Subsidies were only supposed to last a couple months. Then they would have been forced to increase the prices of gas as Tareen revealed. In the meanwhile, they were finalizing deal for Russian oil.Which stability are you on about exactly? He was the architect of breaking the bank. Seeing the writing on the wall when the VONC move became imminent, Imran Khan embarked upon a journey of breaking the bank (dismantling all fiscal discipline and sabotaging the IMF program his own government agreed to, thereby junking Pakistan's credibility with its most important lender and the lender of last resort). While the world was beginning to ration fuel supplies and raise energy costs to dampen the demand for fossil energy in the face of rampaging energy prices, your paragon of stability for his political self-interest slaughtered the national interest encouraging more consumption by subsidizing power consumption (energy subsidies) and lowering the fuel prices. The result was forex reserves burning at a quickening pace, swelling circular debt (government subsidies are one of the major reasons for piling up of circular debt). The first foundation for that bankruptcy was laid by the guy who was giving you sTaBiLiTy!
You may disagree with the wisdom here but there is a logic to this. It is not logical however, to continue subsidies past the budgeted amount set aside and not follow up on the Russian oil deal until the prices fall. Oil is at 55$ / barrel right now btw.
Please share these studies in another thread. I will be sure to read them. The studies I have read do show a housing problem.Studies show that Pakistan does not even have a housing problem as Imran Khan would have you believe so his ATMs could be awarded cushy contracts. What Pakistan has is a "quality" housing problem. How many affordable housing units were constructed under his tenure? He gave amnesty to the real estate sector that engaged in speculation to drive the land prices upwards making it a dream for lower middle-income groups to own a new roof of their own in urban Pakistan. Why do people not see the dichotomy between action and words?
Like I have said elsewhere, only two solutions for affordable housing. Local taxes on real estate would be the most simple way to do it. To be fair, real estate taxes were implemented more during his tenure.
To be honest with you, I don’t think Pakistans issue is lack of arable land. That may be a constraint at some point, but it is not one now. We have low overall productivity in the land we do use for farming. Primarily food price driven I believe.It surely has to do with what you said, but also fertile arable land being gulped by speculative forces who sap the economy of its productive capacity, and encourage imports and consumption rather than an addition of value/wealth creation.
Do you think that agricultural land should be allowed to be gulped?
I might be wrong and in that case would love to be proven wrong.
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