The Financial News
Powering Pakistan: bridging gaps in sustainability
P akistan’s energy sector is at a precarious intersection of availability, affordability and sustainability. Addressing these critical dimensions is imperative for fostering economic growth and social equity. The absence of a synchronised approach across these nodes has entrenched...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Extremist tendencies in socio-cultural relations
The socio-cultural landscape of South Asia, once a vibrant tapestry of interwoven identities and shared traditions, has dramatically transformed over the past few centuries. Historically characterised by diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious groups living in relative harmony, the region has...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Water management for a sustainable future
D iscussing the critical importance of water as a resource in Pakistan will not require us to build our argument on the Malthusian theory. Pakistan’s collective water availability roughly amounts to 193 million acre feet , whereas the current requirement is 3.5–7 MAF. The crises...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Urgency of forest management
O ver the past few years, Pakistan has gained international recognition for its ambitious reforestation efforts. The Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was launched in 2014. Later, it was extended to the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Program. The programme achieved...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Combating plastic waste
H ave you ever wondered why, whenever we walk through the streets and markets of Pakistan, we are struck by an overwhelming sense of filth and neglect? Dust and grime seem to be our constant companions. It is rare to return home without feeling coated in a layer of dirt. Why is this the...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Bridging the learning divide
P akistan is faced with a severe challenge. 22.8 million children aged 5–16, an alarming 44 per cent of this age group, are currently out of school, according to the UNICEF. Despite the constitutional guarantee under Article 25-A, which pledges free and compulsory education, systemic...
Published on: December 22, 2024
A threat to children's health
O nce known as the City of Gardens, Lahore now suffocates due to smog, which is having a devastating impact on children’s health.Anoosha Ghazi, an 8th-grader in Lahore, recently experienced coughing and breathing difficulties due to the city’s worsening smog. Her condition,...
Published on: December 22, 2024
A postman
Photos by Rumana Husain P akistan Post, one of the country’s oldest government departments, offers postal and money transfer services across Pakistan through a network of approximately 13,000 post offices. Established in 1947 as the Department of Post and Telegraph, it...
Published on: December 22, 2024
Arresting inflationary spikes
I nflation is a persistent economic phenomenon where the general price levels of goods and services increases over time, eroding the purchasing power of money. It stems from various drivers such as heightened demand, rising production costs and expansive monetary policies. While moderate...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Civil disobedience: historical context
A call for civil disobedience has been issued recently by former prime minister Imran Khan. An informed debate on the subject requires proper understanding of this move in the political and historical contexts. Civil disobedience is a form of political activism in which individuals or groups...
Published on: December 15, 2024
The evolution of withholding income tax
W ithholding income tax, a cornerstone of modern tax systems, plays a critical role in ensuring fiscal stability across the globe. Its inception, driven by the exigencies of war and the need for efficient tax collection, has made it an indispensable mechanism for governments. This article...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Pakistan's microfinance landscape
P akistan’s microfinance sector continues to evolve. There is still a lot of room for improvement. Several lending organisations have emerged as a transformative force dedicated to promoting financial inclusion and fostering sustainable development. After Bangladesh and elsewhere,...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Improving groundwater governance
G roundwater is crucial for Pakistan’s water security. It caters to more than 50 percent of agricultural irrigation and 90 percent of drinking water needs. The Punjab uses around 90 percent of the country’s total extracted groundwater. In the Punjab, the reliance on groundwater...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Gender equality is a human right
H uman Rights Day serves as a reminder of our collective obligation to uphold the dignity and rights of all individuals. It also casts a long shadow over the stark reality faced by women and girls in Pakistan. The 16 days of activism for the UNiTE campaign against gender-based violence,...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Patient safety and quality care
P atient safety is an umbrella term including a number of processes. It targets the absence of preventable harm to a patient during the process of healthcare and includes the reduction of risk of unnecessary harm to an acceptable minimum. It encompasses a framework of organised activities...
Published on: December 15, 2024
The often unseen
Photos by Rumana HusainFahmida, a khwajasara-beggar F ahmida, like many others in her community, identifies as a khwajasara, a term used in South Asia to describe those who do not conform to traditional gender roles. She says that it makes little difference whether she is referred...
Published on: December 15, 2024
Food security through empowered farmers
A griculture has been the lifeblood of Pakistan’s economy for decades, underpinning and fuelling economic growth across the country. This vital sector not only feeds millions but also serves as a cornerstone of rural prosperity and national development. However, its resilience is now...
