Crowding-out Hypothesis in a Vector Error Correction Framework: A Case Study of Pakistan

Under the umbrella of the IMF stabilisation programmes, Pakistan has pursued a policy of fiscal consolidation since 1988. A look at the budget deficit from 1988 onwards reveals that the policy has only been marginally successful. Even this fragile accomplishment of the Fund-based programme has been achieved at a much greater cost: the reduction in budget deficit has only been materialised because of the curtailment of development expenditure component of total fiscal outlays [Social Policy and Development Centre (2001)]. Economic theory suggests that development expenditure component of fiscal outlays, which also equals net investment by the public sector,1 has a significant relationship with both the rate of private investment and economic growth. If public investment increases, fewer funds will be available for private investment. Competition will thereby drive the interest rates up leading to lower level of private investment. Neo-classicals believe that this process will only result in a redistribution of gross national between the public and the private sector and the rate of economic growth will remain intact. On the other hand, Keynesians argue that the multiplier effect of higher public spending will be larger as compared to the induced negative effect of reduced private investment on the rate of economic activity and, therefore, gross national product will increase.

Gender Inequality and Trade Liberalization: A Case Study of Pakistan

The main focus of this study is to explore the impact of trade liberalization on gender inequalities in Pakistan. The overall gender inequality based on three dimensions, including labour market, education and health facilities are analyzed in this paper using data from 1973 to 2005. Exports and imports to GDP ratio, per capita GDP, and number of girls’ school to number of boys’ school ratio are identified as important determinants of overall gender inequality in Pakistan and gender inequality in labor market of Pakistan. Further, gender inequality in education attainment is explained by per capita GDP, number of girls’ school to number of boys’ school ratio and number of female teachers per school.Gender inequality; discrimination; trade liberalization; determinants; Pakistan

Crowding-out Hypothesis in a Vector Error Correction Framework: A Case Study of Pakistan

Under the umbrella of the IMF stabilisation programmes, Pakistan has pursued a policy of fiscal consolidation since 1988. A look at the budget deficit from 1988 onwards reveals that the policy has only been marginally successful. Even this fragile accomplishment of the Fund-based programme has been achieved at a much greater cost: the reduction in budget deficit has only been materialised because of the curtailment of development expenditure component of total fiscal outlays [Social Policy and Development Centre (2001)]. Economic theory suggests that development expenditure component of fiscal outlays, which also equals net investment by the public sector,1 has a significant relationship with both the rate of private investment and economic growth. If public investment increases, fewer funds will be available for private investment. Competition will thereby drive the interest rates up leading to lower level of private investment. Neo-classicals believe that this process will only result in a redistribution of gross national between the public and the private sector and the rate of economic growth will remain intact. On the other hand, Keynesians argue that the multiplier effect of higher public spending will be larger as compared to the induced negative effect of reduced private investment on the rate of economic activity and, therefore, gross national product will increase

Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in Pakistan

The role of productivity in accelerating the pace of economic growth is well recognized in economic literature and this paper shows that Pakistan’s case is no exception. The purpose of the paper was also to see the effect of government fiscal policy, monetary policy and other economic measures on TFP. It shows that these policies affect TFP through human capital endowments of employed labor force, providing better physical infrastructure and other facilitation to incorporate technology in the production process. Using data of the Pakistan economy from 1973 to 2006 both at aggregate and dis-aggregated levels i.e. Agriculture, Manufacturing, Construction, Electricity and Gas, and Other Sectors, the paper has tried to explain TFP for seven sub-periods equally divided into five years.Productivity; Growth; Human Capital; employment; TFP;

