Pakistan’s exports to nine regional countries posted a negative growth of 1.32 per cent in the first four months of the current fiscal year from a year ago mainly driven by a drop in export proceeds to China, the latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan showed. The country’s exports to Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives account for a
While there is a lot of public discourse on the need for change or transformation, policymakers have remained trapped in firefighting for a long time. So the question arises: how and when will change come about and how will the huge challenges be overcome? However, according to fast-changing ground realities, it is becoming apparent that society will act as a catalyst for triggering inclusive e
A recent UN report shows that global emissions, instead of reducing by 45 per cent by 2030, are set to increase by close to 11pc. The Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Change Conference (COP 27) brought together more than 45,000 participants to take action toward achieving climate goals agreed upon under the Paris Agreement and the Convention. A report by 55 vulnerable countries estimated their combined
Pakistan is primarily a consumption-driven economy where the savings rate is just 4.5 per cent of the gross domestic product. This number puts us well behind the South Asian average of 28pc or the low-income group’s 23pc. However, these statistics often miss the massive informal economy that most people in the country turn towards due to the dismal reach of existing financial institutions. R
Technically, Pakistan has not defaulted on its debt because it hasn’t missed — or even delayed — any payment to its creditors. Yet it certainly has fallen into ‘arrears’. For example, last week, the global International Air Transport Association complained that Pakistan was second among the top five markets that have restricted or stopped foreign airlines from repatriating their ticket sales re