Financial accountability in Balochistan
On November 14, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry made an incorrect statement about Balochistan on the floor of the Senate. While criticising the alleged corruption of the opposition, he…
How the ADR tax distorts the financial sector
The tax on Advance-to-Deposit Ratio (ADR) was introduced through the Finance Acts of 2021 and 2022 approved by Pakistan’s National Assembly and these provisions are being enforced by the Federal…
Why financial markets matter
A well-developed financial system comprising dynamic capital markets and a robust banking sector is considered a critical driver of investment, productivity, and sustainable economic growth. Here, I discuss how the…
Accounting for the unaccounted
We recently observed the International Day of the Girl Child. The day signifies the aspiration to have a society bereft of the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment…
Fully inclusive financial system
One of the mistakes multinational companies make is to look at countries as either 'developed' or 'developing', and then try to shoehorn a product or solution into that country that…
Political stability critical to attaining sustainable external account stability
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has managed to maintain forex reserves despite facing substantial debt servicing payments. This indicates that the SBP has been actively purchasing dollars from the…
SOEs: performance & accountability
The World Bank’s recent report, titled ‘Pakistan Development Update, fiscal impact of Federal State-Owned Enterprises’, highlights a significant improvement in our economy, attributed mainly to enhanced and better management strategies,…
An accountant’s approach to NFC?
A lot has been written recently about the need to revisit and reduce the share of the provinces in the 7th National Finance Commission Award, but sadly most of it…
SDG 16 & financial crimes: challenges
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels— Sustainable Development Goal 16, United Nations…
Impartial accountability of all
Accountability is a key component of effective governance. It not only strengthens the foundations of democracy but also helps towards improving efficiency of government operations. Likewise, transparency provides essential and…
