ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Only a total of 244,188 dwellers of Lahore paid their taxes in 2018, depicting one of main reasons behind a gloomy state of Pakistan’s economy, the Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency reported.
It is worth noting that as per the 6th Population Census held in 2017, Lahore is the country’s second most populous city wherein 11,126,285 people reside.
However, as per the data submitted in the Senate by the Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, it was revealed that the number of income tax return filers in Lahore Circle in 2018 stood at 244,188.
The data also revealed that in 2007, the number of taxpayers in Lahore were 129,676 whereas in 2017, it stood at 267,124 but it registered a dip last year.
Bear in mind that in historical as well as one of Country’s most socially liberal and progressive Lahore city, over 4 million motorcycles and over 2 million cars are registered.
There are eight DHA Phases in Lahore, wherein the price of an around 10 Marla plot is Rs 20 to 30 million.
In addition, numerous posh residential areas such as Gulberg, Garden Town, Faisal Town, Model Town, Johar Town, Shadman, and Bahria Town are located in Lahore. Approximately, 1.5 million dwellers reside in these posh residential areas and villas but yet a very thin number of people have registered themselves as tax return filers.
In such scenario, a question arises that can Pakistan survive wherein the governments have miserably failed to expand the tax network and mostly the salaried class has to bear all the burden. Whereas others seems to be virtually exempted from paying taxes.
