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The premier also said that the government would do away with the “elite capture” and all the legal instruments including parliament would be used for this objective.

While speaking at the cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that “either we perform or perish; it’s a do or die”. He said rising electricity and gas theft, low tax-to-GDP ratio and rapid increase in expenditure need to be dealt with seriously.

“As the government has to start negotiations with the IMF for the next programme, the Fund’s condition and requirement is to increase the tax base”, he said, adding that some businesses with huge earnings are not paying taxes and the government has to negotiate with them to bring them into the tax net to fulfil the IMF’s requirement.