SOEs need road map
Talk about reforming state owned enterprises (SOEs) and then refloating them seems to be a favourite topic these days. Though everyone has been mindful of this facet of failing governmental…
The last pit
GEORGE Masih had unclogged six completely choked raw sewage gutters with his bare hands. Working since 1 am, he was tired and felt increasingly dizzy. He gasped for every breath…
Of ministers and secretaries
This piece is about the imperative need for harmony between politicians and bureaucracy. The unanimity must not be of protecting self-interest, but of the passion to serve selflessly the Nation. The…
A Muslim military alliance?
This is a good time to be an observer. The world is being repurposed but a bad time to be a participant or activist. You could end up being martyred,…
Federalism at risk — Part – II
As I noted in Part I of this article (‘Federalism at risk’, October 9), critics argue that the 7th NFC allocated ‘excessive’ resources to provinces and ultimately bankrupted the federation.…
Federalism at risk ( Part – I)
This is Part I of a two-part article. Here I trace the historical and constitutional arc of how Pakistan distributes resources between the federation and the provinces – and why…
Privatising PIA
Pakistan International Airlines, once the pride of the nation, has been on the privatisation list for so long that many feel thrilled to bet on whether it will ultimately find…
Can output rise without incentives?
There is an across the political divide consensus on ensuring private sector as the engine of growth with the historic modus operandi being to extend incentives at the taxpayers’ expense…
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…
Mission-oriented governance
‘The Federalist Papers are published following the Constitutional Convention. …The papers, particularly those written by [Alexander] Hamilton, recognize that the state creates economic conditions; it does not merely react to…
