Pakistan’s Prevailing Political And Economic Mess

The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) though a laudable incentive, is highly insufficient. With rising inflation, the Rs 1000 package may be next to nothing.

Banana Republic

Khaliq wanted to buy bananas so he inquired the price per dozen. “120 rupees sir�, we were told. I thought I miss heard so I asked again. “120 rupees per dozen sir, 10 rupees each.�

The Unbearable Lightness of Seeing

Lately his wife seems to be depressed and irritated when he comes home in the evening. The children look cold and withdrawn. Sohail Khan himself feels a shift in his moods.

Who is Making the Oil Fume ?

35 countries, 25 oil company CEOs and 7 global energy organizations assemble at Red sea city of Jeddah today as the world faces one of the most unprecedented global crisis

Children of the Streets

His frail hands make a slight mistake and draw the wrath of the Ustad who lands a kick in his side. The boy gives out a painful scream but quickly turns back to work.

Last But Not Least

Poverty may be more than a silent killer. This sentence cannot be ignored as emotional rhetoric since, sadly, it has become a hair-raising reality.

The Spring of Discontentment

As of today 27th Feb 2008, the USD has touched its record low against Euro (1.50) while Oil has touched its record peak of 101 dollars.

India Chalo - An Anecdotal Look at the Indian Economy

Combining real facts with anecdotes and colourful characters that symbolise the new India, INDIA CHALO written by Brij Raj Singh, is a passionate look at India and its opportunities .

Privatization of PTCL: The Redundant Employees

As many as 40,000 people will quit the job through Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) offered by the PTCL management.

Assessing the Socio-Economic Decline of Pakistan

While the future does not appear to be rosy from any angle, it is worthwhile to state that the situation in Pakistan has still not reached a point where we could group it with failed countries.

India: The Empire Strikes Back

In 1600 India produced 22.5% of global GDP. By 1870, India had been reduced into a Third World nation, thanks to the Raj.

Mr. Dollar, The good old days are gone, perhaps forever

The young Euro, once a weakling against the fledgling dollar has quickly become the 800lb gorilla

The Lament Of Bengal's Luddites

SEZs (Special Economic Zones) in India are expected to generate 15-17 lakh new jobs in 5 years and attract around INR 2,50,000 crore and boost exports by 25 % in 10 years.

Pakistan Shinning II - Propoganda or Reality

There is no precedent of any nation having developed economically without consistently saving and reinvesting a substantial portion of its annual GDP.

Pakistan Shinning I - Propoganda or Reality

The Musharraf Government is frantically beating the drums of its fictional economic miracle of the past half a dozen years. This is painfully reminiscent of similar media projection attempted by the erstwhile BJP Government with its 'India Shining' propag

India: Is Growth Coming at Expense of Development

For the last two years the IMF and the World Bank have been warning India about the dangers of inflation.

An Interview with Avnish Bajaj

Bajaj teamed up with fellow Harvard graduate Suvir Sujan to found baazee.com in 2000, now owned by eBay

Vidarbha and Farmer Suicides - Facts and Fiction

The black cotton soil of Vidarbha is legendary and is supposed to breed “aalsi” (lazy) farmers since you simply have to throw the seeds onto the fields and you will have a rich cotton crop! So why the suicides in the cotton belt now?

Electric Dreams?

A country in darkness - the escalating electricity problems of Pakistan

The Bubble and the Pin

Some profound and hilarious comments from two of the best investors of all time, Warren Buffet and John Maynard Keynes

The Myth of the New India

Only 1.3 million out of a working population of 400 million are employed in the information technology and business processing industries that make up the so-called new economy.

South Asians are the World’s biggest Shopaholics

A recent global survey by ACNeilsen demonstrated that Asia is home to the largest percentage of shopaholics in the world.

War for Peace

These wars will not end, they cannot end until the ’military metaphysic’ (the near religious dogma of these power elite, the driving force of their view of the world), the military definition of reality, an effect of institutional fusing, the

Riba and the Pakistani Economy

There has been a large amount of debate in Pakistan as to what exactly constitutes ‘riba’. Is it interest in all its totalities or does riba simply connatate excess? Indeed the question arises as to whether a complete interest free system can

The Leveling of America

Friedman shows us how the world became flat and isolates ten flatteners of the world. The flatteners range from computer technology to changing political ideology.

Running Scared

The cardinal rule of business everywhere is 'survival of the fittest.' while in Pakistan it is 'survival of the fattest -- and the most connected.'

