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Saturday December 21, 2024
Farhan Bokhari
Farhan Bokhari

  • December 18, 2024

    Untamed economy

    State Bank overlook considerable challenges surrounding Pakistan's economy

  • December 04, 2024

    Unholy taxation

    In recent weeks, banks have searched for new borrowers, willing to take fresh debt at below-market rates

  • November 20, 2024

    Battling hunger?

    Pakistan’s wheat farmers face unusually large pitfalls highlighting root cause of downward slide in agriculture

  • November 06, 2024

    Dangerous power?

    For many in the ruling structure, the latest move is set to arm the government with greater clout

  • October 23, 2024

    A false start?

    Despite securing IMF loan worth $7b for next three years, country will at best remain just afloat

  • October 09, 2024

    Politics of freebies

    $8500 returned by Keir Starmer was paid against cost of tickets to musical concert, horse racing events and football match

  • September 25, 2024

    After the bailout

    Going forward, government must launch an emergency campaign to support the plantation of new crops

  • September 11, 2024

    Controversy amid chaos

    Dar has periodically shown more than an active interest in his former cabinet portfolio

  • September 01, 2024

    Averting Pakistan’s crises

    Governments at centre and provinces lack popular legitimacy that is deeply essential to enable Pakistan to tackle some of toughest challenges that...

  • August 25, 2024

    Remembering the aftermath

    It is no surprise that millions of mourners from across the world will join processions in Karbala on Sunday to remember aftermath of 'Ashura’'

  • August 14, 2024

    Celebrating our independence

    Tumultuous circumstances surrounding the country’s creation triggered much scepticism over its future

  • July 31, 2024

    Meaningless future

    Failure to lay ground for long-delayed journey towards new future will only imperil Pakistan’s destiny

  • July 17, 2024

    Remembering the Ashura

    Tragedy that unfolded after Ashura has no parallels in the history of Islam

  • July 03, 2024

    Economic disconnect

    Seldom before has Pakistan become locked in such a widespread economic slowdown coinciding with uncertain politics

  • June 05, 2024

    Meaningless budget

    The sanctity of budgetary commitments has been squandered repeatedly as successive regimes have announced robust development plans

  • June 02, 2024

    Disconnect at Jati Umra: elite retreat vs national crisis

    PML-N leaders including Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, party President Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz Sharif at the stage during a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan...

  • May 22, 2024

    Cost of reversal

    Pakistan’s electricity consumers were encouraged to adopt solar generation as a way to increase power generation

  • May 08, 2024

    Tattered rule

    Events leading up to the upcoming protests and beyond are a powerful reminder of Pakistan’s once relatively functional ruling environment

  • April 25, 2024

    Asma’s legacy for justice

    A representational image showing late Pakistani human rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Asma Jahangir. — AFP/FileAn annual gathering in...

  • April 10, 2024

    A viable Pakistan?

    Promising so-far-undelivered has been a repeated pattern in Pakistan’s unfortunate journey

  • March 31, 2024

    The martyrdom of Hazrat Ali

    The undated image shows a mourning procession on Yaum-e-Ali. — APP FileThis weekend’s surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Najaf, the holy...

  • March 27, 2024

    A fresh start

    Newly appointed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzaib, poses after taking oath in Islamabad, on March 11, 2024. — Ministry of FinanceThe...

  • March 13, 2024

    Road to SIFC

    A representational image of the SIFC logo. — X/@sifcpakistanAs Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government takes charge amid the worst economic...

  • February 28, 2024

    Rule by mob

    The event on Sunday in the crowded ‘Ichhra’ neighbourhood could have become ugly without the timely and brave intervention by a young police...

  • February 18, 2024

    Are future investments doomed as political turmoil deepens?

    As a PML-N-led coalition hobbles towards forming a government following controversial elections, the next chapter in Pakistan’s sorry economic...

  • February 14, 2024

    ‘Half’ a rule

    But going forward, constrained by restrictions under the next IMF loan, delivering those promises will be difficult

  • January 31, 2024

    Hollow promises?

