Bullish on Pakistan
ALTHOUGH the Karachi Stock Exchange has risen over 50pc over the last year, financial analysts have not rushed to declare Pakistan a `bull market`. The reasons for their caution are…
Welfare state wither away
The forthcoming federal budget will focus on accelerating the pace of economic growth, although in the ongoing global economic debate, emphasis has been shifted from growth to green growth, a…
Circular debt and the economic eco-system
Reading a recent leader story in this paper about the government's intention to issue $5 billion worth of T-Bills/PIB's in lieu of the circular debt has prompted me to write…
Not so fast
Even before Nawaz Sharif’s formal swearing in as prime minister, the Manmohan Singh government has launched a major diplomatic initiative to kick-start a high-level diplomatic dialogue with the incoming government…
Managing the natural gas crisis
The dual menace of power and gas shortage is a serious issue that has caused much damage to the national economy and is likely to damage more, if the right…
Old porridge or something different?
The same food, no matter how rich, day after day...how exciting is that? If monogamy was such a great idea, men’s eyes would not wander. If monotony was such a…
Pakistan and leadership transition in China
Since the 1990s, China's top leaders serve a maximum of two five-year terms. With the last batch of leaders having reached the end of their second term last year, there…
Brave new world – season two
The Pakistani love affair with the forklift beats Romeo and Juliet hands down. This machinery is loved by all red-blooded Pakistanis but the police have a particular addiction to it.…
Crisis not all bad for doting Greek mothers
In a society where family ties traditionally play a prominent role, Greece's deep economic crisis apparently offers a few Greek mothers a reason to be happy. While financial hardship may…
The culture of consumerism
Our lives today are totally different from the lives of our elders a few decades ago. Their lives were mostly connected to and dependent on nature. Senior citizens often recall…
