It’s all political
AFTER a phase of stabilisation, it is encouraging to see the government emphasise growth through Uraan Pakistan. The programme, much like an election manifesto, aims to address an overwhelming range…
Political turmoil shakes South Korea’s economy
After South Korea’s president and his replacement were both deposed over a failed bid to impose martial law, deepening political turmoil is threatening the country’s currency and shaking confidence in…
The Syrian impact
THE triumph of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led resistance in Syria has further disturbed the geopolitical equilibrium in the Middle East and beyond. For Pakistan, this development should mean not only modifications…
2025: Economic challenges meeting political crossroads
2024 was a year of economic stabilization for Pakistan. Inflation plummeted, the exchange rate showed marginal improvement, and interest rates were nearly halved. However, employment creation and economic growth remained…
Gaza war impact
EVEN before the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct 7, the Palestinian territories were subject to horrible violations of international law and occupation by Israel. As a result, there were two…
Impact of a weak police command
IN 2001, the National Reconstruction Bureau was tasked with reforming the governance structure in the country. It took it up at the district level, as the entire edifice of governance…
Political meltdown
THE high drama of Punjab’s constitutional crisis reached a climax with the Supreme Court ruling that struck down the deputy Speaker’s action in the provincial assembly and held this to be “without…
European IPOs fizzle out as political turmoil roils stocks
The European IPO market is unlikely to see any new candidates until after the summer, as political uncertainty has roiled markets, bankers said. This week Italian luxury sneaker brand Golden…
Neoliberal economic policy, and political economic outcomes
In a number of interviews after becoming finance minister, there is a sense of naivety reflected in the thoughts of. Muhammad Aurangzeb when he thinks that agriculture, for instance, should…
Finding political legitimacy
I wrote about the CAR framework last month and posited that governance has become much more challenging because ‘capability’, ‘accountability’ and ‘responsiveness’ have all become compromised. These qualities have been…
