Impact of Terrorism on Financial Markets of Pakistan (2006-2008)

The study is an effort to estimate the impact of terrorist activities on the financial markets in Pakistan over the period of two years i.e. 2006 to 2008. It also finds out the extent and direction of relationship between the terrorist activities and three financial markets of Pakistan, which are the Karachi Stock Exchange, the FOREX market and the Interbank market. After collection of the primary data for the terrorist activities on daily basis and the secondary data on the indicators of the three markets, by using the OLS model it attempts to quantify the impacts of various types of terrorists’ activities on financial markets. We have found during our analysis that the terrorist activities adversely affect the financial markets under study but the significance varies for different markets. Along with terrorist activities many other stochastic activities are responsible for the adverse performance of financial markets which have not been taken into account. The study recommends the policy stance on institutional development regarding investment in the innovative security industry and providing rosier environment for investors by altering the money supply and interest rates.