Wall Street Journal, 16 April 2023
Interesting new figures and detail about the Taleban’s tax policy and other revenues – such as:
Taxes collected from small businesses have tripled, he said. Places like bus stations, previously in the grip of criminal gangs, are now paying taxes. Revenues from royalties the mining industry pays for minerals they extract are seven times what they once were, according to the ministry of mines. (…)
A World Bank survey of the private sector found that before the 2021 takeover, 62% of businesses paid bribes to tax collectors and 82% bribed customs officials. Under the Taliban, the figure has dropped to 8% for both categories.
And an interesting quote:
“We are creating a culture of tax paying, in spite of all our problems,” said Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban commerce minister.
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 21 Apr 2023
