Founder and Chairman | Trade Facilitation Network (TFN) 🔷 AbstractPakistan’s fuel pricing mechanism is currently based on Import Parity Pricing (IPP), a system that fully transmits international oil price volatility to domestic consumers. Despite having domestic crude production (~15%) and local refining capacity, the pricing structure does not reflect internal cost advantages.This paper presents a...
Pakistan’s economy, already reeling under structural weaknesses and mounting fiscal pressures, faces another severe blow with the latest surge in petroleum prices. Petrol has now climbed to around Rs. 458 per litre, while high-speed diesel has crossed Rs. 520 per litre. This increase comes at a time when global oil prices are volatile due to...
Pakistan’s automobile industry is entering a critical phase as policymakers prepare to introduce a new auto policy following the expiry of the 2021–2026 framework in June this year. While the sector has witnessed a revival in demand and expanded consumer choice, it remains heavily dependent on imported completely and semi-knockdown (CKD/SKD) kits — raising serious...
While we welcome the UK government’s definition of the hate Muslims face, it is only a first step – now we must tackle it, argues MP Afzal Khan. Earlier this month, the Labour government took the historic step of adopting a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility – seven years after the previous Conservative government committed to doing...
Pakistan is once again grappling with a severe energy crisis, a challenge that has become both structural and urgent. Frequent power outages, rolling blackouts, and an overstressed national grid are disrupting daily life, industrial production, and essential services. Despite repeated government interventions, the country continues to struggle with persistent circular debt, high reliance on imported...
The Trade Facilitation Network (TFN) has released a comprehensive research paper on the unfolding maritime disruption in the Persian Gulf—and the findings are both alarming and transformative. The Strait of Hormuz is no longer functioning as a free commercial artery. It has effectively become a selectively controlled corridor, where access is dictated not just by...
The ongoing conflict involving Iran, United States, and Israel has created a crisis that refuses to be contained. What began as calculated military strikes has erupted into a sprawling confrontation that crosses borders, erodes established limits, and threatens to redraw the strategic map of the Middle East. Every day, the conflict intensifies, pushing the region...
Public experience with policy implementation in Pakistan shows that most initiatives, no matter how well-intentioned, quickly run into weak execution, administrative gaps, and backdoor distortions that undermine their objectives. Since independence, it has been extremely difficult to implement government policies effectively, particularly when large numbers of citizens are involved. Influential and affluent segments of society...
A quiet yet potentially historic geopolitical shift may be unfolding in our region. As trust in traditional intermediaries appears to erode, Iran is increasingly seen as placing confidence in Pakistan as a credible facilitator for backchannel engagement with the United States. In this context, Islamabad could emerge as a discreet and effective venue for dialogue....
Pakistan’s oil dependency is both structural and unavoidable. The country consumes approximately 18–20 million tons of petroleum products annually, equivalent to 130–150 million barrels, with 80–85% met through imports. This makes petroleum the single most sensitive component of the external account. Over recent years, the oil import bill has fluctuated sharply: $10–11 billion in FY2021,...
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