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In defence of Tareen, et al

The sugar subsidy controversy is swirling around Jahangir Tareen, Khusro Bakhtiar and others for receiving a rather hefty subsidy for exporting sugar. They are perhaps the wrong target. After all,…

Corona and the rural economy

The reported share of agriculture in Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 18.5 percent which certainly does not look impressive. But then look at it from this angle: almost two…

Inflation on a downward trajectory

Nothing can erode a political government’s popularity faster than a rise in inflation accompanied by an income raise lower than the rate of inflation. While the Khan-led administration did take…

Rising Crony Capitalism

Rising crony capitalism

Usually, entrepreneurs invest their energy, ideas and money to increase the quality of the products they produce, higher knowledge-worker and thereby improve manufacturing process and increase productivity. But at some…

Price rationalization — I

Prices determine the level of affordability for consumers, and work as an incentive for producers. Market imperfections deter goods, commodities and services from reaching true price signals. Given these imperfections,…

Tax frauds, corruption & NAB

In majority tax frauds, the usual parties are the official(s) and the taxpayer(s). Cases where unilateral tax fraud is committed are rare such as using fictitious bank account(s) to obtain…

Adhering to IMF’s prior condition

The budget 2019-20 read out by Hammad Azhar the Minister of State for Revenue adheres to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) prior condition of the primary deficit at 0.6 percent…

Living With Celiac

Living with Celiac

This is a public-service column. It was inspired by a recent event on Celiac disease where the PTI’s Shafqat Mehmood presided with specialists, sharing awareness among those present. For those…

Discovering – And Preserving – Mehrgarh

Discovering – and preserving – Mehrgarh

The word ‘heritage’ means something that we inherit from earlier generations. It comprises both the tangible and the intangible including culture, value and traditions. It represents history and identity.  The…