Published on: December 15, 2024
The need for cautious optimism
T he government is exuberantly celebrating what some of its leaders deem remarkable success of its economic policies. They cite the soaring Pakistan Stock Exchange index and significant reduction in inflation rates as clear indicators of an economic turn-around. The PSX has witnessed a...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Analysing an oxymoron
The phrase maan jaisi riyasat reflects a paternalistic view of the state, portraying it as an institution that nurtures, protects and prioritises the welfare of its people. However, this is not the conclusion one reaches following a critical examination of the institution through the lenses of...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Unlocking Pakistan's export potential
P akistan’s exports tell a story both of resilience and stagnation. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports in FY2023-24 increased by 7 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase was driven by sectors like rice and IT-enabled services. However, the...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Policy options at the COP
T he Japanese concept of ikigai represents the intersection of purpose, passion, vocation and mission, forming a guiding principle for a fulfilling existence. Rooted in the idea of finding harmony between what one loves, what one is good at, what the world needs and what one can be rewarded...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Misunderstood and misdiagnosed
I magine this: you have a task to complete and it is all you can think about. It occupies your mind every waking hour, you have everything you need at hand, and you are motivated. Yet for some reason, you just can’t get yourself to begin. Days pass and the work starts to pile up, your...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Gendered climate challenges in AJ&K
T he Climate Change Gender Action Plan for Azad Jammu and Kashmir is a comprehensive 32-page report that sheds light on the critical intersection of gender and climate change in the region. Authored by Huzaifa Khan and Ayesha Khan, and published by the Centre for Peace, Development and...
Published on: December 8, 2024
A visionary thinker
M y three-year association with Khaled Ahmed was made possible by the South Asia Free Media Association. The experience offered me the privilege of meeting Khaled sahib and being exposed to his profound ideas. Initially, I was hesitant to speak in his presence, fearing that my...
Published on: December 8, 2024
Traffic policeman
“I ’m a Grade 5 constable. I have been working as a traffic policeman for twelve years,” Ayaz says with a dreamy optimism. “I hope to become an ASI, then an SI, and eventually an SHO, ASP, SP, SSP, DIG; maybe even an IGP.” He smiles wistfully, aware that his...
Published on: December 8, 2024
PSX defies political chaos
A testament to the resilience of Pakistan’s financial markets; the Pakistan Stock Exchange has once again proven that economic dynamism can triumph over political uncertainty. This week’s market performance reads like a financial thriller, with dramatic twists that kept...
Published on: December 1, 2024
Recognising hybrid regimes
A hybrid regime is a political system that combines democratic and authoritarian elements, where elections are held and governments permit some civil liberties, but systematically undermine democratic principles such as guaranteeing all political freedoms and rule of law. In such regimes, the...
Published on: December 1, 2024
Pakistan and Central Asia's trade renaissance
P akistan and Central Asia, bound by history, culture and geography, are poised for an economic renaissance. As the world seeks new markets and connections, this underexplored region holds immense promise. For Pakistan, recognising and embracing Central Asian Republics as economic partners...
Published on: December 1, 2024
Staggering losses from political turmoil
“P akistan’s economy suffered a staggering loss of Rs 190 billion daily due to the closure of roads and shutdowns caused by the opposition’s protest calls… tax collection decreased due to lockdown and protests and exports were affected by the disruptions in...
Published on: December 1, 2024
My health, my right
T he World Health Organisation has identified human immunodeficiency virus as a persistent global public health challenge that has claimed an estimated 42.3 million lives to date. Transmission continues in every country, with an estimated 39.9 million people living with HIV by the end of...
Published on: December 1, 2024
A crisis of parity
A s COP29 drew to a close in Azerbaijan, the conference left behind a mix of hope, frustration and unfinished business. The familiar promises of urgent action were made, but one issue remained glaringly unresolved - the continued exclusion of women and gender-diverse individuals from...
Published on: December 1, 2024
The often unseen
Photos by Rumana HusainWajahat Ali, fruit-seller F or two decades now, Wajahat Ali has been a dedicated salesman at a prominent wayside stall in the city. Despite his long tenure, he points out, “I have been selling fruit for the past twenty years, but I don’t own this...
Published on: December 1, 2024
Beyond words
S tuttering is a physical struggle to get the words out, often caused by a neurological condition, where the part of the brain that processes speech behaves differently. Approximately 70 million people worldwide stammer. Stuttering most commonly begins in childhood, between two and four...
Published on: December 1, 2024
Economic stability, is it?
