February 2019

A must for making GST regime effective and efficient Share of GST regime in overall federal tax receipts is more than 40 percent. However, this is riddled with many deviations from standard GST/VAT systems that are adversely affecting its effectiveness. Resultantly, revenue efficiency is comparably low. An important deviation in this context is the use of multiple rates of sales …

By: Uzair Salman  The 2018 annual report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan described the state of higher education in Pakistan in one sentence: “The focus has not been on the promotion of higher education, but on legal battles and survival issues.” Under the 18th Amendment, the provincial governments were supposed to establish their own higher education commissions …

By:  Dr Hafiz A. Pasha What the new year holds for the country? he year 2018 ended with a hangover of uncertainty on the economic, political and social fronts. Consequently, the outlook for 2019 is seen with some trepidation. Will the incipient domestic financial crisis finally be overcome or will there be a veritable collapse on the economic front? Will the …

Peace is the Key The renewed wave of violence has brought the Kashmir issue, which had largely been eclipsed since the 9/11 attacks, back to the international radar. This has happened especially because Kashmir has become a global hotspot for major human rights violations. This is due to this fact that several international bodies are now openly calling for close …

In today’s modern world, bilateral visits and interactions always contribute to cementing of relations between two countries. At present, Pakistan is passing through turbulent times amidst its sagging economy as well as fast-emerging regional and global developments. In this critical time, we have only a few countries that are standing firmly with us with Turkey being prominent among them. Prime …

By: Engr Sarfraz Saroya Sink or swim, onus is on us The world’s nations took another step toward addressing the perils of climate change at the latest Conference of the Parties (COP24), which concluded on December 15, 2018, in Katowice, Poland. The most important product of COP24 appears to be a “rulebook” that has been described by the United Nations …

The term “fake news” has become an epithet that US President Donald Trump attaches to any unfavourable story. But, it is also an analytical term that describes deliberate disinformation presented in the form of a conventional news report. The problem is not completely novel. In 1925, Harper’s Magazine published an article about the dangers of “fake news.” But today two-thirds …

Politics, Security, Peace Talks and Prospects Afghanistan has spent another year in the shadow of volatile security situation, crumbling economic conditions, unpredictable political environment and scarcity of resources, as well as some new developments that have created hopes for a comparatively stable Afghanistan in the year 2019. Among those few new developments, the most important one is the holding of …

A revolution that transforms the world’s second biggest economy “The world has seen China’s accelerating reform and opening up, and its determination to carry it forward. China’s reforms will never stop, and its doors will only open ever wider.” — China’s President Xi Jinping (in his New Year Speech) China’s opening up and reforms do not have an extensive history. …

After more than 17 years of conflict, the White House has signalled its intent to withdraw from Afghanistan. Washington’s current efforts to reach a peace deal with the Taliban highlight its increasing impatience with the enduring war in Afghanistan and its desire to leave the conflict. It needs to be remembered that the United States, which sent troops to Afghanistan …