Simplification of taxes for growth—I
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul HaqThe biggest challenge on tax mobilisation front faced by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is bridging monstrous tax gap through automation and introduction of tax intelligence system and not levying more taxes or enhancing the…
FBR and tax-defiant political parties
Dr Ikramul HaqIt is shocking that only two political parties filed income tax returns for tax year 2020 out of 27 registered with FBR and 127 with Election Commission of Pakistan despite section 114(1)(ac) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001…
Littering: Our national character
Huzaima Bukhari“I see litter as part of a long continuum of anti-social behaviour”―Bill BrysonAn interesting video came up on social groups where one strong person not only thrashed four boys sitting in a vehicle before his own in a traffic…
Civil governments, ‘Ordinance’ factories
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq“Pakistan affirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its own national development agenda through a unanimous National Assembly Resolution in 2016. Since then, the…
Judges and accountability
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq“The live coverage of court proceeding will not benefit me but the people of Pakistan. The live broadcast of court proceedings will expose some bad lawyers who do not come prepared. The live broadcast of…
Elections, corruption & voters
Dr. Ikramul Haq“The usefulness and the mandate of….an elected body under the Constitution have been defeated by continuous and widespread corruption including misapplication of public funds and `horse-trading’, change of loyalties in violation of law by the holders of representative…
Recouping tax losses judiciously
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq“Judicial overreach is when the judiciary starts interfering with the proper functioning of the legislative or executive organs of the government. This is totally uncharacteristic of the role of the judiciary envisaged under the Constitution…
FATF: FBR’s challenges
Dr. Ikramul HaqIn June 2021, Pakistan is going to face yet another review of its remaining compliance of three action items, out of total 27 under anti-money laundering and combatting financing of terrorism [AML-CFT] mandates agreed with Financial Action Task…
Variety is spice of life
Huzaima Bukhari“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety”― Felix MendelssohnIf the whole world were to follow the same lifestyle—same language, same clothes, same food, same mannerism, same outlook, same culture—how morbid and mundane it would all appear! Nothing…