Few
years back in Faisalabad, when Ali took over business from his father, he
decided to pay all payable tax. He asked his staff to prepare proper tax return.
The tax amounted to half a million as compared to fifty thousand in past ie ten
times more. He was advised to maintain status quo which meant paying small tax
and continue paying ‘fair share’ to tax authorities. But he insisted on paying
the exact amount. When tax authorities were approached, they again asked for
their share. The company told them that there was no tax evasion and they are
voluntarily paying the true amount. Taxers began to tax Ali’s patience and made
his life miserable. It took his company unbelievable amount of time and effort
to pay the exact tax. If he continued to pay the full tax, tax authorities could
have been deprived of their share, hence, they brought him to his knees.
Finally, the young entrepreneur gave in and agreed to pay tax the old way.
However, for next financial year, tax authorities doubled the amount of their
share because ‘lot of effort had gone in convincing him to pay the old way’.
Ali is, now, Masha Allah, a successful entrepreneur
in Canada.
We
must accept the reality that a great number of people in this country are fed
up with Status Quo. That is the reason their frustration is not limited to
drawing room whining, they are out of their comfort zones and out on roads. No
more qualms about people not standing up for their rights. Mostly, young, aware
and faithful Pakistanis have rallied under the umbrella of PTI to break the
status quo. The inertia has broken. But beware of the old ‘crocs’, who have
buckled up to save the status quo under the garb of constitution and laws. The
book of laws which these lawmakers have made to protect their interests like
centralized control of resources, like becoming third time Prime Minister of
the country, like immunity to the high office holders and so on. Ostensibly,
the book contains all the good things and assurances for welfare and security
to the people of Pakistan. However, only welfare and security to the people of
Pakistan is missing. Well, it is just a book of clauses tailored by lawmakers
to suit their design of play. Generation after generation, their hegemony on
resources of this country and regime of organized corruption is preserved. Why can’t
it be changed? But for that we need to emplace correct set of lawmakers.
Growing
up in a country where politics used by synonymous to corruption, I always felt
sorry for people attending political rallies. A political rally never appeared
to a sign of hope rather a directionless mob pursuing pointless agenda. Always wondered
why these people are wasting their time and energies on perpetuation of status
quo. But now it feels different. The attendants of Azadi March and Dharna come
across as hope for change. Naïve to impediments of red tape and frugal laws,
people have stood up for change. Be warned, if we fail to grab on to the
opportunity for change offered to us by the circumstances, our future
generations will never forgive us.
Yet,
it is sad to note that justice is a luxury in our country. Like other luxuries
of life it is accessible to select few who can afford other luxuries of life. Since
most the people are living without basic necessities of life, hence, they are
not afforded the luxury of justice as well. As the cliché goes, ‘Justice
delayed is justice denied’. If FIR on cold blooded d
eath of fourteen Muslim
Pakistanis could not be registered in third month running, then judiciary and
executive are just serving the political interests of the govt. No wonder Tahir
ul Qadri was crying like a baby for poor and helpless of this country. However,
like, Ali, the poor and downtrodden also have a better place to go…Heaven J
eath of fourteen Muslim
Pakistanis could not be registered in third month running, then judiciary and
executive are just serving the political interests of the govt. No wonder Tahir
ul Qadri was crying like a baby for poor and helpless of this country. However,
like, Ali, the poor and downtrodden also have a better place to go…Heaven J
