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Western pressure vs Eastern friendship

The West appears to be mounting pressure on Pakistan, which is striving to set its economy on a growth path after achieving relative financial stability. Could the ultimate goal be to compel the Government of Pakistan to revisit its relations with China, particularly in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)? In addition to a subdued yet persistent media campaign aimed at

Rising crude oil imports boost exports

Crude oil imports increased by 17.81 per cent in the first five months of FY25, which prompted local refineries to produce more petroleum products than anticipated and boost exports. Preliminary estimates suggest that the increase in local production of petroleum products and their exports in the past few months will likely boost economic growth in the current fiscal year. Data compiled by t

Retail hubs online — a journey to formalisation

E-commerce has revolutionised the global economy. An unprecedented boom in the e-commerce industry was observed after the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the way businesses operate and consumers shop has been reshaped. With the sector’s rapid growth worldwide, Pakistan is no exception to this transformative trend. The country’s e-commerce market is expanding steadily, with platforms like Temu enter

Finance: The cost of governance

First and foremost, the security threats in politically volatile regions impose substantial financial costs on legislators. They often allocate personal resources toward ensuring their safety. The cost can be anywhere from Rs150,000 to over Rs1 million monthly, depending on the level of protection. Basic unarmed guards cost Rs25,000-35,000 per month each, while armed guards range from Rs50,000-

Growth at the margins or a fundamental shift?

Before the pandemic, the number of point-of-sale (POS) machines in the country was pretty much stagnant. A POS machine uses a credit card or a debit card to process a payment instead of cash, according to data from the State Bank of Pakistan’s latest Payment Systems Quarterly Review. Covid-19 turbo-fueled the country’s drive towards digital adoption. The pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war led