Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Affluent politicians
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 15 - 03 - 2011


evasion probe is needed
A REPORT this week seems to confirm the widely held belief that Pakistan is a nation with millions of poor people ruled by some extremely wealthy politicians. According to a statement of assets and liabilities supplied to the Election Commission, it has emerged that the ruling PPP's Gul Mohammad Lot and Ammar Ahmad Khan are among the richest men sitting in the Senate of Pakistan, with property and investments adding up to billions of rupees. These gentlemen are not alone as the JUI-F's Azam Khan Swati and the BNP-A's Israrullah Zehri are also considerably well-off. These and other members of the upper house also lay claim to thousands of acres of land, expensive properties in Pakistan and abroad as well as luxury vehicles, writes the Dawn in its editorial. Excerpts:
Yet it is clear that this is not the whole picture as there are several politicians who may have even more money but have not declared their assets. The posh cars in the National Assembly parking lot are one indication of how many of our parliamentarians can afford to live it up. So, credit must go to those parliamentarians who have declared their assets. However, the fact remains that the system lacks transparency. For instance, one wonders how a former civil servant has come to own property in London worth over a million pounds, as is the case with the current interior minister, who is also a senator. There is nothing wrong with having or making money, as long as it has been acquired in a legitimate manner and taxes are paid. But therein lies the problem.
One figure says that the total revenue that will be lost due to tax evasion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011 adds up to over a trillion rupees. According to another estimate, fewer than two percent of Pakistanis pay income tax. In fact, tax evasion is endemic in Pakistan, especially amongst the financial elite, many members of which sit in the nation's assemblies. The Federal Board of Revenue and the Election Commission need to properly investigate whether taxes have been paid on parliamentarians' income and assets.
The National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee must also play a more active role in this regard. If bureaucrats can be questioned for alleged financial misdeeds, why not MNAs and senators? Of course, they are not the only ones who should be censured: landlords, generals and business tycoons who live beyond their means and don't pay taxes all need to answer to the taxman. Yet our elected representatives have the added responsibility of leading by example of which paying their due share of taxes is one aspect.
__


Clic here to read the story from its source.