Bajwa urges govt to expand tax base in order to break 'begging bowl'

[maravan91]

COAS General Qamar Bajwa raises serious concerns over economy, rising debts

ISLAMABAD – COAS General Qamar Bajwa has for the first time raised serious concerns over the economic conditions of the country and especially the rising debt of Pakistan.

He said it is high time that economic growth and sustainability was placed at highest priority.

“Growth has picked up but the debts are sky high. Infrastructure and energy have improved considerably but the current account balance is not in our favour,” he told the audience at the seminar on ‘Interplay of Economy and Security’ held in Karachi on Wednesday.
The COAS said the country’s tax to GDP ratio is abysmally low, which “needs to change if we are to break the begging bowl”, adding that economy remains “one of our highest concerns during National Security Council meetings”.

According to the finance ministry, each Pakistani owes Rs95,000 in debt with the country’s foreign debt and liabilities standing at $58 billion – around Rs6.11 trillion.“In order to secure our future, we must be ready to take difficult decisions,” he said. “We have to increase our tax base, bring in fiscal discipline and ensure continuity of economic policies.”

Regarding the continuing security operation in Karachi, the army chief said when Pakistan’s enemies want to “choke Pakistan, they try to destabilise Karachi”.
“It is because of this sensitivity, that peace in Karachi has been our top priority,” he said. “We have worked very hard to restore peace and now hope that economic activity would return at a fast pace.”

He also spoke on external security and the need to pursue the National Action Plan, which was initiated after the 2014 Peshawar attack.

He appreciated the security for improvement in the country’s security environment.

 

[maravan91]

https://twitter.com/x/status/918111264630542336

 

[maravan91]

Bajwa urges govt to expand tax base in order to break 'begging bowl'

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said Pakistan needs to expand its tax base, bring in financial discipline and ensure continuity of economic policies to be able to break the begging bowl, military's media wing reported.

"The economy is showing mixed indicators. Growth has picked up but the debts are sky high. Infrastructure and energy have improved considerably but the current account balance is not in our favour," the army chief reportedly said while addressing a seminar on the interplay of economy and security on Wednesday.

"Our tax to GDP ratio is abysmally low and this needs to change if we are to break the begging bowl," read the text of Bajwa's speech shared by Inter-Services Public Relations.

He also shared that economy remains a major concern during National Security Council meetings, also revealing that he reads the business and economy page of the newspaper right after the main page because of its importance.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD
"Pakistan is capable of creating sufficient fiscal space to address underlying structural problems through tax reforms, documenting economy, diversifying the export base, and encouraging savings to finance a level of investment that could sustain growth rate higher than the rise of population," but the benefits should also reach all parts of Pakistan including interior Sindh, Fata, Balochistan and Southern Punjab, he said.

Gen Bajwa said that after the end of cold war people were claiming that economic interests alone would dictate national security but the "reappearance of age-old fault lines and reassertion of ancient parochial passions of race, language, religion and identity" has led to security once again becoming "the foremost business and task of the state".

"We have to continuously ensure a viable balance between economy and security," the army chief said, focusing on the security-economy nexus. "Only then will we arrive at a future that ensures sustained peace and happiness for our people."

Many of the planned measures of the National Action Plan (NAP) will contribute directly to the economic and political stability of the country, he said, giving examples of police, judicial and madrassah reforms.

"We cannot afford to leave a large segment of our youth with limited options — madrassahs must enable their students to become useful members of the society who are not left behind in any field of life."

He cited the peaceful commencement of Muharram, Bohra community holding its annual gathering in Pakistan and sports and cultural events as examples of peace reiterating in the country.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is "a complete development platform that has the potential to act as a powerful springboard for shared development in the entire Central Asia-South Asia region," Gen Bajwa said.

"Our destinies are inextricably linked," he told India and Afghanistan, adding that he sincerely believes that the region "will sink or sail together."

https//wwwdawncom/news/1363138/bajwa-urges-govt-to-expand-tax-base-in-order-to-break-begging-bowl

 

[El Sidd]

Taxation on surplus agriculture land.
Extra property tax on luxury.
Carbon emissions tax for diesel and heavy vehicles.

This should get the ball rolling.

 

[Cyberian]

Why is this wannabe Tyrant preaching taxation to the Government? He should focus on his job, making sure foreign drones are not launching bombing missions (429 so far) over Pakistan. I mean what does this wannabe Tyrant get paid for exactly, preaching?

Since we're on the subject, how come 36-years of Tyrannical military-rule did not manage to increase taxation to more than 1%.? What were the five tyrants doing subsiding everything leading to Pakistan's internal debt increasing to breaking point (which the civilian Governments then had to reduce by going to international banks)?

 

[The Diplomat]

Why is this wannabe Tyrant preaching taxation to the Government? He should focus on his job, making sure foreign drones are not launching bombing missions (429 so far) over the Pakistan. I mean what does this wannabe Tyrant get paid for?

