Imran Khan’s call for Civil Disobedience and nonpayment of taxes in a country where less than 0.1% of population pay direct tax, leaves much to be desired, as to what change he intends to implement. As for this call for tax evasion there already is consensus within ruling elite, inclusive of PTI, PML-N, PPP, PAT, MQM, PML-Q etc and paid bureaucracy for decades and this can be verified from tax returns filed by them as compared to lavish lifestyle they lead and assets owned by them and their immediate family abroad. The change would have been if IK had given a call that uniform direct taxes be levied on all sorts of incomes, yields, profits earned by all Pakistani citizens, including himself, with pledge to follow constitution, pay all taxes, obey all laws, submit to accountability and implement ruling of constitutionally appointed judiciary.
The process of election is merely a tool to select through majority vote a government which must strive to improve socioeconomic conditions of majority, invest in development of human resources and provide to people basic constitutional rights. No system of governance can survive without a social welfare system and this cannot be achieved without imposing direct taxation on all earning above a declared uniform quantum.
MALIK TARIQ
Lahore
