Tax on agriculturists

THIS is apropos of the letter ‘Are agriculturalists holy cows?’ by Dr Mervyn Hosein (June 12). Sometimes it seems that Pakistan was created so that those who do not pay taxes can get elected and force the honest million-and-a-half registered taxpayers to pay taxes.
It is because of this that the country is in such a mess today. Most government officers, ministers, judges and even junior civil servants have feudal backgrounds.
And it is fairly easy to give an explanation about ill-gotten wealth: just say it is agricultural income even if you have half an acre of barren land. I won’t be surprised if a law is promulgated to penalise anyone who dares to suggest that agricultural income be taxed.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, June 21, 2011

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