June 26 marks the International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The theme for 2021 is “Share facts on drugs, save lives”. The worldwide observance was decided by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987 to raise the level of awareness in the international community about the dangers of drug abuse, to prevent its spread and to encourage all efforts to combat the menace at international level.
Taliban, Americans, terrorism & drug-tradeHuzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqTerrorism, drugs-for-arms and money laundering, intrinsically linked, still pose considerable threats to global peace and security besides destabilizing political and financial stability of many nation states. These menaces started in the…
Pakistan: Crucial FATF hearing
Huzaima Bukhari, Dr. Ikramul Haq & Abdul Rauf ShakooriThe last meeting of the FATF in February 2021 concluded on a mix note for Pakistan. FATF acknowledged significant progress made by Pakistan on the entire action plan where Pakistan successfully made…
Addiction & its treatment
Huzaima Bukhari“It is impossible to understand addiction without asking what relief the addict finds, or hopes to find, in the drug or the addictive behavior”—Gabor Mate, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with AddictionThe United Nations has declared…
Finance Bill 2021
Denying right to justice to taxpayers Dr. Ikramul HaqIn the Finance Bill, 2021, a highly lamentable and unconstitutional amendment is proposed to the effect that for availing right to appeal, the aggrieved taxpayer will have to deposit 100 percent of the…
Finance Bill 2021
Oppressive taxes, anti-people & anti-growthHuzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqFinance Bill 2021, presented on June 11, 2021 along with budget, by the fourth Finance Minister, Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin, of the coalition government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) with continuation of…
Budget 2021—the public’s view
Huzaima Bukhari“When we engage in the critical decisions about our nation’s future budgets, I want progressive voices at the table to argue that we must protect the most vulnerable in our society and demand fairness in budget cuts”–Dick Durbin, an…
Belligerent parliamentarians!
Huzaima Bukhari“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke”–Will RogersWhether it is on innumerable talk shows telecast on the many television channels or in the precincts of the national and provincial assemblies, our…
Finance Bill 2021
Salaried class and FBR’s brutalityHuzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe proposed taxation under Finance Bill, 2021 of salary income including reimbursed medical expenses or medical allowance for the first time in Subcontinent since the introduction of income tax law in…
Finance Bill 2021
Salaried class and tax brutalityHuzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe proposed taxation of salary income on gross basis, for the first time in Subcontinent since the introduction of income tax law in 1886, instead of giving any relief to low…