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?
The case against sovereign default
Groundhog Day is now a preferred reference point for the economic cycle in Pakistan, with each crisis largely resembling the previous crisis,...
Taxing the financialisation of automobiles
The lopsided market structure of automobiles was discussed in this space a few months back in which we hypothesised that automobiles have...
Why ban Tinder?
Banning Tinder changes nothing, except giving its ‘halal’ competitors an edge.
If equity injection is a drug, Microfinance Banks are an addict
Sponsors step in as MFBs grapple with capitalization crunch
Defining Sethism
Besides the well-understood issues of capital constraints, budget deficits and lack of planning, the economy is chained by Sethism
Our manufacturing opportunity
For the last 5 months, I have undertaken the arduous task of renovating my home. Much to the discomfort of family members,...
Prepare for default
Crises evolve at an exponential pace. Much like a herd of animals spooked by the scent of a nearby predator, once markets...
Why Jeffrey Sachs is wrong about Reko Diq
It started with the usual leftie / “anti-imperialism is the ultimate moral good” crowd. An article written by American economist Jeffrey Sachs...
Crushing the knowledge economy
It has never been easier to learn in all of history. Why are we trying to make it less affordable?
Bond spreads rise with political risk
Pakistan has a long history in global capital markets. The country’s first international bond dates to late 1994 when $150mn was raised...
Can the sun be taxed?
Like all good things must come to an end, sales tax has been imposed on solar panels.
The what-ifs of Pakistan’s oil and gas segment
There is no single person to blame – everyone has had a subpar showing.
What options does Shehbaz have?
How can he stabilise an economy on the brink while building traction with voters at the same time?
What makes Pakistan plump for IMF time and time again?
Pakistan has been approaching International Monitoring Fund (IMF), intermittently, since 1988. The last programme was successfully completed during the period 2013-16. However,...