Leaders of the Haqooq-i-Khalq Party (HKP) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) have voiced strong opposition to the proposed increase in the General Sales Tax (GST) from 18 percent to 19 percent, a measure linked to IMF reforms. They cautioned that this hike would exacerbate inflation and place an additional burden on low-income families.
Farooq Tariq, head of HKP, emphasized that the tax increase would disproportionately affect workers, farmers, and salaried individuals. He highlighted the existing unfairness of indirect taxation, which heavily impacts the poor, while large corporations continue to evade billions in taxes. Tariq urged the government to focus on recovering outstanding dues from major corporate sectors rather than raising taxes on essential commodities.
In a notable critique, HKP leaders also opposed the proposed taxation on hybrid and electric vehicles, arguing that such policies would discourage environmentally friendly transportation and aggravate environmental issues. They advocated for a shift towards a progressive tax system that targets wealth, property, and corporate profits, alongside reducing GST on basic necessities.
Meanwhile, PAT representatives dismissed the current “borrow-and-govern” economic approach, calling instead for immediate relief in fuel prices. They proposed a decade-long agricultural emergency plan that includes subsidies and interest-free loans for farmers, aiming to bolster the economy through support for the agricultural sector.
