Public power is sacred trust
All public power is a sacred trust, which is to be exercised fairly, justly, honestly and in accordance with law-Supreme Court in Workers' Party Pakistan & Others v Federation of…
After the floods
PAKISTAN faced its worst floods in 2022. More than 33 million people were affected. According to a World Bank report, cities in lower-income countries contribute around 14 per cent to global…
Instability breeds disasters
Environmental scientists and experts believe that a hazard becomes a disaster only when fed by vulnerability. The UN World Meteorological Organization figures show that 90 per cent of the global…
Who’s afraid of free speech?
When they are not in power, they want no restrictions on media. But when they take charge, they make efforts to muzzle electronic, print and social media. That is the…
There’s no tomorrow with begging bowls
At school, while reading Charles Dickens’ (a personal favourite writer) novels, me and my classmates had developed a clear and serene meaning of what poverty meant — it created within…
Shades of Big Brother
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was enacted in 2016 – amidst much outrage and uproar by a multitude of civil society bodies – to govern the realm of…
Countering financial crimes
In recent days, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken many steps to enforce internal accountability mechanism to uproot corruption/malpractices within the organisation. The steps like making Chief Commissioners as…
PTI, FBR & tax directories — I
Failure of the coalition of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) vis-à-vis economic governance, changing four finance ministers and five chairpersons of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) during its tenure since August 2018…
PTI, FBR & tax directories — II
Even otherwise, the above laws could not override the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance, 1999 (NAB Ordinance)that applies from January 1, 1985, being special law overrides any such laws as held…
Recouping tax losses judiciously — I
“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…
