News

Indispensable micro-level reforms

While national focus on removing macroeconomic imbalances is imperative, it is not enough to build a wide range of competitive industries and economies. Reforms are needed at the micro level, for which the caretaker government has taken some initiatives. Economic reforms at the national level bring only selective productivity gains at the micro level, says Dr Khakan Hassan Najeeb, a former fina

The dip in petrol consumption

Ants truly are extraordinary creatures, with behaviour that is particularly remarkable in adversity. When faced with floods, they don’t falter; they float. Forming rafts with their bodies, they expertly navigate waters that would otherwise drown them. This ingenuity offers a valuable lesson in resourcefulness for Pakistan’s policymakers as they steer through the country’s tough economic landscape.

World Bank closes $200m locust project

The World Bank has closed its locust emergency and food security (Leaf) project, for which it had approved $200 million, citing the performance of the project as highly unsatisfactory. The project was approved in July 2020 and it was meant to control the locust outbreak, restore livelihoods in locust-affe­cted areas, and stren­gthen national food security and monitoring in the country. Infor

FBR’s overhaul to go ahead despite resistance

The caretaker government is rapidly advancing plans to restructure the country’s revenue machinery, with an ordinance aimed at reducing reliance on human discretion and enhancing the stagnant tax-to-GDP ratio likely to be promulgated within the next fortnight. Informed sources said the caretaker government and other key stakeholders, except the revenue staff, were determined about the restructu

PSX sheds over 350 points on Pakistan-Iran tensions

Shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) lost more than 350 points on Thursday due to escalating tensions between Iran and Pakistan. According to the PSX website, the KSE-100 index lost around 1,038 points at 10:08 am. At 10:31am, the index climbed to 62,797.21. By 3:34pm, it recovered to 63,202.40, or 364.93 points below the previous close of 63,567.33. Mohammed Sohail, chief executive o