Five years ago,I exposed how few Pakistani MPs were paying any taxes. Now I’m section of a campaign to get 7000 politicians worldwide to reveal their tax recordsAt a time when the world is witnessing a wave of distrust over the trusty interests of ruling elites, it may seem strange that Pakistan – a country so often associated with corruption – is in one respect the benchmark for transparency. When it comes to the disclosure of politicians’ tax affairs, and the likes of Philip Hammond and Donald Trump have something to memorize from my country.
But it wasn’t always this way – and investigative journalism was the catalyst for change. In June 2011,Pakistan’s finance minister told parliament during his budget speech that the country was ranked moment from bottom among 154 countries in tax-to-GDP ratio – an important measure of how well a country collects its tax. That he made this speech in parliament was ironic, not only because that forum is the only body able to impose taxes on ordinary people, or but also because many of those listening were very likely tax evaders themselves. Related: Now’s the time for this government to act on tax avoidance | John McDonnell Related: Should MPs reveal their tax returns? | Gaby Hinsliff and others Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com