Enigma of the Defence Budget

Despite defence absorbing more than a quarter of the national wealth, the subject, unlike debt servicing, has become inured from public debate and exempt from any parliamentary accountability.

Growth in Pakistan: A Precarious Phenomenon

The 8.4 percent growth doesn’t tell much about the plight of the common man in Pakistan. If anything, not only has it failed to trickle down to the poor, but it might have worsen the plight of the common Pakistani as we have seen in case of the grow

Towards a more Sustainable Growth of Pakistan

Focus on industrialization, for a country like Pakistan where the majority of the labor force is unskilled, raises the unemployment rate, results in a skewed distribution of income, and causes widespread environmental deterioration.

The Sugar Coated Shaft

Why hasn’t any real estate transaction been taxed in this budget? Could it be because everyone in Islamabad is heavily involved in the real estate business? Could it that files are being bought and sold by the mighty of this land that they don’

Conversation with a Jahil

When asked by a politician of his age, he responded by saying that he was born on 14th August 1947.

Boom-Box Mentality

Foreign Aids and Remittances can play a minute role in the careful management of the economy but can rarely be considered as the definitive factor in pursuing high productivity growth rate and significant increase in the employment.

Selling the Family Silver

Privatization in Pakistan is seen as the strategy that will correct all past wrongs of the public sector. But two questions arise: Is the wholesale privatization good for the country in the long run and whether there is a role for public sector enterprise

Highway Robbery

I was told ‘good things come to those who wait’, ‘come December, check your odometer and then divide it with the amount spent on CNG and viola: One rupee saved for every kilometer you drove’.

Employment Equity in India’s Private Sector

While I am indeed in favour of introducing greater employment equity, I believe that there is a better alternative to the government enforced quotas.

Can Pakistan Work?

According to a popular but rather humor­less Pakistani joke, “all countries have armies, but here, an army has a country.”

Dilli ka Dil

Delhites accused Mumbaikars of having wealth without warmth. But Dilli’s dil too had its roots in its paisa.

Utilizing Black Economy

This article presents an idea that involves using the vast amount of capital stuck in black economy

Pessimism with Growth, Why?

Economy has improved, yet growth is not high and people remain concerned. WHY?

Failure of Institutions in Pakistan?

There is nothing wrong with Pakistan’s socio-cultural institutions; they are working exactly the way they should logically be working, i.e., what they are meant for.

Fake Encounters

Once Charlie Chaplin went to a fancy dress party where the invitees had to come dressed as Chaplin. Chaplin got the third prize, beaten by two other fake Chaplins. Recently, famous Indian painter, M F Hussain, mistook three copies of his works as original

Message in the Bubble Burst

Our IT policy was put together in 1999 – the year when the longest running US economic boom was peaking. A lot has happened since then. Firstly, US tech stocks collapsed in the year 2000,

Great Empire or Grand Illusion?

The world’s only superpower is turning into a banana republic

Foreign Investment

We constantly hear from various government officials about how the government is trying to encourage foreign investments in Pakistan. At the same time we hear of foreign firms shutting down their businesses in Pakistan and leaving.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

we believe that 2003 should turn out to be the fourth consecutive down year for the U.S. equity markets

Inside China Today: Q&A with Dr. Robert Oxnam

“The single biggest challenge right now is for the private sector of both countries (India and China) to work with the governments to establish a framework, which promotes trade.”

National Savings Scheme

Radical changes ahead for investors in Pakistan

OPEN (Silicon Valley) Holds Seminar

This was an “All-American” business gathering, with a Pakistani-Indian twist

Pir Sahib on Wall Street (Part –1)

In October, 2002, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has seen its best monthly gain since 1987.

A Tale of Two Countries: Comparing India and Pakistan’s Economies

What ails these economies at war with each other for more than half a century?

Can We Stall Disinvestment Further?

The rating on India’s long-term debt has been cut to BB-plus from BBB-minus.

Why Forex Reserves?

The Political Economy of Droughts

Good droughts or bad governance?

IT or a time to get LIT?

... “Suckers bring your money and projects to Pakistan, but we as a Government don’t have faith in home-grown talent so we’re going elsewhere.”

IT Is Not A Magic Wand

Pakistan yearns for a magic lamp

Interest is Halal?

Halal Interest. Oxymoron?

Law, Development and How Not To Do It

Think of the world of investments as a beauty contest

IT Pie in the Sky?

And the beauty is that it seems to be working. Word is out, learn computers, or perish

The Leasing Sector in Pakistan and its Role in Capital Investment

A perspective on lease financing in developing countries

Global Economy in a Swirling Freefall

Is the free market system to blame?