Compliant Tax Payers Demand Recognition | 15-Point Charter of Demands

For years, Pakistan's tax payers have been treated like suspects rather than partners in the economy, audited, penalized, and watched, while having almost no say in how the tax system is designed. At the first-ever National Tax Payers Convention, tax payers themselves laid out exactly what they want changed. This session, presented jointly by the Tax Payers Alliance Pakistan (TPAP) and Prime Institute, unveils the Tax Payers Bill of Rights and a 15-point Charter of Demands, introduced by moderator Nilofar A. Gardezi and read out by TPAP conveners Anas Farhan, Usman Azmat, and Sehrish Naz. Key demands discussed: Nearly 70% of Pakistan's tax revenue comes from indirect taxes, meaning the poor and the rich are taxed at the same rate on everyday spending, regardless of income Agriculture contributes 24% of Pakistan's GDP, yet less than 1% of it is taxed. Livestock alone makes up 60% of that sector and remains almost entirely informal Presumptive and minimum turnover taxes should be scrapped, with withholding tax made adjustable in every case rather than treated as a final liability GST should be collected only at the final sale, not in advance at the import or manufacturing stage. Advance collection ties up business cash flow before a single sale is made Every taxpayer should be able to file through a single, simplified, mobile-friendly online form, not navigate five separate provincial and federal systems Tax officials should face penalties when their cases are struck down in court; there is currently no accountability for officers who issue notices later proven baseless Pakistan has no "negative tax" system to directly compensate tax payers below the poverty line, despite this being standard practice in many other countries The charter calls for a National Tax Payers' Day, arguing that those who fund the country 365 days a year deserve recognition, not treatment as suspects Implementation roadmap: Immediate: cut wasteful public spending, ensure transparency, simplify GST ahead of the new fiscal year Medium-term: reduce presumptive and import taxes, lower compliance costs for both tax payers and withholding agents Long-term: introduce R&D tax incentives and shift toward a progressive, direct-tax-based system Speakers: Nilofar A. Gardezi — Moderator; Co-Convener, TPAP (Islamabad & Rawalpindi) Anas Farhan — Convener, TPAP (Rawalpindi, Islamabad & Punjab) Usman Azmat — Convener, TPAP (Lahore) Sehrish Naz — Convener, TPAP (Karachi) Explore More from PRIME: 🔹 Watch our full Liberty Chowk Playlist:    • Liberty Chowk   🔹 Part 1:    • China Eliminated Poverty, Why Can't Pakistan?   Follow Us On Social Media Stay connected for real-time policy updates: Twitter:   / primepk   Facebook:   / primeinstitute   LinkedIn:   / primeinstitute   Instagram:   / primeinstitutepk   Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter: https://substack.com/@primethinktank For Collaborations or Press Inquiries: [email protected] About Us: The Policy Research Institute of Market Economy is dedicated to generating high-quality research on market-oriented solutions for Pakistan's economic challenges. Our goal is to inform public policy and foster a deeper understanding of the economy.