‘Tax theft’: MNAs demand strict laws to check politicians’ ‘media trial’

Say media reports alleging that parliamentarians were evading taxes are false.

ISLAMABAD:

A day after the upper house of the Parliament lambasted the media for ‘tax theft’ allegations, lawmakers from the lower house also got in on the act, demanding stricter laws to keep the politicians’ ‘media trial’ in check.

In the short but fiery National Assembly (NA) session on Friday, parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle displayed rare accord while responding to recent media reports which purport that several lawmakers have been evading taxes.

“The media is lying… I have had my National Tax Number since 1970 and have been paying my taxes regularly,” said Awami National Party (ANP) MNA Ghulam Ahmad Bilour. He maintained the reports were an attempt to defame the Parliament and its members ahead of the upcoming general elections and announced he would take the matter to court if the media did not apologise for the ‘false’ allegations.

Opposition MNA Aftab Khan Sherpao also reacted strongly to the allegations, demanding stricter defamation laws to curtail what he termed ‘irresponsible reporting’. Maintaining that his tax record could be verified by the Federal Board of Revenue, he asked the chair to refer his case to the privilege committee and summon the reporter who broke the initial story.

MNA Shahid Khan Abbasi suggested the Election Commission of Pakistan be asked to inquire election candidates’ tax declarations alongside their asset declarations, while his fellow Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz compatriot maintained that parliamentarians’ taxes were deducted from their salaries  and urged the media to verify its facts and avoid ‘sweeping statements’.

Pakistan Peoples Party MNA and head of the Public Accounts Committee Nadeem Afzal Chan criticised the media particularly harshly.



“Has any journalist ever resigned over tax evasion by their organisations’ owners,” he questioned, adding that politicians should not by solely accused of ‘tax theft’.

Drawing a further parallel between politicians and journalists, Chan said an anchor who switches from one media organisation to another should be labeled an ‘intellectual lota’ – a reference to the term used for politicians who switch from party to party.

Challenging anyone to prove corruption allegations against him, Chan also advised the National Accountability Bureau chairman to avoid making vague statements without proof.

Although NA Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi did not refer any case to the privilege committee, he too observed that the media should not single out politicians for criticism.

NA question hour

Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Palwasha Khan told the NA that foreign militants hiding in the country’s tribal belt were more dangerous than any drone strike on Pakistani soil.

While admitting that the US drone campaign was counter-productive, she said militancy was a greater threat to the country’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, replying to a question pertaining to Quaid-e-Azam’s residence in the UK, the secretary informed lawmakers that the property belonged to an individual and the government could not purchase it unless the owner was willing to make a sale.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.