The economics of digital banks
Before the super-apps of today, there were banks. They provided a number of services under one roof, including payment, clearing, verification of...
What imperils the mobile phone industry?
Another day another industry raising its voice about issues it is facing with regards to doing business in Pakistan. It is a...
Interest Free Economy
Pakistan is no stranger to debt. It currently has total debt of PKR 50 trillion, of which roughly PKR 33 trillion is...
Pakistan’s Path to Prosperity: The Urgent Need for a Regulatory Framework in the Crypto Market
In an era of rapid technological advancements, Pakistan stands at a crossroads. As the global crypto market continues its meteoric rise, surpassing...
Taken for a ride: Uber’s free ride wasn’t free after all
It was 9:07 pm and my thoughts raced like a tangled mess, loops of thread getting stuck at adjacent knots and reversing...
A primer on refinery margins
To a casual observer, refining is a boring and largely commoditized business often exposed to volatility in commodity prices. During the last...
Rebuild Karachi
The city’s decline may have much to do with a lack of political ownership, but the situation cannot be allowed to continue. The way out is for the business community to step up with a common agenda
The State Bank’s silent payments revolution
How the SBP's latest circular could have far-reaching consequences for the state of digital Pakistan
Paper cut
Commodity prices don’t increase in isolation, they mostly move in tandem. Just like the butterfly effect wherein a butterfly fluttering its wings...
Can RAAST usher in the promised fintech revolution?
On Thursday, February 3, the State Bank of Pakistan instructed banks to provide free person-to-person (P2P) payments services under Raast, the country’s...
Careem plots move into delivery sector, will this strategy crystallize?
Pakistan’s technology sector remains nascent, but dynamics of the industry will follow global patterns and see replication at a scale which could...
There is an IMF standby agreement, but what next?
Solving our balance of payments challenge
Miftah, bol ke lab azaad hain tereÂ
It is embarrassing, really, for the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N). In their short stint in government, they have had two finance...
Pakistan’s Basic Billionaires
How the wealthy elite in Pakistan remains unimaginative with their use of capital, and why that is holding the nation back
The remarkable life and tragic death of Airlift
Airlift’s highs were dizzying and its lows were tragic. But what are the lessons we can learn from it?