Tax reform proposals
Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios even amongst the bottom ranked developing nations. The following statistics are indicative of the unexploited potential for additional revenue generation. Whereas there…
Financial tsunami
Political tsunami, as popularised by Imran Khan, is now well-known in Pakistan. What is not known is ‘financial tsunami’, which has struck Pakistani shores in the last two weeks. This…
Sordid story of tax frauds – III
During 2003-2007, one tax official used different techniques to issue illegal refunds in several cases without any check by any agency. It was found that the accused official during his…
Tax amnesty schemes as introduced by Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012
Prelude: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance on January 05, 2013 cleared "Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012" aimed at bringing 3.1 million potential individuals into the tax net with a…
Allying with tax evaders
"Moralists should address their sermons to the legislators, and not to individuals, because it is in the order of possible things that a virtuous and enlightened man may have the…
ECP can make history
There is now widespread consensus within Pakistan that critical to a well-functioning democracy, and to Pakistan’s stability and progress, is that elected officials must be held to the highest possible…
Tax amnesty for whom?
The Political and Strategy Committee (PSC) of Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI), in a meeting held under its Chairman Imran has expressed deep concern over the introduction of Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill…
Tax delinquents
A resident of Alberta, Canada, has posed a question through email that deserves a detailed and satisfactory reply. The statement quoted in this mail, though based on misunderstanding, reflects sadly…
Beyond reform?
Since the start of World Bank funded Tax Administration Reforms Programme (TARP), FBR has been making tall claims about its automation efforts. All the chairmen of FBR, who headed the…
Strange bedfellows
The GHQ-Pentagon blow up last week was ugly. Admittedly, one had the feeling for a while that there was enough discontent in both military establishments that something would give sooner…
