IMF intrusions
The IMF has, in its programs with Pakistan, traditionally restricted itself to the domain of economic reforms that are within the constitutional and legal framework of the country. The new…
Moving past the crisis metric
The question has become rhetorical: given Pakistan's abundant manpower and natural resources, bilateral donors and the IMF over the years, why has the country not been able to build a…
Politics of power
The temperature of the politics of power sector in this country has been raised as the government upped the price of electricity for all consumers - industrial, commercial as well…
Challenge of imbalances
Inflation is certainly a challenge today but then growth is a bigger challenge. With the latter are associated issues of employment, savings, investment, trade, external capital inflows and the overall…
Drowned, sinking deeper in debt
Pakistan, drowned deep in debt, is sinking deeper and deeper with each passing moment. The situation, if not remedied on a war footing, will eventually lead the country to an…
Fiscal sovereignty for Pakistan
If the starting point for analysis in the post Hakeemullah Mehsud world is that he was assassinated by the US with malign intent, (and clearly there is plenty of political…
Managing economic risk
Having entered its sixth month in office, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government has to deal decisively with a number of urgent economic challenges even as it has taken the necessary…
Our problem more tangled than we think
We moan about symptoms and peripheral things. We are still not getting to the heart of the matter. Dunces cannot be Salahuddin Ayubis. Traders and bank-loan specialists, nurtured in the…
Local bodies
It is an established fact that education and participation of citizens in the processes of governance are fundamental to democracy. This participation can be exercised during elections for local to…
FBR’s lack of agility
The problem with incompetence is its inability to recognise itself - Orrin Woodward, L.I.F.E. Living Intentionally For Excellence Over the last two decades, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proved…
