Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Maleeha Lodhi
ALL eyes are on the general elections, now just a month away. But
what will happen after the election will be far more consequential
to the country’s future. Formidable challenges await the next
government.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1804084/tougher-challenge-lies-ahead 08/01/2024, 6 33 PM
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A slew of domestic and external challenges will test the
government. These challenges will require the elected leadership
to distinguish between the urgent and important while crafting a
strategy to deal with both. Most consequential for the country’s
future will be the government’s ability to deal with an economy in
the critical ward.
Unless structural issues are tackled, the country will not be able
escape from the trap of anaemic growth, high deficits, heavy
borrowing, growing indebtedness and soaring inflation. The
structural sources of persisting financial imbalances lie in a
narrow and inequitable tax regime, limited export base, the
energy sector’s circular debt, bankrupt public-sector enterprises,
heavy regulatory burden and low savings and investment.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1804084/tougher-challenge-lies-ahead 08/01/2024, 6 33 PM
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equitable and simple. For decades the tax-to-GDP ratio has
remained stuck at 10 per cent. Resource mobilisation, by
widening the tax base, bringing untaxed sectors into the net,
ensuring compliance, reforming GST and ending exemptions, is
the single most important endeavour to address the chronic
budget deficit and set the economy toward sustainability. A
liberal and consistent business regulatory framework is also
necessary to build and sustain investor confidence.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1804084/tougher-challenge-lies-ahead 08/01/2024, 6 33 PM
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young people with no education or skills will face a jobless and
hopeless future and a life of poverty.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1804084/tougher-challenge-lies-ahead 08/01/2024, 6 33 PM
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opinion surveys. Institutional strengthening and civil service
reform must therefore be an integral part of the government’s
agenda of turning the economy around, ensuring effective policy
implementation and improving overall governance.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1804084/tougher-challenge-lies-ahead 08/01/2024, 6 33 PM
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