Political jalsas and fading public interest
Unlike the past, when political rallies by opposition led to uncertainty in markets, shutter-down and difficulty in public movement - all of this appears to be fading away. In the…
What happened to ‘public interest’?
The christening of the new PPP Prime Minister (PM) was followed by a predictable set of reactions, both from within the fold and the proverbial anti-PPP camp. Needless to say,…
Rising public debt
The SBP (State Bank of Pakistan) has released figures of total debt and public debt of Pakistan as of end-June 2024. The total public debt of the federal government consists…
Public Mis-service Inc
THROUGHOUT my profession, I have closely engaged with government ministries, agencies and departments, both at the local and federal levels. In my younger days, the calling of the public services…
An interesting initiative
PUNJAB’S School Education Department (SED) has recently set up ‘student councils’ in public sector elementary, high and higher secondary schools. The first elections for class representatives, president, vice president, general…
This predatory republic
If we think of a nation as a building, then citizens are the very pillars that keep it standing and the government is like a roof over the head of…
Trans fats hamper public health
Industrially Produced Trans Fatty Acids (iTFAs), which are found in every local diet, are a public health concern and a big challenge ahead. They are causing a notable increase in…
The corrosion of a republic
The corrosion of a republic isn’t an event. It is a process. It isn’t a partisan affair. It is wholesale. It is never limited or contained. It is large scale…
Texas Republicans take aim at climate change — in textbooks
The scorching summer in Texas this year was the second hottest on record — but students in the southwestern US state might have a hard time understanding why. That’s because…
What ails public-sector education?
I asked 12 year-old Sultan (pseudonym) to read from his Urdu textbook. He struggled to read a simple sentence (“more sher ki tarha jungle kaa badshah hai”). While he eventually…
