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World Bank cuts Pakistan’s GDP growth forecast in half

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In June 2022, WB predicated 3% GDP now down to 1.5%

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ISLAMABAD: Warning of another global recession, the World Bank on Tuesday forecast Pakistan’s economic growth to slow further to two per cent during the current year — down by two percentage points from its June 2022 estimate — because of the devastating floods and slowdown in global growth rate.

The World Bank’s latest forecast also points to a “sharp, long-lasting slowdown” with global growth pegged at 1.7pc this year, compared to 3pc it predicted in June, said the bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report, a flagship publication of the World Bank Group.

It said that global growth was slowing sharply in the face of elevated inflation, higher interest rates, reduced investment, and disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the report, the Washington-based lending agency said Pakistan’s economic output was not only declining itself but also bringing down the regional growth rate. It forecast Pakistan’s GDP growth rate to improve to 3.2pc in 2024, but that too would be lower than the earlier estimate of 4.2pc.


“Policy uncertainty further complicates the economic outlook” of Pakistan, in addition to flood damages and the resultant increase in poverty, the bank said, explaining that an already precarious economic situation in Pakistan, with low foreign exchange reserves and large fiscal and current account deficits, was exacerbated in August last year by severe flooding, which cost many lives.






About one-third of the country’s land area was affected, damaging infrastructure, and directly affecting about 15pc of the population.

“Recovery and reconstruction needs are expected to be 1.6 times the FY2022-23 national development budget,” it said, adding that the flooding is likely to seriously damage agricultural production — which accounts for 23pc of GDP and 37pc of employment — disrupting the current and upcoming planting seasons and pushing 5.8 million at 9m people into poverty.

Pakistan, with low foreign exchange reserves and rising sovereign risk, saw its currency depreciate by 14pc between June and December and its country risk premium rise by 15 percentage points over the same period.

Pakistan’s consumer price inflation reached 24.5pc in December on an annual basis, recently coming off its highest rate since the 1970s, the World Bank said.






The South Asian region is anticipated to grow by 5.5pc and 5.8pc in 2023 and 2024, respectively — slightly 0.3pc to 0.7pc lower than earlier estimates — mainly because of supporting 6.6pc and 6.1pc GDP growth in India. “This pace reflects still robust growth in India, Maldives, and Nepal, offsetting the effects of the floods in Pakistan and the economic and political crises in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The deteriorating global environment, however, will weigh on investment in the region,” the report said.

In the region excluding India, growth in 2023 and 2024 — at 3.6pc and 4.6pc, respectively — is expected to underperform its average pre-pandemic rate. This is mainly due to weak growth in Pakistan, which is projected at 2pc in FY2022-23, half the pace that was anticipated in June last year.

Pakistan faces challenging economic conditions, including the repercussions of the recent flooding and continued policy and political uncertainty. As the country implements policy measures to stabilise macroeconomic conditions, inflationary pressures dissipate, and rebuilding begins following the floods, and growth is expected to pick up to 3.2pc in FY2023-24 — still below previous projections.

Food prices have risen rapidly in South Asia, especially in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, increasing the incidence of food insecurity in the region.






Export bans on food, also increasingly prevalent, could have unintended consequences and exacerbate increases in global food prices. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan implemented export restrictions on food in 2022, including rice, wheat and sugar.

The recent floods in Pakistan are estimated to have caused damage equivalent to about 4.8pc of GDP. Extreme weather events can exacerbate food deprivation, cut the region off essential supplies, destroy infrastructure, and directly impede agricultural production.

In some economies, the World Bank report noted, the deterioration in economic conditions has led to a substantial rise in poverty (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka). Many households are consuming less nutritious food, and rolling electricity blackouts have become common as fuel has been rationed.

The combination of limited foreign exchange buffers and widening external current account deficits encouraged several countries (including Bangladesh and Pakistan) to approach the International Monetary Fund to help bolster foreign exchange reserves and mitigate external financing pressures. In parallel, governments have tightened fiscal policies and, in some cases, imposed import controls and food export bans.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2023

Thanks to our brilliant top army brass and their installed imported government.

PTI govt last numbers were 6% gdp for 2021-2022 but under this so called 'better economic managers' GDP has gone down to 1.5% for the year 2022-23. If tragedy, despair or rather I say 'failed country' has a synonym than it has be Pakistan.
 
These 9 months have been systematic derailment of Pakistan economy at epic proportions. A dream come true for our ill thought enemies. Unbelievable fall from the grace especially the khaki force i.e. Military Inc. company (Pakistan Army).

