PDP takes out protest march against imposition of property tax in Jammu & Kashmir

The Union Territory administration has ordered the imposition of property tax in municipal areas from April 1.

The PDP on Saturday took out a protest march to demand roll-back of the Jammu and Kashmir administration's decision to impose property tax in the Union Territory.

The Union Territory administration on Tuesday ordered the imposition of property tax in municipal areas from April 1. The tax rates will be 5% of taxable annual value for residential properties and 6% for commercial properties, it stated.

Dozens of People's Democratic Party (PDP) activists led by Suhail Bukhari, its chief spokesperson, took out a protest march from the party headquarters near Sher-e-Kashmir Park here.

The party activists raised slogans against the imposition of the property tax and demanded its roll-back.

The protesters tried to march towards the Lal Chowk city centre but were stopped by a contingent of police near the Traffic Headquarters. They later turned back and dispersed.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Bukhari alleged that the government was trying to economically weaken the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"First, our political rights were taken away, then democracy was buried here, poor people were harassed in the name of demolition and their houses bulldozed.