The Main Concerns of the Pakistan’s Taxation Policy and Effectiveness of the Legal Reforms Introduced by the Government from Independence till 2020

Pakistan is one of the developing countries which gained independence from the British Colonialism on 14th August, 1947. After independence, the country inter alia, faced a problem of revenue collection for running the business of the State. To meter out this requirement, the State adopted a mutatis mutandis Taxation System already existing in the Sub-Continent introduced by the British Rule. The concept of tax was initiated with a view to generate government revenue. In course of time it has been utilized for various purposes. Since inception of the Country, the State went through Democratic Governments and Military Regimes. Both these types of Governments introduced many policies, reforms and amnesty schemes in different times to acquire the desired results. The aim of this paper is to trace out the main concerns of Pakistan’s policies towards Taxation and the history of variety of Tax Laws imposed followed by Amendments by the State from time to time. This paper also focuses on ascertaining the Tax Policies, Tax Reforms and Amnesty Schemes coupled with impact of those measures from 1947 to date. The State at the time of its emergence promulgated the Income Tax Act, 1922 with necessary amendments and Central Board of Revenue already set up under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1924. Thereafter numerous committees were formed for enhancement of Tax Net and increase number tax payers. From this very first Act of 1922 till the last Ordinance implemented in 2001 and Rules Framed in 2002, a large number of committees, ordinances and acts have been brought to the field. This article intends to cover all the laws, reforms and amnesties by the Government with reference to the main concerns of Pakistan’s Taxation Policy.