Pakistan’s summer madness
There has been an unexpected mix of stern criticism and curiosity on my last article, ‘The builder of sandcastles’ (July 13). The angry reaction of the major political parties was…
Policy direction for the budget
The contours of the upcoming budget in terms of size, outlays, revenue collection targets, fiscal deficit etc. have been spelled out by the finance minister at various fora and by…
Taliban’s broken promises
Since October, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have engaged in three rounds of talks aimed at ending the escalating tensions between the two neighbours. The first two meetings, held in…
Parametric insurance: a game-changer
PAKISTAN stands at the front lines of the global climate crisis. From heatwaves and droughts to devastating floods that threaten lives and livelihoods each year, the economic and human toll of climate…
Kafkaesque debt spiral
Pakistan’s debt story has become a grim chronicle of missed opportunities, persistent mismanagement and recurring crises that have steadily eroded the foundations of economic sovereignty. The fragile fiscal account is…
Climate resilience
Climate change is no longer a distant risk – it is our daily reality. The devastating floods of 2022 cost Pakistan nearly 5 percent of its GDP, claimed over 1,700…
‘Economic Resilience Act’ — II
Within economy, relegation of Ministry of Finance (MOF) to purely financial matters, and instead forming a ‘Ministry of Economy’ (MOEC) as the main ministry for the overall economic policy. Moreover,…
Seventy-eight – and still standing
Seventy-eight years after independence, this lesson is our compass: survival is not enough; we must turn survival into strategy. Hope in Pakistan cannot be naïve. It has to be earned…
Homes against floods
Pakistan’s catastrophic floods of 2022 submerged nearly a third of the country, washing away homes, livelihoods and a fragile sense of security. Entire districts in Sindh and Balochistan disappeared under…
Seizing the moment
THERE has been over a decade of virtual silence from both the federal and provincial governments with regard to our rapidly rising population growth rates. Finally, some prominent public figures…
