An economy of shortages!
Austerity economics that has prevailed in Pakistan has created an economy shortage (a term coined by the Hungarian economist, Janos Kornai) and is choking growth and employment. This is not…
Taliban: 1, ‘Freedom’: 0
During pre-election debates in September last year, Obama said “We’ve blunted the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, and in 2014, our longest war will be over.” While the first clause was…
To the Amir Hakimullah Mehsud
Respected Amir Sahib, we have no quarrel with you. The areas under your command, where the righteous flag of the Taliban flies, we ceded control of a long time ago,…
Invisible enemy
Pakistan Information Security Association (PISA) recently held a Cyber Security Conference at Islamabad. This paper analyzes key aspects of the discourse, captures important observations and recommends action points for securing…
Tax proposals – I
On June 5, 2013, we will have a new government in action - faced with multifaceted and complicated problems on economic front. It's immediate task of framing budget for fiscal…
Pakistan and leadership transition in China
Since the 1990s, China's top leaders serve a maximum of two five-year terms. With the last batch of leaders having reached the end of their second term last year, there…
Looking towards China
The recent border stand-off between India and China was over after India acceded to China’s demand of dismantling its outpost in Chumar, and only then the 50-odd Chinese soldiers moved…
Combating financing of terrorism – I
"Pakistan has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including by issuing an SRO to increase the maximum monetary sanction for non-compliance with S/RES/1267. However, despite Pakistan's high-level political commitment…
Of IMF and things to come
There is no use in avoiding the obvious - it is best that we as a nation reconcile ourselves to the fact that another IMF programme is inevitable. If there…
Why break the relationship?
The US agenda with Pakistan pre-9/11 was, in order of priority viz (1) nuclear non-proliferation (2) terrorism and (3) drugs, with the Taliban government in Afghanistan figuring prominently in the…
