BANNU: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has blamed the past governments for their ineptness to collect taxes due to which the nation is reeling under heavy foreign debt and vowed to end the country’s economic woes if voted to power in the next general election.

“We would collect taxes to the tune of Rs8,000 billion from the people after coming into power for which we would motivate people and more money would go to the development of education sector in the country,” Mr Khan said while delivering a lecture titled “leadership”, to the students of University of Science and Technology, Bannu, here on Wednesday.

At present, only Rs35 billion were being collected every year in taxes while the expenses of the country were far more than Rs500 billion due to which the country was securing foreign loans on huge interest rates. He said that Pakistan ranked 5th among the charity-giving countries globally, but the people didn’t pay taxes because of corruption by the rulers, he said. Once the people find honest rulers, they would give taxes for the progress of the country, he said.

Vows to collect Rs8tr taxes if voted to power

“Education holds key to development of any country and we would focus on giving quality education to the people so they could put the country on path to development,” he said, adding that the countries giving importance to education were making progress in every walk of life due to which their people were prosperous.

“The budget of Singapore University was equal to that of Pakistan. The country which spends on education produced highly productive people who are instrumental in overall development of their nations,” he said.

He said that four qualities were very important for a better leadership. A man shouldn’t be coward, but brave and honest and follow the law of justice in all matters, he said, adding that he had all facilities in life but came to politics after witnessing the bad state of affairs in the country.

“A country where rule of law exists, the people develop confidence in government and as a result of that the country marches towards progress and development,” Mr Khan said.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said, the PTI’s government pursued the policy of merit in police, the result o which was indicated in the terror attack on the Agriculture Training Institute, Peshawar, last week where the forces saved the city from a big destruction due to timely and professional action.

“We are proud of the bravery shown by the KP police against miscreants and we salute them,” he said.

The PTI chairman also made mention of the betterment brought by the KP government in the health, education and other departments, and added that they would bring the much-needed reforms countrywide after winning the coming elections.

“We will try to bring about reforms in the country and introduce a system based on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on the pattern of Madina. The people love their countries when there is justice for all regardless of their financial status,” he said. The people would feel the difference in governance after we come to power, he said.

On this occasion, provincial minister Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani announced provision of 500 kanal land, transport facilities and construction of gymnasium for the university, and said that the government would take all measures required for promotion of education. The provincial government, he said, accorded top priority to education due to which the students were leaving private schools to take admission in public sector institutions.

The policy of merit adopted by the government was benefiting the students as well the society, he said.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2017