Myths about taxation
Do our esteemed finance minister, prime minister, policymakers at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and economic managers know why the tax-to-GDP ratio is significantly higher in developed countries compared…
Paradigm behind an ideal tax-to-GDP ratio
One point of commonality in all twenty-three International Monetary Fund (IMF) programmes secured by Pakistan to date is an emphasis on raising tax revenue with more recent programmes seeking not…
Withholding tax system: automation
The economic topography of nations depends heavily on a robust revenue system, akin to the lifeblood sustaining its various functions. Diverse revenue streams, characterizing global economies with “tax revenue”, are…
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…
Equitable taxation
The concept of taxation has deep historical roots, dating back to the governance of Greek city-states, where elected governments were entrusted with managing the welfare of citizens. The Greeks utilized…
What should the tax policy be in 2024?
There is an ongoing debate regarding the preferable size of government – big or small? ‘Big government’ is a political concept where the government plays a predominant role in social…
Harnessing tobacco taxation for economic revitalisation
Pakistan faces multifaceted economic challenges; and amidst these, the role of tobacco taxation emerges as a potential avenue for financial rejuvenation. There is an urgent need to explore how strategic…
Cultivating tax awareness
It is common knowledge that efficient collection of taxes is fundamental to the economic stability and growth of any country. However, in Pakistan, the tax collection system has been marred…
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…
How IMF policies undermine rights
Rashida, 40, works as a domestic worker in three houses in Lahore. She told Human Rights Watch that her 11-year-old son, Arif, wants to know where he can post a…
