Lums

The QS World Universities Rankings 2027 show no Pakistani university in the top 350, with Quaid-i-Azam University at 381. However, specific programs at institutions like Nust, University of Engineering & Technology, and Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute rank 100-200 in engineering, while Lums, IBA, and AKU excel in economics, business, and medicine. The article links Pakistan's low education spending (under 1% of GDP) to its poor global university rankings, contrasting it with higher-income countries with stronger educational investments.

The 2026-27 budget process in Pakistan is shaped by fragmented lobbying efforts from business groups and external influences like the IMF. Wealth concentration and political noise from influential sectors, such as retailers and solar net-metering users, complicate reforms. Structural weaknesses, including inadequate feasibility studies, hinder effective policymaking.