This is apropos a write-up by Huzaima Bukhari and Dr Ikramul Haq carried by Business Recorder on Friday. These writers have raised some profound arguments with regard to the performance of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). According to them, FBR must tell the nation what has been done about the following:
-- There are nearly 1.8 million people who frequently embark on international tours but do not file tax returns.
-- About 700,000 Pakistanis have multiple accounts in various banks but are not on the roll of FBR.
-- Over 100,000 live in posh areas and more than 80,000 possess luxury cars, yet they do not file income tax returns.
-- There are 90,000 individual consumers who pay large utility bills, but have never filed any income tax return.
-- There are over 200,000 people engaged in professions like medicine, engineering, law and chartered accountancy, but less than 30 percent file returns.
-- Out of over 2.5 million who obtained NTNs in the past only 840,000 filed income tax returns.
That these questions and lack of their answers by the relevant authorities constitute a sardonic comment on the state of governance is a fact. A state loses the legitimacy of its writ if it fails to impose and collect judicious and fair taxes. You cannot tax those who are already groaning under the burden of unfair taxes-direct and indirect. Federal finance minister Ishaq Dar must not lose sight of the fact that the 20 percent increase in tax collection achieved by his ministry during the current fiscal year cannot be a legitimate government defence if the questions raised by the writers still find no plausible answers.