Pakistan

Munter calls for expanding tax base

Pak-US partnership based on prosperity, common issues, says US Ambassador.

Express December 08, 2010

US Ambassador Cameron Munter on Tuesday said that the partnership between Islamabad and Washington is based on prosperity and common issues.

Talking to Express while visiting its Karachi office, Munter said that he is always happy to visit Karachi as it reminds him of his home town. The ambassador said that during his current tour, he met the business community, members of the media and religious scholars and exchanged views upon matters of mutual interest, adding that what is wonderful about Karachi is the diversity of the people.

Responding to a question about his meeting with the leadership of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Munter acknowledged that he did meet with the party’s leadership and talked about a common agenda in moving forward.

Commenting on the RGST bill, the ambassador said that the US doesn’t see itself actively supporting the bill. “Your government has to decide how it moves ahead. We believe it is very important that the country, if it is going to sustain its growth, expands the base of those who are taxed,” he said. “Expanding the tax base is important for the prosperity of the country.”

When asked if there is any change in the way he conducts diplomacy after the advent of WikiLeaks, Munter said, “The way I conduct diplomacy is exactly as it was before. I am very open and honest with my interlocutors and I am pleased to say my Pakistani interlocutors are very open and honest with me.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (7)

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Arif "...They give us aid and think that they can say whatever the hell they want in return or control our policies..." How else can you repay? You are constantly appealing for more aid to run your day to day affairs. If you resent whatever they say or control your policies, then decline any aid they push on you. It is not that you are begging for it. Yeah, sure! It is not that high government officials appeal for forgiveness of the debt you owe already every so often. Of course, not! This is utter shamelessness, "bey-ghairati". First beg, then poke your fingers in the eyes of the one who gives you alms. Think about that!

Arif | 13 years ago | Reply Munter is nothing more then a two penny viceroy of the kings in Washington and Karachi reminds him of his hometown? Where the heck to they get these kinda ideas? They give us aid and think that they can say whatever the hell they want in return or control our policies. I am sure Mr. Hafiz Sheikh can open a new office in California too and tell them how to control their state budget deficit. I really don't care about the validity of the statements he gives because I am sure we can read all the "cables" he's sending to the gora-house on Wikileaks soon. He's here gathering intelligence ofcourse from the very intelligent people we have in the Zardari government.

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User | 13 years ago | Reply the elite class of Pakistan who kept their money in foreign banks should be bring back and must use for industrial developments and must first stand and expend industry sector,,but the question is who will do all this??????

G.Khan | 13 years ago | Reply These two penny US officials acts as Viceroys because since 1977 No true elected people's Representatives came to power. Look closely all those who followed after Z.A. Bhutto, came through some kind of arrangement with US or deal. Last was Zardari. This is US ambasador's Governemt , not of People of Pakistan's. That's why he feels so comfortable to issue such directives. The day Pak people will send their real representatives, such Viceroys will disappear.

nasser | 13 years ago | Reply Our newspapers keep criticising our politicians for toeing the US line but the same newspapers unabashedly splash Pictures of the US ambassadors whether they are eating Lahori Murgh Choley or picking at their noses. Why can't we stop portraying these two penny officials as our viceroys and relegate them to their cubicles? Time to ask please!

Ali Khan | 13 years ago | Reply After WikiLeaks US abmassador is now openly interfering in Pakistan affairs. Now Mr Munter will decide the kind of taxes to be levied on the poor people of this country. I am amazed that no one is protesting against this OpenLeaks of the US ambassador.

A Suhail | 13 years ago | Reply Karachi reminds him of his home town? I wonder if his hometown has frequent power outages, random killings and occasional bomb blast. Anyways I am with Mr Ambassador on expanding the tax base in our beloved land.

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