You for having a 0% tax rate on agriculture land?, the tax system in the country is a joke. Ranch owners making big money, paying nothing. Tax reforms are a must and important! So why don't you get on your high horse and stop criticising something that makes sense.

 

[New World]

Taxation on surplus agriculture land.
Extra property tax on luxury.
Carbon emissions tax for diesel and heavy vehicles.

This should get the ball rolling.

Bring Cantonment Board under Provincial and You have your Taxation 2x times..

 

[hussain0216]

NATIONAL DEBT OF INDIA


$ 978,972,036,354





Source: Indian Government Data

Interest per Year
$61,788,150,000
Interest per Second
$1,959


Debt per Citizen
$819
Debt as % of GDP
47.26%
GDP
$2,071,500,000,000
Population
1,195,000,000

Pakistan debt is high but Pakistan is starting on its growth path, debt will have to be accumulated in order to expand the infrastructure but the room for economic expansion is great

 

[HAIDER]

Bajwa has logic behind , he knows majority of terrorist they caught are coming from the yolk of extreme poverty. Anything for money. Recent terrorist caught, who went to prestigious schools of Pakistan. Unemployment causing huge unrest among youngster . They need right direction to burn there energy. Otherwise.................
Our corrupt leader build Dubai from black money, filled swiss account, bought properties in UK and EU and list goes on and on and on ... but they pay 500 rupee tax.

 

[H!TchHiker]

Why is this wannabe Tyrant preaching taxation to the Government? He should focus on his job, making sure foreign drones are not launching bombing missions (429 so far) over Pakistan. I mean what does this wannabe Tyrant get paid for exactly, preaching?

Since we're on the subject, how come 36-years of Tyrannical military-rule did not manage to increase taxation to more than 1%.? What were the five tyrants doing subsiding everything leading to Pakistan's internal debt increasing to breaking point (which the civilian Governments then had to reduce by going to international banks)?

Because he was invited on a event with topic " interplay of economy and security"...Unfortunately he can't lecture about Salsa and Kathak dance...in this type of an event

 

[El Sidd]

Bring Cantonment Board under Provincial and You have your Taxation 2x times..

Parliament should do that.

Why don't you ask your local MNA for that. He can push the notion in the next senate committee.

 

[The Diplomat]

Why is this wannabe Tyrant preaching taxation to the Government? He should focus on his job, making sure foreign drones are not launching bombing missions (429 so far) over Pakistan. I mean what does this wannabe Tyrant get paid for exactly, preaching?

Since we're on the subject, how come 36-years of Tyrannical military-rule did not manage to increase taxation to more than 1%.? What were the five tyrants doing subsiding everything leading to Pakistan's internal debt increasing to breaking point (which the civilian Governments then had to reduce by going to international banks)?

And yeah, the military has done some bad stuff in the past however your banner:
"Tyrants of Pakistan: Ayub Khan lost Shaksgam Valley (1963), Yahya Khan lost East Pakistan (1971), Zia-ul-Haq lost Siachin Glacier (1984) and Pervez Musharraf lost Waziristan (2006) (424 drone strikes). And some are still waiting for the next military tyrant."
Lets see what democracy has done to the country aswell: Former PM disqualified under article 62 & 63 for money laundering, the country didn't have a FM for about 3/4 years, the PM, his wife and children seem to love London alot and hence they run there whenever NAB or SC wants a word. Imran Khan once said to stop paying taxes (what a stupid comment to make), PTI refuses to sit in the assembly, calls the Metro bus a "Jangla bus" and goes and makes another one. PPP's leader can't even speak Urdu properly and where do I start with MQM (or should I say which MQM should I start with? London or Karachi?).

Lets criticise the bad thing and appreciate the good ones.
And don't get me wrong; i'm not for Marshal Law in anyway.

 

[El Sidd]

Bajwa has logic behind , he knows majority of terrorist they caught are coming from the yolk of extreme poverty. Anything for money. Recent terrorist caught, who went to prestigious schools of Pakistan. Unemployment is huge unrest among youngster . They need right direction to burn there energy. Otherwise.................

Corruption induced poverty breeds terrorism.

 

[war&peace]

Tax net needs to be widen but there are more pressing areas that need attention that can improve the economic situation dramatically are curtailing the corruption and mismanagement of the funds and bringing back the looted money. With more than $200 billion of robbed money and assets lying abroad in foreign banks and countries and $ 10 billion being laundered every year.. It is huge gaping hole and needs to be closed.

 

[Awan68]

Why is this wannabe Tyrant preaching taxation to the Government? He should focus on his job, making sure foreign drones are not launching bombing missions (429 so far) over Pakistan. I mean what does this wannabe Tyrant get paid for exactly, preaching?

Since we're on the subject, how come 36-years of Tyrannical military-rule did not manage to increase taxation to more than 1%.? What were the five tyrants doing subsiding everything leading to Pakistan's internal debt increasing to breaking point (which the civilian Governments then had to reduce by going to international banks)?

we have a cicero here, in the eternal words of antony " go and see the hands nailed to the senate door to figure what happens to those who prattle of tyrany"...