Trapped in a ‘catch-22’ economic situation
It is peaking in Pakistan. And there has been no full-blown lockdown as such since the Covid-19 curve started taking a steep trajectory at a relatively faster rate some two…
Pandemic and a difficult economic situation of developing countries
‘Developing countries have been ravaged by a combination of the pandemic-driven health crisis, collapsing exports, rising global food prices, domestic economic contraction, falling fiscal revenues, and external debt overhang. The…
Tax and the macroeconomic situation
We only raise about 8-9 percent of our GDP as tax. This is definitely not enough for the government, to sustain all the expenditures that we, as a society, want…
Getting out of the economic boom-bust cycle
Since independence, Pakistan has largely remained a consumption-oriented economy, and together with this, growth mostly has come from light industrial base. This is because government has sub-optimally played its part…
Domestic economic thought, profession, and ‘dual-track’ pricing mechanism
Although Pakistan came into existence at a time when there was a deeply renewed focus on economic thought process globally in the wake of establishment of Bretton Woods institutions a…
Fiber security: a pillar of economic and agricultural stability
The concept of fiber security holds strategic importance for Pakistan’s economy, textile sector, and agricultural sustainability. As the country’s most significant cash crop, cotton plays a vital role in economic…
People, economics and security
The slight improvement in Pakistan's economy is welcome — especially as it comes some months before the next budget is due. Everyone in Pakistan wishes for nothing more than an…
US economic indicators: growth and business activity tapering
The sudden change in the US President’s plan to implement tariffs starting March 4 instead of next month has unsettled the markets, leading traders to reevaluate their risk portfolios and…
Macroeconomics of empty promises
The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP’s) foreign exchange reserves have dropped by nearly a billion dollars in just eight weeks, from December 13 to February 7. This decline occurred despite…
Internet outages and economic development in Pakistan
The emergence of social media has changed the manner in which people express themselves and their opinions. In Pakistan, the virtual public square has become Facebook, X, and Instagram. These…
