ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the nation to play its rolein taking the country out of debt trap.
Speaking in PTV’s special transmission on government’s asset declarationscheme titled ‘Aap Ka Paisa Aap Kay Kaam’ tonight via video conferencing,he said in colonial times, people would not trust the government for payingtaxes. When Pakistan came into existence, people inherited this mentality.
He said in advanced countries the money collected through taxes is spent onwelfare 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 inPakistan too, so that they willingly pay their due taxes. He said people donot have faith on the working of FBR as they consider their tax money willbe wasted. He regretted that tax culture could not flourish during thereign of previous governments.
He said Pakistan today stands at a cross road. It means if people do notpay their taxes, country cannot move forward. The Prime Minister saidPakistanis have a capacity to pay even 8000 billion rupees taxes yearly. Hesaid Pakistanis are a generous nation and each year they pay billions ofrupees in charity and zakat. They can play their role to take the countryout of debt trap.
Replying to a question, Imran Khan said a program will be brought in next48 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 ChairmanShabbar Zaidi to clean the tax collection agency of corrupt people. He saidInformation Technology will be used in tax collection to minimize the roleof humans. He said a mechanism will also be evolved to provide tax refundsto business community in order to facilitate them. He said businesscommunity will be given all out help in order to enable them to make moneyand pay taxes to the government. He said our government will help investorscreate wealth for increasing employment opportunities for youth. The PrimeMinister assured that no tax authority will harass the people who becomefilers.
Blaming corruption for the economic woes of the country, the Prime Ministersaid no country in the world can progress and prosper if its ruling eliteis dishonest. He said corruption leads to inflation and unemployment.
Imran Khan said a small number of tax payers cannot lift the burden of 220million people. He said stented growth, illiteracy and poverty are the mainreasons for less taxes collected by the government.
The Prime Minister urged the people to change their mindset and think ofthe welfare of their fellow countrymen. Imran Khan said there is nothingimpossible in the world and the nation will come out of the economic crisis.