2026-11-04-01-37

Captive gas levy undermining export competitiveness

Pakistan needs competitive exporters, not captive energy customers. Repeal the captive gas levy and make the grid... Published 04 Nov, 2026 05:25am

2026-11-04-01-37

Why Under Armour went under

At its peak in Sept. 2015, Under Armour was USD 53 a share. It had just passed Adidas to become the second-largest... Published 04 Nov, 2026 05:25am

2026-11-04-01-39

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Minister of Interior and Chairman of the PCB is like a wandering albatross

“It is such a struggle to come to work every day.” “How come? There is not that much traffic in the federal capital... Published 04 Nov, 2026 05:25am

Change is constant, but leadership?

“I am fed up.” “There is no point in making a point.” “The race to do more and more is just completely draining.”... Published 03 Nov, 2026 10:36pm

2026-11-03-01-24

The inflow of foreign assistance

The inflow of foreign assistance is of critical importance in financing the current account deficit in the balance... Updated 03 Nov, 2026 05:58am

2026-11-03-01-24

Exporting to learn: how foreign markets encourage firms to innovate

Every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was played with a ball made in Sialkot. The Adidas Trionda carried a motion... Updated 03 Nov, 2026 06:02am

2026-11-03-01-24

PRAL in, FBR out—II

While Part 1 of this article, published on October 16, 2026, received a positive reception, a common question was... Updated 03 Nov, 2026 06:11am

Beyond the title: The living legacy of Aga Khan III

• Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah was a visionary leader who guided his community for 72 years

Published 02 Nov, 2026 05:22pm

2026-11-02-12-26

It’s mostly fiscal

Criticism of International Mon etary Fund (IMF) prescriptions are long-standing - levelled by Nobel laureates... Published 02 Nov, 2026 05:01am

2026-11-02-12-26

Pakistan’s cooking gas crisis: a policy failure in the making

With pipeline gas dwindling and LNG scarce, households and small eateries increasingly depend on LPG. Closing the... Published 02 Nov, 2026 05:01am

2026-11-02-12-26

Pakistan’s most expensive lottery

Every February, Pakistan runs a lottery. The ticket is paid for not in rupees but in the best years of young... Updated 02 Nov, 2026 06:16am

2026-11-02-12-26

Gold: a cautiously bearish outlook

This week, all attention will be on the midterm US elections, which might not significantly influence the short-term... Updated 02 Nov, 2026 06:19am

2026-11-01-12-18

The future we are failing to build—III

Cotton, population, education and the AI economy Some institutional failures can be concealed by subsidies and... Published 01 Nov, 2026 02:31am

2026-10-31-12-40

SMEs: priority on paper

Pakistan cannot achieve broad-based growth through large businesses, mega-projects, and periodic credit... Updated 31 Oct, 2026 06:44am

2026-10-31-12-40

A history of encounters

Every day in the morning I start the day with news about the city of Karachi. Sometimes the news are... Updated 31 Oct, 2026 06:45am

2026-10-31-01-12

Governance reforms in Pakistan: Is the bureaucratic mindset the missing link?

The ongoing debate on governance challenges and reforms in Pakistan raises a fundamental question: why have... Updated 31 Oct, 2026 06:55am

2026-10-31-01-12

The return of centralised control—II

PPMC, regulators and the fragmentation of energy planning Pakistan’s power sector shows how reform can be reversed... Updated 31 Oct, 2026 06:50am

2026-10-31-01-21

Partly Facetious: History is written by the victors

“What is history?” “It’s a subject taught in schools and universities and ….” “Yeah but how do you define history... Published 31 Oct, 2026 05:33am

2026-10-30-01-38

Leaks without reckoning

Pakistan has spent an entire decade turning revelations of offshore wealth into political theatre. Names emerge,... Published 30 Oct, 2026 06:38am

2026-10-30-01-38

Learning from China’s economic philosophy and policy — XV

Moreover, once the benefits of the “dual-track” system were well-established—for instance, by securing strengthened... Updated 30 Oct, 2026 08:32am

2026-10-30-01-36

Punjab’s youth and farmers: Maryam Nawaz’s confidence in her people

Punjab is Pakistan’s largest province in terms of population. The youth play a vital and fundamental role in the... Published 30 Oct, 2026 05:43am

2026-10-30-01-01

The architecture of unaccountability—I

Why institutions survive failure Pakistan has long blamed economic failure on corruption, weak implementation,... Published 30 Oct, 2026 05:43am

2026-10-30-01-01

PARTLY FACETIOUS: I like Lord Tennyson’s poem The Charge of the Light Brigade

“Ì heard 24 provinces are the target once the twenty-eighth amendment is passed.” “Two third majority … …” “Give... Published 30 Oct, 2026 05:43am

Pakistan’s economic transformation: prosperity without privilege

In Pakistan, a tax exemption, a protected market or access to someone who can make an exception can be worth more... Published 29 Oct, 2026 08:47pm

2026-10-29-12-46

Let them eat bonds

France is providing a rather uncomfortable illustration of what happens when the global bond market begins... Updated 29 Oct, 2026 06:02am

2026-10-29-12-46

A cylinder that should cost Rs 3,300 is selling for Rs 6,300

LPG prices have nearly doubled the government’s own ceiling. The fix is enforcement and transparency, not another... Updated 29 Oct, 2026 06:37am

2026-10-29-12-43

Tax-neutral and growth-oriented corporate tax reduction

Introduction. Pakistan’s manufacturing sector bears a disproportionately high documented tax burden relative to its... Updated 29 Oct, 2026 06:23am

China's new development: new opportunities for the world

Recently, the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) was successfully held in Guangzhou, China, with the... Published 28 Oct, 2026 10:44pm