No end to tax amnesties – II
Since November 1990, when Nawaz Sharif became Prime Minister of Pakistan for the first time, the culture of loot, plunder, corruption, tax evasion and money laundering has been legalised and…
Ruin comes when…
Ruin comes when the trader, whose heart is lifted up by wealth, becomes ruler-Plato in Republic Since November 1990, when Muhammad Nawaz Sharif became Prime Minister of Pakistan for the…
Pak-BD trade prospects
In the wake of the changing political landscape in Bangladesh, the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh is poised to normalise once again, after remaining strained since 2008. In this…
From trade deficit to trade surplus
Pakistan has long run a trade deficit. That gap burdens our foreign reserves. It weakens the rupee. It makes every crisis harder to manage. Yes, the depreciation of the PKR…
Beyond the plastic debate
Pakistan is drowning in waste, but not the kind most people talk about. According to the UN Comtrade database, every year the country produces 49.6 million tonnes of waste. Out…
Is [solar] power just for the privileged?
Pakistan has surged onto the global solar scene with unprecedented speed. Customs data show the country imported an estimated 17–22GW of photovoltaic (PV) modules in 2024 alone, propelling it to…
Budget FY26: fiscal discipline without reform
Fiscal consolidation continues. FY26 is expected to be the third consecutive year of a primary fiscal surplus. This should help lower the public debt-to-GDP ratio and provide some cushion for…
Taxation to stagnation
Budget 2025-26, tabled in the National Assembly on June 10 and nearly drowned out by opposition slogans, has dominated talk shows and tax seminars ever since. Two professional gatherings –…
Japan poised to sweeten offshore wind rules as players get cold feet
Japan is likely to sweeten terms for developers to build a massive offshore wind farm sector, industry insiders say, as it looks to put its energy ambitions back on track…
New green steel firms could reap rewards as EU carbon tariffs loom
On Thailand’s eastern coast, plans are underway to build an electric arc furnace that will deliver green steel to Europe and benefit from contentious new rules that will force buyers…
