The last thing we wanted: Tax Imposed on Visiting Parks ISLAMABAD

For the very first time in the capital, a tax has been levied on the already struggling people for visiting public parks. A tax of Rs10 per head is being charged from the visitors at Lake View Park. Professor Ibrahim Khalil, told INFN, “The moment I turned my vehicle from Murree Road towards the Lake View Park, I was surprised to see a queue of cars on the entrance. Men in uniform peeped inside my car and handed over a receipt of Rs40. when inquired, they told me that you have to pay RS10 per head as a new tax before you can enter the road leading to Lake View Park. My 2 children and the better half accompanying me had a surprise of their lifetime. We were literally stunned at this and when we got in the parking area, parking token was handed over to us RS10 as parking fee.” The shocked professor ironically asked, “Will we have to pay a tax for breathing in the park?” The reply was equally befitting, “The time is not very far, sir!” as a staffer said laughing. “Then you will be made to pay many times more than us, as you will be breathing all the time in the park,” was the only answer the helpless professor stated he could come up with. It is a pity that the government and specifically CDA has either imposed a tax itself or is turning a deaf ear to the private contractors who have dared to play with the feelings of people as now they will be made to pay for a wish to breathe in the fresh air of public parks too.