LAHORE, May 17: Faiz Ghar, a literary and cultural organisation in Model Town’s F Block, was de-sealed on Thursday.

“The Excise and Taxation secretary called me and apologised to me, saying how it’s possible that we close a place like Faiz Ghar,” Faiz Trust Foundation chairperson Saleema Hashmi told Dawn.

Ms Hashmi thanked the Governor’s House and the Chief Minister’s House for speedy intervention and the E&T secretary for cooperation.

She said Faiz Ghar was a non-profit organisation, and not a commercial concern.

Moneeza Hashmi, a trustee of the Foundation, said: “We are grateful for the timely intervention of the Chief Minister’s Office into the matter.”

Iqbal Anwar, a Lahore Tax Bar member who is a lawyer for Faiz Ghar, said it was purely a non-profit organisation. He said an appeal had been filed with the Excise and Taxation Department since March 29, 2009 to not include it under the umbrella of property tax because charity centres are excluded from it. He said there was no decision on the application so far.

Answering a question, he said Rs124,000 tax notice had been issued for the building for two years. Faiz Ghar had been reopened, he added.