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A gateway to development

Pakistan is a massive country of over 225 million souls, and with a fifth-gear population growth rate of 2.55 per cent per annum, it faces the grim task of feeding its population. The country is also one of the top ten countries with climate change risk in the world. The economy is precarious and, with one of the highest GDP-to-public debt ratios in the world, faces the daunting task of rebuild

Unequal economic progress

The World Bank said in a report released last week that the poverty rate in Pakistan stood at 40.5 per cent. That means about 100 million out of 240m plus Pakistanis are living on less than $3.65 per day as per the purchasing power parity of 2017. In simple words, 100m Pakistanis cannot use their daily income to buy today with what they could have bought with $3.65 in 2017. Hence, they are conside

IMF asks govt to end tax breaks for agri, textile sectors

The Inter­national Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to swiftly end preferential treatment, tax exemptions and other protections for the agriculture and textile sectors, which it says have stifled the country’s growth potential for decades. In its staff report on the diagnosis of the factors behind Pakistan’s struggling economy, the IMF blamed these two sectors not only for failing to cont

Suffocating under industrialisation

In Syed Nagar near Alipur Chatta in the Gujranwala district, hapless families remain trapped in a cycle of polluted air, persistent foul odours, and low visibility, further worsening the already difficult lives of ordinary people. A proper evaluation of air quality in this area is necessary to confirm the pollution levels, but the air likely contains harmful particles and chemicals, putting res

To BE(V) or not to BE(V)

Let’s be honest: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or just pure electric vehicles (EVs) are hyped up everywhere, thanks to Tesla and the Chinese EV brands. People are talking about how they are the future, how they’ll save the environment, and how they’ll revolutionise car ownership. But here’s the burning question for us: Is Pakistan even ready for EVs, or are we chasing a dream that’s too big for