Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the nation to play its role in taking the country out of debt trap.
Speaking in PTV’s special transmission on government’s asset declaration scheme titled ‘Aap Ka Paisa Aap Kay Kaam’ tonight via video conferencing, he said in colonial times, people would not trust the government for paying taxes. When Pakistan came into existence, people inherited this mentality.
He said in advanced countries the money collected through taxes is spent on welfare of people, and that is why the public have a trust on government. The Prime Minister said we have to give this confidence to people in Pakistan too, so that they willingly pay their due taxes. He said people do not have faith on the working of FBR as they consider their tax money will be wasted. He regretted that tax culture could not flourish during the reign of previous governments.
He said Pakistan today stands at a cross road. It means if people do not pay their taxes, country cannot move forward. The Prime Minister said Pakistanis have a capacity to pay even 8000 billion rupees taxes yearly. He said Pakistanis are a generous nation and each year they pay billions of rupees in charity and zakat. They can play their role to take the country out of debt trap.
Replying to a question, Imran Khan said a program will be brought in next 48 hours to facilitate the people who avail the scheme by the deadline.
Imran Khan said after the passage of budget, he will sit with FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi to clean the tax collection agency of corrupt people. He said Information Technology will be used in tax collection to minimize the role of humans. He said a mechanism will also be evolved to provide tax refunds to business community in order to facilitate them. He said business community will be given all out help in order to enable them to make money and pay taxes to the government. He said our government will help investors create wealth for increasing employment opportunities for youth. The Prime Minister assured that no tax authority will harass the people who become filers.
Blaming corruption for the economic woes of the country, the Prime Minister said no country in the world can progress and prosper if its ruling elite is dishonest. He said corruption leads to inflation and unemployment.
Imran Khan said a small number of tax payers cannot lift the burden of 220 million people. He said stunted growth, illiteracy and poverty are the main reasons for less taxes collected by the government.
The Prime Minister urged the people to change their mindset and think of the welfare of their fellow countrymen. Imran Khan said there is nothing impossible in the world and the nation will come out of the economic crisis.
Prime Minister said government is implementing an austerity drive to bring down its expenditures. He said the members of cabinet voluntarily decided ten percent cut in their salaries.
He said armed forces of Pakistan decided not to take an increase in the budget. He said the expenditure of Prime Minister House was brought down by 300 million rupees.
