Education emergency: a social X-ray
THE prime minister recently declared an education emergency, a much-needed and welcome call to action. Our education system is in critical condition and experts must now step forward to revive it.…
Mental cost of social media
When joke becomes a reality—a cartoon on a person sitting in an addiction treatment clinic. The doctor is asking him what is he addicted to alcohol or drugs? He replies,…
A social democratic, green, mission-oriented budget
In contrast to the usual approach to a budget discourse based on ideas around raising taxes, and expenditure allocations with slight hints of expanding the tax base, and having progressivity,…
Social breakdown
DUE to a variety of factors, inflation is rampant, and many economists do not see any relief in sight. There is a need to understand more about the impact of…
More money, more problems
The government continues to run its fiscal affairs with an increasing reliance on debt to fund its expenditures. The reliance on debt to fund fiscal operations has never been greater,…
Focusing on people’s problems
We are in the most unfortunate age of Pakistan’s political history where every political entity is trying to appease non-democratic forces. From a pliant prime minister to the ‘revolutionary’ opposition…
Financing social protection without incurring debt
Expenditure on social protection will lead to accumulation of debt if not financed through revenues, grants or donations. A part of expenditure on social protection can easily be financed through…
Women in social cohesion
The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Index 2021 ranks Pakistan at 153 out of 156 countries. Categorised on indicators of social cohesion including education attainment, health and survival, economic participation…
Tackling Balochistan’s problems
It is heartening to see that the prime minister is trying to heal the wounds of the largest province by offering mega projects and development schemes. What is more positive…
Problems and policy
Public policy should solve society’s problems. However, this ostensibly plausible depiction can mask serious problems with how societal ‘problems’ are framed and then addressed. A dim view of public policy’s…
