Pakistan (Thursday, 8:00 AM)

We are dealing with two existential issues for Pakistan. One is population and the other is climate change.

The intensity and the frequency [of flooding] is on the rise . . . The only difference this time around is that . . . we didn't rush out to appeal to the international community in terms of even the rescue and relief effort.

We want to use our own resources, but what it does mean is that we cannot get into three-year, five-year, ten-year planning [because of] the sense of urgency at our end.

One of the key structural reforms of those underway is on taxation . . . It's not a matter of choice. We have to ultimately, if we have to talk about growth, etc., we have to start rationalizing some of the taxation.

This year, the [tax] collection has started. It is not going to be a game-changer in year one, but we had to start from somewhere.

Muhammad Aurangzeb Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Pakistan