Since its independence, there has been no shortage of foreign assistance in Pakistan, frequently and irrevocably tied to foreign advice and “conditions”. Reforms to mobilize and shore up its coffers in a sustainable manner have failed to achieve the desired outcomes leading to Debt to GDP trailing greater than 50 per cent over the last two decades and exceeding 70 per cent many times during recent years. Pakistan has a crippling and long-running debt problem.

According to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) database, only about a fourth of the tax collections in the country come through direct taxes. The majority—historically, 60-70% of taxes are indirect taxes—mainly sales tax and customs duties.