10 March 2026
Austin, Texas, USA

Ehsan Malik

Articles by Ehsan Malik

Oil shock

BusinessMarch 10, 2026

EXTERNAL shocks have repeatedly shaped Pakistan’s economic trajectory. From oil crises to global financial turbulence, the pattern is a familiar one: rising import costs weaken the balance-of-paymen...

Growth prescription

BusinessFebruary 4, 2026

AS Pakistan experiences sluggish economic growth, there is a growing trend of impatience being presented as policy advice. Increasingly, there are calls to either abandon or dilute the IMF programme, ...

Pakistan’s export fragility exposed

BusinessFebruary 2, 2026

The recently finalised EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), described by Brussels as “the mother of all agreements”, is a crucial development that should prompt Pakistan to reassess its export s...

Pakistan’s lopsided trade agreements

BusinessJanuary 26, 2026

Trade agreements should not be viewed as a symbol of success; rather, they are a crucial component of industrial policy. Unfortunately, Pakistan has often approached market access with insufficient ca...

Pakistan’s exchange rate illusion

BusinessJanuary 19, 2026

The exchange rate is a critical economic variable for Pakistan. A competitive and credible currency regime should form the core of the nation’s economic strategy, particularly given the country’s ...

Pakistan’s struggle to scale its exports

BusinessJanuary 12, 2026

For nearly two decades, Pakistan’s exports have remained stuck between $25–30 billion, despite repeated declarations that export-led growth is central to economic revival. Over the same period, Ba...

Chasing every dollar is a policy mistake

BusinessJanuary 5, 2026

For decades, Pakistan’s economic narrative has viewed foreign direct investment (FDI) as an unequivocal boon. Each inflow is celebrated, incentives are justified, and promotional roadshows abound ...