From disaster to despair
Each monsoon in Pakistan heralds less a renewal of life and more a rehearsal for ruin. The 2025 floods, which swept through the vast industrial triangle of Sialkot, Gujrat and…
‘No rice, no sugar, no eggs’: Bolivians despair as economy tanks
Waiting in line for hours, often in vain, for basics such as cooking oil has become a way of life in Bolivia, where anger over shortages and skyrocketing prices has…
Dreams to despair
LIKE many developing nations, Pakistan’s economy relies heavily on its migrant workers — individuals who leave home with dreams of a better future, not just for themselves but for their…
Decades of despair
“PROMPT and drastic measures are necessary to save Pakistan from virtual bankruptcy; but our rulers seem to be content with obtaining foreign gifts to feed the people and relying on…
Drowning in despair
INDIAN climate scientist Anjal Prakash recommends not using the word ‘unprecedented’ in relation to climate catastrophes in South Asia, “because every time a new precedent is being formed”. It’s probably…
Hope in a time of despair
In these unprecedented times, the world seems to be hurtling into a dark abyss. A myriad of crises, spanning political, economic, financial, and climatic dimensions, looms over countries, casting a…
Euphoria must not give way to despair
The nation is in a state of euphoria since it successfully clinched an International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) $3 billion 9-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) a couple of days ago. Ironically, Euphoria may…
Leadership and economics
Upon the conclusion of every single overseas visit I am filled with sadness and a deep sense of disillusionment. This is despite a divinely blessed deep reservoir of optimistic attitude…
Despair over hope
“From the pressure of all desolations faith gushes forth … we are entering a grave illumined by the dawn.” (Victor Hugo) Revolutions around the world have always been triggered by…
Tsunami of despair
Long before the virus, many Americans were sinking under waves of despair. Without transformative policies, that despair, with the added fuel of the pandemic, may turn into a tsunami. The…
