2016

In April 2016, the world was shocked by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) when it leaked the documents of a wealth management firm Mossack Fonseca. Known to the world as Panama Papers, these documents took the world by storm as they detailed nearly 214,000 offshore entities owned by different powerful rulers of countries in various parts of the …

Jean-Paul Sartre once famously said, “L’enfer, c’est les autres” (Hell is other people), and same is true for the present-day Pakistan. Slowly but steadily, Pakistan is being isolated on global stage and is losing its old friends. In order to fulfil their nefarious designs, foreign powers are carrying out covert operations in the country but still no one pays heed …

Pakistan has been in quest for stable democratic system since its very inception. It’s almost 7 decades since it came into being, and still we find that ‘endeavours’ are being made for not only developing a ‘democratic’ political system but also for introducing the true phenomenon of democracy in every socioeconomic aspect of the country. Before listing the challenges that …

 Pakistan’s tax system largely depends on indirect taxation to collect tax revenues for balancing the budgets. Unlike most developed countries, where more than 60% tax receipts are raised through direct taxes viz. income tax, property tax, inheritance tax, wealth tax, etc., more than 60% of Pakistan’s federal tax receipts are collected through indirect taxes including sales tax, customs duty and …

No one can exactly say when term “Development Administration” originated; however, it was discussed by Western scholars like Riggs, Weidner, Watson and others in the mid 20th century. It was first used by Donald C. Stone but further conceptualization and elaboration was done by F. W. Riggs and his contemporaries. The “Development Administration” is concerned with the development of a …

The federal budget for FY 2016-17, which was presented by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on June 3, seems to be a continuation of the status quo with respect to the overall policy reform. However, by and large, it is a good one in the current pressing and depressing economic environment of the country. With a focus on growth and consolidation …

“We can’t afford a setback to the agriculture sector and will take collective measures. It’’ a very big challenge for us.” Muhammad Ishaq Dar (Federal Minister for Finance) Agriculture sector plays a vital role in Pakistan’s economy. It provides the raw materials to down-the-line industries and also helps in poverty alleviation. Traditionally, this sector has been performing well but in …

The history of humanity is fraught with the acts of violence and the instances where wars have been waged, territories conquered, and the empires created;  all in the name of God. This fact gives birth to the question whether violence is something abnormal or an intrinsic characteristic of human activity. In other words, how could revolutions, massacres, torture or cruelty …

Founded in Shanghai, China in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization comprising six member states namely China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Formed as ‘Shanghai Five’ in 1996, — as a confidence-building forum to demilitarize borders — the organization added Uzbekistan in 2001 and adopted its present name. The organization’s goals and agenda have since …

Will the transition of leadership in the Taliban and the Afghan government’s peace agreement with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami help reduce the unity government’s frustration? The two-year term of the political agreement between Dr Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah Abdullah that was brokered by US Secretary of State, John Kerry, on September 21, 2014 to settle the dispute of presidential election …