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Structural factures challenge governance

We are not alone. They too have issues. The developed world has suddenly discovered its own misgivings. They fear their icons - capitalism, democracy, the Fourth Industrial Revolution - are…

Our democracy and the known unknowns

In a bid to promote "democratic culture" in this country, the Senate passed a resolution the other day. Introduced by a PPP legislator, it calls for making "democratic civic education"…

Illicit trade in tobacco products — I

This is the first part of a two-part series on how to counter illicit trade in tobacco products, recoup revenue losses and discourage smoking that is great health hazard. Illicit…

Illicit trade in tobacco products — II

19.1 percent of Pakistani population, which includes 31.8 percent of men and 5.8 percent of women, consume tobacco in one form or the other. Among these tobacco consumers, 9.6 percent…

Consequences

Apropos a recent front page news in an English-language daily, that the Prime Minister was angered over delay in importing of wheat and had reprimanded the relevant authorities- a bunch…

The distant crest

IF beauty is skin deep, integrity in politics is equally superficial. Scratch the gilt surface of any Pakistani politician; exposed will be a lower layer of hypocrisy, smelted in guilt.…

Jokes and desperation

THAT is what things have now been reduced to: jokes and desperation. Wednesday saw an example of each. It was a joke when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) told a…

Rebuilding parliamentary accountability

The entire edifice of accountability through parliamentary oversight of the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) has crumbled owing to the serious shortcomings highlighted in my earlier article on this subject (‘Accountability…

Accountability reform

There is hardly any topic that has attracted a greater degree of debate in this country than that of corruption and accountability. However, all that clamour seems to have only…

AGP’s appointment

THE auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) has just retired and, at the time of writing, the government must be going through the process of appointing a new full-time AGP. Meanwhile,…