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Is this economic stability sustainable?

Pakistan’s recent economic turmoil, which nearly pushed the country to the verge of bankruptcy last year, seems to have given way to a period of stability. However, a crucial question remains: is this a precursor to a genuine economic recovery, or a temporary respite? There has been a noticeable decline in inflation from its peak last summer, coupled with stability in the Pakistani rupee, which

Minority shareholder oppression

The Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has recently published a report on ‘enhancing transparency and efficiency’ of the shareholder meetings, seeking public comments on it. It recommends changes for conducting shareholder meetings, election of directors, issues related to proxies, voting processes, and monitoring mechanisms. According to the report, redressal of issues faced b

Test of leadership

THE new government has assumed power in an environment marked by political turmoil, polarisation and controversy over the election. In his second stint as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif heads a fragile six-party coalition, with his party lacking a majority and dependent for its survival on the PPP, which has opted to support the government while declining to join the cabinet. This means the gov

Corporate Window: Pioneering Women, Leading Change

Women have long been the chief financial officers of their homes. They have been the domestic engineers. They have been home economists. However, in the corporate sector, this is far from true. At 22 per cent, Pakistan exhibits one of the lowest rates of female labour force participation across South Asia. Factors such as inadequate education, limited access to safe transportation, prevailing s

Ensuring transparent oversight of cash flows

A Treasury Single Account (TSA) system reflects more robust internal controls over cash flows into and out of a government account. Among other things, it enables the government to exercise oversight of its cash flows and optimises domestic borrowing and related interest costs. The Constitution sets out a broad framework for managing public money from this perspective. Article 78 stipulates tha