G²LM|LIC/Path2Dev/BREAD Conference on Development Economics 2025

Panelists:

Opening Remarks: Ijaz Nabi (Country Director IGC, Executive Director CDPR)

Hamid Ateeq Sarwar (Member, Inland Revenue Service)

Sam Waldock (Program Director Pakistan, British High Commission Islamabad)

Murtaza Jafferjee (Advocatalk, JB Financial)

Ali Cheema (Vice Chancellor LUMS, IGC)

Moderator: Shahrukh Wani (Senior Country Manager, Zambia, IGC),

Closing Remarks: Roberta Gatti (Chief Economist MENA Region, World Bank)

  • Posted On: September 23, 2025
  • Event Time: 11:30 AM
  • Event Date: 13th September 2025
  • Event Venue: LUMS

The “Resilience and Fairness in Tax Systems in the Region” panel discussion highlighted a range of practical reforms, from simplifying tax returns in both English and Urdu to introducing compliance dashboards and AI-based tools to enhance efficiency. Drawing on Sri Lanka’s IMF Governance Diagnostic, Murtaza Jafferjee underscored the value of institutional diagnostics in driving reform, while Sam Waldock emphasized the political economy of taxation and the importance of international partnerships in enabling sustainable change. Ali Cheema stressed that taxation must be closely aligned with expenditure policies, noting that while all incomes may be taxed equally, their growth impacts differ significantly. Together, the discussion reinforced the need for tax systems that are not only more resilient and efficient but also fairer with being grounded in domestic ownership while drawing strength from global knowledge and collaboration.

Watch the Highlights Video Here.

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