A few years back I was explaining the benefits of paying income tax to some Memon businessmen. Of course, I've been paying income tax since 1967 (58 years ago), but when I found that getting a visa for the UK and other countries, it is necessary to be registered with the FBR and file income tax returns (even if you don't earn anything), I got my wife registered and we immediately got visas for the UK, Singapore, etc. Despite this, the Memons were not convinced. One of them said, "Once you start paying income tax, they will harass you no end, they will come to your office and try to find some mistake in your accounts so they can extract bribes from you".
He was, of course, telling the truth. I remember once getting a notice for a huge amount from a lady income tax officer (she is a non-Muslim). Without giving any reason, she got my company's bank accounts frozen, and the income tax consultant took quite a lot of money to operate our accounts again.
This is why the system is so rotten. The income tax officer can do anything and will never have to face accountability for any illegal activity. So, when People's Party representatives in parliament objected to giving sweeping powers to FBR officials to arrest people, I understood their concerns (even though our politicians are highly corrupt). Until and unless FBR officials are told that they cannot act without proof and they will be tried for using their powers to harass innocent people without proof, businessmen will be reluctant to pay tax.
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