By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: The government must match the patriotic fervor of Independence Day with decisive action against illegal trade and tax evasion if Pakistan is to achieve true “economic independence,” the ACT Alliance Pakistan said on Thursday.
Speaking at a special Independence Day discussion with senior journalists and business leaders, National Convenor Mubashir Akram warned that illegal trade in key sectors – including petroleum products, cigarettes, tea, and beverages – continues to drain over Rs1.5 trillion from the national exchequer annually.
“This is not just about revenue; it is about our future,” Akram said. “Political independence was achieved in 1947, but true economic freedom is still a dream deferred.
If we are to honor the sacrifices of our forefathers, we must rid our economy of the mafias that thrive on smuggling, tax evasion, and institutional loopholes.”
Akram praised recent reforms by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), particularly its decision to hire 102 sector-specific experts for field audits across 42 industries, including real estate, sugar, telecommunications, textiles, and banking.
He said the move “reflects a growing seriousness” within the tax authority to curb sectoral irregularities, but stressed that the challenge remains “enormous.”
“Hiring experts is only the first step. These audits must result in enforcement, penalties, and prosecution where violations are proven,” he added, urging the FBR and its allied agencies, such as the Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN), to sustain their momentum.
The ACT Alliance leader also called for greater public-private collaboration, saying the business community should support clean trade practices to protect legitimate enterprises from unfair competition. “Illegal actors distort markets, exploit loopholes, and operate beyond regulatory oversight, while legitimate businesses suffer and national development is held hostage,” he noted.
The ACT Alliance, a civil society coalition advocating for transparency and economic fairness, has long argued that Pakistan’s recovery depends on integrating all sectors into the formal tax system and dismantling the shadow economy.
“Let this Independence Day be the moment when we resolve not just to raise flags, but to raise accountability and fairness in our economic systems,” Akram concluded.
