When growth loses to politics
Let’s first agree, as the government never tires of telling us, that Pakistan today has macroeconomic stability. But let us also consider the stark economic reality faced by our citizens.…
GDP growth revisions: numbers in flux, substance in doubt
The National Accounts Committee (NAC) has revised the GDP growth for FY25 upward to 3.04 percent from an earlier estimate of 2.68 percent. Interestingly, almost all independent economists and research…
SEZs and 5Es: framework for growth
The inauguration of the Challenge Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif marks a proud milestone in Pakistan’s textile and industrial journey, promising new avenues of progress…
India’s ‘strong’ economic growth fails to impress equity investors
India’s world-beating economic growth is failing to translate into gains for equity markets as weakening pricing power and US tariffs weigh on corporate earnings, turning foreign investors away. Gross domestic…
The real contest of growth
China’s modern rise began with Deng Xiaoping’s reforms after 1978. A handful of pragmatic changes turned an inward, centrally planned economy into an export superpower. Beijing created Special Economic Zones…
Inclusive or exclusive growth?
THE government has clearly stated that inclusive growth is its foremost priority. This is reassuring, but will require reforms in the economic and development agendas of both the government and its international…
Growth and foreign fervour for yield give Japan fiscal wiggle room
A weekend election in Japan has made real the prospect of bigger government spending and deficits in the world’s most indebted developed nation, although for now foreign investors and a…
Beyond growth: Pakistan’s war against poverty, privilege, and the digital divide
Let’s not sugarcoat it — Pakistan is a land of jarring contrasts. In one part of town, a billionaire is escorted in a bulletproof Land Cruiser. Across the bridge, a…
The untold growth story: a PBS puzzle
In the corridors of policymaking, numbers are not just statistics, they are narratives. They shape public discourse, guide budgets, and influence investor sentiment. But what happens when the narrative doesn’t…
CPEC for growth
As war clouds begin to lift, the ceasefire with India has enabled Pakistan to assess the evolving geopolitical scenario with a different perspective and a sense of cautious optimism. We…
