Governance in Balochistan
Balochistan is in turmoil. At one end, there are peaceful mass demonstrations. On the other, an active violent insurgency that is spilling over outside the province. Common to both is…
Breaking the status quo
CIVIL servants are the backbone of any state structure. They enforce the rules, provide services, and set governance standards. In Pakistan, commissions have repeatedly been formed to enact civil services…
Budget: an analysis
Flanked by the Deputy Prime Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, once hailed as the PM-N’s (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s) strategic brain, and Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the finance minister delivered his…
Within an electoral cycle
Dear friends, in the year 2029, as we reflect on the past five years, it is highly satisfying to note how much has been possible within an electoral cycle. We…
Tax expenditure as subsidy to elites: myth or reality?
In the last ten or so years, economic issues and tax collection by FBR has been brought increasingly under focus. Matters that were previously discussed in economic and policy circles…
Subsidy gone wrong
The interim governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have recently launched a free atta (flour) initiative. Rs53 billion worth of free atta is meant to be provided through distribution points…
Targeting subsidies
While headlines are dominated by the politics of power, a significant proportion of the country’s population is struggling to put food on the table. And, as an economic catastrophe unfolds,…
Role of LPG in gas crisis – II
Gas tariff and subsidies Gas and electricity prices are politically sensitive issues. The IMF compares prices in USD terms in which an energy price hike may not appear to be…
A winter without gas?
Part - II Gas and electricity prices have become politically sensitive issues. The IMF compares prices in dollars, which shows that energy price hikes are negligible. However, in rupees these…
Could another finance minister do it better?
Asad Umar is getting a lot of flak. Does the fault lie in his not doing a better job, or lack of viable options? Opinion is divided. Most would allow…
