PM Imran Khan wants to focus on ways to reduce indirect taxes for Pakistan's poor

• PM Imran Khan seeks ways to cut indirect taxes, 
• Premier directs economic team to take steps to reduce burden of indirect taxes on the poor
• Various proposals to provide targeted subsidies to deserving families under Ehsaas poverty alleviation programme discussed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan wants his economic team to focus on reducing indirect taxes. He says it burdens the poorest sections of society the most.

He chaired a meeting of his economic team in Islamabad on Monday. It was attended by federal ministers Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Asad Umar, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, advisers Abdul Razak Dawood, Dr Ishrat Hussain, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir, special assistants Dr Waqar Masood, Nadeem Babar, Tabish Gohar and senior officers.

The premier instructed them to suggest ways tax on goods can be decreased so relief could be provided to the public, especially the poor and middle class.

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Indirect taxes are those taxes that can be shifted from one individual to another. It is not levied directly on the income of the taxpayer, but is levied on the expenses incurred by them. Some examples of indirect taxes include sales tax, entertainment tax, excise duty, etc.

The economic team considered the possible measures to reduce the prices of basic necessities and provide relief to the common man.  

Various proposals to provide targeted subsidies to deserving families under the Ehsaas poverty alleviation programme were also discussed.

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PM Khan said the first priority of the government was the interest of the common man. "Poor people are affected most by difficult economic conditions, so providing them with all possible relief is the top priority of the government," he said.