Our economy is literal junk. Can we fix it?

Pakistan's junk rating means that most lenders are not willing to extend the country any credit.

If you were a schoolteacher, how would you grade Pakistan’s economy? According to leading international credit agencies such as Moody’s and S&P Global, the answer is a C-level grade.

In the international market, Pakistan’s credit rating (Moody’s: Caa2; S&P: CCC+) is referred to as “junk” status, i.e. lending to the country comes with a high risk of non-repayment and default. Forget earning a distinction, we’re just a few points away from dropping out of school entirely.

My latest for Dawn EOS: Un-junking Pakistan’s Economy