Pakistan’s economy grew by a modest 0.92 per cent in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year, a steep fall from 2.3pc recorded in the same period last year. The PML-N-led coalition government claims economic revival, but first-quarter figures tell a different story compared to the growth recorded during the caretaker setup last year, according to data released by the Natio
Pakistan’s equity market ripped higher in 2024, carrying the KSE-100 index to its record peak as the economic fundamentals stabilised and the State Bank started cutting interest rates. The benchmark index climbed to 116,169 points on Dec 17 (before settling down to 110,246 points on Friday) from 64,661 points on Jan 1. This compares with the previous peak of around 52,000 points achieved in 201
It took a lot of high taxes and the removal of a bunch of subsidies, but Pakistan managed to secure $7bn from the IMF. As usual, the prime minister expressed the idle hope that this would be the last time we take the begging bowl to the lender of the last resort. Bulls in the lead The benchmark KSE-100 Index provided a gain of 75pc from January 01, 2024, till December 20, 2024, including div
The year ahead holds cautious optimism for Pakistan’s economy, contingent on the absence of major internal or external shocks. The recovery remains fragile, with citizens and businesses stretched to their limits. Any policy missteps or an escalation in global conflicts affecting commodity prices, oil markets, or trade routes could swiftly erode the hard-earned gains of 2024. Major global develo
A power policy is effectively an industrial policy. To unlock growth, it remains critical that an export-oriented industrial policy that is adequately supported by an efficient, market-oriented power regime is shaped. Over the next 12 months, to stimulate sustainable growth, the current power infrastructure must be operated efficiently and with market-oriented pricing rather than arbitrary cost