Political economy of tax reforms—I
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The debates and discourses concerning political economy of tax reforms in Pakistan lack objective analyses and rational approach as…
Existing tax structure & fiscal restraints
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq Presently, all broad-based and buoyant sources of revenue are with the federal government and contribution of provinces in total…
Making FBR efficient
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), as per reports, is “trying its best to fill the gaps in the…
Overcoming debt enslavement
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq “The central government’s debt increased at a double-digit pace to Rs. 32.1 trillion by the end of November [2019],…
Wither Imran’s reforms agenda?
Dr. Ikramul Haq There is a growing concern among admirers/supporters of Prime Minister Imran Khan that despite tall claims, core reforms promised for making Pakistan…
One’s self—an objective view
Huzaima Bukhari “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves”—Carl Jung. A good friend raised a thought-provoking question which…
Retrieving untaxed/ill-gotten assets
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq In the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Suo Motu Case No. 2 of 2018 re ‘Maintaining of Foreign Accounts by…
Overcoming fiscal mess
Dr. Ikramul Haq “Total debt servicing increased by around 57 percent during FY 2018-19 compared with last fiscal year which was driven by higher domestic…
Justice—one-sided
Huzaima Bukhari “The virtue of justice consists of moderation as regulated by wisdom”—Aristotle. One must acknowledge the reality that those who are connected with imparting…
Dealing with “debtocracy”
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq Total debt servicing increased by around 57 percent during FY 2018-19 compared with last fiscal year6 which was driven…
Reforms sans research
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq No government in Pakistan, including the present one, ever thought of establishing knowledge-based research platforms for all sectors that…
Punjab: low tax collection
Dr. Ikramul Haq Punjab is the most populous [110 million people] province of Pakistan with largest resources and budget size after the Federal Government, and…
Education—for sale?
Huzaima Bukhari “Education is like the pooja ghar (place of worship) for us. We are never going to become a for-profit player in education. It…
Tax frauds, corruption & NAB
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq In majority tax frauds, the usual parties are the official(s) and the taxpayer(s). Cases where unilateral tax fraud is…
Mounting debt burden
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq Public debt as percentage of GDP was recorded at 84.8 percent at end June 2019 compared with 72.1 percent…
Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights
Dr. Ikramul Haq The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has repeatedly asserted that Pakistanis are hesitant to pay taxes with the same zeal as…
Life—simply complicated?
Huzaima Bukhari “Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated”—Confucius. Nothing seems to satisfy man! Those living in the villages yearn for…
Stay of recovery in tax matters
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq In tax disputes the principles relating to stay of recovery in appropriate cases with or without condition, whether provided…