The Consortium for Development Policy Research in collaboration with the  Pakistan Business Council (PBC) recently worked on  a Study titled: “Understanding Informality in the Wholesale, Retail and Real Estate Sectors.” The team of Researchers from CDPR included Dr. Umair Javed (LUMS), Dr. Sher Afghan Asad (LUMS) and Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar (REMIT). The primary objective of …

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The Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade (ReMIT) is a 39-months (2021-2025) programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The programme provides technical assistance (TA) to Pakistan to implement reforms for strengthening macroeconomic stability and improving conditions for high and sustained growth, mutual prosperity, job creation and poverty reduction. The Programme works …

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In collaboration with the Federal Board of Revenue, this project examines policy options to enhance tax base expansion through machine learning, transparency in taxpayer information, and streamlining processes. Funded by: IGC Duration: January 2021-June 2023 Report: Understanding Federal Sales Tax Expenditures in Pakistan

The chronic fiscal deficit report funded by the International Growth Center (IGC) analyses the taxation system of Pakistan at both federal and provincial levels and how tax collection can be maximized to achieve its revenue potential. The report addresses Pakistan’s macroeconomic stability issues by reviewing past incomes and comparing them with regional competitors. It also …

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The provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) requested IGC’s support in collaboration with CDPR’s to help formulate its reform agenda around two important sub-national tax instruments, the urban property tax and sales tax on services. Such taxes are important sources of revenue for the Pakistan’s provinces. With the increased pressure on provinces to deliver during …

Continue reading “SEED Program: Frameworks for reforming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Property Tax and Sales Tax regime”

The second phase of the China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) spanning 2019-2024 was finalized between the two countries in early 2019 and entered its implementation phase from January 1, 2020. Negotiated well, CPFTA2 should significantly improve Pakistani exporters’ access to the USD 2 trillion Chinese import market and thus help address the country’s ballooning …

Continue reading “Preliminary Analysis of Pak-China FTA Phase II”

This project undertakes extensive empirical analysis to explore the lucrative opportunity for Pakistan to lower barriers to trade, not only with India in the East, but also a number of countries (including China) in the West and North, which are accessible via westward land routes. East-West liberalization of Pakistan’s international trade could lead to a …

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Pakistan’s expenditure on service delivery investments are not only insufficient, they are also inefficient. Reasons are attributed to over spending on defence, industrial subsidies and the overall high domestic debt to which money is diverted towards. Additionally, the channels to finance investments in public goods are few. Ideally, financing such investments should be done through …

Continue reading “Pakistan Public Expenditures: Insights and Reflections”

This policy brief is based on the section on Fiscal Space and has been written by Dr. Anjum Nasim (IDEAS), in the IGC funded report “Reclaiming Prosperity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A Medium Term Strategy for Inclusive Growth”.

This policy brief is based on the IGC funded report “Reforming the Urban Property Tax in Pakistan’s Punjab”.

This policy brief is based on research funded by the IGC.

This policy brief is based on the policy notes authored by Dr. Hanid Mukhtar (CDPR Fellow) for Adam Smith International (ASI), titled “Public Expenditure Management in Pakistan – Issues and Reforms” and “Adequacy and Effectiveness of Public Expenditure in Pakistan”.