Public pins high hopes on govt for providing relief in budget

Rawalpindi

People of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad belonging to different walks of life have made high expectations of government to provide hefty relief to the common man in Federal Budget 2017-2018. They are expecting of federal government to fill up their food baskets by lowering down prices of all items while increasing salaries of government employees more than 50 per cent in this regard.

All Pakistan Clerks Association, Municipal Workers League, Railway Union, WAPDA Union, Pak-PWD Union, All Pakistan Teachers Association and several other trade bodies are anxiously waiting Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announcements to provide maximum relief to them. They are expecting an increase in their salaries by more than 50 per cent and to cut down ever-increasing taxes including sales tax in annual budget 2017-18.

Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Raja Amir Iqbal said that high tax rates and large number of taxes in Pakistan were putting more burdens on the common man and reducing his purchasing power due to which business activities were also suffering. He stressed that the government should make significant cut in taxes in the forthcoming budget that would provide relief to the general public and facilitate better growth of trade and industrial activities.

Imtiaz Ahmed, a common man said that he was hoping of reduction in prices of ‘atta’, sugar, pulses, ghee, red chilli, vegetables, meat, chicken, soap, surf etc. in annual budget. Government should announce to reduction in rates of electricity and gas charges to facilitate public in budget, he hoped.

Niaz Ahmed, an economist said that high rate of general sales tax (GST) in Pakistan was major cause of inflation and high cost of doing business. He said that the government should bring down GST to single digit level and reduce number of withholding taxes in the new budget. He said that the government’s major reliance on indirect taxes was creating problems for the people and stressed upon the government to focus on direct taxes in the forthcoming budget.

All Pakistan Poultry Association (APPA) Chairman Malik Khalid said that government should cut down GST and other unnecessary taxes at least on food items to provide maximum relief of public. Budget means to provide relief of public rather to snatch all kinds of relief, he denounced. He said that already poultry industry is suffering while more than 40 per cent poultry farms stopped their business in the country due to high taxes.

Raja Muhammad Riaz, an economist said that complicated taxation system and high tax rates were promoting the culture of tax evasion while the genuine taxpayers were also facing problems. He emphasized that the FBR should focus on simplification of tax system that would help in promoting tax culture and improving tax revenue of the country.

All Pakistan Traders Association (APTA) Chairman Shaikh Muhammad Saddique said that we needed maximum relief to revise our businesses as maximum businesses are already suffering. “Public needs relief as they don’t have purchasing power because of high inflation ratio in the country. Government should announce big relief, should create newer and newer jobs to handle this situation,” he added. He also said that Pakistan needs huge local and foreign investment to execute CPEC projects. He said an efficient, simple and transparent tax system was the need of the hour to attract more investment in the country.