We were so stupid to back them on every matter an year back while they have a successful story of making themselves hated among masses. A generation before us started hating them after 1971 debacle and hanging of Z. Bhutto but after few decades, when some of their image started improving, they have made our generation hating them as well by ousting IK and nearly killing him.
 
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The rot left by gen bajwa is ensuring nothing gets done.
Gen Asim should’ve taken the countrymen into confidence by some sort of statement/speech.
Wonder whats going on, is leadership compromised??

Why the **** does pdm need to be in geneva when the awam are being led hungry and without flour?? Oh how i wish someone could just take em out in geneva itself!! In kutti k bachon ko koi maar dalay. They’ve destroyed the economy totally.
How long can this circus really go on with hunger a real threat when we hav india/afg ready to pounce?
Wtf is going on. Time for ghq to come clean before shit hits the fan real hard!
 
GHQ will say we are apolitical.

The best we can hope for is GHQ says we are genuinely apolitical, close down political cells, submit to JITs of crimes against Pakistani public, journalists, political engineering.

Also voluntarily withdraw their positions from all public enterprises. And reducing their budget.
 
The rot left by gen bajwa is ensuring nothing gets done.
Gen Asim should’ve taken the countrymen into confidence by some sort of statement/speech.
Wonder whats going on, is leadership compromised??
Its not that @r$hole Bajwa entire GHQ sir entire GHQ is compromised. Naveed anjum with his team (dirty harry, Mr X and Y) are still playing the same game. Simple example : Punjab Assembly current circus.
 
On the 4th year of PTI government, the GDP growth was a very healthy 6%, and it was increasing exponentially, it was on their way to touch the 7% GDP growth in the 5th and last year of PTI tenure.

All the economic indicators was positive, a 9 billion USD increase in exports in the 4th year of PTI, remittances increased to 31 billion USD from 23 billions in PMLN last year.

Tax collection saw a huge increase as people are willing to pay to a government of their choice and mandate. People will not pay taxes to chor and money launderers.

The best industrial growth in LSM and SME sector including textile, construction, cement, automobile, IT, in just about any sector.

All the hard work, people aspirations and hopes are destroyed by the imposed PDM regime without a mandate and their sponsors, the military mafia.
 
@Salza

It is not as simple as you make it out to be. Pakistan doesn't have the domestic savings rate to sustain a 6% growth rate. The 6% growth seen last year pushed Pak to the brink of a liqudity crisis and that would be true even in the best of times. Now add to it the global economic crisis post Ukraine War and 1/3rd of Pak being under floodwaters.

Regards
 
@Salza

It is not as simple as you make it out to be. Pakistan doesn't have the domestic savings rate to sustain a 6% growth rate. The 6% growth seen last year pushed Pak to the brink of a liqudity crisis and that would be true even in the best of times. Now add to it the global economic crisis post Ukraine War and 1/3rd of Pak being under floodwaters.

Regards
Had there not be any political instability from Feb 2022 onwards and change in govt, IMF programme would had remained in place without any hurdles. No subsidy on Petrol prices had taken place at first place hence liquidity crisis would had been managed. Even with Ukraine war and floods, GDP would had remained around 4% -4.5% for the next fiscal year. Lot better than 1.5%. As of now, with political instability and poor governance , future is uncertain.

@Salza

It is not as simple as you make it out to be. Pakistan doesn't have the domestic savings rate to sustain a 6% growth rate. The 6% growth seen last year pushed Pak to the brink of a liqudity crisis and that would be true even in the best of times. Now add to it the global economic crisis post Ukraine War and 1/3rd of Pak being under floodwaters.

Regards
Mind you, previous Govt played out well with the economic crisis they inherited when they first came in. They even managed Corona crisis well where Pakistan actually performed way better than the estimates projected by the same international bodies. They knew what they were doing since for them, worst was over.

But now back to square one!
 
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It is not as simple as you make it out to be. Pakistan doesn't have the domestic savings rate to sustain a 6% growth rate. The 6% growth seen last year pushed Pak to the brink of a liqudity crisis and that would be true even in the best of times.

The liquidity crisis in 2021 was mostly due to increase in price in gasoline.
All the export related activities and CPEC industrial projects would have brought in more foreign exchange.
 
@Salza

Mind you, previous Govt played out well with the economic crisis they inherited when they first came in.

Let me clarify. I am not blaming the PTI nor am I getting the Importeds a free pass. That is not my intent. Pakistan has deep rooted problems which go back to 1990 or so.

Regards
 
GHQ will say we are apolitical.

The best we can hope for is GHQ says we are genuinely apolitical, close down political cells, submit to JITs of crimes against Pakistani public, journalists, political engineering.

Also voluntarily withdraw their positions from all public enterprises. And reducing their budget.
except for reducing their budget.
 

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