Stories by Zafar Masud

Affordable housing

Pakistan faces a substantial economy housing shortfall, estimated at 10m units, with an annual addition of around 350,000 units. Updated 25 Mar, 2026 10:05am

Bonding for impact

To see the PSIB as merely a financial instrument would be to miss its broader significance. Published 26 Jan, 2026 06:17am

Not banks alone

Banks can only lend where risk can be assessed and mitigated. Published 25 Mar, 2025 08:13am

We need to revamp fiscal and monetary incentives for exporters

Achieving trade competitiveness starts with striking a balance between promoting exports and protecting domestic interests. Published 09 Aug, 2024 11:59am

Trade, debt and poverty reduction

Achieving competitiveness starts with striking balance between exports and domestic interests. Updated 09 Aug, 2024 11:26am

Challenge to the ‘moral economy’

Global resources are becoming increasingly scarce and their deployment in terms of the best socioeconomic returns is a must. Published 27 Jun, 2024 08:50am

Innovation for agriculture

Out-of-the-box solutions provide hope amidst the myriad challenges faced by the farm sector. Updated 17 May, 2024 09:18am

Fix fiscal account to tame inflation

The dilemma is that our public debt is rising and so is private wealth, which is concentrated in a few hands. Updated 10 Feb, 2024 10:26am

Victims of our own narrative

Markets must be allowed to make money but without customer exploitation. Updated 06 Jan, 2024 09:33am

Economic security equals welfare

By fixating on macroeconomic issues, policymakers often lose sight of the microeconomic challenges, which are more impactful at the individual level Published 04 Dec, 2023 07:19am

Comment: Transitioning away from a cash economy

As the global economy graduates towards digital payments, Pakistan is moving in the opposite direction with rising demand for cash. Updated 05 Oct, 2023 08:39am

Challenges of modern banking

AI should be expanded beyond marketing to include compliance, control, credit, and other crucial domains Published 11 Sep, 2023 07:02am

COMMENT: The case against rearrangement of local sovereign debt

Any local currency rearrangement without comprehensive restructuring of our fiscal account will be short-lived. Updated 11 Jul, 2023 08:00am

Ukraine war: threats and opportunities for Pakistan

The new emerging world order is driven by the need for energy and food security. Updated 04 Nov, 2022 11:43am

COMMENT: How going digital can bridge the external financing gap

Most critical element to limiting external financing gap is ensuring that recent growth in exports is sustained over medium term. Updated 19 Aug, 2022 09:37am

COMMENT: Managing external financing gap, the unconventional way

It's right time to introduce measures to incentivise exporters, remitters to bring in existing foreign currency remittances. Updated 18 Aug, 2022 07:41am