Comment: Budgeting in the time of corona
The federal budget for 2020-21 due today.
Sakib Sherani
Economic costs of Covid-19
The economic impact is via multiple channels.
The lockdown dilemma
Flawed reasoning and muddled maths are informing government action.
Evaluating the response
The policy response so far has been misplaced and piecemeal in two key areas.
A disrupted world
The impact of the pandemic is likely to be deep and far-reaching.
A full-spectrum response
Exceptional times call for exceptional policies
A pandemic of fear
The global economy has hit severe turbulence.
What next?
The IMF programme appears to have been paused, not derailed.
Tackling inflation
The failure of governance highlights systemic issues which predate the present government.
A bolder policy framework
Pakistan needs a return to high rates of economic growth, but only one that is sustained, export-led, and inclusive.
Grey swans on the horizon
2020 could see the continuation of the challenging environment the PTI govt has had to contend with since taking office.
Narratives of power
The government should avoid singing from a flawed hymn sheet.
Chasing hot money
The central bank is ignoring significant potential risks.
Pakistan’s reform plans
Key elements of successful reform design appear to be missing.
Ease of doing business?
It is important to place the EoDB indicators in perspective.
Pathways to growth
Despite the fiscal straitjacket there are potential avenues to growth.
State of the economy
Recessionary conditions prevail as a result of both the crisis and the response.
State of public finances
The parlous state of public finances presents a dire challenge.
Challenging the CW
Conventional wisdom on the economy is wide off the mark.
Evaluating the programme
IMF programmes typically suffer from design deficiencies.