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Where the buck stops

It is a known reality that a society cannot survive, much less progress, without a speedy and equitable dispensation of justice. Unfortunately, in this country, such a thought even is…

Cautious optimism or justified pessimism?

The Finance Bill 2021 with federal budget will be unveiled today. Will it bring relief for the unemployed, pensioners with no other source of income, low-paid salaried persons and those…

State of inertia

While Bangladesh was celebrating 50 years of independence, I became more conscious of its relics in Islamabad, not difficult to spot if you are going around the older parts of…

Making it truly local

IN between the fights over corruption, incompetence and gas shortages, this week some time was spent discussing local government (LG) systems. Fighting over the law in Sindh (which the opposition was up…

New FBR chairman

On August 24, 2021, Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad, a junior but highly competent officer of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in grade-21 assumed the charge of Chairman Federal Board of Revenue…

Civil servants in the dock

THE senior and mid-career civil servants gathered at a lunch all had tales of woe to tell. Their frustration was palpable. It was not just about constant political interference weakening…

About the Senate elections

The politicians we are ‘blessed’ with have an uncanny ability to set bad precedents. It is comical that a precedent exists for something as trivial as the arrest of the…

Politicians’ revenge

NOT long after the US appointed a national security adviser in 1947 that a rash spread over a large part of the democratic world. Countries began appointing NSAs minus the…

Reform the reformer?

Recently, the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) announced the final results of the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination for 2019. As always, almost all the top position holders have opted…

We need meritocracy

The biggest problem and worry of governance in Pakistan is lack of merit. The boards of the Public Sector Institutions (PSIs) are appointed on political grounds or 'connections' due to…