According to Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA, the proposed Tax Amendment Bill 2024 contained provisions for non-filers that were excessively harsh.
Baig condemned the provisions of the bill, which included freezing bank accounts, confiscating business premises, and restricting the transfer of immovable property for non-filers. “Such laws that PPP will oppose,” he said and suggested that debate would be held on the bill in the Finance and Revenue Committees of the National Assembly. Baig also questioned the government’s policies, emphasizing that this category of “non-filers” was nothing different but the creation of the government itself-Baig added. He stated: “Some measures dent and violate the basic rights of citizens. Will people require permission to breathe soon?”
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On a different tangent, he said there is concern over subpar internet connectivity in Pakistan, which he said is a real contest with the rest of the world regarding 5G. The lack of speed is slowing Pakistan down on even 4G. Baig cited that 22 IT companies had left due to slow internet connectivity, translating to millions lost to the sector. The government must do well to ensure that IT infrastructure in Pakistan is buoyed for retention and growth.
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue recently approved the Tax Amendment Bill 2024, which focuses on severe penalties. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had already served notice on a few 169,000 influential early entrants into the tax net, waiting for their turn to join the others. Baig’s comments form a broader context for the debate in Pakistan on how to use strict laws without choking economic growth.