Amnesty schemes

Historically, Pakistan has introduced several tax amnesty schemes in an attempt to encourage voluntary disclosure and enhance tax collection. However, these initiatives have largely fallen short of expectations. According to research, frequent tax amnesty programs create a moral hazard by rewarding non-compliance and discouraging honest taxpayers. Moreover, such schemes lack deterrence mechanisms and fail to prevent future evasion. High-net-worth individuals often avoid participation due to the risk of scrutiny.

This explains why institutions like the IMF and other multilateral lenders advise against such measures. Their opposition underscores the need for sustainable, long-term reforms rather than temporary fixes. The government’s recent decision to abandon amnesty schemes in favour of structural changes is therefore a welcome and pragmatic step forward.

Salman Ahmed Ansari

Tando Adam