Tag Archives: Pakistan
Competition or Connections? Why Pakistan Needs Free Markets, Not Favored Businesses
Pakistan has faced competition concerns in several important industries. During 2025, the Competition Commission of Pakistan published market assessments covering sugar, fertilizer, steel, insurance, power, pesticides, and other sectors. Having only a few large companies in a market doesn’t automatically mean they’re breaking the law. But when the same names keep dominating year after year, it’s fair to ask why new businesses struggle to enter. Are the rules too complicated? Are policies unintentionally protecting those already at the top? These are the questions regulators should be asking.
The Structural Roots of Pakistan’s Economic Problems; Tax, Debt & Circular Debt Crisis
Pakistan closed fiscal year 2025-26 collected almost Rs. 13 trillion in taxes which is a genuine improvement over prior years. Still it is nearly Rs. 978 billion short of the original target, even after the IMF agreed to lower it twice. Over the same time period, central government’s debt increased by more than 9% to Rs. 81.93 trillion by April 2026. These are not the numbers of a country experiencing a single crisis rather they are the numbers of a country whose economic problems have become structurally linked, each one reinforcing the next.
The Gig Economy in Pakistan: Opportunities for a new generation
Pakistani gig economy is no longer simply an economic opportunity; rather, it is a reflection of the strength, creativity, and determination of the youth of the nation. The state has shown its resolve by making large investments in skill development, digital infrastructure, and finance. The outcome can be witnessed from billion-dollar export earnings, millions of youth trained, and increased international reach of the country.
A Glimpse into Classical Liberalism
Montesquieu argued that governmental power should be divided into three separate branches, each with distinct responsibilities. The legislative branch should make laws, the executive branch should implement and enforce them, and the judiciary should interpret and apply the law. His principal objective in advocating the separation of powers was to safeguard individual liberty by preventing the concentration of authority in a single institution. He believed that limiting the powers of each branch would reduce the risk of tyranny and ensure a balanced system of government.
Pakistan’s education crisis: Why south Punjab’s girls cannot wait for better times
The statistics are devastating; the Pakistan Institute of Education's 2024 Report on Girls' Education shows that in Multan the percentage of literate females is around 55%, while that for males is about 70%. Overall, the level of literacy in the Bahawalpur Division is worse: the overall percentage of people who are literate drops to approximately 45%; and, the percentage of literate females is even lower than this. In rural districts such as Rajanpur and Lodhran, female literacy rates are below 45%, while literacy rates for males are between 60% and 62%. These are pieces of information that should be put in the filing cabinet of the education ministry as they represent millions of girls who have been denied their human right to develop.
The Cost of Silence: Why Youth Voices Matter
Greta Thunberg’s solo protest outside the Swedish Parliament grew into a global climate movement that brought environmental concerns into mainstream political debate. In Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for girls’ education, especially after surviving an attack on 9 October 2012, brought global attention to educational inequality and strengthened international efforts to ensure education as a basic right.
A Land Without Owners: Pakistan’s Property Crisis and the Rule of Law
Land disputes are not a marginal problem in Pakistan. They are the lifeblood of the nation’s malfunctioning. Litigation relating to land comprises 60 to 70 percent of the total civil litigation cases. These cases drag on for decades, sometimes for generations. The economic implications are beyond measure – and they are borne by the most impoverished citizens.