A quick note on SBP announcement on March 21, 2020The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announces three measures in its monetary policy statements to address the economic and recent health challenges in the backdrop of spread of COVID-19. First, cut its policy rate by 75 basis points. Second, announced a “Temporary Economic Refinance Facility (TERF)” to encourage new investment in manufacturing. Third, announced a […]
Withered Books on January 11, 2020Recently, in a seminar held at Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), a speaker put this question to the audience, “Name the last book that influenced you?” Out of approximately 150 participants, only a few raised their hands. Keep this in mind that the participants constituted what we deem to be the intelligentsia of our […]
Textile: key lessons from Vietnam on December 30, 2019Top advisors to the prime minister of Pakistan have continuously asserted that Pakistan’s economy is improving, but not in a way that has created jobs. The implication of this is that sectors typically linked to job creation–such as the agriculture and industry sectors–will be neglected. This is a potentially alarming situation. If this is the […]