In an era where global leadership has become increasingly reactive, cautious, and driven by short-term self-interest, the emergence of a figure capable of altering a nation’s trajectory and commanding global attention is unheard of. In Pakistan today, that figure is Field Marshal Asim Munir. Field Marshal Asim Munir represents a rare blend of battlefield command […]
Geopolitics and the Fragility of Service-Led Growth
Periods of conflict and instability often reveal the structural vulnerabilities of economies built primarily on tourism, aviation, and global mobility. As tensions and conflicts once again cast a shadow over parts of the Middle East, an important economic lesson is becoming clearer. Periods of geopolitical instability often expose the structural vulnerabilities of economies built primarily […]
The Steel Frame’s Captured State
Pakistan has survived four periods of martial law, eleven civilian political phases, and fourteen general elections since independence. Yet one thing has remained consistent, even before Pakistan was born: the role of the bureaucracy. Under the British Raj, the Indian Civil Service (ICS) was created as an elite, centralised service loyal to the Crown rather […]
Maryam Nawaz: Power Earned, Not Given
Maryam Nawaz did not arrive in politics by design. She was pushed into it by resistance, crisis, and the failure of others to step up when it mattered most. When Nawaz Sharif returned to power in 2013, he was clear about one thing: his daughter would not be thrust into mainstream politics. Nawaz Sharif had […]
Corruption Is Not a Secret. It Is a Settlement.
Corruption in Pakistan is not hidden anymore. It is not whispered. It is not even denied with conviction. It is discussed openly at dinner tables, in drawing rooms, in offices, on television panels, and across social media. Everyone knows who does it, how it is done, and at what level it is done. That includes […]
Crime Control Division or Command Control Division?
Punjab’s narcotics problem is severe and well-documented, and no one disputes that the State must confront it through strong, coordinated and lawful mechanisms. What is now in question, however, is which institution is actually responsible for narcotics enforcement, and whether the province’s law-enforcement ecosystem is being reshaped by force rather than by mandate. The Punjab […]
PIA, ‘Hard Reality to Fly With’
For decades, Pakistan International Airlines carried a slogan that resonated beyond advertising: Great People to Fly With. It reflected a period when PIA’s pilots, engineers, and crew were respected across the aviation world, and when the airline itself symbolised competence and ambition. However, an airline survives not on people alone, but on systems, discipline, and […]
2025 to 2026, From Strength to Strategy
As 2025 comes to a close, Pakistan has tangible achievements it can point to, particularly in defence readiness, strategic restraint, and international engagement. These gains are real, measurable, and consequential. Yet they have not been articulated as part of a coherent national story. The challenge ahead is no longer about proving capability; it is about […]
The Crisis We Still Whisper About
Pakistan debates inflation, unemployment, failing schools, and collapsing hospitals almost every day. Yet the one issue quietly sitting beneath all these problems rarely enters our national conversation: our rapidly growing, uncontrolled population. It is the single most powerful force dragging millions of Pakistanis deeper into poverty; however, it is still the issue we whisper about, […]
Tum Ho Koun?
There is something profoundly unsettling about how deeply we, as Pakistanis, have internalised cynicism. After decades of political instability, abrupt power shifts, and chronic institutional mistrust, we have become conditioned to expect the worst in every situation. Conspiracy theories have become our default lens. Even routine decisions are viewed with suspicion, as if every action […]