111 510 510 libonline@riphah.edu.pk Contact

Transforming maturity profile of domestic debt

Inflation is falling rapidly, nearing a four-year low, with FY25 (July 2024–June 2025) average inflation expected to fall within the SBP’s medium-term target of 5-7 percent. The tight monetary and…

Myth defeats market

First, the ‘good news!’: Pakistan’s recent loss of a $20 million export contract to Sudan is not just a financial setback but a significant blow to its economy. This lucrative…

A dangerous precedent

Pakistan’s tobacco industry is advancing a contentious plan to manufacture and export 10-pack cigarettes, commonly referred to as ‘kiddie packs’, to Sudan under a $20 million deal. This plan also…

Is Middle Eastern escalation inevitable?

AFTER several weeks of preparations, Israel carried out its promised attack on Iran in the small hours of Saturday but the scale and scope of the air/missile strikes appeared limited. It also…

The lethal troika

MANY factors were responsible for the defeat of the erstwhile Soviet Union and then the US in Afghanistan. A common factor was the existence of a combination of extremely resilient…

No talks with TTP

THOSE in favour of negotiating with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan mistakenly believe that the group is a legitimate insurgent movement. The Afghan Taliban see them as a comparable entity, deserving…

Price of peace

PAKISTAN is not alone in confronting armed opposition. Many nations grapple with persistent violence, often resorting to force over peace negotiations. This hesitation stems from the fear of concessions, neglecting…

Healing the world

KHUSHWANT Singh would have been delighted. The latest Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) revived his memory over two days at SOAS in London, the city he loved as much as…

Chinese advice

PAKISTAN’S law-enforcement agencies have completed the investigation of the Dasu terrorist attack carried out against Chinese nationals in March, in record time. This is, indeed, a remarkable achievement, but it does not…

Money and man

IF there were a central bankers’ roll of honour, it would prominently feature Paul Volcker’s name, perhaps even at the very top. Volcker, who died in 2019 at the age…