Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Letters to the Editor (March 2012)

Radio Tax
A parliamentary committee has recommended imposition of 2% Radio Tax on every recharge of the mobile phones and Rs. 30,000 to 40,000 on the purchase of new cars. It will make the PBC self reliant and stand on its own feet, says the committee. What a self reliance, one wonders, if it has to come through such an enforced indirect taxation on the hapless people of this country? Who in any case in this age of cable and a horde of TV channels listens to the Radio Pakistan even on their car radios where a plethora of FM channels with much more entertaining programmes are readily available? PTV is also similarly charging compulsorily all electricity consumers billions every month and yet cannot compete with the private TV channels in the quality of the programmes offered by it. Should the government not make the PIA, WAPDA, Pakistan Railways and the Steel Mills also self reliant by incorporating similar taxes on, say, every litre of fuel and every ounce of Sugar, vegetable oil, and atta.? And, if by any chance or accident the rulers and the legislators also wish to improve the self-reliance of these and other such government run organizations, they could contribute a Rupee One per head per year also?

Sincerely,
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

Riaz Jafri
Currently Chairman of a Group of 5 companies, Col (Retd) Riaz Jafri writes as a freelancer when he needs to get away and relax from work and business. Joining the 7th PMA Long Course in 1951 he was commissioned in the Corps of Signals in March 1953, taking voluntary premature retirement in 1977. During his Army career he was instructor in various Schools for 13 years, 2 I/C of a Scouts Battalion Frontier Corps, fought in the 1965 war at Lahore where he was cited for SJ and awarded Imtiazi Sanad, Platoon Commander and Company Commander PMA during 1965/1969, promoted to Lt Colonel in June 1969, GSI-Civil Affairs in Dacca June 1970, GSO-I as well as AQ in an Infantry Division in the Eastern Command and commanded a Signals Battalion in FWO before retiring. Was taken POW in 1971 and was one of the last to be repatriated from India in April 1973. Widely traveled, computers and photography are his main hobbies.

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