While more than half of world’s population lives in cities today, up to three quarters of the population will live in cities by 2050. In Pakistan over 36% of the population resides in urban centres, with over 5 million people moving to cities every year. This significant urbanisation dynamic will undoubtedly intensify pressure on resources, including food, water and more notably energy. How urban resources are allocated will have …

  Some of the quarters are spreading disinformation that Pakistan is currently passing through the most difficult phase of its economic history. The country’s acute energy crisis is posing a serious predicament for its feeble economy and volatile national security. The demand is outstripping supply. The expansion at Tarbella is expected to cost US$840 million but it will not be completed before mid to late 2018. Similarly, the nuclear expansion …

  There is a growing consensus among the investors that Modaraba sector is ‘over regulated’. This has not only impeded its growth but also deprived the investors from earning Riba-free return on their investment. On top of that the recent financial scam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), where some ruthless people ripped off investors and the act was termed as ‘Modaraba Scam’ by those who cheated people in the name of …

  Karachi Stock Exchange was declared by The Economist as the best market. Brazil and Philippines were beaten by the small Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), which rose by 40 percent in local currency terms. Of stock markets hunted by The Economist, only Japan’s has performed better. Leaving terrorist explosions the exchange’s strong performance was partly due to improving conditions in Pakistan, including a reasonably free and fair election in May, …

  China has developed itself as a major farm producer even though it accounts for 10 percent of cultivable land world-wide it accommodates 20 percent of world food demand while comparing per hectare yields of Pakistan and China, Pakistan’s per hectare rice yield is 3.1 tons whereas China is the largest producer of rice with per hectare yield of 6.5 tons, similarly Pakistan produces pulses per year with per hectare …

  The underdeveloped province, Balochistan, has tremendous prospective for the growth of the economy as it’s economy is largely based on natural resources like production of Sui gas (a biggest gas field in Pakistan), coal and other marketable minerals, while fisheries, mining, manufacturing industries, trade through public and private organizations are the other possessions of this province making it rich in offering investment and can become a healthy marketplace provided …

  Unrealistic revenue targets weigh on trade and industry growth It rightly said that the budget is the most powerful fiscal instruments at the disposal of the government to implement political commitment and development agenda made public during electioneering campaigns; however the story takes a turn when a political party voted to power. Almost every democratically elected government made promises rather tall claims to take care of Public Sector Development …

  In a world influenced through cyber-space and satellite and cyber-space technology, e-media has a very important and vital role to play in shaping the destiny and life of states. The visual media, particularly television, has a stupendous, impact upon moulding human views and minds. In the given situation the e-media has an burdensome accountability in addressing the socio-economic issues of societies and disseminating un-baised knowledge. This accountability can be …

  Since beginning of privatization process, the successive governments have successfully sold out a large number of public sector entities and also divested government holdings but a question often arises, why the government is selling its stake in profit making entities and still holding loss making entities? There will always be buyers for good performing entities, which are also a major source of income for the government. Top of the …

  In June of this year, the foreign direct investment fell drastically over the past 6 years with economists seeing a weak forecast for future investments in Pakistan due to the increased security issues the country is being facing. The investments coming into the country come in the form of Greenfield investment. According to economists, due to the recent security concerns, foreign investors feel hesitant to either freeze or continue …