Transparency and learning lessons from mistakes once made is no virtue of most countries. Even when after a disaster a commission is installed to find out what went wrong and who was responsible there is a glaring lack of consequences for the people who made the mistakes and for the structures that lead up to…
Delaying of decisions to defy needed change is fatal any country. A well known proverb says ‘Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.’ The ongoing pandemic has put severe problems in front of our country, its economy, the state institutions, etc. and decision making is part of this. Many problems had already…
The 1962 war between India and China was triggered by the unresolved border dispute between the two young republics that became independent nations in 1947 and 1949 respectively. Australian Journalist Neville Maxwell had been working in New Delhi as correspondent and observed at first hand the drama that ended with a crushing Indian defeat. In…
One of the most impeding characteristics in Pakistani society is the striving of people to do favours and to get favours in return, whether in cash and/or kind. To live life in Pakistan one needs patronage and/or protection for simple things like going to an office and applying for whatsoever. Even for access to a…
The advent of a new type coronavirus with quite unprecedented characteristics such as high contagiousness, long incubation time stretching to 14 days which necessitates the isolation time of two weeks-has put the world in a fix. By the time the danger was recognized the virus had already spread across borders, regions and oceans. Patients who…
This year the holy month comes to us with double difficulties: The social distancing, curfews and closure of shops, though hopefully loosening in the near future, is already putting people into a difficult situation. With May and June the hottest months in Pakistan, people without adequate access to cooling or sufficient water could face health…
Dear Readers, To facilitate businesses by ensuring payment of wages and salaries the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has initiated its refinance limits with the Rozgar Refinance Scheme and subsequently enhanced the lands, a life saver for millions of employees. Credit for this goes to Dr. Reza Baqir, the Governor SBP, who had the vision…
The Imran Khan government came into power in 2018 declaring fighting poverty and corruption as their main objectives. To reach this ‘Naya Pakistan’ a new poverty alleviation ‘Ehsaas’ program was launched in March 2019. Dr Sania Nishtar, a public health specialist and seasoned poverty and health care politician, took charge while also taking control of…
Pakistan has always taken the matter of moonsighting very seriously. However the moonsighting controversy is not Pakistan-specific, moon-fighting goes back to the 8th and 9th centuries when Imam Shafi put his trust behind science, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal required sighting of the moon physically. The Quran doesn’t mention details about this point but the Hadith as quoted…
Mass poverty and pandemics are both facts of life that involve millions of people at the same time. The paramount requirement is to balance life with livelihood but not be stupid giving undue weightage to one over the other. Relief measures have to cater to millions of people after credible inspection tests have been identified…
