marginally to the national economy with a 0.1% GDP share – by contributing PKR 23 billion in taxes.

THE AMNESTY SCHEME

In order to help stakeholders adjust to the planned tax mechanism for the property sector, the FBR offered an amnesty scheme back in May 2018. Tax evaders throughout the country were encouraged to avail this concession before its term expired, with the threat of legal action in cases of noncompliance.

At the moment, the FBR is in talks with several foreign governments for obtaining details of offshore asset holders. Those who opted not to declare their local and overseas assets have started to receive official notices as a result.

Many economists are hopeful that should the operation be pursued in its true spirit, it will help the country recover trillions of rupees in terms of assets stacked offshore.

THE RECENT RISE

Presently, the FBR is short by PKR 188 billion in terms of the tax target set for the current fiscal year. With the recent rise in valuation table rates, the board intends to increase revenue collection and bring this difference down.

To achieve this goal, the FBR has increased property valuation rates in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Mardan, Sukkur, Sahiwal, Gujrat, Sialkot, Sargodha, Jhelum, Jhang, and Abbottabad.

The following table will give you a better understanding of the new and old FBR rates applicable in your city:

LahoreOld FBR Rate per marlaNew FBR rateper marlaPercentage rise
Bahria Education & medical City110,500132,60020%
LDA City165,000198,00020%
DHA Phase I672,000806,40020%
DHA Phase II552,000662,40020%
DHA Phase III552,000662,40020%
DHA Phase III Y & Z Block768,000921,60020%
DHA Phase IV525,525630,63020%
DHA Phase V420,000504,00020%
DHA Phase VI405,000486,00020%
DHA Phase VII321,750386,00019.97%
DHA Phase VIII315,000378,00020%
DHA Phase IX & X225,000270,00020%
DHA Rahbar Sector (Sadhoki)338,000405,60020%
Bahria Nasheman (Attu Asal)132,000158,40020%
DHA (Kamahan)338,000405,60020%
DHA (Dulu Khurd)338,000405,60020%
Fazaia Housing Scheme (Janjaty, Chak 62 & Kot Jeevan Mal)221,000265,20020%
State Life Housing Scheme (Kamahan)286,000343,20020%
Central Park220,000264,00020%
Pak Arab Housing Scheme (Chandrai)440,000528,00020%
Ghazi Road (Ferozepur Road to Jhatta Chowk)880,0001,056,00020%
Gajjumatta & adjoining abadis275,000330,00020%
Ferozepur Road (Kot Lakhpat to Gajjumatta)1,100,0001,320,00020%
Gulberg Main Boulevard1,116,0001,339,20020%
Gulberg I, II, III, IV & V696,000835,20020%
DHA (Padri, Bhangali, Chak Bharat & Dhoori584,000700,80020%
Green City524,000628,80020%
Sui Gas Society (Chung Punjgrain)326,857392,25020%
New Lahore City (Sultankay/Sundar)115,625138,75020%
Wapda Town420,000504,00020%
Thokar to Shaukat Khanum Road510,000601,20017.88%
Sui Gas Society (Kamahan)260,000312,00020%
Khayaban-n-Jinnah To Raiwind Road (both sides)494,000592,80020%
Raiwind Road (Thokar Chowk to Bhobatian)270,125324,15020%
NFC Employees Cooperative Housing Scheme302,150362,58020%
LDA Avenue-I261,500331,80026.88%
Johar Town468,000561,60020%
Johar Town (Main Roads)583,000699,60020%
Jubilee Town274,000328,80020%
EME Society837,500675,000-19.40%
Bahria Town456,000574,20025.92%
Paragon City150,000180,00020%

 

KarachiResidential ResidentialCommercialCommercialFlats/Apartments
CategoryOpen plot per square yardBuilt up property per square yardOpen plot per square yardBuilt up property per square yardper  square foot
FBR RatesOldNewOldNewOldNewOldNewOldNew
A-I35,00042,00040,00048,000100,000120,00067,50081,0005,0006,000
I25,00030,00032,00038,40075,00090,00054,00064,80045,005,400
II12,00014,40020,00024,00060,00072,00035,00042,0002,5003,000
III6,0007,20011,00013,20025,00030,00018,00021,6001,5001,800
IV5,0006,0006,0007,20019,00022,80010,00012,0001,0001,200
V1,8002,1604,0004,8004,0004,8006,3007,560600720
VI9001,0803,0003,6002,0002,4004,5005,400300360
VII20,00024,00028,00033,60070,00084,00040,00048,0005,0006,000
VIII6,0007,20011,00013,20025,00030,00018,00021,6001,5001,800

