Pak Affairs

Collaborative security in the Indian Ocean “Control of the sea by maritime commerce and naval supremacy means predominant influence in the world; because, however great the wealth product of the land, nothing facilitates the necessary exchanges as does the sea.” —Alfred Thayer Mahan American Naval Strategist Pakistan Navy successfully hosted the sixth multinational maritime exercise “Aman-19” in Karachi from 8 …

The constitution is a living document; it is more so as the judiciary keeps interpreting it. On 7th January 2019, a seven-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan rendered its judgement in a case titled “Civil Aviation Authority us. Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit Baltistan etc.” (Civil Aviation Case-2019) wherein the Court touched upon a multitude of subjects including the …

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:  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 …

Can India and Pakistan bring down their ‘Berlin Wall’? On November 28, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, performed the ground-breaking of the four-kilometre-long Kartarpur Corridor. In his address at the ceremony, PM Khan said both the countries cannot move forward without breaking the chains of the past. He cited the examples of France and Germany, the European countries that …

A must to attract investment in Pakistan To boost economic growth, to reduce unemployment rate and to keep inflation rate low: these are the three primary goals every government aspires to achieve and works for that vigorously. Pakistan’s current rates of economic growth are not encouraging. In 2006-07, GDP growth was 7 percent, but it fell to 2.4 percent in …

On Need for Reforms William E. Gladstone once famously said, “Justice delayed is justice denied”. He actually meant that if dispensation takes so long, it is basically a travesty of justice; for this delay disgraces the court, degrades the parties and demeans the departments concerned. The clouds of uncertainty and misery remain hovering for years, carrying along the social and …

A Ticking Time Bomb? On October 17, 2018, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released its report on world population trends. Titled “The Power of Choice: Reproductive Rights and the Demographic Transition,” the report suggests that the world population is growing at an exponential rate and it is highly likely that this growth will outstrip its development gains. The report …