Sugar and political power
In his famous book, Coffee and Power, Jeffrey Paige provides a vivid illustration of how a single commodity, coffee, is sufficient to explain the power structure of Central America. Despite…
Power sector and politically motivated vandalism!
The present sad state of the Pakistan’s Power Sector cannot be emphasized any further. Everyone, including the successive governments, understands the gravity of the situation but even then no correction…
Power of narratives
NARRATIVES have, for millennia, shaped the way societies and nations create identities, forge empires, develop breakthrough technologies, and overcome challenges. The story of the Iron Age transformation in the Biblical-Quranic…
Power without devolution
In our earlier reflection on Pakistan’s failing governance architecture, we diagnosed how the absence of functional local governments has eroded democratic accountability. But to fully understand why local governance has…
How technology shapes power
In the early 15th century, the world still moved by hoof and sail. But within the walls of the Ottoman Empire, something formidable was taking shape. Not armies. Not treaties.…
Power without humility
FOR 77 years, we have been governed by individuals who have wielded power with arrogance not humility. Be it politicians, military, judiciary, or bureaucracy, those entrusted with authority have prioritised…
Political audit of Afghan policy
THE latest clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces are yet another sign of the deepening rift between the two neighbours. Just three years after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul — a moment that…
AI is the new power
We are currently witnessing an era of unprecedented growth in Artificial Intelligence (AI),which is projected to surpass $800 billion in market value within the next few years (‘The race for…
Global power shifts to the East
In the realm of global power dynamics, the East, spearheaded by China, Russia and their respective allies, is undergoing remarkable economic and diplomatic expansion, while the historically dominant Western nations,…
Water, power and politics
How can we grow and prosper together? Is this question truly so difficult that we have yet to find a wise and effective answer? In reality, our democratic and federal…
