09 August 2004 Monday 22 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 A new lease of life for Doha round An agreement clinched at Geneva by 147 members of the World Trade Organization on a 'framework for negotiations' in the wee hours of August 1 after a five-day hectic negotiations can hardly be called a breakthrough in the year-long deadlock on major issues. ... Saving the desperate savers As long as real inflation is high and interest rates of banks on deposits are very low, and the rates of the National Savings Schemes are only slightly better, the people will take undue risks to earn far more on their saving deposits. ... Pakistan, India trying to contain inflation Both Pakistan and India witnessed their economies growing faster during the last fiscal year and are now determined not only to maintain the current pace of growth but also to accelerate it. ... Export-led industrial strategy in offing A long-term policy based on an export-led industrial strategy is being evolved as Pakistan strives to become an industrialized country. By 2009-10, manufacturing output is planned to be raised from the current level of 18 per cent to 22.4 percent ... Geneva accord: WTO still remains a question mark The WTO regime has come a long way: from Marrakesh, where it started in 1994 to Geneva, 2004, where a semblance of meaningfulness and understanding was reached. ... Enhancing industrial competitiveness Industry, services and agriculture are the mainstay of any economy, the growth and resilience of which would increase prosperity. ... Snags in the inflow of FDI Foreign direct investment (FDI) is investment in existing or new facilities involving control over a foreign enterprise. It is generally associated with the over sees activities of multinational corporations (MNCs). ... Violation of financial rules causes losses The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly is reported (Dawn July 8) to be examining the finance and appropriations accounts of the government for the year 2000-01. ... Mekran Coast: 760 kms of big economic potential Mekran coast, from Karachi to its western most point of Jiwani, is a 760 km of economic potential - all the way. One doesn't need sophisticated, technological skills to sow and reap crops after crops of bounties. ... Dilemma of lowering prices for textile exporters According to a report that appeared in The Economic Times (India) on January 27, the Indian textile exporters were expecting to face a dilemma of lower prices of their products following the scheduled end of the import quota ... Trade unions and the global challenges Globalization refers to liberal intercourse of widespread economic activity embracing the whole globe, a multidimensional process channelled by global trade and ultimately vectored towards overall good of the layman, through respective governing set-ups. ... Designing Mirani Dam for local needs Water is a scarce commodity in Balochistan. Since long, communities have evolved indigenous institutions for regulating the use of this resource which essentially comprises of surface flows in ephemeral streams ... Improving the marketing system of vegetables Vegetable consumption in Pakistan is low. People in the upper income strata consume above average, while the bulk of rural and a large percentage of urban population consume little vegetables. ... Failure to increase oilseed output Although, Pakistan 80 per cent cultivatable area is irrigated but the edible oil needs are met through imports. The import bill rising from Rs77 million in 1969-70 to Rs39 billion in 2002-03 has overburdened the exchequer. ... 'Karnal bunt' disease in wheat In 2004, Pakistan imported 0.5 million tons of wheat from Australia to meet its deficit. When the consignment reached Karachi, seed samples were examined and found to be infested with a fungus (Neovossia indica) ... Snap rally changes future outlook of Karachi stock A snap rally at the weekend changed the entire future outlook of share prices. However, leading analysts entertaining bearish ideas failed in giving specific reasons behind this turnaround. ... SBP move sends signals of a hike in interest rates On August 5, the State Bank of Pakistan borrowed Rs54.75 billion from the inter bank money market to absorb part of the excess liquidity. The SBP raised Rs32.75 billion under repurchase agreement ... Greenback pressure on rupee heightens The rupee/dollar parity remained under pressure in the local currency market throughout the week. Rush for dollar-buying continued in the inter bank market. ...

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