LAHORE (PR)- As a forerunner part of Tax Day celebrations, PRA organised a debate competition in GC University on the topic “Tax evasion is an impediment to growth”.

The purpose of the debate was to increase tax awareness amongst new generation especially highlighting the shortcomings of tax evasion and its negative effect on the economy, the pivot role of taxes in the development of a country, taxes as national and moral obligation and to generate awareness amongst pubic leading to a tax prepared society. Students from leading universities including University of Punjab, Kinnaird College University, Government College and King Edward participated in the event. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd positions holders were given cash prizes, while certificates and shields were distributed among participants & faculty members.

In his opening remarks, Vice Chancellor GC University Amir Hassan Shah stated that revenue authorities are engaged in generating revenue on behalf of the government which ultimately is used for betterment of society. Member Legal PRA, Kamran Ahmed said that PRA as part of Tax Day celebrations deliberately targeted youth to educate the importance of taxes as it considers youth as the tax ambassadors. Chief guest, Minister Auqaf & Religious Affairs Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, while admiring the intellectual level of the students, said that it is the youth who will determine the future road map of the nation. He appreciated PRA’s effort in introducing such healthy competition as part of its Tax Day celebrations on a topic which he considers is need of the hour and advised PRA to introduce more of such healthy activities.

He also commended the authority’s initiative in collecting taxes and backed PRA’s stance on a no spare policy for tax evaders and gave his full support to the department for the eradication of this menace. In his remarks, he also stated, “For Pakistan to become prosperous and developed it requires its economy to be self sustained while awareness on tax laws, timely payment and eradication of tax evasion needs to be given first priority.”

Chairman PRA Dr Raheal Ahmed Siddiqui thanked the chief guest for his support and commended the participants for giving a thorough insight to the repercussions of tax evasion. He emphasized on the fact that tax evasion is a poison in the society which needs to be eradicated as soon as possible and the authority has increased its surveillance for the search of such suspicious elements. In his remarks, he said it is PRA which happens to be the only tax collection agency in the country which has implemented a restaurant invoice monitoring system known as RIMS to curb sales tax evasion by restaurants. He also stated the authority is in process to implement similar smart monitoring systems in different sectors to control tax evasion.