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,…
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…
Managing public investment the mission-oriented way
Two renowned intellectuals – Greece’s former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, and columnist for Guardian George Monbiot – in two separate articles recently, pointed towards a common problem: neoliberalism, and austerity,…
It’s in country’s interest to proactively pursue offshore oil and gas exploration
The discovery of oil and gas has remarkably changed the fate of many countries. Not too long ago, people that used to live in abject poverty are now reaping the…
Power bills and public anger
The usual jargon was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on 27, Sunday, after an inconclusive emergent meeting was called in the aftermath of violent street protests in several cities…
