The education cul-de-sac
Despite decades of reforms, Pakistan’s education system remains in a state of perma-crisis. In an era of rapid technological transformation, the nation continues to grapple with children not attending school,…
Massive funding plans
The Foreign Economic Assistance Monthly Report for November 2024 published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Government of Pakistan, provides an in-depth examination of financial disbursements made against budget estimates…
From waste to wealth ( Part – I )
With its vast agricultural base and rapidly urbanising population, Pakistan generates over 650 million metric tons (MT) of agricultural waste and 23 million MT of municipal solid waste annually. Imagine…
Broke but flashy
One would think that a country like Pakistan, already teetering on the edge of an economic crisis and highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, would prioritise policies that…
Digital solution
PAKISTAN’S economic narrative has long been dominated by IMF programmes, balance-of-payments crises, and fiscal deficits. The latest IMF data, showing 23.4 per cent inflation and anaemic GDP growth of 2.4pc,…
Who cares about education?
“All are equal, but some are more equal than others” – this is a simplified version of the quote from George Orwell's book ‘Animal Farm’, which can be applied to…
Climate change & finance strategy
This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity, amid worsening climate impacts hitting every country. But like any insurance policy – it only works – if premiums are paid…
Bilawal’s Gen Z challenge
If we trace Pakistan’s recent political realignments, one name stands out: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. As the youngest leader of a major political party in Pakistan, Bilawal has consistently proved his…
The fight for water access in Punjab
The state of Pakistan has taken upon itself to provide water as an essential service. The governance structure through a hierarchical approach defines related responsibilities – from quality standards to…
PTI: popular but not organised
Despite the PTI committing two big blunders on May 9 (2023) and November 26 (2024), the majority of the population in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa still support the party. While…
