Hawala to crypto, Pak’s underground economy thrives sans any scrutiny

IANS | December 13, 2025 2:39 PM

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Pakistan is at a dangerous crossroads where the documented economy is suffocating, while the underground economy is thriving -- in the form of hawala counters in Dubai, the Telegram crypto groups operating from Karachi and Peshawar, the fake IT invoices flowing from single-room “export houses,” and the billions finding refuge in real estate, gold, offshore wallets, and double-invoiced trade routes, a new report has revealed.