    To date, little is known about where money is going to come from to afford promised relief

  • January 25, 2024

    Miracle in Kaaba

    Centerpiece of Islam where Hazrat Ali was born to this day location of birth of Hazrat Ali has not been shared by anyone else

  • January 17, 2024

    Vote for change?

    In contrast to huge and rapidly mounting challenges surrounding Pakistan’s future main contenders are geared up effectively more towards...

  • January 03, 2024

    To Dar or not

    Dar, who led the finance ministry under the last PML-N government, left behind a much-blemished legacy

  • December 20, 2023

    Pakistan in 2024

    Pakistan is set to enter another year surrounded by deep-rooted challenges over its medium- to long-term future. The prospect of another political...

  • December 10, 2023

    Pakistan’s troubled economy

    ISLAMABAD: The expected approval for the release of a U$700 million tranche for Pakistan from the IMF’s executive board in Washington next month,...

  • December 06, 2023

    Jumpstart Pakistan?

    As Pakistan struggled with ever-growing challenges in recent decades, a succession of regimes have sought to jumpstart the country – notably its...

  • December 03, 2023

    SIFC: Concept to Reality

    Almost six months after the creation of the SIFC to shepherd large new inflows to Pakistan’s investment starved horizon, the lessons of the past...

  • November 24, 2023

    An emergency ‘windfall’ tax on banks flows from a failure to reform

    Representational image. — APP FileWhen Pakistan’s negotiators and members of a visiting IMF team closed their latest deal to facilitate the flow...

  • November 22, 2023

    After the transition

    A woman with physical disabilities casting her vote in NA-149 constituency of Multan during 2013 elections in Pakistan. — APP FileThe futility of...

  • November 08, 2023

    After the carnage

    This picture on November 5, 2023, shows Israeli tanks and soldiers stationed at a location in the northern Gaza Strip as battles between Israel and...

  • October 25, 2023

    Blowback to Pakistan

    Former Prime Minister and PMLN Supremo Nawaz Sharif waves to his supporters in Lahore on October 21, 2023. — X/@pmlndigitalpkNawaz Sharif’s...

  • October 11, 2023

    Democracy vs economy

    As Pakistan’s two and a half mainstream political parties aspire for power in Islamabad, their failure to focus on the economy only binds them to...

  • October 01, 2023

    Insecurity and political upheaval weaken economic prospects

    ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan struggles to revive confidence in its beleaguered economy, Friday’s terrible terrorist attacks in Balochistan and...

  • September 27, 2023

    Irrelevant millions?

    As former prime minister Nawaz Sharif prepares for his return to Pakistan next month after four years in exile, his party’s target for defining...

  • September 13, 2023

    Tackling failure?

    Pakistan’s emerging failures, ranging from a rapidly sliding economy to growing political discord, together smack of just one outcome: making the...

  • August 30, 2023

    Fixing the rot

    As Pakistan’s bitter electricity consumers gathered on the streets this past week in a rare act of civil disobedience, the authorities were...

  • August 16, 2023

    Freedom vs economy

    Pakistan celebrated its 76th independence day on Monday amidst nationwide fanfare, coinciding with a change of government in Islamabad and a...

  • August 02, 2023

    Crashed economy

    The upcoming departure of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government this month marks an opportunity to assess its performance – or lack of it...

  • July 29, 2023

    Remembering Ashura

    Today’s remembrance of ‘Ashura’ – the day of the brutal martyrdom of Imam Hussain and 72 of his followers in Karbala under orders from...

  • July 19, 2023

    Messages from Karbala

    As this week sees Muslims worldwide observing ‘Muharram’ – the first month of the Islamic year that begins on a note of sorrow – the tragedy...

  • July 09, 2023

    Pakistan’s economic pitfalls – risks versus stability

    As Pakistan braces for the terrible consequences of climate change amid heavy monsoon rains and related casualties, the official claim of returning...

  • July 05, 2023

    Rescue Pakistan?

    An IMF-led rescue of Pakistan has averted a likely default on the country’s foreign debt repayments — but only for now. As Pakistan’s ruling...