-Lauds taxpayers as receipts surpass Rs2,205bn in first half of FY21
-Warns Anti-Military elements of strict action
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that the corrupt opposition leaders had requested him in writing to grant them a national reconciliation ordinance (NRO).
Addressing digital media representatives in Islamabad, PM Imran said that arch-rivals of the past, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have now shaken hands to conceal their corruption.
He maintained that his life would be a lot easier if he gives the opposition the NRO, but it would be disastrous for Pakistan.
The prime minister said that he had opposed the NRO’s given by the than president Pervez Musharraf.
Talking about Machh incident, PM Imran Khan said that India was backing ISIS in the region to spread chaos in Pakistan.
He said that New Delhi was sponsoring terrorism and sectarianism in the country. The prime minister maintained that India was behind the terror attack in Balochistan.He said Pakistan’s security agencies successfully preempted Indian plots to fan sectarianism.
Imran Khan said it is unfortunate that terrorists targeted Hazara workers in the thinly populated area.
PM Imran said previous governments did not pay due attention to Balochistan and always preferred to form alliance with the local chieftains, who became the biggest hurdle in transferring development funds to the grassroots level.
The prime minister said PTI government has focused the socio-economic development of Balochistan to uplift the common citizens of the province who are facing extreme poverty.
He said Pakistan is passing through a defining moment and the social media has a great role in setting new standard of morality by exposing the plunderers.
Tax collection surpassed Rs2,205 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year, Prime Minister Imran Khan was informed on Sunday.
During a meeting yesterday, the prime minister was briefed on “positive outcomes” of tax reforms and informed that the number of taxpayers saw an increase due to these reforms.
The meeting was told that the tax collection system is being automated and taxpayers being given incentives.
It was stated that the new digital taxation system will enhance transparency and help check corruption and tax evasion. Tax form has been simplified for small and medium enterprises by reducing its pages from five to one and entries from 200 to just 24. Sales tax receipts also witnessed an increase due to the reforms.
Prime Minister Khan lauded the authorities for bringing about much-needed reforms in the taxation system. The taxpayers are the benefactors of the country, who deserved applause, he opined.
He called for measures to enhance the number of taxpayers in the country.
Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Information Minister Shibli Faraz and Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, Advisor to PM on institutional reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant on Revenue Dr Waqar Masood, Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue Javed Ghani and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.
