Evaluating CPEC
The formal launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during the recent visit of President Xi Jinping has understandably generated a lot of euphoria in Pakistan. With a planned portfolio…
Confusing privatisation goals
The sale of 609.3 million shares of HBL has been billed as the biggest capital market transaction and second biggest privatisation deal after the PTCL and yet more evidence of…
National transformation vision
Many governments find an official national vision useful. Many institutions, business or otherwise, have mission statements. Political parties have their manifestos in which visions and strategies are offered. Official economists…
Policy power plays
State policies are supposedly formulated by government institutions to serve people, especially those most vulnerable. In reality, policies serve powerful groups who, given their vast private powers, disproportionately determine which…
Trampling people’s basic needs
During the last four decades, every government that came to power pretended that it was there to serve the people of Pakistan. Every finance minister boasted of introducing a people…
Pakistan Day reflections
The sufferings of Pakistanis, especially the poor and less privileged classes, will continue unabated unless the society is restructured on the principles of equity, fairness and justice-the fundamental elements of…
Holding IMF accountable
The IMF has recently issued yet another congratulatory review of Pakistan’s “performance” under the current Fund programme, the country’s twelfth since 1988. The statement issued after the sixth review informs…
EU investment plan may be a day late and a euro short
The European Union's vaunted investment plan, due to be formally blessed by the bloc's 28 leaders at a summit this week, may be a day late and several euros short…
Growth versus austerity debate
The big electoral win in Greece for the anti-austerity, far-left party Syriza is hardly surprising. After years of wanton economic management and fiscal excesses that included not taxing the rich…
Growing economic troubles
Today I was reminded of Dickens's Tale of two Cities. It was bitterly cold in Islamabad and young boys were treading the streets with just one shirt and a jangia…
