Tax on Agriculture is indispensable

            As the industrialists get loans from the banks and establish the industries of their choice, then they not only repay the loans but also pay taxes of various kinds. The agriculturists should also get loans from the banks and develop their agriculture and should also pay the agriculture tax.  The agriculturists should be treated as the industrialists and other businessmen are treated in respect of tax assessment and tax payment. The agriculturists are being given subsidies on various items of agriculture and have also been exempted to give agriculture tax on the products of agriculture worth millions which is a preferential and discriminatory treatment much beneficial. It is strange conduct of the Government and those related to the taxation departments that the agriculturists have been exempted from the agriculture tax but when the same product of agriculture is processed in a factory or sent to the market then various taxes are imposed on them which create frustration among the business class. If the Government is of the view that the agriculture is totally dependent on the act of God, the development of industries is dependent on the act of the Government. When for the assessment of various taxes, the Government has specific departments which properly or improperly assess the taxes; it should also open a branch in the FBR for the assessment of agriculture tax and collection.

            When the tax departments check the paper work of the industries, businessmen etc, the agriculture tax should be assessed on the spot from the number of sacks of wheat, bales of cotton etc. produced on a specific holding of land. The agriculturists should be rendered bound to shift the products from the lands after receiving clearance certificate from the authorised officer like the product of the industry. Each crop should be checked on the spot immediately and the report should be given to the higher authorities about the agricultural products of each land owner/holder. It is not necessary that the agriculture tax should be same for every year but should be according to the nature of crop and amount/quantity produced by an agriculturist.

            On one side, the Government has increased Defence Budget by 17 percent and on the other hand has ignored to bring the agriculturists in the tax net meaning thereby that the existing tax payers would bear the brunt of the increase in the defence budget. Mr. Javed Hashmi was right when he said in media comment that “defence budget should also be brought under the discussion in the Parliament”.  I do not know that what national interest is harmed if the defence budget is brought under discussion in the Parliament.

            If the war on terrorism is our war then why other Countries are concerned about it? Why Pakistan has been given the status of the NATO ally? Why the Americans and other European Countries have overt and covert contacts with our Army Chief? Why the American Army Chief and other persons related to the defence department have frequent meetings with our people both in Washington and Islamabad? If the war on terrorism is their war which we fight on our land and in our home then why not they undertake the whole expenditure of our Armed Forces in order to spare the defence expenditure on the development of the poor masses? The 17 percent increase in Defence Budget along with the Military aid received from the U.S. for the Armed Forces compels a person to think about the real expenditure of the Armed Forces of Pakistan. But this is such topic which is not touched by any politician or person for the sake of smooth running of democracy. On this issue, everyone in Pakistan is indecisive because the wealth of the people of Pakistan is spent on such a war in which the ultimate beneficiaries are either U.S. or its allies. Then why not their wealth should be spent on the war while our wealth should be spent on lives of people of Pakistan?

            Overall the budget is favourable to the Civil Servants, Pensioners, businessmen etc. if subsequently the benefits were not taken by any contrivance. I once again request the Parliamentarians to consider the option of agriculture tax as demanded mainly by MQM which comprises leaders primarily belonging to landless class and should also consider the desire of Mr. Javed Hashmi for bringing under discussion the defence budget in the Parliament. They should continue their demand as a wishful thinking as some are contemplating on bringing defence budget under discussion but it does not mean that even the demand for doing so should be abandoned. One day the whole nation would be of the opinion that the parties/persons are on the right side.

Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai

B.Sc; L.L.B. M.A. Political Science
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