Economy

Family members sit on rope beds beside their damaged house in Dera Allah Yar, Balochistan, on Aug. 25: Pakistan's floods should be a wake-up call for the world.
Opinion

Pakistan is owed reparations, not aid, by U.S. and China

Polluting countries owe debt for climate-change harms

16 September 2022
A man rides a boat in a flooded area of Sehwan, Pakistan on Sept. 15. The disaster bears the "fingerprints" of global warming, a scientist said.
Climate Change

Pakistan floods linked to global warming in new study

Scientists suggest heavy rainfall is 50% to 75% more intense due to climate change

16 September 2022
Flood victims receive boiled rice from relief workers in Charsadda, Pakistan, in late August. The deluge has had a devastating impact on the country's rice and other crops.
Natural disasters

Pakistan faces hunger crisis as floods wash away crops, livestock

Damage risks compounding inflation and further straining government coffers

13 September 2022
The severe flooding in Pakistan has not only cut off access to prenatal care, but also raised fears over the health of babies born in harsh conditions. (Photo by Jamaima Afridi)
Natural disasters

Pakistan floods disrupt health care for 650,000 pregnant women

Experts warn of dire risks as expectant mothers recount harrowing experiences

12 September 2022
Shehbaz Sharif on April 12 when he was installed as prime minister in Islamabad : The latest aid deal will not cure Pakistan's political instability. (Handout photo from Pakistan's Press Information Department)
Opinion

IMF aid deal will not end Pakistan's political instability

Fund should have demanded cuts to elite benefits rather than burdened public

9 September 2022
A man wades through floodwaters at a market in Sehwan, Pakistan, on Sept. 6. Many of the international aid groups that would normally be stepping in to help are barred from the country.
Natural disasters

Floods press Pakistan to lift NGO bans imposed after bin Laden raid

Calls grow for Islamabad to put aside suspicions, tap funds and expertise

7 September 2022
The dollar's nominal effective exchange rate against a broad basket of currencies, including from both advanced and emerging economies, is now at one of its highest points since it started publicizing the data in 1994. 
Currencies

Superstrong dollar threatens debt crisis across emerging economies

Mexico pressured to follow Fed hikes, while Sri Lanka's repayment costs soar

2 September 2022
Nowshera, in Pakistan's province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Aug. 29: The climate minister has said that a third of the country has been flooded.
Economy

Flood-hit Pakistan faces swirling risks despite IMF lifeline

$1.1bn loan eases fears of default but climate and politics pummel Sharif government

30 August 2022
A woman walks on a flooded road in Hyderabad, Pakistan, on Aug. 24. Authorities say over 3,000 kilometers of roads have been damaged and around 670,000 homes have collapsed.
Natural disasters

Pakistan floods hit millions as political storm hinders response

Cash-strapped Sharif government banks on international assistance

27 August 2022
Protesters carry traditional kerosene lanterns during a demonstration against fuel price increases in Dhaka. Kerosene now costs the equivalent of about $1.20 per liter, versus 84 cents before hikes on several types of fuel. (Photo by Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Politics

Bangladesh anger over fuel prices echoes Sri Lanka, Pakistan

Political pressure mounts as nation joins neighbors in seeking IMF aid

17 August 2022
Pakistani and Chinese flags fly above a construction site in Gwadar, Pakistan. Much of the construction associated with the Belt and Road Initiative in the town remains unfinished. 
The Big Story

Road to nowhere: China's Belt and Road Initiative at tipping point

Pakistan, Sri Lanka debt crises threaten Beijing's regional influence

10 August 2022
Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, is widely regarded as the country's most powerful man.
International relations

Pakistan army chief appeals to U.S. in rush to avoid debt default

Sources say unusual move aimed at speeding up $1.2bn dispersal by IMF

29 July 2022
Pakistanis are being forced to make uncomfortable choices, including leaving the country.
Asia Insight

Pakistan's punishing inflation changes life as 225m people know it

Poor skimp on food while those better off carpool, buy solar, aim to emigrate

26 July 2022
A trader counts U.S. dollars at a currency exchange in Peshawar: Pakistan will need $41 billion over the next 12 months, its finance minister has said.
Economy

Pakistan's IMF deal offers economic pain relief but no panacea

Political instability threatens to derail efforts to regain confidence of key lenders

23 July 2022
Road traffic in Karachi on July 5: Changing the military's corporate approach is likely to create the space for broader economic reforms.
Opinion

Pakistan's military-run enterprises need upgrade to revive economy

Corporate empire has potential to be globally competitive

21 July 2022
Indian workers carry sacks of food grains and vegetables onto a supply truck at a wholesale market in Kolkata on July 19.
Economy

ADB cuts Asia's growth forecast to 4.6%, lifts inflation outlook

Ukraine war crimps growth, spurs price rises in emerging Asia

21 July 2022
Stream article image
Feeding Asia

Asia's agricultural revolution: planting a high-tech future

Population, inflation, climate stoke innovation to grow more with less

15 July 2022
The State Bank of Pakistan raised the country's main policy rate to 15% on July 7, up 1.25 percentage points from 13.75%.
Inflation

Pakistan central bank raises interest rate 125 basis points to 15%

Increase from 13.75% follows inflation soaring to 13-year high

7 July 2022
Pakistani troops march during a military parade to mark Pakistan Day in Islamabad on Mar. 23: The military remains unaffected by the financial crisis.
Opinion

Pakistan must learn to cut military spending

Limited resources are needed to help stabilize the economy

1 July 2022
A vendor pushes a cart under a battery-powered LED light during a blackout in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 9.
Economy

Pakistan blackouts choke economy as China power plants go unpaid

CPEC-linked suppliers await $1.5bn dues; industry disruptions hinder exports

15 June 2022
Supporters of ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan protest fuel price hikes in Karachi on June 3. New leader Shehbaz Sharif is set to unveil a budget under volatile conditions. 
Politics

Pakistan to unveil budget in political tinderbox: 5 things to know

PM braces for anger as he aims to hike taxes, secure IMF cash, revive China projects

9 June 2022
From a Maldives bond payment to India's central bank meeting and Pakistan's upcoming budget, South Asia's economic strain is in focus.
Asia Insight

Beyond Sri Lanka, economic cyclone bears down on South Asia

From Pakistan to Maldives, forex and debt risks grow as inflationary headwinds build

7 June 2022
Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, left, continues to apply pressure on his replacement, Shehbaz Sharif. (Source photos by Press Information Department and Reuters) 
Economy

Imran Khan ultimatum looms as Pakistan pushes for IMF deal

Experts say PM Sharif's longevity hinges on showing army he can stabilize economy

31 May 2022
Police officers stand guard near a passenger van after a blast at the entrance of the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute. Three Chinese teachers were killed in the suicide bombing.
Terrorism

Suicide bombing stokes security concerns for Chinese in Pakistan

Blast tests Beijing's patience with separatist group behind other deadly attacks

30 April 2022
Newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the National Assembly on April 11.
Economy

Pakistan's new Sharif government tiptoes into economic minefield

Fledgling administration faces unpopular decisions as forex pressure builds

13 April 2022