PAKISTAN: ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND THE ROAD AHEAD1
Pakistan’s economy and living standards have lagged behind its regional peers for well over a decade. This paper highlights several macroeconomic distortions and policy-related restrictions that have contributed to the country’s underperformance. These include protectionist interventions, a cumbersome regulatory and fiscal environment, and insufficient investment in human capital. In spite of these challenges, there are also many opportunities for Pakistan to achieve efficiency gains, reallocate resources towards more technologically advanced goods and services, and improve productivity and standards of living across the country