Pay taxes to eradicate poverty, say experts on World Charity Day

Need for charity emerges when taxation system is incapable of addressing people's needs, says Faisal Edhi

KARACHI: The necessities of all the underprivileged people living in developing countries can only be fulfilled if the rich start paying taxes. Only then would the poor not depend on charity.

This was stated by Faisal Edhi, head of Edhi Foundation and son of renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, on the occasion of World Charity Day, observed every year on September 5.

"It's my hope that Pakistan becomes a welfare state along with all the other developing countries so that the basic needs of all the people are fulfilled," said Faisal.

The need for charity emerges when the taxation system is incapable of addressing the needs of all and people are forced to rely on charity and donations. This is not a long-term solution to the poverty, education and health-related issues faced by the citizens in developing countries like Pakistan.



Centre for Women Studies Director Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah said that the trend of charity has increased in Pakistan. However, she added that the flow of charity should be focused and target-oriented to reduce poverty and unemployment.

According to her, there is a dire need for charity in the education and health sectors so that employment opportunities can be generated for people. This, she thinks, will ultimately eradicate poverty. Further, Dr Shah believes that the middle class extends more help to the lower class than the upper class, adding that those extending charity must not hurt the ego of those taking it.

She discouraged the trend of dastarkhwan, which provides free of charge food to citizens, since it's not a long-term solution and added that charity should be invested in the education of the poor for upcoming generations.

Karachi University Social Work Department Chairman Prof Muhammad Shahid said that it was time to mobilise all the available resources for the betterment of the people. "We should not make people dependent on charity or else they become disabled," Prof Shahid remarked.



While giving an example of charity, Prof Shahid referred to the transformation of the urology ward at Civil Hospital Karachi into the world-class organisation, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, adding that it would also help the coming generations.

Head of Indus Hospital Dr Abdul Bari said that the contribution of charity was really important in the health and education sectors. According to him, without donations and charity, the people living below the poverty line would increase drastically in Pakistan.