Hafeez Shaikh, countrys finance minister, seems to be hapless in convincing the elite, businessmen, politicians and industrialists to pay their due taxes, let alone the RGST. They have developed a habit of avoiding paying taxes. This is not a good thing for the country as it would not help in generating revenue for the government to run properly.
No country can expect to make progress without adequate financial resources. Unfortunately, Pakistan lacks them and lacks them in abundance. The perennial lack of accountability and a mechanism to bring them to justice is another cause of serious concern for us.
The government is trying to sell the idea of RGST to its allies and opposition without even letting the public know what really it is. At least, they must have published certain facts and figures, advantages and improvements of this new tax regime in the national dailies. It might have garnered them more support and the overall environment would have been more favourable for this revised law.
AMNA SHEIKH
Lahore
