Pakistan’s economy – I
Alongsides is the first part of a three-part series by an economist who has reflected on his more than half a century involvement with the country's economy. Pakistan has had…
Towards TARP-II?
In the beginning it was tax evasion, and then became rampant corruption and eventually mafias took over, making the FBR irrelevant in most of the sectors-Ali Arshad Hakeem, Chairman FBR.…
The real tragedy
The Finance Division has released its "Year Book 2011-12" which, besides citing heavy line losses, incomplete corporatisation, weak governance, costly fuel mix, and delays in bill payments, points to partial…
China can teach
I have had the considerable good luck to visit China with national and international organisations but the valuable insight into China that one gained on official visits with the Pakistani…
Everything’s almost free in Spain’s parallel barter economy
It can be argued that extra-judicial interventions first by Ghulam Mohammad as Governor General in 1951 and later by military regimes and disregard of the Constitution - facilitated by either…
Is land reform off the menu – I?
In a recent TV interview, Imran Khan, Chairman TI, has revealed that a great debate has been going on in his party regarding land reforms. However, the arguments and proponents…
Emerging economies
Since long, Pakistan is locked up in a situation of economic volatility, infrastructural deficit, financial disaster in public sector entities and growing poverty. Reformatory policies undertaken by different sectors of…
Our informal economy
According to the growth diagnostics framework I discussed in one of my previous articles, high taxation is one of the potential candidates for becoming a binding constraint to economic growth…
18th Amendment – fallacious argument
Pakistan has a democratic government? There is no need to talk about this anymore. That devolution has taken place as a result of the 18th Amendment to the constitution. Please…
Jobs for votes
As the story goes, a distant relation of a nawab once begged him for a job. The nawab, in his infinite generosity appointed him head of the treasury. When it…
