Natural disaster, social catastrophe
Pakistan’s economy is vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Pakistan, in 2016, stood at the fifth highest in the list of countries facing climate risk, according to the…
The social justice divide
At its core, social justice is the promise that no citizen is left behind. Yet for millions of Pakistanis, this promise remains unfulfilled. The roots of these persistent inequalities lie…
Climate disaster lessons
THE timing of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s lament that Pakistan has not drawn any lessons from previous climate-triggered disasters coincides with the launch of the 11th National Finance Commission on the distribution of resources…
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…
Manmade disaster
INTENSE rainfall is not uncommon in our plains and mountains. Rainfall exceeding 200mm has occurred several times in every province of Pakistan. ‘Climate change’, ‘cloudburst’ and ‘urban flooding’ are only…
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…
A ‘disaster’ foretold
IN one of his last reports as the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction, John Sopko highlighted the factors contributing to America’s failure in Afghanistan. One of the main…
Two sides of the social media coin
WITH social media platforms running amok without much regulation or oversight, the hybrid Pakistani government and those considered established democracies in Europe, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, seem…
Sleepwalking to disaster
IT seems like an endless journey to nowhere. We keep moving in circles with no hope of coming out of the rut. The prevailing uncertainty is now becoming more and…
Children of disaster
SOME estimates say that 40 per cent of the people live in poverty, and 24pc below the poverty line in our country. It is no surprise that survival is their…
