Black money, taxes and amnesties on June 16, 2018Efforts to tackle the twin menaces of black money and tax evasion have always failed in Pakistan. Numerous amnesty schemes lacking consequential strict action for not availing the same have miserably failed. Many Press reports suggest that the same will be the fate of the two schemes – Foreign Assets (Declaration and Repatriation) Act, 2018 […]
Caretaking of FBR on June 10, 2018 Back in 1969, Lawrence J. Peter created a cultural phenomenon with his brilliant, outrageous, hilarious, and all-too-true treatise on business and life, The Peter Principle — and his words and theories are as true today as they were then. By posing — and answering — the eternal question, “Why do things always go wrong?” […]
Elites, masses and debtocracy on June 3, 2018The most horrible legacy of the five-year term (2013-18) of Pakistan Muslims League (Nawaz) ended on 31 May 2018 is debtocracy — a term yet to be understood correctly in Pakistan. We mention debts and liabilities only in numbers: public debt has touched the dangerous level of 71 percent of GDP. Of course, the numbers […]
Yet another tax scam on May 27, 2018Numerous stories of tax scams appear in the media involving billions but nothing happens thereafter — in most of the cases, matters are hushed up and even reporters do not bother to follow up their own stories. However, the latest scam involving tobacco companies not only caused colossal loss of revenue but also played havoc […]
Strengthening elitist structures on May 20, 2018All annual budgets, especially tax proposals through finance bills, strengthen elitist structures. Our elitist economy serves the rich and offers little for social mobility of the deprived classes. Contrary to what is commonly understood, elitist structures are not represented merely by a handful of individuals controlling state institutions and enjoying extraordinary tax-free perks, perquisites and […]
The SC and exploitative taxes on May 13, 2018The recent suo moto actions the Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken on many issues relating to the violation of fundamental rights guaranteed in Pakistan’s constitution have raised many eyebrows, and have even been met with open resentment by federal and provincial governments. As violators of basic rights, these governments have not only shown little […]
Budget debates on May 6, 2018The 2018-19 budget announced by Mr Miftah Ismail on April 27, 2018 has elicited heated debate in and outside Parliament. On top of Mr. Ismail’s questionable status as federal minister and the lack of a mandate for presenting a Finance Bill for the entire year, the budget also lacks a redistributive policy. It is, moreover, […]
Walkout by three CMs on April 29, 2018On April 24, 2018, walkout was resorted to by the Chief Ministers of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after differences occurred between the federal government and these provinces over the development budget during a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC). Though the Federal Minister for Planning offered to resolve the issue, the offer was […]
PML-N’s sixth budget on April 22, 2018On April 27, 2018, the PML-N government — which is ending its tenure on May 31 — intends to announce its sixth budget. Critics have argued that this budget should be left for the new elected government. In response, the PML-N says that there is no constitutional bar for announcing the annual budget for the […]
CJP and judicial reforms on April 15, 2018Addressing a ceremony in Quetta the other day, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) stated, “The time has come to bring our house in order”. While emphasising the need for much-delayed judicial reforms, the CJP noted that the salaries and facilities available to the judges were comparable to officers belonging to a similar grade in […]