Lack of DC fees halts registrations and stamp sales; Daily revenue loss of Rs 500 crore feared
RAWALPINDI:
Real estate transactions across Rawalpindi district came to a standstill after the district administration failed to release official revised property valuation rates for the financial year 2026-27, even though 12 days had passed since the start of the new financial year.
The delay in notifying the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) official minimum property values for residential, commercial and rural areas has effectively crippled the district’s real estate market, with no property registrations being carried out for the past fortnight.
Officials said land registrars have been unable to process the sale deeds without the revised valuation schedule. The situation has been further aggravated by the fact that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is yet to release its updated property valuation tables, leaving the entire property transfer system suspended.
The prolonged stalemate has also halted the sale of stamp papers required for real estate transactions for the past two weeks, resulting in significant financial losses for the government.
According to estimates, the Revenue Department is losing approximately Rs 500 crore in revenue every day due to suspension of property registrations.
With transactional activity at a standstill, staff at land registry offices remain largely idle, while property dealers say business across the district has virtually collapsed.
The delay has also affected the Punjab and Excise Department, which is yet to prepare revised property tax bills for the current financial year. Officials said the department’s tax framework is linked to the property valuation rates notified by the Deputy Commissioner, making it impossible to calculate and issue tax bills on commercial and residential properties until the revised schedule is officially released.
As part of the annual valuation exercise, the Deputy Commissioner re-assesses the official minimum property prices for residential, commercial and rural locations across the district.
While annual reviews were traditionally limited to around 10%, stakeholders claim that increases in the last three years have ranged from 20% to as much as 500%, prompting legal challenges before the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
Sources in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office said the revised valuation list had already been finalized but was revised after the appointment of the new Deputy Commissioner. The notification is now expected to be issued on July 15.
Reacting to the delay, Hasan Shah, vice-president of the Real Estate Dealers Association, said the issue had become an annual problem unnecessarily disrupting business activity.
“The valuation schedule must be finalized by June 30 and notified on July 1 or 2 every year so that real estate transactions continue without interruption,” he said.
Waheed Awan, a representative of the Stamp Sellers Union, said sales of stamp paper had remained suspended for the past two weeks because applicable property valuations had not been notified.
“The stamps can be issued only when the official valuation rates are available. We urge the district administration to release the revised property valuation list without further delay,” he said.
According to industry figures, Rawalpindi district typically registers 350-400 property registrations and 150-250 powers of attorney every day. However, all these transactions have remained suspended for the last two weeks, which has completely paralyzed the district’s real estate market.
