PESHAWAR: A book titled ‘The Dark Face of Contemporary Economics’ was launched at a ceremony in the Area Study Centre (ASC) at the University of Peshawar here on Friday.

ASC director Prof Dr Sarfraz Khan, writer of the book Dr Idrees Masood, faculty members, research students and alumni of the centre attended the ceremony. Dr Shabbir Ahmad, a senior faculty member at ASC, Dr Waqar Ali Shah from Institute of Management Sciences, Hayatabad, Dr Khalilur Rehman from ASC and Dr Tauqir Alam from Islamia College, Peshawar, briefly commented on the book from various angles.

In his opening remarks, Prof Sarfraz said that the author was an ASC alumnus and had been involved in academic pursuits for a long time despite being a full-time economist working with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He appreciated the creative effort of Dr Masood, saying that the former students of ASC were making their best to enrich the society with their ideas.

Dr Ahmad said that the book had nine chapters and it covered the research papers of Dr Masood, which he had written during 2010-15.

These papers dilate on a good number of themes which address the fall of economic systems in the west following the World War-II.

A chapter of the book calls into question the reincarnation of Marxism in the present day world, while the last chapter discusses foreign aid to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.

Dr Masood, who is chief planning officer in the Planning and Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, answered queries raised by the reviewers and commentators during discussion on the book. His book raised many critical questions about the prevailing economic conditions in the country.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2016