Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq According to a report, the Government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) “is seeking $400 million or Rs. 56 billion loan from the World Bank (WB) for a risky venture of fixing the country’s ailing tax system amid apprehensions that foreign-funded reforms package in the past had not yielded desired results”....Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq In Pakistan, the poor are subjected to heavy and oppressive taxes, whereas the members of militro-judicial-civil complex, absentee landowners and businessmen-turned-politicians enjoy numerous tax breaks, unprecedented perks and perquisites, benefits, including allotment of expensive plots, free or at concessional price, at prime locations. The way they waste and plunder...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari “Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed”—Mao Zedong President Donald Trump, in his 82-minute-long long State of the Union speech on February 6, expressed positive outcome of the second summit between him and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, scheduled in Vietnam on February 27-28, 2019. He said that “much...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Selection for and conduct of audit is not ex facie detrimental to the interest of taxpayer, however to exercise such powers; the discretion needs to be structured by framing rules and issuance of policies for ensuring consistency and certainty of procedures; transparency and fairness— Nestle Pakistan Limited etc. Versus...Read More

Dr. Ikramul Haq The 9th National Finance Commission (NFC), in its maiden meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Asad Umar, held in Islamabad on February 6, 2019, discussed besides other issues recommendations for improving the distribution of resources among provinces and smooth communication between the centre and provincial administrations. The last NFC Award of December 2009...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari “I think that’s important—that transgender individuals are just like everyone else. We have our interests, our hobbies, our things we like to do.”—Jazz Jennings (b. October 6, 2000, is a transgender male to female activist) For centuries transgender human beings have been the target of contempt, mockery, hatred, disrespect, and treated in a...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq A Collection of tax where it is not due is as detestable as its non-payment when it is due—Nasim Sikander J, CIT Companies, Lahore v State Cement of Corporation (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore 2002 PTD 1603 This deprivation [collecting taxes in advance] results in unjustly enriching and benefitting the department—Syed...Read More

Selection for and conduct of audit is not ex facie detrimental to the interest of taxpayer, however to exercise such powers; the discretion needs to be structured by framing rules and issuance of policies for ensuring consistency and certainty of procedures; transparency and fairness— Nestle Pakistan Limited etc. Versus Federal Board of Revenue [(2017) 115...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari “A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them”—Victor Hugo (1802-1885) Who can deny the importance of a mother to a child? From keeping the baby in her womb for a full nine months, bearing the pangs of birth and then raising it until he or she is independent....Read More

Dr. Ikramul Haq The prevailing myth that our tax base is narrow and only 1% of the population pays income tax is totally fallacious—this statement reiterated by the representative of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) before Senate Standing Committee on January 30, 2019 should be lambasted. He and all members of the Committee conveniently ignored...Read More