Says Pakistan facing high inflation due to under-utilisation of domestic resources, fiscal restraint is the wrong recipe for its woes
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has surprised the economists of the country, saying that the IMF programme loan of $7.6 billion under Stand By Arrangement with its conditions is not the right recipe for Pakistan’s economic ills.
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Fozia Niazi
The newspapers last week reported that the Afghan army’s regular troops have been captured while fighting against Pakistan security forces in guise of Taliban in Swat. Earlier in the Bajaur operation, one of the top commanders of Pakistan security forces told media men during a briefing that Afghan army’s regular troops were fighting in Bajaur using the highly sophisticated arms and weapons that has been in use of NATO forces. This has now been admitted by the Americans themselves that the NATO arms have been slipped to Pakistani Taliban. C J Chivers reported from Kabul on May 24 that insurgents in Afghanistan, fighting from some of the poorest and most remote regions on earth, have managed to maintain an intensive guerrilla war against materially superior US and Afghan forces. Continue reading »
By Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan
There is a general perception in the country that the economy is on the road to recovery. But on the other hand, the ongoing global economic and financial crisis, also, with the deteriorating law and order situation, and furthermore, the continuous energy shortages in the country can be concluded as the real risks to macro-economic situation.
The latest report by the ministry of finance stated, that the fiscal deficit target, 4.3 per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and the current account deficit target of 5.9 per cent of GDP were achievable. This can also be verified from the current studies undertaken by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. It also stated that the global economic recession was affecting our economy in various ways, such as the volumes of exports and FDI’s declined substantially, which can also be verified in the current reports by the State Bank of Pakistan. Despite the financial support from the IMF and other bilateral and multilateral donors, Pakistan’s external account remains dire. Other reasons for why economic growth remained weak was because of the declining ratios of tax collection, low inflows of foreign direct investments and the delayed and diminishing privatisation process. Continue reading »
By M. Osman Ghani
There was a time when the inhabitants of a small town or a village used to become jubilant and joyous at the installation of a transmission line and a grid station in their periphery. The happy faces were mainly because electricity meant a better life, ushering in an era of prosperity and thus a more comfortable life. Villagers having access to electricity supposed themselves as more fortunate than those who were still living in the darkness and in mosquito-infested localities, longing to see the shining bulbs in their drawing rooms and bed rooms. But, now-a-days, I suppose, due to frequent and punishing load-shedding villagers are less inclined for electricity supply in their villages. After continuously passing through dark nights and hot summer days without electricity and at the end of the month getting an inflated electricity-bill a village consumer would surely not suppose himself as happier than the one who does not need to pay a bill at all. While longest hours of load-shedding is punishing the majority of consumers, both in the cities and villages, some unscrupulous consumers nevertheless resort to electricity theft with the connivance of the linemen and the meter readers putting extra burden on the honest consumers. Continue reading »
The high intermediation costs for a typical microfinance provider seem justifiable. Microfinance providers can however use other existing infrastructures or technologies to significantly lessen these operational costs
Since the creation of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, the use of micro-finance to alleviate poverty has gained recognition and support around the developing world, including South Asia. Besides providing credit, institutions have been developed to provide a range of other services for the poor, such as savings, home loans and even insurance.
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· CIA pays tribesmen to plant devices that guide drones to Al Qaeda, Taliban shelters
LAHORE: The CIA is giving Pakistani tribesmen electronic transmitters to help it target and kill Al Qaeda leaders, a tactic it suggests Pakistani military can also use.
Over the last 18 months, US officials claim, nine of the top 20 Al Qaeda figures have been killed in drone strikes. That success is reportedly in part thanks to the ‘chips’ that have become a source of fear. Continue reading »
By Mubarak Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said unemployment rate is likely to increase in Pakistan owing to steep decline in foreign direct investment and remittances during the current fiscal year.
‘Unemployment is already high, and economic slowdown is likely to raise it further,’ said IMF Resident Representative Paul S. Ross while briefing newsmen on regional economic outlook here on Thursday. Continue reading »
LAHORE: Small investors should enter the capital market through mutual funds to mitigate risk and take advantage of qualified expert advice for better returns.
This was stated by the National Investment Trust chairman, Tariq Iqbal Khan, while briefing reporters on the capital market and the role of mutual funds in its development.
Dr Samiullah Koreshi
Blasts at Lahore, Peshawar have again raised the question who is responsible for these acts? The obvious reply is the Taliban and Rahman Malik has attributed it to a Taliban reaction to the Swat operation, which is hitting them hard and putting them on the run. Rehman Malik Minister of Interior has all the resources of intelligence and security apparatuses at his command and yet this is generally his response if he is asked who is behind these blasts. He said so on Manawan terrorist attack also. Continue reading »
* Military spokesman says most Swat Taliban appear to have fled after initially putting up stiff resistance
While the military proclaimed another victory in Swat on Saturday, Pakistan found itself confronting a new battlefront – a bombing campaign in the country’s cities. Continue reading »
* CRS says Islamabad now has deeply buried storage and launch facilities, air defences around strategic sites, and concealment steps
Pakistan may have developed a second-strike capability and nuclear parity with India, a US Congressional report has suggested.
“‘Pakistan has reportedly addressed issues of survivability through second strike capability, possible hard and deeply buried storage and launch facilities, road-mobile missiles, air defences around strategic sites, and concealment measures,” the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a May 15 report to lawmakers. Continue reading »
ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) is finalising a plan to allot land to former presidents and prime ministers of the country in non-residential sectors of the federal capital. According to sources, the CDA had conducted a survey of various areas of the capital to identify sites for the allotment of land to former presidents and prime ministers of the country. They said as soon as the sites were identified, details and locations would be finalised. Continue reading »
Rustam Shah Mohmand
In the nineteenth century they fought the British imperialists in a long-drawn-out war of attrition. In the twentieth century they were pitted against the might of another empire, the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, in yet another unequal contest, they are confronted by and fighting against the US empire.
To make matters worse, the Pakistani Pakhtoons are also under attack by the security forces of their own country. Continue reading »
ZAHEER ABBASI
ISLAMABAD (May 29 2009): The global financial crisis and recession pose risk to Pakistan’s economy with it growth, exports, remittances and capital inflow could decline further in the next fiscal year, according to the International Monetary Fund “Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East and Central Asia,” released here on Thursday.
The Outlook said that a prolonged economic slowdown in oil exporting countries could translate into lower growth in neighbouring trade partners including Pakistan by declining exports, private capital inflows, workers remittances and Foreign Direct Investment. The ultimate outcome could be increase in poverty, said Paul Ross, resident representative of the IMF at a media briefing about the finding of the Outlook.
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Pakistani Friends in Holland are invited
This match is between my university ITC and other university in same town. Can you share this idea on your website so that pakistani people can come up with ideas like this to collect funding for Swat people.
As we are students we don’t have much money but we want to help our Pakistani people in trouble, so we come up with this idea to collect money without much investment. Continue reading »