Karachi: Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Wednesday chaired a ceremony marking a major step toward the digitalisation of the property transfer tax collection system at the local council level.
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The event featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Board of Revenue, the Local Government Department, and the Information and Technology Department with Sindh Bank, National Bank of Pakistan, and Bank of Punjab. The initiative aims to modernise tax collection mechanisms and integrate them with the provincial digital revenue system.
The ceremony was attended by key officials, including Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Science and Information Technology Ali Rashid, Secretary Local Government Dr Wasim Shamshad, Senior Member Board of Revenue Syed Khalid Hyder Shah, Member Board of Revenue Nazir Ahmed Qureshi, EVP National Bank Faisal Nawaz, Head of Transaction Bank of Punjab Sharjeel Raza, and Deputy CEO Sindh Bank Syed Asad Ali Shah, among other senior representatives.
Addressing the ceremony, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the tax system at the local council level would now be directly linked with the Board of Revenue’s digital platform, ensuring real-time integration and improved efficiency in revenue collection.
He said the initiative reflects the vision of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to bring public services closer to citizens and provide facilitation at their doorstep. According to him, the digitalisation of stamp duty and property transfer taxes will strengthen the financial capacity of local councils and improve their administrative independence.
The minister further stated that strengthening local government institutions financially and administratively remains a key priority of the provincial government, aligned with broader governance reforms.
He emphasised that the digital tax collection system would play a vital role in reducing corruption by ensuring transparency and accountability in property-related transactions at the local level. The move, he added, would significantly improve public trust in government systems.
Syed Nasir Hussain Shah also appreciated the cooperation of all public and private sector institutions involved in the project, stating that their collaboration was essential for successful implementation of the digital framework.
He described the introduction of the digital IPT (Integrated Property Tax) collection system as a “gift” from the Sindh government for both citizens and local councils, aimed at improving service delivery and revenue efficiency.
Officials said that under the new system, the Local Government Department, Board of Revenue, and three major banks will be connected through a centralized digital platform, enabling streamlined processing and monitoring of property transfer tax transactions across the province.
The government expects the initiative to modernise revenue collection, reduce manual intervention, and establish a more transparent and efficient financial system at the grassroots level.
