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…
Taxilas no more
IF you have travelled on the Grand Trunk Road, which we insist was built by Sher Shah Suri, towards Peshawar, some 90 kilometres from Islamabad, you come across a town…
International trade on the line
The trade war has begun, and international trade is currently under threat. International relations are also under strain, primarily due to new tariffs imposed by the US administration on potential…
‘Unconstitutional’ windfall tax–I
Banks have regular windfall income from dealing in foreign currencies – oxymoronic treatment by SRO. 1588(I)/2023 dated 21.11.2023. In Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is de facto legislature (sic)…
Tax-fueled chaos
The government of Pakistan is in the business of buying and selling electricity. It has so far lost Rs2.4 trillion in this business. The government of Pakistan is in the…
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)…
SOEs burden on taxpayers no surprise
Conventional economic theory argues that pursuit of privatisation is to enhance service quality, attract private investment, reduce government intervention and improve accountability and transparency in the management of public assets.…
A national dialogue for unity
Attaining national unity remains a distant dream in Pakistan. Politically speaking, the nation is deeply polarized – a situation that urgently needs to be rectified to ensure stability and progress.…
AI-led taxation
It was famously said by Benjamin Franklin, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes”. Perhaps Benjamin was unaware of the lagging efficient administration, shallow policy orchestrations, and…
A national compact for 2025
THE new year starts with the country facing multiple challenges that need to be met in a politically calm environment. The complex nature of overlapping challenges and the fact that…
