Pakistan has begun the slow and painful process of addressing the crisis wrought by its catastrophic flooding. Unfortunately, that climate-related crisis does not stand alone. In its aftermath, various writers and publications in Pakistan and the United States have pointed out that flooding is just one of the many crises confronting Pakistan currently due to […]
Flood Devastation Needs Effective Response
The devastation that the catastrophic flooding has wrought upon the nation of Pakistan and its people is virtually incomprehensible. Yet, if Pakistan and the world are to survive this climate change crisis, it must be comprehended and responded to in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s initial estimation of the economic […]
Need for Local and Global Solutions to Sail the Inflationary Waves
Inflation is having a traumatizing effect on low and middle-income people in Pakistan and nations around the world. The impact of inflation internationally was highlighted by an analysis of 44 advanced countries which found that consumer prices, in nearly all of them, have surged considerably compared to pre-pandemic times. Turkey experienced the highest inflation rate […]
Climate Change Threatens Pakistan’s Future
Even though Pakistan is not a major contributor to climate change globally, it is being devastated by climate change. This is the conclusion that must be drawn due to the heat wave that has consumed northern India and Pakistan over the past three months and a review of the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) produced […]
Thoughts for Ramadan, Eid and the Upcoming Year
As the end of Ramadan draws near and Eid approaches, it is my privilege to wish that this blessed time and the upcoming year bring my Muslim brethren and all the citizens of Pakistan love, joy and enlightenment in every sphere of life. I say this with the full realization that this past year has […]
Implementing the New National Gender Policy Framework
On March 8, International Women’s Day, Pakistan announced the launch of a new National Gender Policy Framework. As the program for the launch event stated, this Framework is important because “…of the dismal national standing against international gender development indices and a widening gender gap which is costing Pakistan PKR $500 billion annually and closing […]
2021: A Year of Challenges and Opportunities
While waves of inflation and Covid-19 economic and health aftereffects kept pushing masses to the wall in 2021, Pakistan and Pakistanis continued to persevere. By doing this, they were able to convert many of the challenges confronting the nation to opportunities. It is important to recognize and acknowledge these steps forward as 2021 draws to […]
Curbing Hate Speech on Social Media
Misinformation, hatred and emotional exploitation have always been favourite tools of instigators, miscreants and cults. Recently revealed Facebook Papers indicate that social media has become an important channel for utilizing those tools. The Facebook Papers, scrutinized by more than a dozen news organizations, indicate a systemic problem at policy and technical levels. Frances Haugen, the […]
Rejecting Trumpism: Revival of Religious Freedom at the Hands of Muslims
On July 30, President Joe Biden named aMuslim American Rashad Hussain as America’s next Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom. The U.S. Senate confirmed thatHussain will become the sixthperson to serve in this position. As ambassador-at-large,the 41-year-old attorney will also head the Departmentof State’s Office of International Religious Freedomand serve as a non-voting member of the […]
The Afghanistan conundrum
The last remaining US soldiers stationed at the Bagram Air Base, once the symbol of US presence in Afghanistan, returned home on Friday July 2, just in time to spend the fourth of July weekend with their families. The transfer of the airfield – just 40 miles to the north of Kabul – to Afghan […]