Punjab Power Policy
The Achilles heel of Punjab's development and future growth is its large power deficit. Punjab is the only province of Pakistan which generates much less electricity than it consumes. According…
The viability of agri income tax
The new government has many burning issues to deal with. Some of these have been highlighted by the media and some by the politicians themselves. The budgetary constraint that is…
Seizing the moment
It’s been almost a month since Nawaz Sharif took oath and we’re still waiting. The first big opportunity for the new government to demonstrate its tough new approach was the…
Finance Bill 2013: Meaningful suggestions
Senate Standing Committee on Finance sent a number of meaningful, though unbinding, recommendations to the National Assembly on 21st June, 2013. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar ignored all of them while…
Pakistan and leadership transition in China
Since the 1990s, China's top leaders serve a maximum of two five-year terms. With the last batch of leaders having reached the end of their second term last year, there…
Squandered funds
The idea of community participation in education has now evolved from parent-teacher associations (PTAs) and parent-teacher committees (PTCs) in some areas, into school management committees (SMCs). But despite this evolution,…
Combating financing of terrorism – II
Appraisal of global and domestic initiatives: Since the tragic event of September 11, 2001, the United States and its allies have been engaged in what they call 'war on terror'…
Hafeez caretaker PM?
Dr Hafeez Sheikh's resignation as the Federal Minister for Finance has generated considerable speculation as to its reason. What fuelled these speculations was the fact that the Presidency issued a…
The real sin
`FM the only person in Pakistan who has been disqualified under 62/63 and who has also been certified by the Supreme Court to qualify under 62/63. In this season of…
PPPP and Punjab
President Zardari has moved into Bahria Town's reportedly one billion rupee palace constructed specially for him on Friday. He was accompanied by his son and co-chairman of the party Bilawal…
