2026-10-06-01-31

PIA after privatisation: fix the airline before dressing it up

Ten of Pakistan’s leading fashion designers recently came together to present their visions for a new uniform for... Published 06 Oct, 2026 05:18am

2026-10-06-01-24

Stop making Pakistanis pay for gas sector failures

Pakistan’s gas sector has perfected a ruinous business model: lose gas, misallocate expensive imports, delay payment... Published 06 Oct, 2026 05:18am

2026-10-06-01-24

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The competing narratives

“Success is in the narrative.” “If you are going to rate the two narratives after the failure of the talks between... Published 06 Oct, 2026 05:18am

Imported cotton seed: hope or risk?

Pakistan’s cotton sector is once again at a critical juncture. Production remains well below the level required to... Published 05 Oct, 2026 09:09pm

Operating room of tomorrow: where human skill meets artificial intelligence

• AI assists, but human judgment, adaptability, and empathy remain paramount for patient care

Published 05 Oct, 2026 12:47pm

2026-10-05-02-08

PIA and the way forward

Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurengzeb while in the United States reportedly explored US financing... Updated 05 Oct, 2026 06:30am

2026-10-05-02-08

Pakistan must earn growth

Pakistan’s fiscal numbers are better than targeted. In the first quarter of the fiscal year, the Federal Board of... Updated 05 Oct, 2026 06:33am

2026-10-05-02-08

Exports cannot grow on a shrinking manufacturing base

Pakistan’s textile exports increased from $17.88 billion in FY2025 to $17.93 billion in FY2026, a rise of just 0.26... Updated 05 Oct, 2026 06:12am

2026-10-05-02-08

US bond yields present a contrasting narrative

The employment report published on Friday showed a notable shortfall compared to market predictions, which had... Updated 05 Oct, 2026 06:08am

2026-10-04-12-09

Venture capital reform: the real test

Consider a startup in Pakistan making software to help textile exporters keep track of production and meet buyers’... Published 04 Oct, 2026 02:23am

2026-10-04-12-09

The water in the bales: What Pakistan’s fodder exports actually cost

Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi reached the same conclusion: irrigated fodder is an extraordinarily expensive use of... Published 04 Oct, 2026 02:23am

Assessing regulatory effectiveness of Pakistan’s power sector

• Pakistan's power sector shows how sophisticated frameworks often fail to yield desired results

Published 03 Oct, 2026 06:29pm

2026-10-03-01-24

Pakistan does not need more laws

The IMF’s demand for 174 legislative amendments exposes Pakistan’s deeper crisis: the country does not lack policies... Published 03 Oct, 2026 05:20am

2026-10-03-01-24

Creating more provinces

A heated debate goes on about creating more provinces with those who oppose this move treating it not as an... Updated 03 Oct, 2026 06:00am

2026-10-03-01-13

Cartel charge, fiscal fact—II

Dr Haque calls this better plumbing for the same pipe, because the rails still carry payments through banks. But... Updated 03 Oct, 2026 07:49am

2026-10-03-01-51

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The President-PM meeting

“Did you know about the President and Prime Minister meeting?” “Of course, it was the major news item and….” “Did... Published 03 Oct, 2026 05:20am

The Blue Economy beckons

• With enhanced port efficiency and a rising Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Pakistan is strengthening its integration into global supply chains.

Published 02 Oct, 2026 04:12pm

2026-10-02-02-31

Constitution & IMF’s benchmarks

The federal finance secretary has told a parliamentary committee that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants... Published 02 Oct, 2026 05:28am

2026-10-02-02-31

Learning from China’s economic philosophy and policy — X

China has retained certain features that differ from those of advanced market economies—as indicated in The Handbook... Updated 02 Oct, 2026 06:11am

2026-10-02-02-29

Cartel charge, fiscal fact—I

I have always welcomed debate on matters of public consequence, and Dr Nadeem ul Haque, to his great credit, is... Updated 02 Oct, 2026 06:18am

2026-10-02-02-33

PARTLY FACETIOUS: I was so happy to see the Field Marshal salute the Prime Minister

“I was so happy to see the Field Marshal salute the Prime Minister.” “That’s the protocol I think.” “OK but I never... Published 02 Oct, 2026 05:28am

Pakistan’s hidden capacity charge is transmission congestion

• Pakistan pays a second capacity charge -- one that is not separately named on the bill

Published 01 Oct, 2026 03:55pm

The real test of a petrol subsidy is at the pump

• If state can deliver targeted assistance to vulnerable citizens that is improvement in governance

Published 01 Oct, 2026 12:31pm

2026-10-01-12-50

What could possibly go wrong next?

Somehow, after a quarter in which oil rebounded 40 percent, US diesel prices hit records, the Federal Reserve raised... Published 01 Oct, 2026 05:39am

2026-10-01-12-50

Greenland’s power shift: new Arctic twist reshaping the world

On 18th September 2026, Donald Trump announced that Washington had achieved “permanent control” over Greenland’s... Updated 01 Oct, 2026 07:28am

2026-10-01-12-48

Creating quality jobs

Among the South East Asian countries, Pakistan despite having active workforce between the age of 16 and 35,... Updated 01 Oct, 2026 07:31am

2026-10-01-12-48

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The ‘establishment’ is represented by interior minister

“All conspiracy theories have been debunked.” “All? Including those relating to the party founded by The Man Who... Published 01 Oct, 2026 05:39am

2026-09-30-01-08

The sovereign-bank nexus and its pitfalls

Every few days there is a lament in newspapers and on TV that the cash economy must be killed, and that Pakistanis... Updated 30 Sep, 2026 06:36am