Plight of the rural poor
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqA report by the World Bank, State of Water Supply, Sanitation and Poverty in Pakistan, released on November 1, 2018, was generally ignored in Pakistan. It was not debated seriously in official quarters. This report…
Simplify tax laws
Dr. Ikramul HaqIn 2001, the duo of General Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz decided to promulgate a new income tax law on the dictates of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The move was opposed by many on the plea that the…
Governance at its best! (Part III)
Huzaima Bukhari“All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary.”—Andrew Jackson 7th US president (1829-37). In his letter written to the newly…
Governance at its best! (Part II)
Huzaima Bukhari“It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes.”—Andrew Jackson (1829-37) 7th US president. In his letter written to the newly appointed Governor to Egypt, Maalik…
Making tax system functional
Dr. Ikramul HaqThe primary function of a tax system is to raise revenue for the governments at various levels, in the case of Pakistan, federal and provincial, for their public expenditure as well as for local authorities and similar public…
Taxes at grassroots level
Dr. Ikramul HaqAssignment of a tax means transfer of taxation power from a higher level to a lower level government. Taxation power includes right to levy tax, collect tax and appropriate the proceeds from such tax. Thus, there can be…
Improving justice delivery system
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqIn the British India, Income-tax Appellate Tribunal was established on January 25, 1941. After independence, this institution was retained by India and Pakistan as such, except that we changed the nomenclature to Appellate Tribunal Inland…
Governance at its best—(part I)
Huzaima Bukhari“The poverty of the people is the actual cause of the devastation and ruination of a country, and the main cause of the poverty of the people is the desire of its ruler and officers to amass wealth and…
Bases for Riyasta-i-Medina
Huzaima Bukhari“The Constitution of Medina also known as the Charter of Medina (“Covenant of Medina”), was drawn up on behalf of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shortly after his arrival at Medina (then known as Yathrib) in 622AD (or 1 AH), following…