PAKISTAN’S social protection system is at a crossroads. Traditional social protection systems, while providing critical support for poverty reduction, are not designed to address the compounding challenges of climate-triggered disasters. The country’s…
GLOBALLY, Pakistan ranks fifth among high tuberculosis-burden countries, with over 686,000 TB case notifications in 2023. On World TB Day, we urge health policymakers to acknowledge that TB is not…
Inflation has come down dramatically – from 28.3 percent in January 2024 to 1.5 percent in February 2025. The question remains: why isn’t there a feel-good factor? Inflation, economists maintain,…
The global aid landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as traditional donors sharply reduce their contributions. In response to American demands for increased defence spending, many European countries are reallocating…
Pakistan stands at a turning point. Every year, on International Women’s Day, we hear grand speeches about empowerment and progress. Yet, for millions of women across the country, those words…
LAST week on these pages, Khurram Husain wrote about the rapidly diminishing viability of Pakistan’s bailout-dependent economic strategy. Global political realignments under the new Trump administration may very well usher…
A nine-member delegation of World Bank Executive Directors visited Pakistan in February 2025 to engage in discussions on economic development plans and the implementation of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF).…
Pakistan’s state-owned power companies are trapped in a cycle of mounting debt, persistent inefficiencies and constant government bailouts, with no signs of relief. The sector faces high operational costs, staggering…
Social assistance is everywhere conditional, and in Pakistan it is no different. Either it comes with behavioural strings attached — ‘do this and we’ll help you, don’t and we won’t’…
Integrated economic planning for Pakistan’s power sector requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by the sector today. At its core, this planning should aim to synchronise…
