PML-N exposed as a rich men’s club: Imran

  • October 25, 2013, 8:11 pm
  • National News
  • 112 Views

ISLAMABAD, 25 Oct (Online): Chairman PTI, Imran Khan has castigated PML-N for showing its true colors of being a rich men’s club rather than a political party representing all segments of Pakistani society.

Addressing a press conference, he demanded the government to immediately rollback GST and price hike in electricity as these were causing immense suffering to the citizens, especially those who are least able to bear the burden of spiraling inflation and rising indirect taxation.

He said that PTI realized the economic crisis being faced by Country, reminding that PTI had recommended these alternate solutions to resolve the prevailing economic issues without adding to the burden of the ordinary citizen.

“PTI demands that the government rollback GST and electricity tariff hikes, while also offering more viable and just ways of dealing with the economic crunch, beginning with the enforceable principle that all income should be taxed”, he stressed.

Urging to net tax evaders, Imran Khan cited 3 million taxable payers, who were avoiding taxation, and could add an immediate Rs. 300 billion to the National Exchequer, even if these tax evaders, thieves robbing the state of its dues, are made to pay even Rs 1, 00.000 instead of their much higher tax bracket.

“ Additionally, there is about 35 % sales tax evasion in the country and if this is stopped, Rs. 250 billion can be recovered”, he advised.

He also advocated annulling the tax-exempted sectors like property and agriculture, with agricultural tax being put on produce, rather than a flat rate on holdings, and introduction of Capital Gains Tax on property

Urging to control the rampant gas and electricity theft, as even a cited Rs 300 billion worth of such thefts by PML-N’s Shahbaz Sharif during the election campaign, Imran Khan said that the national exchequer would be richer by Rs 900 billion instead of gaining just Rs 150 billion through raising of the electricity tariff.

He also advocated bringing back looted (laundered) money from foreign countries where new laws allow for that, wondering, “Why hadn’t the government not taken advantage of these laws to bring back this laundered money that belongs to the people of Pakistan?”

Among others he also wants to end all money whitening schemes, this being the long overdue measure, and constitute immediate FBR reforms, including making it autonomous, and an immediate austerity policy where all the Governor Houses in the
Country should be converted into public buildings, and their gardens into Parks, while present expenses of maintaining these should also be made public.

“In effect all state/government extravagance, paid for by the hapless taxpayer of Pakistan, should come to an immediate end”, he summarized.