Economic reforms: Part – VIII
The high hopes wrapped around the revival of a political system and the arrival of a young and energetic leadership have not been fulfilled. We may give any number of…
Emerging market status – II
In its annual review meeting the Morgan Stanley Country Index (MSCI) Board revealed that "the MSCI Pakistan Index will be reclassified to emerging markets status, coinciding with the May 2017…
Don’t squander this opportunity
Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) has identified Pakistan as an emerging market on its MSCI Emerging Market (EM) index as Pakistan Stock Market (PSX) has performed the best in Asia…
Our ‘offshore’ rulers
We are endlessly lost in what could pass for a puppetry drama where actors made of flesh and actors made of wood are together producing a constant comedy of errors.…
Privatisation – the way forward
The government's primary role is governance and regulation, not to manage and operate businesses. The government works in a manner that there is a shared responsibility which is demonstrated in…
UK Muslims seek own path in countering jihadism
Feeling unfairly targeted by the government's anti-radicalisation drive, Britain's Muslim community is rallying to find its own response to extremism and take a greater role in the fight against terrorism.…
Capital suggestion
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) had found Pakistani banks “guilty of promoting cartelisation”. An inquiry committee of the CCP, headed by CCP senior member, cartels and trade abuses, had…
Liberians doing business in a country where nothing works
Plagued by power shortages, an erratic water supply and spiralling inflation, many entrepreneurs in Liberia's capital are finding their efforts to prosper in their new-found peace impossible. The poor but…
Burj Bank – The small Islamic bank attracting attention
The year 2013 proved to be a challenging year for Burj Bank Limited. The discount rate environment, with a 250 bps drop during CY2012, had reduced spreads for the entire…
After denationalisation
Privatisation seems to be all the rage in Pakistan these days with the prime minister pointing to the ‘turnaround’ of the banking sector after privatisation. He is not alone. Many…
