December 5, 2005	Monday	Ziqa’ad 2, 1426

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Creating livelihood in quake-hit areas THE principal areas that were hit by the earthquake two months ago belong to one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world and among the least developed and more poverty-stricken regions of Pakistan....		Flawed wheat policy The government needs to realize that free markets work very well in industry but not in agriculture. The government did not intervene when it was required to and when it intervened,...
Pakistan to retain trade benefits AT a critical public hearing of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held in Washington D.C. on November 30, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), a coalition representing US copyright-based industries,...		Managing rice quality A NUMBER of interrelated features determine the quality of paddy like environmental conditions, crop production practices, soil conditions, the harvest and milling practices....
Potential of cumin cultivation THE Northern Areas of Pakistan have ideal climatic conditions for cultivation of diverse plant species. Major parts of the area has temperate climate where herbs of medicinal value and field crops requiring low temperatures can grow....		Foliar fertilizers — fast acting agents CROP yield in Pakistan is not satisfactory due to improper fertilizer management. Balanced nutrients are paid little attention. Its deficiencies emerge in the farmer’s field and are recognized as the symptoms on foliage and reduction in the quality and yield....
Return on date orchards in Balochistan Pakistan is the fifth largest date producer in the world, with an area of 74.80 thousand hectares and production of 426.80 thousand tons. Balochistan produces 225 thousand tons of dates from an area of 42.3...		Threat of hypodermosis to livestock THE health of livestock affects production while a number of diseases inflict losses to this sector. Ectoparasitic infestation is a major veterinary problem prevalent in many parts of the world....
Victims of undefined borders ACCORDING to latest reports, Pakistani authorities have arrested 17 Indian fishermen for allegedly poaching in Pakistani waters. They have been handed over to the police by the Maritime Security Agency....		The institutional decay Governance, a function of strong institutions, is a pre-requisite for improving economic performance on a sustained basis. While the issue of strengthening institutional framework is frequently highlighted, its outcome is sliding down without any trace of improvement....
Windfall from price hikes WITH oil prices doubling in a year, oil-producers could not dream of anything better. While countries like Pakistan are suffering a soaring import bill and a higher fiscal deficit, oil producers are looking toward bigger and bigger trade surpluses....		World commodity report GOLD spiked to a 23-year high and silver rose to its highest for 18 years on December 2 in a volatile bull market driven by fund managers who are seen pushing the market higher, dealers said...
Social and fiscal deficits Developing countries experiencing a vibrant economic growth need to realize the significance of the size and quality of human skills for achieving sustained economic growth and reducing rising poverty....		PTCL’s privatization dilemma THE news that Etisalat has failed to make payment in spite of extension granted till October 28 is not unexpected. The way PTCL privatization was carried out in a hurry without...
Capital market needs a securities institute The objective of any securities institute is to raise professional standards, but the scope of their activities varies. Here, a securities institute should be used: (a) for conducting certification examinations for...		A distorted tax-base fuelling poverty THERE is a direct link between growing poverty and the distortion in tax base since 1991, when a major shift was made by introducing presumptive taxes....
Consumer spending and economic growth IN fiscal 2005, private consumption expenditure increased by 29.2 per cent which was more than double its growth rate recorded in the previous year, says the annual report of the State Bank of Pakistan....		Kishanganga dam — another set of failed water talks DESPITE improved bilateral relations and growing international pressure to patch up differences, decade long negotiations between India and Pakistan on the controversial Kishanganga dam project have failed as well and Pakistan...
Contaminated cotton affects crop’s exports THE State Bank of Pakistan placed losses due to contaminated cotton at $1.4 billion a year in its first quarterly report for fiscal year 2005. But according to sources within the national textile industry, these losses were about $3 billion....		Who will benefit from import of used automobiles? WHEN the business interests of large competing economic groups clash, the consumers are usually the gainers, but seldom in Pakistan. Here, often rival local business houses join hands to safeguard their interests....
Stocks recover after initial commotion AFTER displaying erratic performance early in the week — which analysts termed as the negative fallout of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s (SECP) directive — stocks were back on...		SBP mops up Rs8bn at 8.3pc ON October 2, the State Bank of Pakistan mopped up Rs8bn at a return of 8.3 per cent at a time when the market was watching the overnight rate coming down to 7.5...
Rupee weakens against dollar THE rupee-dollar parity moved both ways this week. In the inter-bank market, the rupee remained firm versus the dollar on the opening day of the week and traded at Rs59.74...		Comfortable supplies keep market stable THE price trend of essential items was stable on the Karachi commodity wholesale markets last week as supplies from the upcountry markets were fairly comfortable....