News

Agriculture: Fixing our food — the case for biopesticides

Pakistan, like other developing economies in Asia, is confronting challenges in complying with international food standards because the prevalence of aflatoxins exceeding permissible limits and synthetic pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs) is high. Unfortunately, the agriculture and food authorities have neither established nor well-publicised these limits. Owing to a lack of awareness and

The path to political upheaval

The August 5 Bangladesh revolution shows that repressive and corrupt regimes have no future in the new political order being defined by the repressed yet ambitious youth. The sooner all concerned in Pakistan learn this lesson, the better. Since former prime minister Hasina Wajid headed a corrupt and repressive regime, even the appreciable economic progress Bangladesh made during her time could

Addressing inequality

Two recognised main areas of macroeconomics are long-term economic growth and short-term business cycles. Macroeconomics helps evaluate the resources and capabilities of an economy, churn out ways to increase the national income, boost productivity, and create job opportunities. In recent decades, inequality has emerged as a core issue in economic development and growth. Human capital is seen a

Govt prescribes new fix for drug price headaches

The government has decided in principle to limit the powers of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and form a new, independent body specifically tasked with overseeing the pricing of life-saving drugs. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manu­facturers’ Association (PPMA) has expressed optimism that the proposed regulatory body will expedite the resolution of pending drug pricing cases and

White elephant’ PIA has cost national kitty Rs830bn, says Aleem Khan

Privatisation Min­ister Abdul Aleem Khan on Sunday termed the national flag carrier “a white elephant”, claiming it had caused a loss of Rs830 billion to the national exchequer, so far. Speaking at a footwear exhibition in Lahore, he said that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was a burden on the government, but was quick to point out that the process of its privatisation was progressing sm