The tax burden has predominantly shifted onto salaried individuals. Five years ago, the income tax collected from this segment amounted to 76 billion rupees, which has escalated to 368 billion rupees in 2024, stated Muneem Zafar Khan, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi, during a press conference. He highlighted that K-Electric generates the highest electricity costs in the country, benefiting from a federal government subsidy of 174 billion rupees. As a result, various neighborhoods in the city endure load shedding for durations ranging from twelve to eighteen hours, leading to the closure of numerous industries due to soaring electricity costs.
He emphasized that the entire tax burden has been disproportionately placed on salaried individuals, as evidenced by the significant increase in tax collection over the past five years.
Muneem Zafar Khan further announced that the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has initiated the next phase of the “Haq Do Awam” movement. On Sunday, there will be protests and sit-ins along Karachi’s major thoroughfares, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Super Highway, and National Highway.