ACT Alliance Urges Govt to Resist Lobbyist Pressure, Protect Economic Sovereignty

Akram Warns Against Donor-Driven Tax Policy Influence

By DTD- On May 22, 2025

ISLAMABAD — The ACT Alliance Pakistan has called on the federal government to resist the influence of foreign-funded lobbyists and prioritize consistent enforcement against illegal trade and tax evasion, which it described as major threats to Pakistan’s economic stability and sovereignty.

Speaking to a gathering of business leaders in Islamabad, Mubashir Akram, National Convenor of ACT Alliance Pakistan, emphasized the need for a year-round crackdown on economic malpractices such as smuggling and tax evasion. “Pakistan’s economy is bleeding through its own veins,” said Akram, pointing out that these activities cost the country trillions of rupees each year and discourage formal investment.

He commended recent government efforts to monitor sectors like tobacco, sugar, and cement but stressed that enforcement should not be limited to the pre-budget season. “National recovery cannot hinge on one quarter,” Akram said. “We must institutionalize our economic discipline.”

Akram also warned against the recurring influence of foreign-backed lobbyists who, he claimed, seek to influence tax policy to align with donor agendas rather than Pakistan’s economic needs. “The budget is not just a document of numbers; it is the most powerful expression of a nation’s economic will and self-determination,” he stated.

Calling for budget decisions based on domestic realities and indigenous assessments, Akram urged the government to shield policy-making from external pressures. “Let our policies be driven by reasoned economic strategy, not pressure from abroad or their local support system in Pakistan,” he added.

He concluded by reaffirming the Alliance’s commitment to combating illegal trade and supporting legal economic activity through evidence-based advocacy and collaboration with stakeholders across business, media, and civil society.

ACT Alliance Pakistan, formed in 2016, continues to work as a civil society platform promoting legal economic practices to strengthen national development and fiscal independence.