Pakistan’s policy problem
Despite possessing numerous tangible and intangible resources, a rich culture, and abundant natural and man-made assets, Pakistan has been drawn into a state in which it is unable to pursue…
The politics of easy taxation
Pakistan’s tax debate is usually framed as a technical puzzle: how to raise more revenue, faster, under pressure. That framing misses the real story. The country does not suffer from…
Industrial policy redefined
FOR decades, Pakistan has suffered from de-industrialisation, clinging to a dated model of picking winners through tariff protections and subsidies. This strategy has not only failed to deliver growth; it…
Prohibition: a policy of fear, not facts
Tobacco has been used across societies for generations, yet it is only with modern research that its risks and alternatives have come into sharper focus. Modern research has established that…
Bankers’ bonanza or policy blunder?
EVERY month, millions of overseas Pakistanis send money home to support families, invest in property, or simply stay connected with their roots. These remittances, now a cornerstone of Pakistan’s balance-of-payments,…
M&As: Private capital is ready, public policy is not
Lately, sentiment among major business groups in Pakistan has been improving, as evidenced by their keen interest in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of businesses available for sale. The financial system…
Taxation to stagnation
Budget 2025-26, tabled in the National Assembly on June 10 and nearly drowned out by opposition slogans, has dominated talk shows and tax seminars ever since. Two professional gatherings –…
Tariff Policy: a bold step towards trade liberalization
The federal government has approved the National Tariff Policy (NTP) 2025–30, a transformative step toward trade liberalization. If implemented as planned—reducing the maximum customs duty (CD) to 15 percent and…
Tobacco taxation
EVERY year, close to 164,000 people die due to tobacco use in Pakistan. This means 450 deaths per day, more than 3,100 deaths per week and over 13,600 deaths per…
Pakistan’s taxation trap: overburdening formal economy feeds the informal
Tax compliance in Pakistan has been dismal for decades, and every increase in tax rates or the imposition of new levies - whether GST, income tax, or withholding tax (WHT)…
