BAHAWALPUR: The Regional Tax Office (RTO) claimed to have detected over one hundred big fish for the alleged evasion of Rs5.5bn tax during the year 2020-21 in four districts of Bahawalpur tax region.

Regional Tax Office Chief Commissioner Syed Maroof Gilani said that during the year 2019-18, tax evasion was detected to the tune of Rs4.4bn and this year, the detected tax evasion amount was 25pc more as compared to the last year.

He added that during the current year, the total number of taxpayers had also increased by 35pc as 267,662 taxpayers were registered this year compared of 197,863 during the last year, showing an increase of 35pc.

Mr Gilani told the total tax collection of this year was Rs15.7bn as compared to the last year’s Rs12.7bn, showing an increase of 25pc in Bahawalpur region.

The Regional Tax Office covers four districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan and Lodhran.

THREE DIE: Three women died while two suffered serious injuries in a tractor-trolley and motorcycle-rickshaw collision at Adda Sokar Minor near Yazman.

According to Yazman police, the motorcycle-rickshaw with five women on board was on its way to Yazman city. Its tyre burst near Sokar Minor and the rider lost control over it. The rickshaw hit the passing by tractor-trolley, which ran over three women and killed them and injured two others seriously.

Police identified the deceased as Shehnaz Bibi (45), Misbah Bibi (25) and Laiba Bibi (15). The injured, identified as Tayyba and Halima, were shifted to the Yazman Tehsil Headquarters Hospital where they were stated to be in serious condition.

CHARGE: Commissioner retired Capt Zafar Iqbal assumed the charge of his office, replacing Asif Iqbal Chaudhry who had reported to the S&GA in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2020