The poorest of the poor pay 80% of taxes collected in Pakistan while the rich, whose total contribution to overall tax revenue does not exceed 5%, enjoy special rights or privileges and a concessionary regime under the country’s unethical tax structure. The poor pay huge indirect taxes on utilities, petrol, and mobile communication which come to…
On June 26 of this year, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on a working visit, during which he held talks with the new US President Donald Trump that culminated in the signing of a Joint Statement. This noteworthy event fits into a series of events that have been held in recent…
The regional tour of Pakistan and Afghanistan earlier this week by a «bipartisan» delegation of United States Senators gives some clues about the Trump administration’s strategy in Afghanistan which is expected to be unveiled by the middle of the month. There have been contradictory statements made by the leader of the delegation, Senator John McCain,…
We’ve reached half-time in what has been a very eventful year. It’s revealing to compare the stories that have made the headlines in the western media in the first six months of 2017, with those that haven’t. There’s been saturation coverage of alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election — and Russian state “hacking” in general — even though…
Less than a year into his role, Pakistan’s new army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, sets a fresh course for the country’s defence diplomacy in the Middle East. News that Pakistan chief of army staff General Raheel Sharif was taking over the newly formed, Saudi-instigated, Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT) – nicknamed the…
Washington is downsizing its diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan. The US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan had his last day in office on June 23 amid speculation that Washington plans to eliminate the post of Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan – commonly known as SRAP. This post was created during the tenure of President Obama with…
