Situationer: No friendship in sight over ‘Dost’ scheme
THE government’s efforts to bring the wholesale and retail sectors into the tax net are intensifying, as officials remain determined to implement the Tajir Dost Scheme (Trader-Friendly Scheme) despite ongoing protests, strikes and resistance from traders. The situation has reached a critical juncture, with the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio still languishing below 8.5 per cent. The wholesale and retail sectors, which account for around 20pc of the economy, largely remain outside the tax net, placing more and more burden on the salaried class and other sectors. Traders, on the other hand, observed a successful nationwide strike earlier this week and are now planning to extend their protest to a three-day strike, with the possibility of an indefinite shutdown if the government does not meet their demands. They argue that their proposals could help expand the country’s tax base more effectively.