Tax evaders

THIS is apropos of your editorial ‘Same flawed methods’ (Nov 30). It seems that our government never learns from its mistakes. Providing incentives to tax evaders has never helped. It has only encouraged them to cheat again and again.

Only those nations whose citizens pay taxes can make progress. While Americans and Israelis contribute $2,000 each every year towards the defence budget of their countries, a Pakistani has to pay only $37 a year for the country’s defence.

The prime minister should withdraw the recent incentives and ensure strict punishment for tax evaders and electricity and gas thieves, smugglers and such others who have been looting the nation.

The government should either compel agriculturists to pay taxes or make a law to prevent them from being elected to assemblies. The only way this country can recover is by recovering taxes from all its citizens, even if it means loss of popularity for the ruling party.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Printed in DAWN, December 5, 2013

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