Wow, just look at our politics and our system. Even the landlords get all the attention. It’s like the poor aren’t even allowed to exist. This is the reality in our country. The people in the government, whether in the parliament or in Islamabad, seem as distant from the struggles of the poor as Imran Khan himself. They are enjoying life, using both my and your money. And even the children of these well-off folks are traveling the world with our money. But when it comes to our children, healthcare isn’t free. Strangely, our politicians and their families get grants for treatment abroad under the guise of humanitarian aid. But if we check how much tax they pay, they don’t seem embarrassed at all. This needs to change, as it would ease the tax burden on the public.
It’s ironic that not even our elderly citizens are spared. Recently, the government decided to impose a five percent income tax on welfare certificates, martyr family accounts, and pensioner’s benefit accounts starting from the year 2023. This means even the families of martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for our future, have to pay taxes. This seems unfair.
These schemes were meant to help families of martyrs and retired individuals who contributed to the nation. The idea was to ensure a decent life for them. But now even these schemes are taxed, leaving those who depend on them with less.
The government should reconsider this approach. It would be great to go back to the old system where poverty was reduced, and people’s resources increased. Adding taxes to this income puts a heavy burden on small investors. For example, under the new tax policy, if you invest Rs 5 million, you’d have to pay Rs 41,400 in taxes, whereas in the old system, it was only Rs 11,400. The government should protect the investments of widows, senior citizens, and families of martyrs in these savings schemes and exempt them from full tax.
The Federal Board of Revenue Policy Wing should rethink its strict policies. Why tax cars? Is the FBR doing its job properly? Maybe it’s time to replace institutions like FBR with something better, like the SRBF established in Sindh in 2011, which seems to be performing much better. I urge the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to think about the benefits for the poor through these savings schemes. Let’s go back to a system where poverty was reduced, and people’s resources grew. Taxing this income only makes it harder for small investors. It’s time for the government to protect the investments of widows, senior citizens, and families of martyrs and exempt them from taxes.
