Publications
Here are some of our recent Working Papers
The Taliban’s Ascendance in Afghanistan: Implications for Pakistan
Synonpsis Afghanistan’s rapidly evolving situation leaves Pakistan in a precarious situation, which fears an uptick of militant violence if the Taliban fail to form a stable and inclusive government by incorporating other Afghan ethnic and […]
60 views
The Economic Dimensions of Pakistan-India Reengagement
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The India-Pakistan relationship has been having its vicissitudes, following several years of tense animosity, owing largely to the bellicose and ideologically-charged government in New Delhi. Economic engagement is but one facet of this […]
385 views
Economic Diplomacy: A Review
Introduction The aim of this working paper is to present a literature review of economic diplomacy (ED). ED has adorned an increasing importance in international political economy and inter-state relations, which has increased the multi-stakeholder […]
746 views
Reprieve and Mercy Debt Relief for the Developing World during Coronavirus
Debt relief is a theme in the developing economics literature that has always garnered considerable interest, both from proponent and opponent camps (Bird and Milne 2003; Boote and Thugge 1997; Chauvin and Kraay 2005). […]
623 views
Coronavirus v. Pakistan: Early Successes in the Epidemiological Battle
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that rampaged the earth throughout 2020 also brought the epidemiological battle to Pakistan’s doorstep, where it was thought that structural weaknesses would exact a particularly severe toll. This was because […]
1856 views
Kashmir: Beyond Imbroglios
Abstract1 Kashmir is a picturesque region straddled by the boundaries of India, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It has seen a lot of turmoil in the last 30 years. Moreover, Pakistan and India have engaged in […]
822 views
After the Coronavirus Vaccine’s Discovery: Concerns Regarding a COVID-19 Vaccination’s Distribution
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3608750 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3608750 Abstract The fervent global quest for the development of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) begs the frightening questions: who will go first in receiving it? and will everyone get to receive […]
931 views
The Lives or Livelihoods? The Coronavirus Dilemma for Administrations
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3584726 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3584726 Abstract The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has fomented a moral crisis for administrations struggling to choose between “lives” and “livelihoods”, i.e. between mitigating the public health fallout and averting an economic depression. The challenge […]
702 views
Encroachments & the Mystery of Capital: A Pakistani Context
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3557571 Abstract This working paper attempts to examine the economic nature of encroachments in developing countries by considering the context of Pakistan. In the tradition of De Soto (2000), the question of encroachments is […]
760 views
MANAGING THE COVID-19 CRISIS
About the Author Syed Muhammad Ali has led the Centre for Peace, Security & Developmental Studies (CPSD), an independent think tank as its Executive Director. Mr. Ali has a 24 years long, rich and diverse […]
1019 views
What ails Pakistan’s Economy? The Problems beyond Coronavirus
Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=3573466 Abstract This working paper considers the structural challenges that confront the Pakistan economy beyond the immediate impositions of contending with Covid19 (coronavirus). Using a general thematic approach, the paper seeks to look beyond […]
781 views
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT): A General Introduction
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3569416 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3569416 Abstract Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) is a heterodox macroeconomic lens that recontextualizes the role of monetary and fiscal policy in sovereign governments that borrow and issue national debt in their own monetary instrument. […]
740 views
Forecasting the Economic Impact of Coronavirus on Developing Countries: Case of Pakistan
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3563616 Abstract The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has already wreaked havoc on the international economy in numerous ways, differentiating itself in particular through its impact on the “real world” economy as opposed to financial market-specific […]
1246 views
A Post-Coronavirus World: 7 Points of Discussion for a New Political Economy
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3557738 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3557738 Abstract The Coronavirus outbreak of 2019-20 has left governments, markets, and civil society reeling through disruptions and damage that shall heal at differing intervals and to differing degrees around the world. The post-Coronavirus […]
1052 views
The tax whistleblowers
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has recently proposed a measure that is intriguing, to say the least. It has announced a “whistleblower” incentive, by which any person who reports a tax evader may receive 20% of the […]
877 views