 

AreaKarachiResidential CategoryCommercial CategoryFlats Category
Bath IslandA-IIIA-I
Civil LinesA-IIA-I
Clifton Quarters Excluding Shireen Jinnah ColonyA-IIA-I
Defence Housing Authority Phase I, II, III & VA-IIA-I
Defence Housing Authority Phase IV & VIA-IIA-I
Defence Housing Authority Phase VIIA-IIA-I
Defence Housing Authority Phase VII Extension, Phase VIII & Phase VIII ExtensionA-IIA-I
Dhoraji Cooperative Housing SocietyA-IIA-I
Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block-17A-IIA-I
K.D.A. Officers Housing SocietyA-III
Muhammad Ali Cooperative Housing SocietyA-IIA-I
Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing SocietyA-IA-IA-I
Abdullah Haroon RoadIA-II
Burns RoadIII
Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block-7III
I.i. Chundrigar RoadIA-II
M.A Jinnah RoadIII
North Nazimabad (excluding Block  P,Q)III
Queens Road QuartersIA-II
Federal B AreaIIIIIII
Gulistan-e-JoharIIIIIII
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Excluding Block-17IIIIIII
NazimabadIIIIII
north nazimabad  block  pqstIIIIII
Buffer Zone 14-A, 14-A, 15-A-1, 15-AIIM 1IIIIIII
Bhori BazarIIIA-IIII
Malir CantonmentIIIIIIIV
North Karachi (All Sectors except 1 to 6 )IIIIIIIII
Gulshan-e-HadeedIVIVIV
Landhi Township KDAIVIVIV
Malir CityVVV
Orangi TownVVV
Baldia TownVIVIVI
Manghopir  Road & Adjacent LocalityVIVIVI
Islamabad SectorProperty TypeFBR Rates per square yardPercentage rise
OldNew
D-12Residential plots32,30038,76020%
E-7Residential plots57,15068,58020%
E-11Residential plots26,00031,20020%
E-12Residential plots17,80018,3713%
F-6Residential plots48,50058,26020%
F-7Residential plots48,50058,26020%
F-8Residential plots48,50058,26020%
F-10Residential plots42,05050,46020%
F-11Residential plots42,05050,46020%
G-6Residential plots41,35049,62020%
G-7Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-8Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-9Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-10Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-11Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-13Residential plots38,10045,72020%
G-14Residential plots38,10040,0005%
I-8Residential plots38,10045,72020%
I-9Residential plots16,00019,20020%
I-10Residential plots16,00019,20020%
I-11Residential plots16,00019,20020%
I-12Residential plots15,00018,00020%
I-14Residential plots15,00018,00020%
I-15Residential plots15,0008,208-45%
I-16Residential plots15,00011,479-23%

WHAT’S NEXT?

The FBR is committed to reducing the difference in property fair market values and real time prices. This naturally calls for a steady increase in rates.

The board previously hinted about increasing the rates gradually in every successive year, but it didn’t revise them back in 2018. In order to compensate for this lapse, many people expect that the authority will reveal a new table of rates in the upcoming 2019-20 budget.

With rates set to increase twice in one year, there is discernible fear in some circles that the move will adversely affect the real estate market. Several property experts are of the opinion that together with a PKR 5 million limit imposed on non-filers, the new FBR rates will make parking black money in the real estate sector even more difficult.

According to an FBR official, the board wants valuation table rates to fall close to 80% of property market values. Currently, the FBR rates read lower by 40% on this metric. Furthermore, the board is looking to remove all signs of this disparity at both the provincial and federal levels.

So simply put, what’s coming next is another rise in valuation table rates and the DC rates. This process of gradual increments will continue until the rates notified by the provincial and federal governments are lower than 20% of an average piece of property’s market value.