The internal crisis
The annual survey of ‘failed states’ covering 2012 has just appeared in Foreign Policy. Using data on elements such as ‘demographic pressures’, ‘refugees’, ‘public services’, ‘economic decline’, ‘factionalised elites’, ‘security…
So the PM sang
During the election campaign – and immediately after – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had repeatedly stated that proper management of the economy would be the top priority of his government.…
Process and outcomes
Prospects have brightened for an early resumption of the Pakistan-India normalisation process as a result of several developments that have taken place since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assumed power. Diplomatic…
Who should provide social services?
IT is remarkable that the governments of Pakistan and India have not been able to ensure essential social services for their citizens public health and education are in shambles. As…
Reflections on prior actions
Pakistan and the IMF have reached a staff level agreement for a $5.3 billion bailout programme, which is likely to be presented to the executive board of the IMF in…
Democratic dilemma
Let me start with a quote whose author I cannot remember 'where blind and naked ignorance/delivers brawling judgements unashamed/on all things all day long.' Pakistan came into being promising a…
FBR: new chairman, old challenges
Of all the federal government institutions, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is, rightly or wrongly, considered as the most incompetent, inefficient and corrupt. Even if it is merely a perception…
The tyranny of bureaucracy
The visible conflict between bureaucracy and political system does not seem to abate and as long as we Pakistanis are what we are this conflict will intensify and increase. My…
What’s Pakistan’s fiscal problem?
Pakistan's provinces where much of the welfare and infrastructure lies are all running balanced budget as required by the constitution - thank the Almighty. The federal government has obligations to…
The urban present
Soon after the 1998 census results were made public, Reza Ali, an urban planner and researcher from Lahore, wrote a path-breaking article called ‘How urban is Pakistan?’, in which he…
