ALTAF HUSSAIN REJECTS REFORMED GENERAL SALES TAX

LONDON: 10^TH NOVEMBER 2010 

MQM Founder and Leader Altaf Hussain has castigated government for the imposition of Reformed General Sales Tax in the country.  Addressing telephonically at 31 locations in Pakistan he said that the decision taken by the Federal Cabinet to impose Reformed General Sales Tax in the country was cruel and unjust. “The oppressed and downtrodden people are already forced to live under the heavy burden of ever increasing prices of essential items; the imposition of the Reformed General Sales tax would result in increase of prices of food items and other things of necessities all of a sudden. This would bring a Tsunami of price hikes.” He said that the Reformed General Sales Tax would benefit only the rich people. “We condemn it and demand of the government to withdraw this decision immediately.”

He regretted that instead of bringing the income of feudal lords and rich people under the tax net and introducing tax reforms in the country and stopping corruption of billions of rupees, additional burden was being placed on common people which would prove to be a fatal blow to them. Those who are evading taxes were being facilitated and those who were already groaning under the yoke of oppression were being burdened all the more.

He said that only those earn their livelihood through hard work and toil could know the problem of common people and it was these common people who would be directly hit by the imposition of the General Sales Tax. He said that the people who had amassed wealth through corruption and unfair means were not concerned with the imposition of GST or increase in prices of essential items of daily use. He asked the people of Pakistan to tell if they were not burdened with soaring prices. He asked if their lives were not becoming more and more difficult with each passing day.

Criticizing the government for its failure to control corruption in the country he said that there was corruption in every department. “Whether it is a Provincial Government department or Federal Government Department, there was unbridled corruption. He asked the people of Pakistan to tell if the corruption was not at its height in all the departments of the government.

Citing the increasing rates of suicides in the country he asked if it was not true that the rate of suicides in the country was increasing rapidly. He said that the poor and middle class people of the country were already finding it difficult to meet both ends. “Despite these facts today on 10^th November 2010, the announcement by the Federal Cabinet to impose Reformed General Sales Tax is cruel and unjust.” He asked the people of the country to tell if the imposition of Reformed General Sales Tax and Flood Surcharge would affect those who had amassed ill-gotten wealth or ordinary people who were already faced with a number of problems.

He said that the prices of petrol, gas, sugar and other essential items were skyrocketing and this fresh burden in the name of Reformed General Sales Tax would break their back. He said that this General Sales Tax was being imposed forcefully against the wishes of the people and MQM would not support any such oppressive step.

He appealed to the patriotic people of Pakistan, the students, peasants, labourers, and salaried people as to how long they would continue to support those political parties that looted and plundered the national wealth.  He said that it was only MQM that was always talking about ridding the country of corruption and uprooting the decadent feudalist system from the country. “It is because of this open stance of MQM that it is being maligned by so-called intellectuals.”

He asked the people to leave the parties that had been tested time and again and support MQM in its endeavour to bring a revolution of the common people in the country. He asked if it was not the responsibility of the people of the Pakistan to come forward and play their role and weeding out corruption from the country. He passionately asked the people of Pakistan if they were not ready to test MQM even for once.

He demanded of the government to stop the killing of political leaders in Baluchistan after arresting them. He said that this should stop immediately.

He asked the journalists, intellectuals, and political analysts to come forward and support the people. He said that the Punjab being the largest province should give due consideration to the rights of the smaller provinces as well.

Earlier speaking about the welfare activities of the charitable wing of the party, Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) he said that KKF was gradually increasing the scope of its activities in other parts of the country as well. “KKF has been at the forefront in times of natural calamities such as earthquake and floods and has always provided relief to the people without prejudice to caste, colour, religion and political affiliation.

He said that KKF did not have backings of the rich people. “All the welfare activities of KKF are provided for by the donation of the people in the shape of zakat and charity. KKF Volunteers collect hides of sacrificial animals each year during Eid-ul-Azha and the money obtained from these hides is utilized for providing help to the people. He appealed to the people to give hides of sacrificial animals to the volunteers of KKF. He said that each year thousands of people receive help from KKF in the shape of dowry for girls, facilities and financial assistance.

He informed that an ambulance service was about to be started in Gilgit Baltistan for which ambulances had already been bought and a hospital would soon be inaugurated in Hyderabad that would cater to the needs of a large number of deserving people.

In the end he asked MQM workers, office-bearers and parliamentarians to start public canvassing to determine the future line of action of the party.

Members of Co-ordination Committee, Parliamentarians, Federal and Provincial Ministers attended the address at Lal Qila Ground in Azizabad, Karachi.