KARACHI: The leaders of a nation should be the role models for the nation, but unfortunately in Pakistan, the politicians are using democracy to make money without the discrimination of right or wrong.
The society is heading towards chaos and the democracy in itself is losing the trust of people in the country. It is no secret that competing in an election is just an investment in Pakistan. Political leaders and influentials spent millions in their election campaign to earn billions after they get elected.
Even the political parties grant tickets to those candidates who could contribute to their party funds generously.
It will not be justified to say that all of these politicians evade taxes; there are certain things that need to be taken into account. Most of the politicians derive their income from agriculture which is exempted; leader having industrial interests paid tax via their companies while investors’ taxes are deducted at source.
It would be better that these leaders and other prominent personalities should also mention on their own all the contributions to the national exchequer as well as to the society, so that masses could know they are not evading taxes and doing corruption only.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his fierce opponent Imran Khan’s tax contributions significantly declined in tax year 2015 amid steady increase in overall income tax payments by parliamentarians.
The parliamentarians’ tax directory that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar unveiled on Friday revealed that national lawmakers, including members of the federal cabinet, paid Rs310.8 million in taxes during tax year 2015 – up by Rs72 million or 30%.
However, Premier Nawaz paid Rs2.2 million in taxes, down by 15.45% over the previous year. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman, on the other hand, paid only Rs76,244 in income tax, which was 64% less than the previous year – he had paid Rs218,237 in tax year 2014.
The naming and shaming strategy of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) appears to be having an effect on at least parliamentarians. In 2013, when FBR published the first tax directory, parliamentarians had paid only Rs127 million in taxes. This amount increased by about two and a half times within three years.