Why Private Investment In Pakistan Has Collapsed And How It Can Be Restored

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the decline in private investment and formulate a comprehensive strategy to overcome this problem, which is the main cause of deceleration in the growth momentum of Pakistan’s economy. Due to lack of investor confidence, private investment has reached its lowest point in the recent economic history of the private sector led growth phase (1978 to 2002) in Pakistan. This paper argues that economic as well as non-economic factors are responsible for this declining investment. Economic policies are formulated in such a manner that the short-term objectives of lowering the fiscal and trade deficits were to some extent achieved but overall economic performance and investment were ignored. In order to control external trade deficits, a policy of devaluation increased the cost of production through an increase in prices of imported raw material especially of plant and machinery. Higher real interest rates due to excessive public borrowing that were due to the failure in reducing fiscal deficits has resulted in financial crowding out and has corroded the savings that might be used to finance private investment. The unexplained part of private investment that is not determined by economic factors can be attributed to non-economic factors, which include internal and external shocks. These shocks start from the sanctions which were imposed after the nuclear blast. Events following that initial shock like the freezing of foreign currency accounts, the military coup, the harassment of the partially successful accountability drive of the military government, the 9/11 incident, the Afghan war and tensions on the Pak-India border have complemented the shock. A comprehensive programme is required to boost private investment and for the restoration of investor confidence. Therefore, an economic package is recommended in this paper that consists of incentives that relax the supply side constraints by reducing cost of production as well as demand-enhancing efforts. It is the best time to introduce a strategy to increase investment activities in the economy because of the high level of foreign exchange reserves, the rescheduling of foreign debt and the drastic reduction in interest rates which have reduced the debt servicing cost. Investor confidence can be restored by accelerating economic activities through following policies that can reduce the cost of imported raw material, bring down the real interest rates in the economy, increase expenditures on infrastructural development activities and that can also increase the availability of conditional subsidised credit for the export oriented small scale industries so that there is an improvement in the quality of the final product. This would make it more competitive in foreign markets.Private Investment; Development; Growth; sector wise Investment

Poverty, Income Distribution and Social Development in Lahore

In this paper we present a comparative analysis of poverty and income inequality prevalent in the seven towns of Lahore. Further, an analysis of gender inequality and overall social development is presented by considering education, health, and labor market conditions. We have computed the Herfindahl Index, Gini Coefficient, ratio of share of income of the bottom 20% to the top 20% and Sen index in this study. Finally, a composite index of social development is estimated and on the basis of this, index ranking of each town is outlined. Nishter Town is the least socially developed town whereas Aziz Bhatti, Shalimar, and Allama Iqbal towns are less socially developed as compared to Ravi, Cantt and Gunj Buksh towns.Poverty, Income distribution, Gini, Lorenz curve, Gender inequality, Social Development, Lahore, Pakistan

The Economy in the Aftermath of the Earthquake

In this study, we use simulations from the Social Policy and Development Centre’s large-scale empirical model of Pakistan’s economy to quantify the economic losses resulting from the devastating earthquake that hit the country on October 8, 2005. We then use the model to trace the path that the economy can be expected to follow under the relief and reconstruction assumptions that seem most plausible at present. The main results are as follows: First, the earthquake could initially shave off 1½ percentage points from economic growth. In the absence of reconstruction, this initial hit would lead to permanent losses of levels of the capital stock, consumption, and income that are substantial. Second, the assumed rebuilding effort of $5.8 billion over a five-year period will bring the economy back only half-way to the path that would have prevailed in the absence of the earthquake. Third, this rebuilding effort will be inflationary in the short run, and could add 2 percentage points to the rate of increase of consumer prices in 2005-06 and 1 percentage point the following year.Macroeconometric Modeling, Earth Quake, losses

How External Shocks and Exchange Rate Depreciations Affect Pakistan? Implications for Choice of an Exchange Rate Regime

A structural vector autoregression (VAR) model shows that external shocks are important in driving economic fluctuations in Pakistan and their importance has increased since September 11, 2001. The primary source of external shocks is foreign remittances, while foreign output has a limited effect. Keeping fixed external factors, an exogenous real exchange rate depreciation shock lowers output—a positive effect on real net exports (largely resulting from import compression rather export expansion)—is more than offset by a decline in domestic demand. The absence of common shocks with major trading partners, the importance of remittances, conventional expansionary effects on the trade balance following a real currency depreciation, and only limited evidence that credibility of anti-inflationary policy would improve with a currency peg support greater exchange rate flexibility. However, the rather large contractionary effects of real exchange rate depreciation on domestic demand suggest that greater exchange rate flexibility could destabilize aggregate output.External Shocks; Depreciation; SVAR; Pakistan; Exchange rate

Asymmetric Shocks and Co-movement of Price Indices

This paper is an attempt to gauge the relationship between the long run paths of consumer price index and wholesale price index of Pakistan. For the empirical analysis the Johansen co-integration technique has been applied on monthly data (1978 to 2010) of WPI and CPI. This paper found that both the indices are co-integrated in the long run. Thus the deviations in movements of WPI and CPI in the short run are transitory and both the indices will converge to their coherent path in the long run. Therefore, inflation computed from CPI can be used as official measure of inflation without worrying for short run movements of WPI.Price Level, Time Series Models, Monetary Policy