Lahore School of Economics Admissions 2026
June 27, 2026
Labels: Admission, BBA, Lahore School, MBA, MBA Executive
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/27/2026 01:38:00 PM,
Growth dips to 3.1% on energy shock
Pakistan's economic growth stands at 3.1% this fiscal year, but a brutal global energy shock is threatening to drag that figure down further, with millions of the country's poorest citizens already paying the price.
That is the central finding of the Lahore School of Economics' latest quarterly assessment for Financial Year 2025-26, released by its Modelling Lab. The report, authored by economists Dr Moazam Mahmood and Dr Azam Amjad Chaudhry, paints a sobering picture of an economy caught between fragile recovery and external pressure it cannot control.
The Modelling Lab's 3.1% GDP growth estimate sits below the government's projection of 3.7%, and also undershoots the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) 3.6% and the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) 3.5%, both of which were made before the full weight of the energy shock had set in. The World Bank's comparable estimate of 3.0% is closest to the Lahore School's number. More worryingly, the report warns that once complete data for the final months of the fiscal year comes in, growth could be revised down further to 2.8%, what the economists call a 'force majeure' growth rate.
The culprit is oil. Pakistan imports half a million barrels a day, spending around $13 billion annually on oil imports alone. In recent months, global oil prices have been running $25 to $30 per barrel above their long-term trend. A single quarter of elevated prices adds approximately $1 billion to the country's import bill. The effect has rippled through the current account, pushing it back into deficit. Imports hit $7.6 billion in April alone, while exports barely average $3.5 billion per month. The report is blunt: "The economy cannot grow without affordable energy."
On inflation, the picture is equally uncomfortable. The Lahore School estimates inflation for FY2025-26 at 9%, up from 8% last year and well above the government's estimate of just under 6%. Energy prices are the primary driver. Between June 2025 and June 2026, petrol prices rose 54%, kerosene by 85%, high-speed diesel by 53%, electricity by 25%, and natural gas by a staggering 126%. Together, the report calculates these energy price increases have contributed 4.6 percentage points to the overall inflation rate, roughly half of the total. Adding a layer of concern, the report finds that about two-thirds of the increase in consumer energy prices came not from supplier costs but from government taxation, making the state directly responsible for roughly one-third of the inflation rate.
There are some bright spots. Agricultural growth is approaching 3% after two difficult years, partly because the government reinstated the wheat support price, a policy it had abandoned to damaging effect. Large-scale manufacturing has also shown an unexpected surge, reaching 6% growth in recent quarters, driven largely by the automotive sector. Services growth has climbed to 3.7%. But the report is careful not to over-read these trends, noting: "One swallow does not a summer make."
The most alarming section of the report deals with poverty. Data from household surveys shows that extreme caloric poverty, measured against the World Bank's threshold, rose from 16.5% in FY2018-19 to 21.1% by FY2024-25 – a five percentage point jump in five years, reversing nearly two decades of progress. The report links this directly to low GDP growth and high inflation, themselves products of two major currency depreciations: 25% in 2018-19 and 40% in 2022-23.
The report credits the current government for reining in that depreciation cycle and for bringing double-digit inflation down from its peak. Managing the exchange rate under global commodity pressure, the economists acknowledge, has been no small feat. But the credit comes with a clear challenge: stabilising the rupee is necessary but not sufficient. With 21% of Pakistanis unable to meet basic caloric needs, the government must now urgently turn its attention to reviving growth, not just defending it.
Labels: Dr. Azam Chaudhry, Economic Growth, Growth, Inflation, Innovation and Technology Center, Lahore School, Pakistan, Pakistan Economy, Research
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/27/2026 01:25:00 PM,
State of the Pakistan Economy, Growth, Inflation and Welfare in Pakistan
June 25, 2026
Labels: Dr. Azam Chaudhry, Economic Growth, Growth, Inflation, Innovation and Technology Center, Lahore School, Pakistan, Pakistan Economy
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/25/2026 03:15:00 PM,
Policy risks eat into export revenue
June 16, 2026
Pakistan is losing hundreds of millions of dollars in export revenue every month, not because of foreign tariff wars or global trade conflicts, but because of the uncertainty generated by its own policymaking machinery, according to a new study released by economists Azam Chaudhry and Gul Andaman of the Lahore School of Economics (LSE).
Labels: China, Dr. Azam Chaudhry, Export, Exports, Finance Act, Lahore School, Pakistan, Pakistan Economy, Research, Revenue, Trade, US
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/16/2026 09:29:00 AM,
Federal Budget
June 11, 2026
Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26
Labels: Budget, Pakistan Economy
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/11/2026 03:20:00 PM,
Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Visits Lahore School of Economics
June 05, 2026
Labels: Australia, Education, Higher Education, Lahore School, Macquarie University
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 6/05/2026 03:35:00 PM,
Lahore School Summer School
May 21, 2026
Labels: Summer2026
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/21/2026 04:18:00 PM,
Challenges and Possibilities for Environmental Sustainability in Pakistan
May 12, 2026
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Labels: Environmental Science and Policy, Lahore School, Research, The Lahore Journal of Policy Studies
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/12/2026 04:14:00 PM,
Lahore Journal of Economics
May 08, 2026
Evaluating the Impact of Withdrawal of Telegraphic Transfer (TT) Charges Reimbursement on the Remittances from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Muhammad Omer
Financial Development and CO₂ Emissions: A Global Analysis and Continent-level Comparisons of Institutional Quality’s Mediating Role, Ayesha Rehman, Muhammad Tariq Majeed, and Tania Luni
The Economic Impact of Environmental Sustainability Practices in the Hospitality Sector: A Global Review with Policy Implications for Pakistan, Kashaf Waseem
Measuring Availability of Resources: A Case Study of Selected CPI Items in Pakistan, Nimra Hamayun, Hafiz Rizwan Ahmad, and Muhammad Munawar
Access the LJE here: https://lje.org.pk/currentIssues
Labels: Lahore Journal of Economics, Lahore School, Publications, Research
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/08/2026 11:13:00 AM,
Industrial Marketing
On 7 May 2026, Lahore School organized a guest speaker session for the undergraduate students enrolled in the Industrial Marketing course. The session was delivered by Mr. Khurram Shahzad, the President and Group Chief Operating Officer of JW Retail. He shared valuable insights into the evolving nature of industrial marketing, strategic sales, and corporate leadership. Mr. Shahzad maintained an engaging dialogue with students on career progression and the realities of corporate life.
Labels: Guest Speaker, Spring 2026
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/08/2026 11:12:00 AM,
Supply Chain Management
May 07, 2026
On 6 May 2026, Lahore School of Economics hosted a guest lecture for the undergraduate students enrolled in the Supply Chain Management course. The session was delivered by Mr. Abdul Rehman Butt, Head of Supply Chain at Fauji Foods, who brought extensive industry expertise and practical insight into the evolving dynamics of modern global supply chains. Through an engaging and interactive discussion, he introduced students to the strategic importance of intermediaries and the growing need for resilience and collaboration across supply networks.
Labels: Guest Speaker, Spring 2026
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/07/2026 11:07:00 AM,
Managing Business in Pakistan
May 06, 2026
The conference commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by the opening address by Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector of the Lahore School of Economics. Dr. Chaudhry highlighted the importance of resilience and transformation in Pakistan’s business environment amid global uncertainty, technological disruption, climate concerns, and changing economic realities. He emphasized the role of academic research in informing policy and guiding businesses toward sustainable and inclusive growth.
Labels: Business, Lahore School, Managing Business in Pakistan, Research
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 5/06/2026 10:23:00 AM,
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