05

Sep

IMF dictates tough deal for $3.5b

By Shahbaz Rana Published in The Express Tribune on September 03, 2022 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has signed off an unrealistically tough agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in return for a $3.5 billion loan, which requires a further increase in electricity, and gas prices, a mini-budget and a cut worth Rs534 billion on development spending as part […]

03

Sep

The reality of foreign assistance

By Zafar U. Ahmed Published in DAWN on September 03, 2022 IN the modern age, no country can flourish in isolation. They have to trade: whether for fuel, technology, labour, etc. Pakistan wants to import much, but has limited competitive goods to sell in return — so it takes from international lenders or relies on aid to[…]

A pyrrhic victory

By S. Akbar Zaidi Published in DAWN on September 01, 2022 CELEBRATING an IMF deal is a contradiction in terms. Such agreements might temporarily rescue governments and their economies, but these are always anti-people with deep and deleterious long-term consequences. The announcement made by the IMF to revive Pakistan’s programme this week, which perhaps the government of[…]