ISLAMABAD: Negating the impression that the Sindh government was against the reformed general sales tax (RGST), Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said tough economic decisions causing price-hike in the country were being made in national interest.
“We are not fools. We are cognisant of the fact that our certain economic decisions will cause price-hike and may make us unpopular among the masses. But we are making such decisions in national interest, as the country cannot afford huge subsidies. If we continue subsidising, the country will collapse,” Kaira said on Saturday while addressing South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) conference.
The minister said that there was 450 billion circular debt to be paid by the government when the PPP came into power. Denying that the Sindh government was against the RGST, Kaira said it differed with the federal government on the issue of mode of collection only. He added that RGST was vital to the country as it would render the whole economy of the county documented and also withdraw exemptions given unethically to influential people or groups by previous governments.
Commenting on threats to democracy, Kaira said institutions also had habits like those of individuals, which would be shunned with gradual evolution of political institutions. “There is no threat to democracy from army but institutions, owing to such institutional behaviour, which are like human habits, sometimes interfere in political matters and that practice could be undone with continuity of democratic process, as it will strengthen the political institutions,” Kaira added.
He said the media had a right to criticise the government and it must make public opinion more vibrant and assertive. He said the information bill would be submitted to parliament after consultation with the media, adding that the government was planning group insurance for journalists. The minister said the government was not against agricultural tax but it fell within the purview of provincial governments.
“Traditions of media in Pakistan are older than political traditions and journalist community, being representative of those traditions, is older than me, the representative of political traditions, so media has more responsibility to protect democracy and help the government in evolving good governance,” he said.
Earlier, Imtiaz Alam said Pakistan was the only Muslim country where media was vibrant and free. He said the 18th Amendment removed the stigma of the 8th Amendment, but various discriminatory clauses inserted in the name of religion unfortunately remained a part of the constitution still, demanding the government strike them down.
