SUMMARY of the Article “IMF’s projections,” Editorial, Dawn, April 18th, 2024

The article discusses Pakistan’s economic outlook as projected by the IMF in its World Economic Outlook 2024. The IMF predicts Pakistan’s economy to grow by 2% this year and 3.5% in the next, contingent upon continued fiscal consolidation and a potential new IMF bailout. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb seeks a larger three-year IMF program of $6bn-8bn to support planned economic reforms, emphasizing the need for structural reforms to stabilize the economy. However, Pakistan’s history of incomplete IMF programs due to political reasons raises doubts about the success of this engagement. Aurangzeb acknowledges the need for structural reforms but faces the challenge of balancing stabilizing measures with efforts to promote growth. The forthcoming budget will shed light on the government’s commitment to » Read More…

Detailed SUMMARY of the Article “Focus on Actions,” by Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Dawn, March l17th, 2024

The article emphasizes the importance of implementing actionable plans to address key priorities identified through national dialogue. It outlines five sets of actions for the government to consider:

1. Political Stability: The prime minister should initiate a national dialogue involving all political parties and major institutions to strengthen democratic norms, local governments, electoral processes, anti-corruption measures, and fiscal responsibilities.
2. Economic Stability: Measures include reducing wasteful expenditure,

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