PAKISTAN does not lack economic patriotism. What remains a central challenge is strengthening confidence in how public resources are raised and used. The country’s tax debate is often framed as a question of enforcement: how to collect more, from more people. But beneath it lies something more fragile — trust. Trust that public money is used responsibly. And trust that taxes paid return as schools, hospitals, infrastructure and opportunity.

When that trust holds, people comply — not because they are forced to, but because they believe in the system. Across many countries, most citizens say cheating on taxes is wrong. Compliance breaks down not because people reject taxation, but because they doubt its fairness, simplicity, and return.

Pakistan has made important progress in recent years. Federal revenues have risen significantly, reflecting determined efforts to strengthen collection. But for a country of more than 240 million people, incremental gains will not be enough to finance the scale of investment needed in education, health, climate resilience and social protection. What is required is not just stronger administration, but a stronger sense of........

© Dawn