Our international image
Countries are inevitably affected by developments in next-door neighbours. Afghanistan’s problems have permeated into our social and political fabric. Indonesia, the largest Muslim nation, is following in the footsteps of…
Misconceptions about aid
Foreign aid evokes much scepticism in Pakistan. Many argue that it creates dependence, undermines sovereignty, increases debt, encourages corruption and discourages local initiative. They find Pakistan`s use of foreign aid…
Withering away of the state
Even before it could take root, the state has been withering away in Pakistan. Its existence, as an entity larger and more encompassing than a government – one of its…
The D-8 Summit
At the conclusion of their summit on November 23 in Islamabad, leaders of the D-8 countries inked a Charter that aims to forge a stronger economic alliance. Foreign ministers of…
In transit
As I write this on the terrace restaurant of a hotel in the hills in Sri Lanka, there’s a small river tumbling over huge boulders a few feet away. The…
Do we need solutions?
According to many Pakistani analysts, the answer to our fiscal and political problems is to emulate the models of Far Eastern Muslim countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. With reference…
Trade without growth
Pakistan has a lesson to learn from its misplaced priorities. Efforts towards trade liberalisation and regional integration would be meaningless without addressing structural problems first, including prolonged energy crisis, decline in foreign investment, high inflation, weak infrastructure and precarious security issues. Else we would be another sub-saharan region which boasts many more trade agreements than Pakistan narrowed down to zero without adequate economic growth!
