Amnesty scheme for traders

Letter October 15, 2015
Instead of rewarding tax-evading traders, government should arrest them and confiscate their assets

KARACHI: This is with reference to the news item, “Backed by Shahbaz, traders seek amnesty scheme” (October 9). It seems that Pakistan is the only country in the world where tax thieves are rewarded, while the honest taxpaying class is penalised. The PML-N government seems to be proving what we have suspected all along: that this party does not care for the interests of the nation. Rather, it will take any step to hold on to power, even if it means destroying the country.

Instead of rewarding tax-evading traders, the government should arrest them. Their assets should be confiscated and they should be made to serve time in jail. If the government cannot do that, but accepts the unreasonable demands of the traders, the least it can do is return the amount of taxes paid by honest citizens over the past 10 years.

Shakir Lakhani

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2015.

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