The global trade war
The USA, under the new Trump Administration, has unilaterally imposed tariffs on all imports into the country. The first step, effective from 5th of April 2025, was the imposition of…
Conflict, climate and global hunger
Malnutrition, a persistent global challenge, affects millions worldwide, with devastating consequences for health, economic productivity, and human development. Despite the technological and agricultural advances of the 21st century, malnutrition continues…
Got taxes? Post-budget survival guide
Are you feeling disgusted and enraged post-budget 2024? Because every salaried person in the country rightfully is. We have known for decades that there is a need to broaden the…
Income not consumption taxes: Applying a ‘national income tax’ for a welfare state
‘The fundamental injustice of consumption taxes, relative to income taxes, is that the well-off can postpone them by saving, while the poor pay cash on the nail. “Justice too long…
Why do all roads lead to more taxes?
As a staff-level agreement between IMF (International Monetary Fund) and Pakistan following the ninth review of the IMF programme inches ever closer, the government recently announced the Supplementary Finance Bill,…
Global economy at a delicate crossroad – II
A similar balance should be struck in the case of developing countries like Pakistan for it is critical to dealing with the imported/supply-driven/cost push inflation through macroeconomic/supply-sided/governance interventions, and with…
Curtailing global tax avoidance practices
Global taxation is central to global decision-making because most foreign direct investment (FDI) and global operations these days are biased by tax considerations. The numbers are huge. For instance, with…
Simplification of taxes for growth — II
The government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has been reminded in these columns time and again that no agenda for simplification of tax system and rationalisation of tax codes can improve…
Bargaining over global tax enters key stage
Nearly 140 countries will haggle over key details of a global corporate tax plan this week, with some concerned about giving up too much and others eager to ensure tech…
UK’s role in global illicit finance?
On the face of it, the UK government has made good progress in implementing the actions of its 2019 Economic Crime Plan. According to one study, 80% of the actions…
