No tax, no state

This letter refers to the article ‘How to solve the ‘bijli’ problem’ (March 16, 2024) by Engineer Khurram Dastgir-Khan. The article claims that the country’s electricity bill collection is mainly from the areas between Islamabad and Multan. With further hikes in the power tariffs reportedly on the way, those who do pay their power bills are now wondering just how they will continue to do so.

At a time when the government is hard-pressed to shore up its revenues, would it not be prudent policy for elected representatives to work out a new social contract in which shirking government dues amounts to a serious crime and warrants severe consequences? When a state cannot realize its taxes it loses its right to exist. The reasons behind constant threats to security and instability can be traced to this weakness.

Amjad Hussain

Attock