Project Partner/Donor: UN-ESCAP

Project Duration: 5 months

Team members: Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Maaz Javed, Rabia Tabbasum, Asif Javed

Project Introduction: ESCAP with the help of ECA and ESCWA is working on a DA 11 project of “Measuring, monitoring and improving performance in regional integration within ECA, ESCWA and ESCAP regions” its main focus is to strengthen the capacity of selected developing countries to measure, monitor, and improve their performance in regional integration within Africa, Western Asia, and the Asia-Pacific regions. The implementation in the first phase of this project has highlighted that particular attention to integration into the digital economy is needed for the regional integration process to be successful in the 21^st century. According to ESCAP’s DigiSRII, Pakistan’s performance is among the poorest with respect to digital economy integration because of which Pakistan is selected as one of the targeted countries to implement the second phase of this project.

In addition, because of COVID-19 pandemic countries has realize that regional coordination would be an important means to support national efforts in dealing with health crises. Therefore, country-specific policy recommendations would also need to be developed to ensure that the regional integration policy of Pakistan will support the country’s achievement of SDG 3 (Good health and well beings).

Project Objectives: The objective of this exercise is to prepare a national action plan and organize a national consultation workshop to assist Pakistan to achieve a successful and sustainable regional integration, with a particular emphasis on digital-trade integration.

Project Outcomes: In consultation with the Director, Trade, Investment and Innovation Division and Chief, Trade Policy and Facilitation Section, the SDPI is carrying out a national study on digital-trade integration of Pakistan by collecting, analyzing data, information required to support the preparation of a national action plan for a successful and sustainable regional integration of Pakistan and organizing a national consultation workshop.

Focus Group Discussion: High-level focus group discussion is arranged by SDPI in consultation with relevant stakeholders on Digital trade in Pakistan: challenges and opportunities.

Project Partner/Donor: JICA

Project Duration: Jun 02, 2020 to Mar 31, 2021

Team members: Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Asif Javed

Project Introduction: The project involves preparing the quarterly reports based on macro-economy and political analysis. The focus is to review and analyze the basic figures and causes on important events and development in the particular three months. The review and analysis include;

• Real sector: economic growth, inflation, domestic and foreign direct investment, savings and industrial situation.
• Fiscal policies: impact of and response to shocks, and sustainability issues and public debt.
• Monetary policy: financial sector and exchange rate.
• External sector: current account, trade account, capital and financial account, international reserves and external debt.
• Progress of structural reform under IMF.

Analysis of the political scenario includes;

• Newly related policies including to economic activities.
• Political relations with surrounding countries.
• Development in regional cooperation programs (CAREC, CPEC, SAARC)
• Newly committed projects from donor agencies.

Project Objectives:  The basic objective of the project is to present a quarterly analysis of the ongoing economic and political situation. The analysis is based on recent data and policy actions. The focus is to examine the change in macroeconomic indicators and the political scenario and its affect on the economic growth.

Project Outcomes:  The quarterly reports present an updated overview of the economic and political situation which demonstrates the growth trend and change in policy actions. The quarterly reports cover the changing economic and political scenario and how it affects the overall macroeconomic situation of Pakistan.

Partner/Donor: British Council, Pakistan.

Duration: Sep 2018 till March 2020

Team Members: Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Ahad Nazir, Nadia Ahmad

Introduction:

Past research by British Council and SDPI on the policy landscape for social enterprises in Pakistan reveals a lack of understanding of perspectives from public and private sectors. The latter claims that the government at national and sub-national levels has little respect for the efforts and risks which entrepreneurs take; particularly in an environment where most lending institutions do not take a risk on social enterprises. On the other hand, actors in the public sector have a feeling that social entrepreneurs are no different from the mainstream business activity and see little value in for example designing a tax system which values social impact. There is thus a clear gap in perspectives which to some extent can only be bridged through appropriate policy engagement tools.

This gap found in previous research also gives us the ground to propose the following objectives for the policy component of DICE program:

• Revisit and re-alignment of the literature available on policy landscape faced by social and creative enterprises (SCEs)
• Propose legislations on policy reforms for development of SCEs in Pakistan
• Propose inclusion of SCEs development in national and sub-national plans and strategies
• Ensure support for SCEs in development budgets of national and sub-national governments
• Capacity building of representatives from parliament, civil service and regulatory bodies on SCEs
• Supporting the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Planning Commission; and supporting similar efforts at the Planning & Development Departments of provinces.

These objectives would be met through a concerted effort focusing on updating of literature, deep dive survey-based research in the tax and regulatory regime faced by SCEs, in-depth interviews with relevant policy makers, public-private dialogues, and awareness campaign for all stakeholders to understand each other’s perspectives.

We are envisioning the following potential outcomes of the policy component:

• Create awareness in both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders regarding policy environment which could encourage social and creative enterprises
• Updated literature on policy component of SCE, which to a large extent has seen change due to changes to finance bill and other legislation
• Legislation draft for presentation to parliament as a private member bill
• Capacity building of policy makers and creation of policy toolkit
• Making development of SCEs a priority in the annual, medium and long term strategies, plans and budgets of national and sub-national level governments.
• Strengthened public-private dialogue on SCEs and sustaining such a dialogue with in private sector associations and think tanks
• Improved participation of SCEs in public sector’s economic opportunities (including public procurement).

