This is apropos a Business Recorder op-ed "Export or bust' carried by the newspaper yesterday. The writer, Dr Salman Shah, has argued, among other things, "in its comments on the CPEC, the IMF has reiterated the earlier call by Christine Lagarde for a comprehensive reform program for igniting growth, exports and private investment. However, with the culmination of the IMF programme, the changing of the guards at GHQ and at the Supreme Court, the government has thrown caution to the wind, abandoned the notion of reforms and is already going into election mode. With a slowdown in exports and public revenues not measuring up to expectations, most of the cabinet is instead overtly focused on politicking and defending the Sharif family over its legal and political woes, there is hardly any time for thinking about reforms let alone displaying any appetite for reform."

His assertion, therefore, gives birth to a question: Was the incumbent government, prior to the end of IMF programme, change of the guard at GHQ and the appointment of new Chief Justice of Pakistan, showing any kind of prudence, farsightedness and creativity insofar as its handling of country's economy is concerned? Although his argument is profound, there was hardly anything profound when he himself was incharge of the country's economy. Our policymakers, nevertheless, must listen carefully to his views because Dr Salman Shah writes with genuine conviction.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016