Taxing the untaxable

This refers to the article, ‘The economic plan’ (July 7) by Dr Farrukh Saleem. One line was particularly agreeable to me, ‘we have always had goals but a goal without a plan is just a wish.’ I would just make a slight amendment here that: ‘we have always had goals and plans but missing was an honest desire to implement them.’ In the past there have always been tall claims by political parties and their leaders. Our leaders speak of ambitious plans and their implementation, which would transform the lives of the poor and pull the whole country into an era of progress and prosperity. Well, we have all seen what has happened since then.I disagree with what the writer says in the last paragraph of his column however – that ‘an aggressive tax collection is scaring away economic activity.’ It is not a new phenomenon for many politicians and industrialists to believe themselves above following our constitution and the laws within. Unless the government takes an aggressive stance against those who have been dodging taxation, fleecing the public and openly going against the law, things will never improve in Pakistan and we will remain at the bottom in all aspects of life.Tarique M MalakRawalpindi

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