The proposal has raised concerns among some PPP members in the Sindh Assembly, who have voiced their reservations and provided feedback to the party leadership
By Salman Shah
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has emphasized the necessity of imposing an agricultural tax to meet the stringent conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The announcement comes as the Sindh government prepares to take significant steps toward implementing this policy, with a meeting of the Sindh Cabinet scheduled for tomorrow to finalize the legal framework for the agricultural tax. A notification has already been issued for the session, which will serve as a platform for formalizing the legislative process.
Under the guidance of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership, CM Shah has briefed party members in the Sindh Assembly on the proposed agricultural tax legislation. During these briefings, he stressed that other provinces, including Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have already passed similar legislation, putting pressure on Sindh to follow suit in order to fulfill the IMF’s requirements.
However, the proposal has stirred concerns among some PPP members in the Sindh Assembly, who have expressed their reservations and offered feedback to the party leadership. While the details of the legislation are still being ironed out, sources suggest that the agricultural tax rate in Sindh is expected to range from 15 to 45 percent. This tax, if passed, is poised to significantly impact the province’s agricultural sector, already facing various economic challenges.
The move to implement such a tax is being viewed with a mixture of skepticism and concern, particularly given the ongoing economic difficulties faced by farmers in the region. Critics argue that the tax could exacerbate the financial strain on Sindh’s agricultural community, which is already grappling with challenges such as water scarcity, fluctuating crop prices, and inflation.
Nonetheless, with the IMF’s conditions weighing heavily on Pakistan’s economic policy, the government seems set on proceeding with this controversial decision. As the legal framework moves forward, it remains to be seen how the Sindh government will balance the pressures from international financial institutions with the potential backlash from local stakeholders, particularly the farming community.