Status: On-going

Introduction:

Track II consultations by global experts recommend a series of jointly conducted studies by the relevant institutions of India and Pakistan to produce a knowledge base for decisions to be agreed by the two countries. To achieve confident and cooperative decision-making across jurisdictional borders for effective and equitable management of shared water resources, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (AUSAID) designed the Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (SDIP) with the aim to tackle some of the basic development challenges in South Asia  by strengthening trans-boundary cooperation to promote all-encompassing, robust and resilient economic growth. The primary goal of SDIP is to promote water, food and energy security in the basins of three Himalayan rivers, namely Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra.

Along with the trans-boundary issues of sharing and management, water in South Asia faces many challenges such as population growth, resource extraction, deforestation, generation of food and energy, and climate change. Climate change has also, in turn, deteriorated food security situation in the region. Accelerating growth in South Asia has also led to increase in demand for energy further increasing the imbalance in demand and supply of energy. Inter and intra-regional politics also plays an important role in defining water, food, and energy insecurities.

Regional cooperation seems to be the only solution to improve the grim situation of depleting resources in South Asia. The benefits from such cooperation will include: economies of scale, resolving trans-boundary trade issues, regional infrastructure and other cross-border issues, and management of shared natural resources. These benefits will enhance in the region due to its increasing economies, complementarities in agriculture production, geographical proximity, common insecurities of food, water and energy, and similar demographic characteristics. A regional cooperation will be more comprehensive, cost-effective and sustainable to the challenges of food, water and energy securities. A regional institutional framework will constrain countries in conflict to adhere to international law principles by providing transparent and mutually beneficial verdicts. Regional cooperation can be enhanced through the strengthening of institutions, strengthening role of CSOs and international agencies, and building more trust among respective countries.

SDIP holds partner organizations from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan to achieve its goals. The programme will undertake policy research, CSO mapping and outreach, media mapping and outreach, policy advocacy, and conduct policy dialogues. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), partner from Pakistan and specialist in policy advocacy will be analyzing policy implications on SDIP thematic areas: food, water and energy along with providing support and specialized local advice on other dimensions.

The first phase of programme is to expand networks throughout the region by linking itself with relevant strategic partners, conducting policy research on SDIP issues. During phase 2, the consortium will engage in policy advocacy and will disseminate information gathered in the first phase. The last phase will focus on high-level policy dialogues at local, sub-national, national and regional levels to influence change and enhance regional cooperation in South Asia.

Pakistan is a crucial partner in the programme due to its strong presence in one of the three river basins. Indus river originates from the Tibetan Plateau and empties into the Arabian Sea after flowing across northern India, Jammu and Kashmir and the entire length of Pakistan. 47% of the river falls in Pakistan, 39% in India (and Kashmir), 8% in China and 6% in Afghanistan. The Indus River System is the lifeline of Pakistan. The country depends on the Indus, especially for its agriculture, which is even today backbone of the economy.

Pakistan and India after numerous debates, conflicts and agreements signed the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in 1960. The Treaty has been successful solution to the dispute referred to as “the most important water treaty in the world”. It has survived to stay intact for 50 years even though the two countries are agreeably known as hostile neighbours. Unfortunately, recent events have focused  the Treaty. Researchers agree that the Treaty has gaps: there is no provision in the Treaty on how the parties should respond to climate change and its effects. It does not address the issue of water quality or industrial and agricultural pollution, deforestation and environmental flows in the eastern rivers allocated to India. Furthermore, the Treaty does provide information on watershed management, proper management of ground waters or examination of cumulative effects of projects such as the hydroelectric generation.

Objectives:

1. To contribute to increased water, food, and energy security in South Asia to facilitate economic growth and improve livelihoods, targeting the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and girls.

Activities

1. Field survey in  Mianwali and Rahim Yar Khan districts.
2. Key Informant Interviews conducted in Islamabad, Mianwali and Rahim Yar Khan.
3. High Level Consultative Meeting held.

Findings

1. Seed purchasing is done by landlord/big farmer of the area, and small farmers purchase it from them.
2. Farmers in field are using low quality fertilizer.
3. Survey findings also revealed imbalanced use of fertilizers across the basins, wherein urea and DAP were found as the most widely used form of fertilizers.
4. Quite often female farmers face difficulty in getting loans sanctioned because, in most cases, land is in the name of male head of family. Interviews with farmers in Pakistan revealed that if land owner is a female, the bank will demand the pass book of the male representative to be on the safer side so that the loan can be easily recovered from her family.
5. Unseasonal rainfall during the harvest season of wheat costs too much.

Team Members

1. Dr Vaqar Ahmed
2. Muhammad Adnan
3. Anam Anwar Khan
4. Muhammad Sohaib
5. Asif Javed
6. Syed Shujaat Ahmed
7. Deewan Fazal Bukhari