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Showing posts from April, 2016

How grow agriculture at potential in Pakistan

The system of agriculture is reviewed with Prof. Iqrar Ahmed the Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University of Faisalabad, one of Pakistan's leading economists.  The discussion is wide ranging. Agriculture must be seen as a system and not a sector. It is a set of markets and business relationships. Policy and reform is required to bring it to potential. 

Perpetual Crisis and Haste--How ECC works?

Listen to Soch Bichar episode 9 Understand how economic decisions are made. Process based on haste, arbitrary power and no serious thought. A must learn for everyone.

Should we think trade corridors or an efficient trade system open to the world?

Should we think trade corridors or an efficient trade system open to the world? : Conversations on issues of development policy in Pakistan and the rest of South Asia. Political economy subjects that are seldom featured in the media will be taken up....

Why does the myth of rural Pakistan persist?

Why do Pakistani official circles still like to maintain Pakistan is a rural country? Every pronouncement of government, at the cabinet table and even in donor dialog, this myth is maintained. Yet data shows otherwise. Reza Ali an indigenous urban researcher has been studying this use for some time. For decades he has argued that censuses are underestimating the extent of urbanization.   His most recent work using satellite imaging that about 70% of Pakistan is non-rural. He hesitated to say that 70% was urban because despite showing concentration of population several areas lacked city functionality. He found large areas where density was at levels that were by international definitions accepted as urban. Yet he hedged and called them ‘urbanizing’ because he found that despite density they really were satellites of some urban core.   The new category of “urbanizing’ that Ali used is newly emerging suburbia. As we all know there is a push for housing colonies and st