SochBichar

Hear what students say about their economics education in Pakistan

Students who have studied economics for years, have also taught at universities and have engaged in donor projects, talk to us about their education system. If you are interested in education, in what HEC is doing and how our universities are performing, this episode is a must. 

Hear the cry of students. They want quality and they want to learn. 

Think about the reform that might be necessary to get youth the quality they deserve.  

Examining Pakistan's trade policy and institutions

Dedicated to A. R Kemal who pioneered a lot of trade work in Paksitan. 

 Trade policies are made used to made every year with much fanfare. Now they are made every 3 years. One was announced recently.

What are these policies? Are they well researched? What is their objective? 

How open is Pakistan? How open should it be? 

Why are exports as a percentage of GDP no increasing? 

Do we have an import tariff regime that makes sense? 

What do TDAP, MOC Commercial counsellors in embassies do? 

These and many other questions are discussed here with Dr. Manzoor Ahmed who has extensive experiencer of trade Policy of Pakistan and and ha advised many countries o trade issues. He has been with the WTO and with Paksitan civil service. 

If you trade, study trade or are interested in Pakistan Economic policy, this is a must hear.  

How Agriculture can grow at potential.

Agriculture, the backbone of Paksitan economy, has grown below potential for the last 50 years.

What are the constraints to its growth? 

How is the business of agriculture organized? 

What is the state of agricultural markets?

Are farms well managed? 

What reforms will be necessary to make agriculture grow at potential? 

Prof Iqrar Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture Faisalabad takes a systemic view of agriculture and points to a number of reforms that are needed 

his view is that Pakistan needs to modernize its agriculture. In this discussion we examine of all aspects of the business of agriculture in order to understand how to transform it from a traditional business to an modern industry.  

ECC-Policy in continuous crisis and hasty decision-making

We hope this episode will remind all Finance Ministers of Pakistan of their epic failure arising from their greed for power and lack of imagination.

Economists seldom focus on the policy process.

ECC is the most important economic decisioonmakling body in Paksitan. 

To understand policy it is important to understand the history of the ECC and its decision-making process.  

Ali Salman, Director of Prime Institute has conducted some fresh research on the ECC and shares it with us. 

Economic governance will improve only when we understand and reform our decision making-processes.

These process must be in line with the law and our constitution. They must be made in a system of transparent checks and balances as well as on the basis of through investigation. . 

Does the ECC measure up to the yardstick of transparency, checks and balances and adequate investigation? 

Listen and decide!

Poverty is not a number but a system

Poverty is embedded in power and distribution systems of a country. 

To truly resolve the poverty issue, the opportunity space of the poor needs to be reviewed and created. 

In Pakistan the poor are shut out of all aspects of the economy. Without deep reform they cannot be put on an equal footing with the rich.

Policy for poverty should seek not only to address short term problems of poverty, it should also conduct the deeper reform to open out opportunities for the poor. 

Akmal Husain a leading Pakistani economist discusses the poverty issue in depth.  

Pakistan Railways has been depreciated? Why? Is this a conscious policy?

Railway system was one of Pakistan's major assets 40 years ago. BBC mentioned it as one the great Railways of the world. 

The system has now been depreciated to almost a standstill. 

Why have we depreciated such a major asset? Was it a conscious policy? Or just ignorance and poor management?

How can railway be fixed? 

Should it be fixed? 

This is an overview discussion to be followed up by others on this topic 

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

Paksitan considers itself a trade corridor. 

Trade corridor projects have always been discussed in Pakistan

Amir Durani who has worked on trade corridor projects for the World Bank explains what trade corridors are and how they can be made. 

We also discuss the question of focussing on trade regime as a whole as opposed to thinking corridors.

In the background is the CPEC issue 

The Economics of decentralization

Why we need decentralization? 

How decentralization increases productivity, output, incomes and welfare?

Decentralization is the bedrock of democracy, as a training ground for politicians.

Decentralization empower communities individuals.

It allows for better regional equality.  

Why does Pakistan economy not grow at a rate required by our demographics?

Pakistan economy grows in spurts. Pakistan has a young population is that needs employment. 

"Given the youth bulge that Paksitan is going through till 2050, the economy needs to at a sustained rate of 8% per annum for the next 30 years" Framework of Economic Growth of the Plannign Commission 2011.

Questions discussed are:

What can we learn from the growth experience of the world?

The importance of the software of growth--institutions and what institutions are?

what is the the geography of growth

The preoccupation fo our rulers with "hardware"--projects and aid.

Anjum and Nadeem Discuss many aspects of growth policy and literature while also discussing why Paksitan does not attained the required sustained growth. 

An important subject to which we will return again and again. 

What is the role of government in the economy

Anjum and Nadeem discuss the role fo the government in an economy arguing that this subject needs a lot of attention. Most people tend to criticize the market and consider government to have every role that they wish it to have. 

Is there away to think about the role of the government. What can we learn from economics an social science about the role of the government. 

A fascinating discussion venues. 

This important subject is left out of the classroom and training academies leaving many to take polar positions: leave all to market or all to government. The truth is very different and economic thinkers have interesting thoughts on the subject.  

All students and those interested in policy must listen to this episode and debate it. 

On the debate on privatization in Pakistan.

Is privatization the answer to Pakistan's problems?

Discussing Paksitan's privatization policy, it implementation and the capacity to privatize!

Introduction to SochBichar