Money laundering in commercial trade
This paper seeks to examine the modes of money laundering through commercial trade. While banks have traditionally focused on cash deposits, controls on trade laundering have not been as good.…
How not to write an op-ed
Over the years, I have developed a somewhat maniacal habit: every morning, just after waking up, I sift through three or four newspapers, not for news, but for their op-eds.…
The youth penalty
Pakistan’s banking system has undergone visible modernisation in recent years, from digital apps to redesigned flagship branches and dedicated premier lounges. Yet behind this polished exterior lies a widening disconnect…
Producing poverty
FOR most of the Musharraf dictatorship, the World Bank, IMF and other lynchpins of the international financial architecture celebrated Pakistan’s economy. Real estate and stock market booms, the issuing of…
Public debt burden
The State Bank of Pakistan has recently released estimates of the stock of debt of the country as of the end of 2024-25. The total debt is estimated at Rs…
Promise and peril of low policy rates
In an unprecedented policy action that has taken international markets and other domestic players by surprise, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has carried one of the most aggressive interest…
3 policy decisions in the dock
Three news items this week past should be a source of serious concern to the country’s stakeholders: SBP’s decision to purchase USD 8 billion from the open market to shore…
Crypto moment?
CRYPTOCURRENCIES, best understood as digital assets, remain a niche segment within the global financial system despite much recent hype. For digital assets to gain serious traction, they must prove their…
Extracting dollars
YOU have no doubt heard of ‘overheating’, the word used in economic language to describe an economy that is growing, but at the same time, seeing rising inflation. This combination…
The global trade race is on
Pakistan has a history of dropped catches. Just when opportunity swings our way, we let it slip through our fingers. Today, we face another critical moment – and this one…
