Mahbub ul Haq Research Centre at LUMS

Pakistan lost an estimated $1.62 billion in 2024 due to internet shutdowns, the highest in the world. In this week’s issue of the Friday Economist, authors Rabia Khan (LUMS) and Yushma Umar (LUMS) examine the economic toll of Pakistan’s recurring internet disruptions, particularly on the IT sector and freelancers. The piece outlines critical reforms needed to restore stability and secure long-term growth.

Fintech, a rapidly evolving ecosystem leverages technology to enhance and automate the delivery of financial services. It aims to...

Following the industrial revolution, the world witnessed transformative changes led by the rapid evolution of digital technologies. The surge...

The COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in several aspects. Even aside from its significant health impact, with 2.2 million deaths so far, the economic fallout has created the worst recession since the great depression...

Electricity is the wheel that drives all facets of our daily lives such as production, consumption, communication, transportation and routine financial transactions. Despite its key role in powering the national economy, Pakistan’s electricity sector continues its struggle with significant challenges. Whether these manifest as costly...

How does bureaucracy matter for state capacity and development? Over the last years, enormous interest in this question has created a large body of research, mostly focused around...

The rapid pace of urbanization in the South Asian region and Pakistan has led to the growth of urban settlements that are broadly categorized as “messy” and ...

There is evidence to suggest that the digitization of land records benefits marginalized land-owning groups, such as...

The challenge of circular debt has persistently plagued Pakistan's power sector and has worsened over time across subsequent governments...