The choice of a life companion
Huzaima Bukhari“Inna akramakum inda-Allahi anqakum (Verily the most honourable among you with Allah is that believer who is pious).”―Al Quran, Al Hujaraat (49:13)A few days back, a dear friend expressed anxiety over a very serious issue—deciding on the most suitable…
When closeness breeds distance!
Huzaima Bukhari“We are now living in a post–Roosevelt, post-Reagan universe. What comes next will not be post-partisan, because faction is an intrinsic human impulse”―Jon Meacham (writers, reviewer and presidential biographer)A cursory glance around the globe would reveal some very interesting…
Offshore or onshore!
Dr. Ikramul HaqIn the wake of Panama Papers: Politicians, Criminal & Rogue Industry That Hide Their Cash, heated debatesat homes and abroad are going on and will continue for many days, if not months. In Pakistan people are disillusioned, as…
Height of ignorance & naivety!
Dr. Ikramul HaqThe myth that technocrats can run government affairs better than bureaucrats is busted at least in Pakistan in recent months by Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs. Firstly on…
FBR’s performance—first half of FY 2020
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe low degree of accountability of expenditures has made the revenue collection system more vulnerable to frequent restructuring. Placing responsibility to bridge the widening gap between revenue and expenditure on the shoulders of FBR alone…
Unconstitutional taxation by provinces
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe imposition of any kind of legislation that include levy of any tax or duty, cess etc having extraterritorial impact and involving entities operating on trans-provincial levels by any provincial assembly is patently against Article…
Stare rationibus decidendis
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqINTRODUCTIONIn view of the hierarchical character of the judicial system in Pakistan, it is of paramount importance that the law declared by courts should be certain, clear and consistent. Inconsistencies create distrust in the administration…
2019: Wither PTI’s tax reforms?
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe Government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) contrary to its election promises after coming into power avoided fundamental structural tax reforms that could have yielded required revenue to make Pakistan self-reliant. It only resorted to patchwork…
Making 2020 year of prosperity
Dr. Ikramul HaqThe pathetic performance of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in achieving even downward revised budgets for the last many years has adversely affected the fiscal scene—on the one hand federal government is in deep debt trap, fiscal deficit…