New Delhi, March 3: Pakistan’s high taxation regime is choking the formal economy, especially industrial businesses, yet there seems to be no realisation within the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), which keeps extracting juice from the top 1 per cent of the population, according to an article.

The core of the issue is that capital formation is disincentivised, as the effective tax rate, including is over 50 per cent for large manufacturing facilities, according to the article in the Karachi-based Business Recorder.

The main shareholders’ tax is even higher if the business house has a corporate structure, as there is a 15 per cent tax on intercorporate dividends. The net return after all taxes is reduced to one-third of profits, it stated.

Financial capital keeps flying out of the country, and human capital too, as salaried taxes are the highest in the region. It is evident from growing Pakistani investment in the Middle East, especially in the UAE.

The article points out that high-net-worth Pakistani residents are subject to income tax of up to 45 per cent, an additional super tax of up to 10 per cent, and a 1 per cent capital value tax on certain assets held outside Pakistan. As a result, some individuals, including business tycoons, choose to relocate to Dubai or other destinations and become non-residents for tax purposes. For many, the potential tax savings outweigh the higher cost of living abroad. Consequently, a noticeable number of Pakistanis have moved overseas in recent years.

Pakistan’s apex business chambers flagged the issue of the crushing tax burden in their meeting with the IMF team, which is currently on a visit to the country. Last week, the IMF officials were in Karachi and had engagements with both the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and the Pakistan Business Council (PBC), with both chambers echoing the need to rationalise taxation. It is time for Islamabad to manage the fiscal balance through broadening taxation, curbing losses of state-owned enterprises, especially in energy, and reducing the footprint of the government, the article stated.

Indirect taxes are quite high, too. Adding both direct and indirect taxes increases the incentive to evade taxes. The cost of compliance becomes high. Informal businesses become more competitive and thrive, but they have limitations to scale. The economy does not grow to desired levels, the article lamented.

That largely explains the exodus of MNCs from Pakistan. A few diplomats, especially Europeans, cite unfair taxation as a main complaint. Domestic groups are increasingly venturing into real estate and retail businesses, where part of the income can be hidden in cash and eventually moved out of the country, the article added.

The government needs to reduce rates and expand the base. Provinces must take responsibility for collecting a fair share from land, agriculture, and services sales tax. The federal government must broaden the net beyond manufacturing. Otherwise, manufacturing will keep shrinking. Foreign investors will continue to leave. The exodus of financial and human capital will not stop, the article observed.

Mumbai: In a significant move aimed at strengthening its financial position, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is set to generate more than ₹250 crore in revenue over the next five years through advertising alone, Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced on Tuesday.

The announcement was made during the 310th Board of Directors meeting held at the MSRTC headquarters, Maharashtra Transport Bhavan, Mumbai Central. The meeting was attended by Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, MSRTC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Madhav Kusekar, Sixth Labour Commissioner Pallavi Sahare, and other senior officials.

Addressing the board, Sarnaik highlighted the vast operational network of MSRTC. “The ST Corporation operates 251 depots and more than 610 small and large bus stands across Maharashtra. A fleet of around 12,000 buses transports 50 to 55 lakh passengers daily. In the future, after expanding the fleet, the daily passenger count is expected to touch one crore,” he said.

Emphasising the commercial potential of such an extensive network, the minister described advertising on MSRTC buses and premises as a “golden opportunity” for manufacturers and businesses. An ambitious plan has been formulated to maximise revenue by utilising bus stands, their surrounding premises, as well as the interior and exterior surfaces of buses for advertisements.

According to Sarnaik, a competitive bidding process has been implemented. Tenders offering revenue exceeding ₹250 crore for a five-year period have been accepted. Once the tenure of the existing advertising license holders concludes, the new licensees will assume control of advertising operations.

At present, MSRTC earns approximately ₹22 crore annually through advertisements. With the implementation of the new tender, the annual advertising income is expected to more than double.

The initiative marks a strategic effort by MSRTC to monetise its statewide presence and high passenger footfall, turning its buses and bus stations into revenue-generating platforms while continuing to serve as a critical public transport backbone across Maharashtra.

New Delhi, March 3: Mega projects such as the Adani Group’s $100 billion plan to build renewable-powered, AI-ready hyperscale data centres by 2035 have the potential to reshape India’s role in the global AI economy, according to an article published in the Carbon Credits.com news portal.

“First and foremost, the scale of investment stands out. Adani’s direct $100 billion commitment is expected to catalyse another $150 billion across server manufacturing, advanced electrical systems, sovereign cloud platforms, and related industries. As a result, India could see the creation of a $250 billion AI infrastructure ecosystem over the next decade,” the article states.

The Adani Group plans to expand its existing 2 GW national footprint toward a 5 GW target. Consequently, India could emerge as one of the world’s largest integrated renewable-powered AI data centre platforms.

The article highlights the strategic partnerships that the Adani Group has forged, including with US tech giant Google to build a gigawatt-scale AI data centre campus in Visakhapatnam and a collaboration with Microsoft on major campuses in Hyderabad and Pune. In addition, the company is in talks with Flipkart to develop a second AI-focused facility tailored for high-performance digital commerce and large-scale AI workloads.

The article points out that, unlike traditional data centre projects, this 5 GW rollout integrates renewable power generation, transmission networks, storage systems, and hyperscale AI computing within a single coordinated architecture. This will enable the vital energy back-up to expand along with the power-hungry compute capacity to expand jointly, not separately

“This approach matters because AI workloads are becoming increasingly energy-intensive. Modern AI racks often draw 30 kW or more per unit,” the article states.

Data sovereignty also remains a priority. Dedicated compute capacity will support Indian large language models and national data initiatives. As a result, sensitive data can remain within the country while still benefiting from global-scale infrastructure, it observes.

AI growth is directly tied to energy access. Globally, the surge in AI adoption has triggered concerns about rising electricity demand and carbon emissions. Adani plans to anchor its AI expansion on renewable energy. A key pillar is the 30 GW Khavda renewable project in Gujarat, where more than 10 GW is already operational. Moreover, the Group has pledged another $55 billion to expand its renewable portfolio, including one of the world’s largest battery energy storage systems, the article observes.

Global disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in sourcing transformers, power electronics, and grid systems. Therefore, Adani plans to co-invest in domestic manufacturing partnerships to produce high-capacity transformers, advanced power electronics, inverters, and industrial thermal management solutions within India. This step not only lowers external dependence but also strengthens India’s industrial base, the article points out.

“Over time, India could evolve from being a data hub into a producer and exporter of next-generation AI infrastructure,” the article added.