High on CPI but not completely clean
Deadly drugs are produced clandestinely in many parts of the world because they are in great demand in the rich countries. Similarly, corruption is thriving unabated universally including in developing…
CPI and the policy rate
The base of an index plays a critical role in its measurement. The longer a base is retained, the more distant it becomes from the start. This is all the…
Symbolism of the CPI score
Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) launched its annual Corruption Perception Index 2015 on January 27. The index ranks countries on the basis of perceptions regarding incidence of corruption in the public…
SBP projections for 2023-24
The Annual Report for 2022-23 on the State of the Economy by the SBP has been released recently. Along with a detailed review of developments on various fronts of the…
Elusive macroeconomic stability
In a recent statement reportedly, interim finance minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar indicated that there were signs of economic recovery, whereby she pointed out: ‘There are some initial signs of economic…
Spurt in inflation
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has released the estimate of the rate of inflation in the national Consumer Price Index in September 2023. There is a visible spurt. It…
Power sector remains Pakistan’s Achilles heel
The power sector continues to be a major source of concern with circular debt a high of 2.6 trillion rupees at present - a burden on the country’s scarce resources…
China’s resilience
In the economic data unveiled on September 9, China’s dynamic economic landscape displayed resilience and hints of recovery. Consumer prices, emblematic of the country’s economic vigor, rebounded into a positive…
A biased index?
The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has long been an important benchmark in the global war against corruption. Transparency International publishes the CPI every year to inform policymakers and influence public…
Taxing work and subsidising non-work
Turns out that there’s a Salaried Class Alliance (SCA), based in Karachi, which describes itself as a “non-political, non-religious, non-ethnic, non-profit organisation that aims to create awareness among the salaried…
