LAHORE: Farmers have demanded a just and progressive tax system strategically targeting the affluent to alleviate the financial burden on the working class.

A consultation held by the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee in collaboration with Labour Education Foundation and the South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) here on Monday demanded that the government should collect more taxes from the rich members of society instead of putting more financial burden on the poor working class through indirect taxation.

It demanded an end to tax exemptions, scrutinising the loopholes that may allow certain entities to evade their fair share of contributions.

It called for a net wealth tax and solidarity tax to rectify economic disparities, taxing inheritance and gifts to further dismantle wealth concentration within privileged families.

The participants underscored the need for recovering the plundered wealth and reinvesting it in public services and welfare schemes for the benefit of the general populace. They sought corporate tax adjustments and a comprehensive reevaluation of the fiscal system to mitigate the glaring inequality gap.

Acknowledging the disproportionate impact of crises on women, they made a fervent call for a gender-sensitive approach in taxation policies.

PKRC general secretary Farooq Tariq called for doing away with regressive policies and forging a nexus between climate justice, tax reform and debt justice. Prof Ayesha Ahmed articulated concerns about regressive taxes disproportionately impacting the working class, particularly women.

She scrutinised government initiatives, including the 10 per cent super tax, referencing the Oxfam and SAAPE report which elucidated the challenges in implementing wealth tax recommendations due to intricate relationships among funders, government entities, and political parties.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2023