Session on Tax Justice by Kafka and Indus Consortium

Kafka Welfare Organization and Tax Justice Coalition jointly organized district public forum in Lahore. The purpose of the forum was to aware people on tax issues and present public charter of demand for elections 2018 to parliamentarians and politicians for its inclusion in party manifestos. MPA Dr. Nausheen Hamid from PTI, Barrister Amir from PPP, philanthropist and columnist Salman Abid and Ex MPA Samia Amjad participated in the forum as guest speakers. On this occasion, the participants said tax revenue should be, spend on welfare of people living under poverty line so that they can live a better life. Political representatives agreed to bring public charter of demand on their party’s platform for more discussion.

Speakers said the curb concentration of wealth, which is largely stemming from progressive taxation; Pakistan tax to GDP ratio 13.1% one of the lowest in the world with 91% of tax revenue collected through indirect (65%) advance and other presumptive (26%) taxes in Pakistan and this is due to the exemptions from income, sales tax and customs duties granted to the rich and powerful of the country.

This highly unjust tax system has shifted the tax burden from income earners to citizen violating the central tenet of an equitable taxation.

Further Barrister Amir said one of the key reason of poverty in Pakistan is the unequal distribution of wealth, which leads to inequalities. All politicians agreed to highlight tax justice issues for further discussion in their party’s general meetings.