Why power subsidies are a bad idea
Pakistan’s power sector continues to be heavily reliant on government subsidies, a mechanism intended to keep electricity affordable for consumers. However, the State of Industry Report 2024 by Nepra paints…
A ‘disaster’ foretold
IN one of his last reports as the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction, John Sopko highlighted the factors contributing to America’s failure in Afghanistan. One of the main…
A very wicked problem
The ongoing strife in Afghanistan makes the conflict a ‘wicked problem’. In 1973, design theorists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber coined the term ‘wicked problem’ to describe an issue with…
New scholarship on religion and reform: Part – II
'The latest contribution by Ali Usman Qasmi to the existing scholarship on the history of Pakistan and how religion has influenced citizenship and other issues in the country is Qaum,…
My lips may be sealed, but the heart shall beat
Lips and heart are organs of the same body but, sometimes, the distance between them becomes immeasurable. Instead of the lips echoing the beats of the heart, they become mute…
The Kurram question
Kurram has emerged as a sectarian tinderbox reminiscent of the turbulent years of 2007-08. The disturbances that began in 2023 with an attack on a school have escalated rapidly in…
The Kurram conundrum
The Kurram district, situated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has historically been a region of considerable strategic significance and cultural depth. Nestled along the western frontier, it shares a volatile border with…
Fighting polio: A mission for every citizen
Where the history of Pakistan’s battle against polio is replete with stories of perseverance and courage of families and frontline workers alike, it is also one dotted with opportunities that…
Kurram’s crucible
WHEN KP CM Gandapur says Kurram’s problem is a conflict between two groups and not militancy, he has got blinkers on. Either that, or he is deliberately hoodwinking a nation…
How to counter insurgencies
IT is easy to say that the state must develop comprehensive and distinct counterterrorism and counterinsurgency strategies; however, what does comprehensive mean? This critical aspect is often missed in policy…
