The global environment for international investment will remain challenging in 2024. Weakening growth prospects, economic fracturing trends, trade, geopolitical tensions, industrial policies, and supply chain diversification are reshaping FDI patterns, causing some multinational enterprises (MNEs) to adopt a cautious approach to overseas expansion. However, MNE profit levels remain high, financing conditions are easing, and increased Greenfield project announcements will positively affect FDI.
Despite huge burden of taxes in this budget, 75% of all tax revenues will just go in paying interest on and instalments of previous debt. Last year, government spent around Rs 400 billion in PSDP. Spending every year in PSDP falls short of announcement. This Rs 400 billion is less than even 5% of what we will pay in debt servicing and less than 20% of what we will spend in defense.
Al Baraka Forum for Islamic Economy in collaboration with the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) hosted the 2nd Al Baraka Regional Conference, in partnership with Al Baraka Bank Pakistan, to shed light on the crucial role of home remittances in Pakistan and their impact on sustainable development.
On the social equality front, the one paying interest becomes a slave of those who lent him money since the burden gets bigger over time. This leads to dependency and leaves self-empowerment as mere fantasy and ultimately leads towards loss of self-identity, self-honor and destruction of humanity.
The two most important problems identified in a post-financial crisis look back are perverse incentives and de-linking of financial sector growth and activities with the real sector of the economy. Islamic finance principles by basing all financial products with real assets fill the gap and this feature alone is a very important risk management tool inbuilt into the system.
The idea of material progress and well being enabling the people to forget fear and religion and Question of ‘why we exist’, has failed. Ignoring the purpose of existence and trying to replace it with material self pursuit does not and has not solved the fundamental human quest of ‘why we exist’.
Unrestrained chase of self-interest, moral relativism, incentive-led economic choices and indifference to collective responsibilities has led to engender societies where economic interests have become the solitary basis of establishing and maintaining relationships.
Islamic Economics Project 