Campaign launched to win respect for taxpayers

Progressive Group, a representative platform of traders and industrialists, on Monday launched a massive campaign to win the respect for taxpayers they deserve and convincing the government to devise a simple and easy taxation system to enhance the tax net.

Progressive Group President Khalid Usman in a letter to the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other political leaders have said that Pakistan's tax system is very complicated and unfriendly towards the businessmen. He said that numerous tax amnesty schemes were introduced during last 70 years but only 1.2 percent of 200 million people opted to join the tax net.

He said that his group was launching a campaign 'Lets honour the taxpayer' to enhance tax net. He claimed that tax receiving authorities do not pay honour to the taxpayer which he deserve.

He claimed that if they are treated with dignity and honour they would not only be ready to join the tax net rather ask others to do the same. He was of the view that by taking only this one step would help promote tax culture in the country.

Khalid Usman in his letter further stressed that the business community should be taken on board for consultation while drafting a tax policy, bureaucracy should be asked to be friendly towards taxpayers and also offered preferential treatment in every department. He said that priority counters should be set up in police stations and courts for the taxpayers while 25 percent of participants of any government functions should be taxpayers.

He also called for including taxpaying businessmen in the foreign tours while President and all the four governors should invite 2000 businessmen on tea every month which would boost their esteem. He said that similarly these taxpayers should be treated preferentially at airports, cinema houses or public places. He said though such counters have already been established but they are not functioning practically.

Progressive Group's leader also said that taxpayers should have a 25 percent quota in national civic awards. Last but not the least, he demanded that the government should made it mandatory that public office holders should be taxpayers only, the letter concluded.