Explosive population: asset or liability?
Huzaima Bukhari “Unfortunately, successive governments have paid no attention towards family planning and this was the apathy of the successive governments. Rapid population growth always outstrips development gains. If Pakistan had had the same population as at independence, it would…
World Bank-funded tax reforms
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The World Bank (WB), in an appraisal paper related to Pakistan Raises Revenue (PRR) has termed “vested interests lobbying for tax exemptions, internal tensions and wariness of change among the Federal Board of Revenue…
Repressive taxes, debt trap & fiscal fiasco
Dr. Ikramul Haq “Higher reliance on withholding taxes and within withholding taxes a high concentration on a few items makes the income tax revenues vulnerable. Moreover, taxing the already taxed, is a regressive approach which creates burden on the compliant…
Backlash of irresponsible society
Huzaima Bukhari “In a closed society where everybody’s guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity”―Hunter S. Thompson These days there are disturbing flashes of news on the electronic, print…
2019: Pakistan’s fiscal challenges
Dr. Ikramul Haq “An unusual decline in revenue collection and steep rise in current expenditures caused a deterioration in all major fiscal indicators during FY19. The overall budget deficit during the year stood at a historic high of 8.9 percent…
SMEs, EODB & tax reforms
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq “The small and medium enterprises (SME) sector contributes 30% to the national gross domestic product (GDP) and it comprises 90% of all enterprises in the country. 80 percent of non-agricultural jobs are being provided…
Teacher—respected or humiliated?
Huzaima Bukhari “If a person teaches me one single word, he has made me his servant for the lifetime”―HazratAli AS A very shameful incident occurred, the video of which was released on November 25, 2019 wherein Professor Ijaz of City…
FBR’s dilemma
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq An unusual decline in revenue collection and steep rise in current expenditures caused a deterioration in all major fiscal indicators during FY19. The overall budget deficit during the year stood at a historic high…
Taxes for what?
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Why has Pakistan failed to enforce voluntary tax compliance? In democratic countries people can feel and even measure tangible benefits of taxes paid by them. They get facilities of health, education, transport, housing, income…