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Why should I pay a flood tax?

Why should I pay a flood tax?

It will be salaried people like you and me who are going to pay flood tax, while our friends riding around in SUVs will have a good laugh.

Shaheryar Popalzai September 30, 2010

As the flood waters start to recede and the government gears up for rehabilitation, it plans on putting the burden on the tax paying segment of the public.

It will be people like you and me who are going to pay flood tax while our friends riding around in SUVs will have a good laugh.

The government planned a one time tax that would be deducted from the taxpayers' salary via property tax, while the 98.4 per cent of the non tax paying population will get away with more than just not paying tax.

I, for one, am not in favor of paying flood tax.

For starters, considering our track record, there is a very high probability that the tax we pay will be lost somewhere between us handing it over and it reaching the flood victims. Or it might just end up being used for another much needed fountain off the beach of Karachi - or get used for a certain monument everyone is shouting about.

Secondly, why is the government not taking action against the tax evaders? Why not broaden the tax net? Simple statements like 'the elite are hampering the broadening of the tax net' are just not good enough. Can the government really be so helpless that they have to run away from the all mighty tax evaders and come running after the honest tax payers?

I don’t mind giving donations in cash or kind for the flood victims, but I certainly don’t appreciate the government forcefully taking money from me while there is a whole bunch of people out there who have been getting away with not paying taxes all their lives.

WRITTEN BY:
Shaheryar Popalzai A sub-editor on the web desk of The Express Tribune.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (16)

Khwaja Aftab Shah | 13 years ago | Reply Reference to the Pakistan president intention of imposing flood tax to rich people of the country. There should be no corruption in this regards and every person who affords/ own a luxury house and a luxury car should be bound to pay this one tie flood tax. Car registreation and property tax information is enough to impose this tax. All concerning authorities and people should cooprate in this regards and instead of begging from other countries, we Pakistanis should donate first. KHWAJA AFTAB SHAH , Florida, USA

Qaiser | 13 years ago | Reply Exactly the same thinking I have.

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Ali | 13 years ago | Reply You are just being stingy man...

Shahid Sadiq | 13 years ago | Reply The waderas and jagirdars should come forward to rehablitate the flood victims as they have enjoyed 65 years of FREE AGRICULTURAL INCOME.If they are brought into the Tax net there will be no need for any new tax.Please start a blog to press the government to impose tax on Agricultural income as it the main root of corruption. All black money is covered by Agricultural income.

Waqas | 13 years ago | Reply Agreed, this is just going to encourage more people to try an evade tax. But in a general context, its true that most of the people do not pay taxes and that a lot of those funds end up in the politicians' pockets, but that doesn't justify not paying taxes at all. Most of the people that do not pay taxes have the exact argument, and seemingly its an argument well received; when it shouldn't be and should make the non tax payer think about what he/she is doing.

Khawaja Faraz Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Please ask the government where did 1 % Flood releif fund go (it is collected on every single import separately mentioned in all LCs)which it was collecting since Bangladesh floods when it was part of Pakistan....please can any

Sana | 13 years ago | Reply My thoughts exactly!!!

parvez | 13 years ago | Reply Short, sweet and to the point. Agree with you.

Asad Jamil(mps) | 13 years ago | Reply very well written, why should pay more tax and everyone know just few peoples are giving tax and this more tax would be a more burden on these peoples, why government is not taking measures to held tax evaders, if government do this then all the problems would be solved and no need to impose new tax on the already suppressed peoples.

Muhammad Zeeshan | 13 years ago | Reply Because democracy is the best revenge politicians can take with state's military.

sameera ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply totally agree with the writer. charity can not be forcefully collected. our leader who grumbles about the ill doings of the govt every now and then shamefully payed 5000 as a tax out of his uncountable income and i, whop only get to take 20,000 through sheer hard work, am supposed to give 2 pc as a flood tax which is nothing else than another cheap stunt to loot money out of the middle class.

Saleem | 13 years ago | Reply An innovative way to make money. Tax rate should be 10% in honor of our President!

Amanat ali | 13 years ago | Reply why we pay the flood tax. whether all the taxes are for poor peoples and salaried person. No tax it should be paid by the elite class and MPs now.

Mahvesh | 13 years ago | Reply Lol @ 'no comparison b/w fountain and monument building' Yes, because a fountain provides healthcare and rehabilitation whereas a monument doesn't!

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply so you think that 98.4 percent doesn't pay tax, but how come when we even buy tooth paste, we give them 20 rs + GST? Karachi fountain brought tourists and was built at the time of stable era and was second largest after Saudi Arabia, there is no comparison b/w fountain and monument building. Agree with the rest though.

Maryam | 13 years ago | Reply i totally agree with you here. it only the already tax paying segment that is going to be hit again. 10 percent is a good amount actually and where more than half the population is getting away by not giving it why sqeeze the ones already giving it.

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