Islamabad: Pakistan ki galiyon, bazaron aur mohallon mein shaam dhalte hi barhti hui tijarati halchal mulk ki ghair rasmi (informal) retail maeshiyat ki asal tasveer pesh karti hai. Kiryana stores, rehrhi baan, gharelu karobar, chhote thok farosh aur street vendors rozmarra ki zarooriyat ki farahmi mein markazi kirdar ada karte hain, magar yeh waseeh sector ab bhi bari had tak documentation se bahar hai.

Mukhtalif mutala‘aat ke mutabiq Pakistan ki ghair rasmi economy, kul qaumi paidawar (GDP) ka taqriban 35 se 40% hissa banati hai, jab ke thok aur parchoon tijarat is ka bunyadi sutoon qaraar di jati hai.

Ghair-zarai sector mein taqriban 70%  afraad ghair rasmi tor par rozgar hasil karte hain, jo is sector ki ahmiyat ke sath sath documentation ke bare challenge ko bhi wazeh karta hai.

Yeh ghair rasmi retail network kam lagat par aakhri mustahlik tak ashya pohanchata hai, kam aamdani walay tabqay ko udhaar ki sahulat deta hai aur maeshi dabao ke dauron mein tezhi se apne aap ko dhal leta hai. Bawajood is ke, cash len-den aur ghair rasmi tareeqon ki wajah se dukandaar modern digital systems, formal qarz aur mali sahulaton se mehroom rehte hain, jo unki paidawari salahiyat ko mutasir karta hai.

Riyasat ke liye iska nateeja kam tax wasooli ke tor par nikalta hai. Halankeh Pakistan ka tax-to-GDP ratio behtari ke bawajood ab bhi region ke dusre mumalik ke muqable mein kam hai. Mahireen kehte hain ke retail sector ki proper documentation ke baghair tax net ko barhana mumkin nahi.

Policy experts ka kehna hai ke is sector ko rasmi nizaam me lana saza nahi, balkay sahulat par mabni hona chahiye. Marhala-war approach zyada moassar sabit ho sakti hai: baray retailers ke liye mukammal digital invoicing, darmiyani dukandaron ke liye sadah nizaam, aur chhotay faroshon ke liye QR payments aur kam tax.

Is se na sirf tax wasooli barhegi, balkay rozgar, paidawari salahiyat aur behtar policy sazi ke liye data bhi dastiyab hoga. Mahireen ke mutabiq durust nafaz aur etemad sazi ke sath Pakistan ki ghair rasmi retail maeshiyat “game changer” sabit ho sakti hai.