The government recently claimed that the country was heading towards economic stability even as challenges like inflation, high energy costs and structural inefficiencies persisted. Some government leaders cited certain improvements, such as a reduced current account deficit, gradual decrease in...
Published on: November 24, 2024
Freedom and the politics of confrontation
Freedom is a foundational and contested concept in political philosophy, shaping the evolution of democratic systems and struggles for individual and collective rights. As a dynamic ideal, freedom’s meaning shifts according to political, social and historical contexts. Yuval Noah Harari...
Published on: November 24, 2024
A case for district finance commissions
Pakistan stands at a crucial point in its political and economic development. Strengthening its local governments is a more pressing need today than ever before. Article 140A of the constitution mandates independent and financially empowered local governments; the reality often falls short of this...
Published on: November 24, 2024
Protecting consumer rights
Imagine walking into a bustling market, expecting fairness, safety and choices. For consumers in Pakistan, this ideal marketplace is often far from reality. Despite the existence of laws, organisations and mechanisms, the gap between consumer rights on paper and in practice looms large....
Published on: November 24, 2024
Elimination of violence against women
Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed in the world. This draws attention to the alarming escalation of violence against women to revive commitments and call for accountability and action from decision-makers.The estimates published by the World Health Organisation indicate that globally about 736...
Published on: November 24, 2024
Underfinanced and overly challenged
Education is the cornerstone of national development. Yet, in Pakistan, education financing continues to fall short of what is necessary to meet the country’s growing needs. It is in this context that the recent Public Financing in Education Sector 2019-23 report, produced by the Pakistan...
Published on: November 24, 2024
âWe can make education a tool of equity and empowermentâ
The News on Sunday spoke with Rod Smith, the group managing director of International Education at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, a role he has held since August 2022. With over 30 years of experience in education services, Smith has been instrumental in shaping global education...
Published on: November 24, 2024
The often unseen
Mohammad Saleem, donkey-cart driver In the gritty lanes of Kalakot, Lyari, Muhammad Saleem, a 45-year-old donkey-cart driver, defies the challenges of his profession with a cheerful disposition. Despite his paan-stained teeth and a stammer that punctuates his speech, Saleem’s spirit remains...
Published on: November 24, 2024
The necessity of living wage
L iving wage has emerged as a fundamental debate, addressing the pressing need for remuneration that enables workers to maintain a dignified standard of living. A living wage is designed to provide for essential needs such as food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education, thereby...
Published on: November 17, 2024
The scourge that smog is
The smog that has engulfed central Punjab, particularly Lahore and Multan, has reached perilous levels, creating a severe public health and environmental crisis. During the winter months, the combination of crop stubble burning, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution and weather patterns traps...
Published on: November 17, 2024
IMF, climate resilience and fiscal stability
P akistan is currently traversing a challenging path, balancing the demands of fiscal stability with the need to address the escalating impacts of climate change. The ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund are a critical part of the country’s efforts to stabilise its...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Net metering: timely policy intervention
F or Zakir, a retired banker with no pension, it was becoming challenging to maintain his standard of living post-retirement. He had availed the option of buying an asset, his house. As utility bills soared, he looked for a cost-effective option for his power needs. Installing solar panels...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Toxic air hazards
W hen smog rolls across the subcontinent, it makes no distinction between Lahore and Delhi, friend or foe. This toxic haze defies borders and geopolitical tensions, drifting freely from one city to another, creating an unspoken crisis that endangers millions. At a time like this, we cannot...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Towards a trans-fats free future
P artial hydrogenation of oils is a chemical process used to modify the properties of vegetable oils, typically to make them solid or semi-solid at room temperature to extend their shelf life. The process results in the production of industrially produced trans-fatty acids . Research has...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Standing up for children's rights
A s we mark Universal Children’s Day on 20th November under the theme Listen to the Future it is crucial to revisit the commitments Pakistan made nearly thirty-five years ago when it ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 2016, the UN Committee on the...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Commercially scalable is sustainable
P akistan has become the 15th most water-stressed country in the world. It is predicted to become water scarce by 2035. Pakistan is also an agrarian economy. Agriculture contributes about 19.2 per cent to the GDP and employs 38.5 per cent of the national labour force. Water is life to the...
Published on: November 17, 2024
Small businesses need the triple bottom line
S mall and medium enterprises play a pivotal role in a country’s economy, contributing significantly to its gross domestic product. As of 2021, nearly 5.2 million SMEs operated in Pakistan, representing 90 percent of private businesses. SMEs account for 25 percent of manufacturing...
Published on: November 10, 2024