Tax re‘bait’

While announcing the fiscal budget for 2013-14, the government withdrew some tax exemptions and reduced the tax rebate for full time teachers, researchers, scholars and scientists from 75 to 40 percent. This was done to generate additional revenue for the country. On the one hand, the government continues to stress on how important quality education is and how research should be promoted country-wide. But on the other hand, it is deterring competent, committed and talented young minds who are ambitious about joining these fields. The government’s decision to reduce tax rebate has been a cause of great concern among teachers ever since the budget policy was passed.

The government is expected to announce the budget for fiscal 2018-19 in the last week of April. I hereby request the prime minister, finance minister and the chairman FBR to look into the matter and reverse the decision; otherwise it would negatively impact the income of teachers and researchers who are already earning less. Besides revoking this decision, the government should also enhance the taxable limit for teachers from Rs400,000 to Rs500,000, keeping in view the inflation rate.

Suhail Ahmed Shaikh

Larkana