Structural impediments are challenges to sustaining macroeconomic stability, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)’s annual report on the state of the economy said on Thursday. “Falling investment … unfavourable business environment, lack of research and development, and low productivity, alongside climate change risks continue to constrain the economy’s growth potential,” the SBP said in a statement . Additionally, the central bank noted that “longstanding inefficiencies in the energy sector have resulted in the accumulation of the circular debt”. “While the government has started to address energy sector challenges through substantial price adjustments, there is a need to broaden the scope of these efforts by introducing sectoral policy and regulatory reforms,” it said. The SBP added that the reforms were necessary to address the inefficient nature of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that continued to burden fiscal resources already restrained by a low tax-to-GDP ratio. On a positi
GUJAR KHAN: An eight-year-old girl has allegedly been sexually assaulted by vendor of her school canteen in Pind Dadan Khan town. According to the police sources, Sajida Khanum, a widow mother of the girl, reported to the police that her daughter was a student of KG class at a private school located in vicinity of DSP office. According to Sajida Khanum, when the girl returned from school on Oct 15 she told her mother that she was sexually assaulted by the canteen man. After registering the complaint the police got the alleged victim medically examined and also registered a case under section 376-iii of PPC and arrested the accused. Meanwhile, the school has also been sealed by the local administration. The residents of the area have voiced concern over rising incidents of assaults on students and urged the Punjab chief minister and the minister of education to bring the culprits to justice. Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024 from The Dawn News - Home https://ift.tt/oFmBhNQ