Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq Those who can afford to pay for the internet should be required to pay; those who cannot can be offered targeted subsidy. In the initial period, access to provision will call for expenditure — but this would yield returns, in the near and distant future, in forms known and...Read More

Dr. Ikramul Haq One slogan that is not raised enough by the economic or political agents in the country is ‘taxpayers ko izzat do’. The matter cannot be overemphasized—Ali Khizar, Respect the taxpayers[1], Business Recorder, November 1, 2020. Revenuecracy[2] keeps on maligning the citizens as tax dodgers. Unfortunately, the bandwagon is joined by the so-called...Read More

Dr. Ikramul Haq “A comprehensive strategy has been formulated to shift the gear and move to higher economic growth. I do not believe in increase in taxes to increase revenue collection but those outside the tax net would be tapped. The chances for any harassment by FBR officials shall be eliminated for which change in audit...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The 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 rates of the existing ones—Rationalising tax system, Business Recorder, July 19, 2020.  “If we...Read More

Dr Ikramul Haq A poor country [Pakistan] struggling to meet the basic needs of its people, under the pressure of the pandemic its creditors are now being forced into a financial arrangement that will erode any semblance of democratic control over the country’s economy—Ammar Ali Jan, The IMF is Using Debt Crisis to Hollow out...Read More

Out of box solutions or IMF agenda? Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The fourth Finance Minister Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin of the coalition government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) immediately after taking oath of his office is faced with the daunting challenge of preparing budget for fiscal year 2020-21 amidst very difficult times when the...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari “It’s not at all hard to understand a person; it’s only hard to listen without bias”— Criss Jami, Killosophy A lot can be derived from the thinking of a 12 year old boy who transcribed it in his tweet after 49 years, reflective of the sensitivity with which he must have observed his elders...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), in a Press release issued on May 1, 2021, claimed collection of net revenue of Rs. 3780 billion during the first ten months of the current fiscal year, exceeding “the target of Rs.3637 billion by more than Rs.143 billion”. The International Monetary Fund...Read More

Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq The coalition Government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is facing grim challenges on the fiscal front as Summary of Consolidated Federal and Provincial Fiscal Operations, 2020-21,  released by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) on February 3, 2021, for the first six months of the current fiscal year, shows that even...Read More

Dr. Ikramul Haq “A comprehensive strategy has been formulated to shift the gear and move to higher economic growth. I do not believe in increase in taxes to increase revenue collection but those outside the tax net would be tapped. The chances for any harassment by FBR officials shall be eliminated for which change in audit...Read More