Sindh government approves flood tax
The Sindh government has approved the imposition of a one-time flood tax in the province.
The Sindh government on Monday approved the imposition of a one-time flood tax in the province.
Pakistan People's Party’s (PPP) information secretary Fauzia Wahab said the flood tax will be imposed on only the wealthy.
On the other hand, PPP's coalition partner in the government, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has alleged it wasn't taken into confidence over the flood tax.
MQM leader Babar Ghouri called the tax unfair and said that his party will fight against the imposition of the flood tax.
The advisor to Chief Minister Sindh, Qaiser Bengali, says it will be a remarkable achievement if the provincial government collects 25 billion rupees in the flood tax.
Bengali said the province has suffered losses of at least 447 billion rupees in flood-devastation.
The Sindh government has set a ‘flood tax’ collection target of Rs2 to 2.5 billion in a decision at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the finance minister.
The decision to impose the tax was made on the advice of President Asif Ali Zardari, who had suggested that Rs7 billion should be collected from people across the country.
The following are some opinion pieces from The Express Tribune regarding the imposition of a flood tax:
Flood tax proposal
Overall, the proposal may be sound but its implementation will be controversial. Instead of coming up with ideas on how to raise money through innovative measures, the government should prioritise its efforts at widening the tax base. If this is done in a free and fair manner, the country’s resource crisis will take care of itself in the long run. (Editorial)
Not the easy way out
Ordinarily, we would support the government’s efforts to increase the revenues it collects through taxation. But the flood tax currently being proposed is little more than a case of loading a greater burden on the proverbial camel that is the miniscule tax-paying class of Pakistan. Why not push for improved efficiency of the tax-collecting mechanism, in particular the Federal Board of Revenue? (Editorial)
The price of incompetence
We will pay flood taxes and make sacrifices because we know that our very survival depends on it. We may gripe about it, strike and protest yet we are painfully aware that this something we have to get ourselves out of or the game is over. One just hopes that the silver lining in all this is that the government will discover a similar survival instinct because they certainly cannot afford a lack of vision and sincerity of purpose to drown them. It is time for them to realise that they must lead by example and make a serious effort to cut costs everywhere. (Ayesha Tammy Haq)
Taxing times
The proposal for a ‘flood tax’, to meet what will be the massive costs of flood rehabilitation work continues to hover. It can only add darkness to an already bleak situation. There are some simple facts that need to be acknowledged. People can simply not afford to pay more taxes. We hear almost each month new accounts of desperation and despondency. The fact that it is chiefly only salaried persons who are made to bear the brunt of taxation means that those who already face the tightest budget squeezes will end up paying the price of any new measure. It is not only the poorest of the poor who are suffering. (Editorial)
Why should I pay a flood tax?
It will be people like you and me who are going to pay flood taxwhile 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. (Shaheryar Popalzai)
Pakistan People's Party’s (PPP) information secretary Fauzia Wahab said the flood tax will be imposed on only the wealthy.
On the other hand, PPP's coalition partner in the government, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has alleged it wasn't taken into confidence over the flood tax.
MQM leader Babar Ghouri called the tax unfair and said that his party will fight against the imposition of the flood tax.
The advisor to Chief Minister Sindh, Qaiser Bengali, says it will be a remarkable achievement if the provincial government collects 25 billion rupees in the flood tax.
Bengali said the province has suffered losses of at least 447 billion rupees in flood-devastation.
The Sindh government has set a ‘flood tax’ collection target of Rs2 to 2.5 billion in a decision at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the finance minister.
The decision to impose the tax was made on the advice of President Asif Ali Zardari, who had suggested that Rs7 billion should be collected from people across the country.
The following are some opinion pieces from The Express Tribune regarding the imposition of a flood tax:
Flood tax proposal
Overall, the proposal may be sound but its implementation will be controversial. Instead of coming up with ideas on how to raise money through innovative measures, the government should prioritise its efforts at widening the tax base. If this is done in a free and fair manner, the country’s resource crisis will take care of itself in the long run. (Editorial)
Not the easy way out
Ordinarily, we would support the government’s efforts to increase the revenues it collects through taxation. But the flood tax currently being proposed is little more than a case of loading a greater burden on the proverbial camel that is the miniscule tax-paying class of Pakistan. Why not push for improved efficiency of the tax-collecting mechanism, in particular the Federal Board of Revenue? (Editorial)
The price of incompetence
We will pay flood taxes and make sacrifices because we know that our very survival depends on it. We may gripe about it, strike and protest yet we are painfully aware that this something we have to get ourselves out of or the game is over. One just hopes that the silver lining in all this is that the government will discover a similar survival instinct because they certainly cannot afford a lack of vision and sincerity of purpose to drown them. It is time for them to realise that they must lead by example and make a serious effort to cut costs everywhere. (Ayesha Tammy Haq)
Taxing times
The proposal for a ‘flood tax’, to meet what will be the massive costs of flood rehabilitation work continues to hover. It can only add darkness to an already bleak situation. There are some simple facts that need to be acknowledged. People can simply not afford to pay more taxes. We hear almost each month new accounts of desperation and despondency. The fact that it is chiefly only salaried persons who are made to bear the brunt of taxation means that those who already face the tightest budget squeezes will end up paying the price of any new measure. It is not only the poorest of the poor who are suffering. (Editorial)
Why should I pay a flood tax?
It will be people like you and me who are going to pay flood taxwhile 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. (Shaheryar Popalzai)