The fudged figure saga by FBR has derailed Pakistan economically. FBR first boasted on 30 June, 2011 that target of 1.59 trillion rupees was achieved. Later on, the department had to eat its words on the intervention of State Bank of Pakistan that actual revenues were1.55 trillion rupees instead of 1.59 trillion rupees. Our failure to meet thrice-revised target has raised many eyebrows. Our lenders, already keen to bring more reforms in the power sector, may suspend the aid. IMF, already proposing very strict conditions for generating revenue and putting onus on broadening the tax base may not revive existing aid programme, suspended since May 2010. Chairman FBR Salman Siddique should have announced authentic figures and not fudged figures. Had this figure been reported to the IMF, Pakistan would have been sailing in troubled water. Chairman FBR, in the same press conference, said that that FBR has identified 700,000 rich people who pay no tax.
Is it not shame for us that most of our rich people do not pay tax honestly and try their best to evade maximum tax? Barely one percent of our population pay tax. How would revenue collected from 1% population suffice to run the affairs of country?
A committee was set up to probe how and why the fudged figures were announced on 30 June. But this committee has also been stopped from carrying on the probe. We, indeed, are doing ridiculous things that will make mockery of us in the eyes of international lenders.
IFTIKHAR SHAHEEN MIRZA
Islamabad
when this is the performance of revenue department, what can we expect from remaining……
Comments are closed.