Islamabad: President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Secretary General of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain has said that expansion in the tax net was imperative for the bright and prosperous future of the country and coming generations.
“Currently, GDP-to-tax ratio is very low in the country which forces every government to borrow which is unsustainableâ€, he said. I a statement issued here on Wednesday Mian Zahid Hussain said that masses hope that government will invest in health, education, infrastructure, social safety and poverty eradication but the culture of tax evasion was barring their dreams to come true.
“One of the major reason for non-compliance is the trust deficit between the taxpayers and tax collectors which must be tackledâ€, he observed. The business leader said, “Tax-to-GDP ratio has come down from 13 percent to 10 percent in Pakistan, while it is at 14 percent in Bangladesh which is being increased to 18 percentâ€. He said that many African countries have already achieved the goal more than 18 percent tax-to-GDP ratio.
“Government alone cannot ensure massive investment needed for national development, therefore, the private sector should also come forward to discharge national obligationsâ€, he said.
He noted that despite political turmoil the FBR has collected Rs100 billion in the first two weeks after many years. “If the institution can maintain its momentum, it will be a great achievementâ€, he added. He said that FBR should collect taxes but ensure that business community is not harmed as the business activities are already suffering due to prevailing uncertainty.
