December 12, 2005	Monday	Ziqa’ad 9, 1426

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there hope in Hong Kong? THE next six days will be dominated by news out of Hong Kong’s World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference where 148 member nations will gather to pursue the Doha Development Agenda....		IMF dismay over inflation, poverty IN ITS recent annual analysis of Pakistan’s economy, the IMF executive board expressed disappointment over widespread poverty and high inflation. In addition, it is concerned about the increasing current account and...
Rationalizing the tax base THE financial wizards and tax managers in the ministry of finance and Central Board of Revenue (CBR) have been claiming that the tax base is narrow and that the majority of people do not pay taxes....		Will support price meet wheat production target? THE Economic Committee of the Cabinet decided in October to increase the support price of wheat by Rs15 per 40kg to Rs415 against the previous year’s Rs400....
Rice growers’ dilemma RICE is an important food cash crop and also one of the main export items. It accounts for 6.8 per cent of the value-added in agriculture and 1.7...		Bird flu threat THE decimation of poultry flocks because of the outbreak of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) since December 2003 has forced a review of the bio-security measures. The consequences of the disease are immediate and financially severe....
Snags in onion marketing ONION (Allium cepa L) is one of the important condiments widely used in all households to enhance flavour of foods. It not only provides flavour but also health promoting photochemical and nutrients....		What the earthquake ‘unearthed’ THE unprecedented devastating earthquake has brought out much that is good (and bad) within us. But distinct from individual cases of philanthropy, generosity and sacrifice that must be appreciated, one thing...
World Economies THE Asian Development Bank has lately updated the Asian Development Outlook 2005, taking account of the impact of recent oil price increase on regional economies, particularly in developing Asia, and the world over. According to this update,...		The species that survive in mangroves Pakistan’s coastal area is an arid sub-tropical desert with 1,050 kilometres long coastline of which one-third is in Sindh and the rest in Balochistan. The average rainfall is 100-200mm per year, and that too, sporadic....
Growing traffic congestion, delays at airport: Mumbai letter VISITORS to India’s financial and commercial capital get the first taste of delays and traffic congestion much before landing at the airport. During peak hours, flights have to hover over the...		Eyeing the liberalized Syrian market IN the present regional scenario, there is a great need for Pakistan to further promote and strengthen the existing relations with other Islamic countries in economic, industrial and technical cooperation....
Leadership change and continuity in policies WILL the new State Bank Governor, Dr Shamshad Akhtar, bring fresh ideas or a change, or will she continue the present SBP policies? Bankers and some economists view the major challenges...		The quest for alternative energy sources THE year 2005 may be regarded as a turning point, in so far as it has reminded the world about the need to attach a higher priority to the search for alternative energy sources....
Productivity gap between big and small farms PRODUCTIVITY varies according to farm size. A specific farm size may be more efficient in the production of certain crops while another may give better yield of different set of commodities....		No major changes likely in monetary policy THE new governor in the State Bank of Pakistan is unlikely to produce major changes in monetary policy soon. And Dr Shamshad Akhtar has said the same....
Capital gains in shares attract investors THE stocks in Karachi maintained their upward drive for the sixth consecutive week. Investors were not inclined to miss the rising market and lure of capital gains amid reports that the best was still to come before the year was out....		Rupee shows stable trend ON the opening day of last week, the demand for dollars rose as importers bought dollars to meet oil and other payments. Availability of dollars helped in meeting the rising demand for the US currency....
Banks’ expectations, SBP liquidity target ON December 7, the State Bank could not raise the liquidity it had targeted through the selling of Treasury Bills mainly because of high returns the banks were asking....		Bumper crop helps bring down IRRI prices THE prices of essential items on the Karachi wholesale commodity markets remained stable due to falling demand and steady arrivals from the upcountry markets. Yet, the prices stayed on higher side...