Central Information Secretary Pakistan People's Party Fauzia Wahab has said that imposition of Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) is necessary for the survival of Pakistan. She said that RGST is not the issue of PPP, nor it is the issue of PPP government but it is the issue of survival of the Pakistani nation. She was talking to the reporters after attending the 9th Convocation of University of Central Punjab at Expo-Centre on Tuesday.
She said that country needs a regulated revenue system and there is a need of broadening our tax-net. She said that it is high time for us to think. She said that some political parties are opposing the RGST for their political gains. She also said that there would be no RGST on eatables so it is not going to effect the common man. She said that big wholesalers and hoarders are opposing the RGST because they don't want to come into tax-net.
She said that after the imposition of RGST country's income will be increased and after four to five years income will be used for providing health and education facilities to the people. While answering the question about the government's expenditures she said that government had already devolved five ministries and in two or three months five more ministries will be devolved. She said in two or three months there will be 38 ministries in the cabinet instead of 48.
She said President Zardari's letter addressed to Nawaz Sharif also focused on resource mobilisation through regulated revenue system for self-reliance of the country. "If a country will earn, only then it will be able to spend substantially on the welfare of general public.
She totally refuted the impression that government was being blackmailed at the hands of Maulana Fazalur Rehman and MQM. She said PPP believed in politics of reconciliation and wanted to take all political parties along. "All stakeholders would need to join hands to make Pakistan a trade corridor," she said. She was responding to a question about JUI (F) separation from the government. She categorically said that there is no threat to the government.
Answering a question, she said the government was not threatened at all from any political move. "Those who say that they can topple the government, should do it in the assembly. We do not need to prove anything," she added. Wahab said the PPP's government was contacting every political party and added that PML-Q was an important component of the political system in the country.
Answering a question about the contacts with PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and JUI Ameer Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Wahab said that it was an agenda of a media group that organised a joint interview of the two leaders. "Let them show their strength in the assembly to topple the government," she added.
When allied parties work jointly, she said that it was no surprise that there were some differences. However, this did not mean that they end their working relationships. "We need to work together with complete sense, wisdom and responsibility," she stressed.