Avant-garde budget proposals—II
Fixing the narrow and punctured tax base Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Tax revenue may change through automatic response of the tax yield to changes in national income and/or through the imposition of new taxes, revision of the bases…
Avant-garde budget proposals—I
Growth, taxes & equity Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The budget for fiscal year 2019-20, the first of Government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), is expected on May 24, 2019. Every year before the announcement of annual federal budget—which has…
Devising a rational tax policy
Dr. Ikramul Haq There is a national consensus that existing tax policy needs to be reformulated to provide an equitable, pragmatic, investment-oriented and business-friendly tax system, integrating good tax administration with simplified tax laws that are easily understood and hassle-free…
Slavery & the Western World
Huzaima Bukhari “There’s this sense that whiteness is the default and does not need to be questioned. That you’ve got a race if you’re black, or any kind of Asian, or any kind of Native American, but that you have…
Pakistan & IMF bailouts
Dr. Ikramul Haq Since Ayub’s era our rulers have developed addiction for intakes of foreign loans, especially International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts—many call it death-blows. With every loan comes a host of conditions—ostensibly meant for economic revival and reforms by…
Justice-Government & Revenue authorities
Huzaima Bukhari “Administration of justice, is the principle of order in political society”—Aristotle Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) came to power after a strenuous struggle in which the paramount slogan was ‘dispensation of justice’ (the basis for name of the party) but…
Our curious taxing paradox!
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq After about relief of 10 months, at least 95 million unique mobile users [as per website of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), total cellular subscribers as on March 31, 2019 were 159 million, but many…
Budget 2019-20 & tax reforms
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Budget 2019-20, expected to be announced in the last week of this month, will be very important for the coalition government of Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI). It will determine the direction of economy in the…
Friend, companion of the soul
Huzaima Bukhari “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself”—Jim Morrison, American singer and song writer All living beings need a soul mate. Yes, besides humans, even animals and plants require some form of companionship that…