Challenges for new FBR Chairman
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Appointment of Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi, a renowned tax expert and seasoned chartered accountant, replacing Jehanzeb Khan, grade 22 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, belonging to 15th Common Training Programme (CTP), on May 9,…
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…