Core purpose of Obama’s second visit to India
Obama made a second visit to India during his tenure of Presidency. There is much talk, envy and speculations about his visit in Indian and Pakistani media. If one takes…
Cuba and the IMF: towards a new chapter?
How far could Cuba's opening go? After its rapprochement with the United States, the steadfastly communist country could further dismantle nearly six decades of isolation by shaking hands with another…
Planning Commission: To be, or not to be…
Narendra Modi was swept to power on a number of manifesto promises including the scrapping of the 65-year-old Planning Commission set up by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1950. On India's 68th…
FBR’s Year Book 2013-14: Concealing the truth
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), in its Year Book 2013-14, placed on its website on October 30, 2014, claims that it collected Rs 2,266 billion (provisional data) during the…
The economics of agitation
It has almost become an axiom for economists and analysts throughout the world to maintain that political uncertainty mars economic activity. This explains the inclusion of political uncertainty as a…
The IMF report
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its fourth and fifth review maintained that the 6.64 billion dollar Extended Fund Facility (EFF) was broadly on track. The review report was uploaded…
Oil plunge a ‘golden opportunity’ for Asia economies
The plunge in crude prices will give a much-needed boost to Asia's oil-guzzling economies and provides governments a "golden opportunity" to implement crucial structural reforms such as cutting expensive energy…
Pakistan’s energy sector woes
Pakistan is facing a severe energy crisis. The gap between demand and supply is estimated around 7,000MW at present. This results in loadshedding of up to 20 hours in certain…
Hungary under pressure to pick sides in Russia-EU standoff
Hungary's maverick Prime Minister Viktor Orban has spent the past year straddling the divide between Russia and his European Union counterparts on the crisis in Ukraine. But he may soon…
Franco-German experience
The French government has given no formal authorisation to Electricite de France (EDF) to explore civil nuclear projects in Pakistan, so stated Francois Pupponi, French parliamentarian and chair of France-Pakistan…
