Transport tax

Since public transport in our country does not have any proper and verifiable ticketing system, it is not understood as to how the tax authorities check or monitor the income of transporters. I am pretty sure that most transporters will not be filing income tax returns. Taxis and rickshaws have no meters and charge passengers as they please.

Similarly, buses, wagons, and coasters do not issue tickets to their passengers in acknowledgment of the fare they receive. As such, the transportation sector is fresh territory for taxation. A proper tax, metering, and ticketing system for the transport sector, if pursued by the government, could end up becoming a significant source of income for the state.

Khawaja Tajammul Hussain

Karachi