One hundred years of quantum wonders
The year 1925 marks a pivotal moment in science, heralding the birth of quantum mechanics – a field that delves into the fundamental behaviour of matter and energy. Werner Heisenberg’s…
Is privatisation the missing link?
In a notable development, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has issued 20-year supplier licenses to seven state-owned power utility companies, collectively known as distribution companies (DISCOs). This decision…
Electricity tariffs: full cost recovery model no longer sustainable
In the energy sector, nothing seems to be working to increase consumption on the grid. The concept of full cost recovery from the consumer is fundamentally flawed and is exacerbating…
Climate-smart cities
WE must recognise the importance of adapting cities to climate change and develop a roadmap to achieve it. The world is rapidly urbanising because of the growing size and density…
Why power-sector reforms fail
Pakistan’s power sector has long been a tale of reforms that promise much but deliver little. Despite decades of policy interventions aimed at boosting energy generation, reducing losses, and reforming…
Tragedy of the commons?
IN 2012, Northern Ireland launched an environmental initiative that escalated into the notorious Cash for Ash scandal. Originally designed to tackle energy issues, the plan ironically made the problem worse.…
Border trade in Balochistan
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province in terms of area, plays a crucial role in the country’s border trade. Sharing extensive borders with Afghanistan (1468 km) and Iran (909 km), Balochistan’s unique…
Collapse of civilisations
FLOODS are perhaps as old as time. They have always figured very largely in the human imagination primarily because of the sheer magnitude of the death and destruction they visit…
Ecocide crystal ball
ILHAN Niaz’s seven essays Downfall: Lessons for Our Final Century, published by the Centre of Strategic and Contemporary Research, Islamabad, are a remarkable and exceptionally scholarly study from multiple perspectives,…
Rethinking Pakistan’s agriculture
THE climate change-induced rains of last summer left millions of people homeless in many parts of Pakistan. While it is correct to put pressure on the international community to pay…
