Tax justice is a core programme of the ISJ’s programme because through tax justice transparency in national, provincial and district level finance can be achieved which prohibits or prevents from secrecy or safe tax havens. The ISJ believes that transparency and openness in finance can help to reduce poverty and eliminate social injustice whereas secrecy leads to corruption, misappropriations and social injustice.
Unfortunately as the problem of tax injustice is so big and complex in Pakistan, so it is hardly being touched by CSOs. There are serious gaps and distortions in taxes and their regulations which infer grave violations and exploitations of humans and financial resources in Pakistan.
Objectives
The ISJ would like to see complete tax compliance by all politicians, businessmen, industrialists, foreign investors and every citizen; therefore, it is categorically against the tax evasion and all the systems and mechanisms that allow or facilitate politicians, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, bankers, feudal lords, chudharies, businessmen, industrialists, investors, companies and all individuals who have controllers over wealth.
The ISJ believes such escape from taxes is denial of their responsibilities to the societies on which they and their wealth depend (please check out policy paper for more details). At the same time, poor people are burdened with unending taxes (direct and indirect) on basic food related items and life saving drugs.
Strategies
The ISJ aims to raise mass awareness amongst public through extensive research-evidence based campaigns, seminars and workshops so that a common person should question, protest and get involved into movement for a transparent tax system and justice.
Useful links:
-Wikipedia
-Tax Justice Net
