Women’s empowerment challenge
Pakistan’s assumption of the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women this week comes at a moment of sobering reflection. The country itself continues to grapple with…
The Public Purview
Editorial
SME credit challenge
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent appeal to commercial banks to expand lending to small and medium enterprises is a familiar refrain. For over three…
Ceasefire on the brink
Even as threats and missiles continue to fly across the Gulf, the United States and Iran are attempting to keep negotiations alive in order…
Violence grips Balochistan
The security situation in Balochistan has once again taken a grim turn, with a surge in terrorist violence claiming the lives of numerous security…
Ceasefire under strain
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, underpinned by the memorandum of understanding signed last year, appears to be under severe strain.…
Hamas relinquishes Gaza
The announcement by Hamas that it is prepared to relinquish governance of Gaza marks a significant development in the long and bitter conflict. Having…
Encroachments on Ravi floodplains
Satellite imagery from SUPARCO has revealed the rapid expansion of Lahore into the floodplains of the Ravi river, underscoring a growing environmental and urban…
Roadmap for Islamic finance
Pakistan’s roadmap for eliminating riba from its financial system by 2028 provides long‑awaited clarity on how the government intends to implement the Federal Shariat…
Preparing for monsoon
Pakistan enters another monsoon season with little margin for complacency. Last year’s rains claimed more than a thousand lives, displaced millions, and left behind…
Completing fiscal devolution
The passage of the 18th Amendment and the seventh NFC Award was a landmark moment in Pakistan’s constitutional and fiscal history. Together, they reshaped…
Hostility hinders peace
The recent appeal endorsed by civil society members from both Pakistan and India, urging the prime ministers of the two countries to take “meaningful…
PIA’s new era
The transfer of management control of Pakistan International Airlines to a consortium of private investors and the Fauji Foundation marks a significant turning point…
Cross‑border terror response
Islamabad’s message to Kabul has been delivered with unmistakable clarity: any act of terrorism inside Pakistan traced back to Afghan soil will invite a…
UN resolutions ignored
What value does a UN Security Council resolution hold if it is never implemented? This question was at the heart of an informal meeting…
Lessons from Iran
American administrations, whether Republican or Democrat, have rarely paused to reflect on the consequences of their foreign policy misadventures. From failed nation‑building projects to…
Strengthening Iran–Pakistan ties
Symbolism carries immense weight in international diplomacy, and the fact that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian chose Pakistan for his first foreign visit after the…
Illusion of growth
Political rhetoric often leans heavily on clichés, but when repeated endlessly, they lose their force. This was evident when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb concluded…