Have you ever wondered that why people are more willing to pay more for charity rather than paying less for taxes? Because they don’t have trust on government and its spending in country. People pay taxes in exchange of getting their needs fulfilled and for getting benefits of that amount. The amount they pay for tax doesn’t impact on their life style, health and other facilities. The taxes are paid so that we can get health, education and other advantages.

But unfortunately we don’t even sense such things here in Pakistan. This is just because of lack of trust in government. Government is totally failed in providing incentives and benefits when you pay taxes. The policies in other countries like Switzerland, UK, USA etc are public oriented rather than just sucking money from them. They charge more taxes, around 30% to 45% over income but they provide you each and every benefit you deserve.

They facilitate you with health, education, full employment and so many other allowances and loans freely. Whereas, in Our country we pay taxes on every product we buy and ultimately we pay double and triple taxes. These unfair policies have struck people to be away from tax paying concept. The main goal of government is to facilitate its people with every new trend and innovation. But if it fails to do so, the ultimate dishonesty will be observed in terms of paying taxes.

The Current situation of Pakistan; high imports and low exports are just because of people’s low trust in stability and sustainability of their economy and policies. The results of lack of trust in government will be, Offshoring, money laundering and other illegal ways to say money. So, if government wants people to pay taxes and ultimately to run country, they must build the trust in people. They can build this by providing them mediums of doing progressive business, providing health, education, security and other needs people deserve when they pay for it.

People don’t pay taxes, they pay what they get from government. If they are got deceived by government, they will deceive government in worse condition than they have been. So, FBR and government of Pakistan should initiate public friendly policies to facilitate people, encourage people to pay taxes. Work according to public, public will obey your every law, they will be the cause of your development.

SYED ZAHID Ali,

Sukkur.