To tax or not to tax: Sindh finance minister’s statement irks growers’ body
Syed Shabbar Zaidi's call for taxing agricultural income has grower's body accusing him of trying to please MQM.
DESIGN: ESSA MALIK
A statement by the Sindh caretaker finance minister, Syed Shabbar Zaidi, calling for taxing agricultural income, has irked a grower’s body which accused him of trying to please a Karachi-based political party.
The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture took strong exception to the comments and its president, Dr Syed Nadeem Qamar, said that the minister should better tax the ‘bhais’ of Karachi to improve the revenue collection in a meeting with the growers on Friday.
The debate over bringing the agriculture sector under the tax net has been a contentious issue for a long time now with little headway over the years.
While parties such as Muttahida Qaumi Movement are proponents of taxing the agricultural income, the growers have used their strong representation in the legislature to frustrate any such move. The growers claim that the government collects various direct and indirect taxes from their sector in the form of taxes on agricultural inputs, land and irrigation cess.
Qamar also said that the caretaker government should restrict itself to conducting elections and leave the policy making for elected representatives.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2013.