Islamabad, July 2 (IANS) Pakistan’s federal budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 has prioritised military spending over public welfare by increasing defence spending by 18 per cent to three trillion Pakistani Rupees (PK), showcasing the armed offers as the clear winner during attempts to meet economic stabilisation targets. The budget offers little to the human resources that actually drive economic growth. “The combined federal allocations for higher education, primary schooling, and healthcare …
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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Pakistan’s slow growth is more than an economic challenge – it is the country’s foremost national security threat, and no amount of military strength, diplomacy, or managed stability can rescue a nation that is sliding deeper into poverty while its population keeps growing, according to an article in the Pakistani media. The security establishment’s greatest adversary is not India, Afghanistan, or terrorism, but Pakistan’s own slow economic decay. This is not about GDP; …
New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) Pakistan’s investment-to-GDP ratio has fallen to a historic low of 13.1 per cent in 2024 from an average of around 18 per cent over nearly four decades, while foreign direct investment (FDI) has halved to 0.5 per cent of GDP, a report has said.According to an analysis published in Dawn, the country’s declining investment reflects a widening disconnect between its ambitious economic targets and the policy environment.Pakistan’s investment-to-GDP ratio declined from 17.2 …
New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Malnutrition is costing Pakistan an estimated $17 billion annually through lost productivity, higher healthcare expenditure, poor educational outcomes and premature deaths, highlighting a growing public health and economic challenge, according to a report.The report by The Express Tribune said the crisis is being exacerbated by climate-related disasters, food insecurity, unsafe water and inadequate investment in nutrition programmes.Despite contributing less than one pe…
New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) The Balochistan government’s newly announced budget for fiscal year 2026-27 has triggered widespread disappointment among government employees and ordinary citizens, many of whom believe the financial plan offers little relief to people struggling with rising costs, unemployment and inadequate public services, a report has said.Discontent surfaced prominently during the provincial budget session when members of the Balochistan Employees’ Grand Alliance staged protests…
Kabul, June 22 (IANS) As many as 16 million people in Afghanistan will need access to clean water and sanitation services in 2026, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday, local media reported. The OCHA said water scarcity is exposing children to greater health risks and affecting daily life in Afghanistan, forcing people to taking coping mechanisms amid deteriorating conditions. The agency stated that access to safe drinking water and sanitat…
New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) Balochistan is facing acute unemployment and economic insecurity and a new survey indicates that the province has emerged as Pakistan’s poorest region, with the poverty rate rising to 47 per cent.The ‘Pakistan Economic Survey 2025–26; finds that “nearly one in every two residents of the province is living below the poverty line, placing Balochistan well above the national average,” according to the report in Balochistan Post.The report says that Balochistan’…
United Nations, April 30 (IANS) Warning of a steep fall in economic growth and a rise in poverty around the world due to the Iran war, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his demand for the immediate restoration of free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”As with every conflict, the whole of humanity is paying the price – even if a few are reaping huge profits,” he told reporters. “The pain will be felt for a long time to come.”The war’s “consequences are not cumulative. They ar…
New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The ‘2026 Global Report on Food Crises’ (GRFC) lists Bangladesh among the top 10 countries with the largest number of people who faced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2025, according to an article in The Daily Star, a Dhaka-based newspaper.According to the report, around 1.6 crore people in Bangladesh faced crisis-level food insecurity or worse during the 2025 peak. These represented 17 per cent of the analysed population, although the report also notes that th…
Islamabad, April 23 (IANS) Pakistan’s deteriorating global reputation has been jolted further by a recent incident at a government hospital in Punjab province where 331 children were infected with HIV. The incident in Bhakkar city has “shaken the very conscience of humanity”, sparking serious questions about national priorities, reported ‘Khalsa Vox’ while also citing that the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has for long dented the country’s image by supporting Khalistani terrori…