ISLAMABAD: Economic experts on Wednesday underscored the need for stabilising the economy which relies on attaining sustainable growth, necessitating a minimum GDP growth rate of around five percent.
The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised a public talk on “Stabilising Pakistan’s Economy.”
The guest speaker at the event was Mueen Afzal, former secretary general Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Pakistan.
In his remarks, DG ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood (retd) highlighted the significant economic challenges that Pakistan is currently facing, fostered by both internal and external factors, including the impact of the global economic slowdown, Covid-19 pandemic, and food and fuel crises in the wake of Russia-Ukraine conflict and situation in the Middle East.
He noted that Pakistan is grappling with a dual deficit challenge, involving both fiscal and current accounts, ultimately leading to a debt trap. Furthermore, the economy is confronted with rising inflation, food insecurity, energy crisis, and unemployment, adding to the already formidable set of challenges, he added.
He said that the hurdles have hindered the nation’s path to achieving a sustainable growth. He further emphasised that the implementation of necessary corrective measures, including redirection of resources toward social sectors, has been hindered by fiscal constraints, also resulting in a sluggish GDP growth rate.
To stabilise the economy, he added that a comprehensive but targeted approach is imperative, entailing sustained long-term growth through structural adjustments within the economic framework.
During his address, Mueen Afzal shed light on the recent challenges confronting the Pakistani economy. He attributed the country’s economic woes to the misallocation of human resources.
He emphasised that while economic crises are surmountable, they necessitate a rigorous reform process. He highlighted the potential benefits of investments such as CPEC, stressing that they must be utilised prudently.
He stated that stabilising the economy relies on attaining sustainable growth, necessitating a minimum GDP growth rate of around five percent. He also stressed combating poverty and inequality, fiscal discipline, increasing savings and revenues, responsible management of debt, trade diversification, and a conducive environment for FDI, structural reforms and “sensible decisions”.
He underscored that the foremost concern presently is the escalating inflation, which impacts both exchange rates and interest rates.
He also referred to the recurring challenge of the balance of payments, advocating for a strategic focus on trade policies and diversification of exports as imperative solutions. He added that a manageable current account balance is vital for maintaining a stable rupee, a prerequisite for sustainable growth.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s public spending is limited, remaining below 20 percent. This limitation hinders investment in crucial public infrastructure, further worsening inequality within the nation, he added.
In her remarks, Dr Neelum Nigar, director CSP, said that Pakistan’s economy has faced severe macroeconomic imbalances, with the recurring balance of payments crises, shortages of foreign exchange, and above all a lot of fiscal indiscipline.
She said that the economy has not been able to take off even with the series of financial stimuli provided by international financial institutions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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