A grim future
By Tania Saeed Published in Dawn on November 02, 2023 THE recent decision of the interim government to deport all ‘illegal immigrants’ from Pakistan after Nov 1 has created a humanitarian crisis for refugees and asylum seekers, in particular for Afghan refugees. Going by UN figures, nearly 1.3 million Afghan […]
Interest cost absorbs entire income
By Shahbaz Rana Published in The Express Tribune on November 01, 2023 ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, on Tuesday, identified the increasing cost of interest payments as a “primary concern” for fiscal stability. During the first quarter of the current fiscal year, debt servicing consumed almost the entire net[…]
Fiscal performance in 2023
Published in Express Tribune on October 23, 2023 KARACHI: As the western hemisphere felt the excitement of the annular solar eclipse in October, the World Bank was circulating its 2023 edition of Pakistan’s fiscal performance. Like a child knowing he had not passed every test, we sheepishly accepted our report[…]
Women’s work and growth
By Hadia Majid Published in DAWN on October 21, 2023 TWENTY-THREE per cent of women aged 15-plus are in the formal labour market. Much has been made of this statistic. It’s certainly among the lowest in the world. And it underscores the potential GDP being lost because of our sub-optimal[…]