March 2021

Violence agaisnt Women

Violence agaisnt Women Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a universal phenomenon affecting all societies in one way or the other. Almost every woman, during her lifetime, has faced discrimination or fear because of her sex. The World Health Organization estimates that at least one in every five of the world’s female population has been physically and sexually abused at some time. …

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US-China Rivalry and Pakistan

US-China Rivalry and Pakistan Pakistan Could Make or Break America’s South Asia and China Strategies In focusing on the China challenge, the US foreign policy establishment needs to pay more attention to how Pakistan has become virtually the sole strategic partner of China in Asia. Pakistan is not only serving China’s interests in this region but is also enabling it …

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Crisis in the Indus Basin

Crisis in the Indus Basin Water plays a critical role in the economy, politics and national security of Pakistan. The country’s is the world’s most water-intensive economy as the amount of water utilized per unit of GDP here is the highest in the world. Agriculture contributes 19.3% to the national GDP, offers employment to 44.5% of Pakistan’s total labour force, …

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Recent Tax Developments

Recent Tax Developments 1. Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 Promulgated to Extend Tax Amnesty for Construction Sector On 19 January 2021, the President of Pakistan promulgated the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (ITO 2021) to extend tax amnesty granted to construction sector to mitigate the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, especially on jobs. The ITO 2021, …

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RCEP and Pakistan

RCEP and Pakistan Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the world’s biggest trade bloc that includes fifteen Asia-Pacific countries — 10 ASEAN economies along with China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia. It is larger than the European Union and the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. RCEP countries comprise almost one-third of the world’s population and account for about 30% of the …

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Raast Digital Payment System

Raast Digital Payment System A Critical Piece in the Financial Inclusion Jigsaw As a part of his Digital Pakistan Vision to include the poor segments of society in formal economy, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched, on January 11, the country’s first instant payment system – Raast. Developed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), in collaboration with Bill and Melinda …

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Police Reforms, Use of Force and Accountability in Pakistan

Police Reforms, Use of Force and Accountability in Pakistan The tome of official/semi-official literature on police reforms in Pakistan shows that it caters to two types of the reforms: ‘policy’ and ‘service delivery’. While ‘policy’ part of reforms alludes to larger systemic issues like police law, its inter-linkages with larger criminal justice system issues and organizational governance, the ‘service delivery’ …

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HEC’s New PhD Policy

HEC’s New PhD Policy Patching the Bumpy Road to PhD The HEC’s new policy said that in case of students who are unable to complete the program within eight years, the university may designate a competent authority to determine whether the delay was caused by circumstances beyond the student’s control, and if so, grant an extension in such exceptional circumstances. …

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Foreign Policy of Pakistan Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward

Foreign Policy of Pakistan Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward Diplomacy is the tool for implementation of foreign policy. Growing inter-dependence, partnerships and cooperation are the imperatives in this age of globalization because economic strength and greater integration can be achieved only if viable global diplomatic outreach is ensured. In international relations, there are neither enduring animosities nor friendships; what …

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