Public to protest against tax tsunami

Islamabad:General public’s protest demonstrations against the tax tsunami budget are scheduled to start today (Monday). As part of a social media campaign initiated by the public on June 12 to protest against the significant increase in power tariffs and the inclusion of excessive taxes in electricity bills, the public will launch the protests across the country, including in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. This government is accused of burdening the common man with baseless taxes.

At some locations, individuals, outraged by overbilling, have resorted to burning electricity bills as a form of protest, while a large number of people have threatened to stage sit-ins in front of the Parliament House.

Social media activists have appealed to the general public, transporters, business community, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and people from all walks of life to come out of their homes on July 1st to participate in protest demonstrations against the tax tsunami budget and the excessive imposition of taxes by the federal government. They have also urged individuals to conduct door-to-door campaigns to mobilize the public to take to the streets. The social media activists and the general public have expressed a lack of confidence in the entire political leadership of the country to lead this protest demonstration on July 1st. They have only requested the general public to come out of their homes to enforce a city-wide lockdown starting today.

The social media activists have called on the authorities to forego luxurious lifestyles in order to maintain the country's economic system. These authorities have come under scrutiny for taking additional loans to exploit the country, while imposing unnecessary taxes on the public to repay debts to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The federal government's budget for 2024-25 is believed to have been created at the behest of the IMF. The social media activists and the general public have accused National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) of driving the poor to the brink of suicides. They pointed out that while people were dying of hunger, leaders were preoccupied with photo sessions and the imposition of additional taxes.

The government has announced a substantial Rs1.761 trillion in new revenue measures for the next fiscal year, which, upon closer examination, is feared to contribute to further inflation in the country. The general public has warned that the people were already struggling to make both ends meet, and the federal government's imposition of new taxes is exacerbating an already difficult situation.

Meanwhile, officials from the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) have requested additional security for their offices to prevent any potential incidents starting July 1st. Anonymously, Iesco officials disclosed that they are already working in a state of fear due to their inability to face public anger. They have requested police protection from higher authorities to prevent public ire, stating that they will not report to their offices without the additional security. The situation is reportedly similar in other public sector departments such as SNGPL, MCR, RDA, WASA, PHA, Excise, and even the DC office.