Fbr Collection: Startling Facts
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), in its Biannual Review (January-June 2014-15), claims that "despite several challenges like poor law and order in the country, energy shortages and compression of…
Dry times
According to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, Pakistan is a highly water- stressed country and is highly likely to face an acute water shortage in the next…
Widening disconnects
Official statistics and narratives have a reputation that is not entirely undeserved or unjustified. The narratives are generally constructed with a certain condescension that the audience will buy whatever is…
It’s Quite Possible To Contain Corruption
Market economy in its crassest form and democracy in its formative stages is a deadly combination. Among other side-effects, this combination begets massive corruption. In fact corruption takes over the…
The Market Access Nutcracker
To Ministry of Commerce Market Access, its euphemism for preferential tariffs seems to be the only arrow in the sheaf. Undeterred by Q block and cohorts' distrainment of its weaponry-…
End of easy money for mini-refiners splitting us shale?
Energy companies and oil trading firms that teamed up to build several mini-refineries that convert a swelling surplus of ultra-light US crude into fuels for export seemed like a pretty…
Economic Corridor: Some Facts
Within a year of the announcement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) formation, the energy and infrastructure projects, planned under it are being rolled out into realities. The year 2015…
Is this democracy?
Patriotic Pakistanis spend many sleepless nights brooding incessantly whether Pakistan’s democracy brand is genuine. Having concluded glumly that it is not, based on unrealistic comparisons with Western countries, many call…
Distortions Needing Urgent Remedies
The media is abuzz with reactions to the presidential ordinance converting PIA into a corporate entity for its privatisation, new revelations in the Dr Asim Hussain affair, Sindh Assembly's resolve…
Will do-nothing congress, us elections stall pacific trade deal?
Twelve natons, 18,000 tariffs, 40 per cent of the global economy - the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership has been lauded by President Barack Obama as a bold step forward and a…
