HYDERABAD/ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Friday rejected the tax amnesty scheme announced by the prime minister a day ago, saying such schemes caused increasing debt on the nation.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a News Conference in Islamabad announced a major tax reforms package envisaging substantial reduction in income tax rates and launching of an amnesty scheme for undeclared assets.
“We reject tax amnesty scheme. Such schemes cause increasing debt on the nation,” Imran Khan said while addressing a Press Conference in Hyderabad today.
Separately Imran Khan also wrote a series of tweets following the announcement of tax amnesty scheme, and in which he said “PTI rejects yet another amnesty scheme which is one more brazen attempt by (Shahid Khaqan) Abbasi to save criminals. Why would PM seek to do this just 45 days before govt term ends? & why just 2 weeks before budget? This is a tax on honest people – a slap on the face of honest taxpayers.”
Imran Khan said “The questionable intent of this scheme is also reflected in the confusion delib (deliberately) caused by (Shahid Khaqan) Abbasi verbally referring to the scheme not being applicable to “politically exposed persons” while the doc (document) being circulated refers to “holders of public office and public servants”.”
“If the circulating doc (document) is correct then NS (Nawaz Sharif) & family, Dar (Ishaq Dar) & family, Zardari (Asif Ali Zardari) & family – all of them can take advantage of this scheme to benefit tax evaders, asset concealers and money launderers,” he said.
ہم نئی ایمنسٹی سکیم جوکہ وزیر اعظم کی جانب سے مجرموں کی بچانے کی بھونڈی کوشش ہے، کو مسترد کرتی ہے۔ حکومت کی مدت کے خاتمے سے پینتالیس اور بجٹ سے محض چودہ دن قبل وزیر اعظم کو اس کی کیا ضرورت پیش آگئی؟ یہ سکیم دیانتدار لوگوں پر ٹیکس اور دیانتدار ٹیکس گزاروں کے چہرے پر ایک طمانچہ ہے۔
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2018
اس سکیم کے پیچھے کارفرما سوچ وزیر اعظم کی جانب سے جان بوجھ کر پھیلائی جانے والی بدگمانی سے واضح ہے۔ وزیر اعظم کا دعویٰ ہے کہ یہ سکیم سیاستدانوں کیلئے نہیں جبکہ دستاویز میں “سرکاری افسران اور عوامی عہدوں کے حامل افراد” درج ہے۔ https://t.co/WoLpml585O
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2018
اگر فراہم کردہ دستاویز درست ہیں تو شریف خاندان، ڈار اور ان کے اہل خانہ اور زرداری خاندان اس سکیم سے فیضیاب ہوسکتے ہیں اور اسے اپنے حق میں ٹیکس چوری، اثاثے چھپانے اور منی لانڈرنگ کیلئے استعمال کرسکتے ہیں۔ https://t.co/s01ISUf3BC
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 6, 2018
Earlier the PTI leader Asad Umar also addressed a Press Conference in Islamabad in which he said PTI rejected the prime minister’s tax amnesty scheme, saying the scheme would give nothing to the people as its timing was wrong.
Asad Umar said the scheme was an attempt to hide robbery. He said the public money was theft and sent abroad.