Islam & social reform
Traditional ulema have nearly always opposed social reform calling it un-Islamic. Many are able to mobilise support from static Muslim societies by quoting either certain selected Quranic verses or the…
Financial crisis, social unrest and reform
The December 22, 2008 issue of Newsweek featured an article on the downside of Chinese state reform. Entitled ‘Why China is too scared to spend’, the article drew attention to…
A blueprint for structural reform
Before the February 2024 national elections, I had the opportunity to conduct an in-depth study of all previous elections in Pakistan. This research was published in book form a few…
Sustainability, institutional reform, and stimulus
What causes macroeconomic instability? Main determinants that come to mind are elevated levels of inflation, fiscal deficit (FD), current account deficit (CAD), and debt burden. Moreover, what brings sustainable macroeconomic…
Reform agenda
EXCEPT for the 92.97-metre javelin throw by our spirited lad from Mian Channu, Pakistan has been left behind the rest of the world, economically, technologically, and on all counts of…
Structural reforms in IMF programme
The Staff Report on the new 37-month Extended Fund Facility by the IMF of $7 billion contains a number of structural benchmarks, along with their rationale and the date by…
Serious issues in IMF programmes: time for urgent reform
‘Augusto Pinochet’s coup in Chile is widely seen as inaugurating the global neoliberal era. As the 1970s progressed, neoliberal ideas and policies came increasingly to shape the agendas of international…
Towards fiscal & digital reforms
Pakistan has faced significant challenges in balancing the distribution of power and fiscal responsibilities between its federal and provincial governments. The landmark Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 [18th Amendment] effective…
26th Amendment, new CJP and reforms
The Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amend-ment) Act, 2024 [26th Amendment], passed in utmost haste by the Parliament on October 21, 2024 receiving the assent of President of Pakistan on the same day,…
Serious issues in IMF programmes: time for urgent reform
‘Augusto Pinochet’s coup in Chile is widely seen as inaugurating the global neoliberal era. As the 1970s progressed, neoliberal ideas and policies came increasingly to shape the agendas of international…
