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Nearly half Pakistan’s lawmakers do not pay taxes, according to a study, findings that may endanger billions of dollars in IMF and other loans and aid that shore up a faltering economy.
一份研究指出，近半數巴基斯坦國會議員不繳稅。這項發現或將危及「國際貨幣基金」數十億美元的捐輸，以及支撐衰退經濟的其他貸款與援助。
Cracking down on rampant tax evasion is a main condition of a $6.7 billion International Monetary Fund programme aimed at stabilising the nuclear-armed U.S. ally of 180 million people.
打擊猖獗的逃漏稅是「國際貨幣基金」一項67億美元計畫的主要條件，該計畫旨在穩定這個人口1億8000萬的美國核武盟邦。
Big donors like Britain, which has committed more than $1 billion to Pakistani education, are considering slashing aid unless more rich Pakistanis pay tax.
諸如已撥款逾10億美元用於巴國教育的英國等捐款大國，正考慮削減援助，除非更多巴國富人納稅。
The report, which identifies some ministers among the legislators who pay no tax, was drawn up by the Center for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan, an independent research group.
這份報告是由獨立研究團體「巴基斯坦調查報告中心」所寫，該報告在沒有納稅的國會議員當中，指認出一些內閣首長。
Pakistan has a nine percent tax to gross domestic product ratio, one of the world’s lowest. Fewer than one percent of citizens file income taxes.
巴國的稅收占國內生產毛額比為9％，是全球最低國家之一。不到1％的公民申報所得稅。
"If politicians don’t pay taxes themselves, they have lost the moral authority to impose taxes on others," said Umar Cheema, the author of the report.
「如果政治人物自己不納稅，他們就喪失了對他人課稅的道德權威，」報告作者烏瑪．契馬說。
The Finance Ministry said December tax collection was up by about a quarter compared with last year. Cheema said nearly 80 percent of that was through indirect taxes on items like fuel.
巴國財政部指出，相較於去年，12月的稅收增加約4分之1。契馬指出，當中近80％是從燃料等項目的間接稅而來。
"Whenever there is pressure from the donor agencies, they just increase indirect taxes which shifts the burden on the poor and lets the rich off again," Cheema said.（Reuters）
「每當相關捐助機構施壓，他們就只是增加間接稅，這些稅轉嫁到窮人，再度放過富人，」契馬說。（路透）
新聞辭典
shore up︰使穩定、支持、支撐。例句︰The unpopular president has tried hard to shore up his own political position.（這名不受歡迎的總統努力穩住自己的政治地位。）
draw up︰寫出、起草、制定。例句；I haven’t yet drawn up vacation plans.（我尚未訂出假期計畫。）
let off︰放過、寬恕、對…從輕處理。例句︰I’ll let you off this time, but never again!（這次我饒了你，但絕不能再犯！）
本文引用至 自由時報電子報 http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/
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