Stabilizing the economy
[This is based on a talk by Mueen Afzal, former secretary of general finance, a prominent philanthropist and chairman of several national institutions, at the Institute of Strategic Studies in…
Road to perdition
A GROUP of politicians from various parties is trying to put together a kind of floating think tank to sort out the country’s ills — political, economic, governance, etc. In…
The ‘last’ IMF programme?
Nathan Porter, director of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) mission for Pakistan, in a recent interview with the Voice of America, while commenting on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement that…
Modi’s populism after India election reversal puts public finances at risk
After reverses in the general election and facing possible losses in state polls this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition has stepped up cash handouts, debt waivers and other…
Bond markets face a reckoning after stellar summer run
Government bond markets, which have enjoyed a summer of solid price gains, now face a reckoning with their bets for speedy central bank rate cuts and slowing inflation, not to…
Need for a country-wide, across-sectors ‘Pricing Policy’
Weak regulation of markets, or the policy of ‘market fundamentalism’ that market knows best, and left mostly on its own market failures will sort themselves, under the overall wave of…
The narrative must change
The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR’s) narrative, irrespective of the many chairmen it has been subjected to - accountants, generalists bureaucrats, party loyalists and the very few promoted from within…
Bill of riots
BURNING utilities bills is all the rage across the country these days. Amidst stifling inflation, the choicest invective is reserved for electricity generation and distribution companies by the rioting public. We…
After the deluge
BARELY weeks have passed since Pakistan `[declared an emergency][1]`, and the floods have slipped out of the headlines. Many people are yet to receive emergency relief or medical attention, and…
Why the IMF?
AS a champion of market fundamentalism and regaining and maintaining macroeconomic balance, however high the costs, there are very few people and even fewer economists who have a good word…
