Dr Hasnain Javed

“What freeman knoweth freedom? Never he Whose father’s father through long lives have reigned O’er kingdoms which mere heritage attained. Though from his youth to age he roam as free” (Helen Hunt Jackson)   The marvellous words of the American activist & poetess stand true to this day, even though she wrote this in a […]

1990, the year that will change many things for Pakistan in the years to come. PML-N takes reign of the country, injecting new hope and vigour into its people. There is a renewed sense of excitement and energy in the air with a new and popular democratic government taking over. Who knew that more than […]

Is diplomacy the only agenda a country’s foreign office has? Packing people-to-people relations or de-escalating issues through negotiations and adding in the niceties to stabilize foreign relations is an outdated and counterproductive idea. I am certain many diplomats will disagree with me but if you could bear till the end, you just might see how […]

Recently making news is the great economic revival plan and the establishment of SIFC (Special Investment Financial Council). With an objective of attracting Foreign Direct Investment of 100 billion dollars over the next three years that will help Pakistan achieve a GDP target of 1 trillion dollars by 2035. Driven by one-window operations, the economic […]

By now, we are well aware of the criticism that the IMF team has raised over budget 2023-24. The amnesty scheme, the unrealistic tax net to a growth target, that is far from reality, budget 2023-24 has all the wrong ingredients to ensure that the IMF tranche does not get approved in time. Therefore, as […]

It has been four days since the budget 2023-24 was announced and I continue to ponder what could have been a defining moment in countries budgetary reformation. Alas! An opportunity lost it is. I sat with Mr Shabbar Zaidi, seeing any ray of hope the Budget 2023-24 might have brought. But his response was also […]

India, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Vietnam are some of the fastest-emerging economies in the world. This growth came despite the aftermath of COVID-19, amidst the Ukraine-Russia war, global supply chain disruption, and rising inflation. One must wonder, what did these countries do differently that Pakistan did not. In a statement in June 2022 the then Finance […]

The transformation of New Zealand’s economy is a tale of brilliant economic understanding and strategy. The humble beginnings of this Agri-based economy had the power and the prowess to transform. After experiencing its “wool boom” in the 1950s, New Zealand enjoyed one of the world’s highest standards of living in the world for 70 years. […]

The unfortunate political discourse has taken the spotlight away from many real issues facing Pakistan. I tweeted a few days ago, “Economics demands stability.” Without the presence of micro and macroeconomic stabilizers, a country cannot achieve economic growth. Yes, political stability is crucial to economic growth, but have we given any thought to the leakages […]

Pakistan is a country with 75 years of history, but countless challenges and opportunities to learn seem to have taught us nothing. We still find ourselves amidst the economic crisis, domestic challenges, political turmoil, and weakened international relations. As political debate takes over the media and our daily lives, I, like a handful of economists, […]