In 2010, Malaysia was ranked No 116 in the world in terms of ease of construction permits, which was one of the many parameters that the World Bank used to compare countries on the “Ease of Doing Business”. On the instructions of then prime minister Najib Razak, a high-powered task force with equal representation from the government and private sector was constituted, which was backed by the Ma
From time to time, we come across propaganda unleashed against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): that it is a debt-creating instrument, China is not keen to help Pakistan ride out its severe economic problems, and Beijing is using the corridor as a strategic ploy to put its stamp on the region. Such propaganda, however, is baseless. In order to appreciate CPEC and its implications fo
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has criticised the country’s tax authorities for having a “reputation for corruption”, calling it the main reason why citizens don’t want to deal with it. In an interview with the Financial Times, he was critical of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), saying: “People don’t want to deal with the tax authority because of corruption, because of harassment, becau
As a country, Pakistan is all about momentary triumphs followed by prolonged periods of adversity. This permeates all spheres of our lives, be it moments of brilliance on the cricket field or symbolic wins for democracy. Even the startup ecosystem is beholden to the same patterns where any good news is sandwiched between long bouts of gloom. Not so long ago, the ecosystem did get that solitary
Pakistan, the fifth-most populous country in the world, has undergone significant digital transformation over the last decade since the introduction of 3G/4G services. Mobile broadband access has provided most Pakistanis with endless opportunities to acquire knowledge, conduct online business, and engage in entertainment. This connectivity and high-speed internet have supported the growth of ne