The Forex challenge
Pakistan suffers from two structural deficits of the budget and the current account of the balance of payments. The budget deficit is being financed heavily by the printing of rupee…
The wrong borrowing mix
A government that depends heavily on borrowing from the banking system to finance its expenditure is usually taken as an irresponsible government that is creating conditions for high inflation and…
Old hat, dead rabbits
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently announced the much awaited incentive package to boost investment. The prime minister’s intent is unquestionable. But the rabbits that were pulled out of the hat…
Army chief or soap opera?
Was it the advent of the messiah the nation awaited or something less spectacular? From the media frenzy surrounding the appointment of the new army chief it indeed seemed as…
A worrisome build-up
Last week, the Vatican released an "apostolic exhortation" authored by His holiness Pope Francis, which faults unfettered capitalism as "a new tyranny", and calls on political leaders everywhere to fight…
Rewards shift to stock pickers in US market rally
It's a good time to be a stock picker. Some 57 percent of US funds run by active managers are beating their benchmark indexes this year, according to fund-tracker Morningstar.…
Drowned, sinking deeper in debt
Pakistan, drowned deep in debt, is sinking deeper and deeper with each passing moment. The situation, if not remedied on a war footing, will eventually lead the country to an…
Gender and diversity in financial services
There is a raging debate in western corporate circles regarding the percentage of women in leadership positions including corporate boards, parliaments, multilateral and educational institutions. With the arena of the…
Sell-off of PSM
Pakistan Steel Mills, known to be the country's largest industrial unit incorporated in 1968 at a total cost of Rs 24.7 billion, with an annual designed production capacity of 1.1…
‘Qarz burhao, mulk bigarho
In 1997 the slogan of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was 'Qarz Utaro, Mulk Sanwaro' [retire debt, adorn country], which is reversed in 2013 as all efforts are underway to increase…
