Financial crisis, social unrest and reform
The December 22, 2008 issue of Newsweek featured an article on the downside of Chinese state reform. Entitled ‘Why China is too scared to spend’, the article drew attention to…
Our peri-urban crisis
While Pakistan's metropolitan hubs are expanding rapidly and rural areas still get targeted development support, peri-urban areas – those transitional zones between city and countryside – are becoming increasingly vital…
Climate-smart social protection
PAKISTAN’S social protection system is at a crossroads. Traditional social protection systems, while providing critical support for poverty reduction, are not designed to address the compounding challenges of climate-triggered disasters. The country’s…
We have a massive learning poverty crisis
Learning poverty, as delineated by the World Bank, pertains to the proportion of children who are unable to read and comprehend a basic text by the age of ten. This…
Middle class in crisis
A BUSINESS publication recently reported that in the first five months of the current fiscal year, salaried employees contributed Rs200 billion as income tax. This is Rs72bn (or 56 per…
Malala returns to a region in crisis
Twelve years after she was evacuated out of Pakistan as a badly wounded schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai has returned to her home country at a critical time for girls’ education. “For…
Unpacking Sindh’s dacoit crisis
The riverine stretch of the Indus River, from Guddu to Kotri Barrage, and the Kirthar Range in Sindh have historically been a hotbed for dacoits and outlaws. During the 1980s…
Pakistan’s housing crisis needs innovation
Pakistan's explosive population growth over the past five decades presents a pressing non-traditional national security concern. With ripple effects on water, food, and energy security, this demographic surge threatens social…
Skardu’s water crisis
SKARDU, nestled in the heart of Gilgit-Baltistan, has rapidly transformed from a small town into a popular tourist destination because of its modern international airport. However, despite this progress, the…
Pakistan’s deadly air pollution crisis
On November 7, as Pakistan was reeling from days of deadly air pollution, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz flew to Europe to get medical care for a severe throat infection.…
