US presidential race finds an odd bogeyman: free trade
The United States has long been a leader of the free trade movement around the world, and President Barack Obama set major trade treaties at the center of his economic…
How ready is Pakistan for FDI?
Over the past few months, I have canvassed important global companies and investors about their appetite for Pakistan. Unlike the more volatile portfolio investors, these ‘sticky’ investors are courted by…
A tale of two Budgets – I
This is the first of a two-part series of articles on the Indian budget and comparisons with Pakistani budgets. Part one focuses on revenue generation while part-II will focus on…
A flock of grey swans
The global financial markets are experiencing a bloodbath. Over the past few months, a range of financial assets including equities, commodities and currencies of emerging markets have fallen sharply. According…
Tax amnesty, but where’s the vision?
Pakistan’s struggle with its black economy continues. Another tax amnesty scheme for traders has been introduced. Parliamentary opposition will oppose the tax amnesty offered by the government as a knee-jerk…
China-Taiwan summit two years in making, as leaders eye legacies
This weekend's historic summit in Singapore between the presidents of China and Taiwan may have surprised many, but the sides first broached the subject about two years ago and the…
Angry America
The dominant sentiment in America today is anger. Popular anger about lower economic expectations; nationalist anger at the loss of global dominance; anger against President Obama for acknowledging the limits…
Prepare for more Miseries
While forums like last week's Pakistan Investment Conference may convince some foreign investors about Pakistan's being more secure due to the continuing operations for nabbing criminals, the other challenges confronting…
The FATCA window
The implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act is showing consistent progress with thousands of banks in over 150 countries agreeing to share financial accounts data of their US…
The information challenge
Every year companies with an interest in the mobile and technology industry gather at the Mobile World Congress. Held in Barcelona from Feb 22 to 25, the Mobile World Congress’…
