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The formal signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran has been presented as a diplomatic breakthrough at a time when international politics appears increasingly dominated by conflict, mistrust and strategic rivalry. Whether the agreement ultimately delivers on its promise remains uncertain, but its conclusion has already altered the political landscape surrounding one of the most consequential disputes of the modern era. After decades of hostility, recurring crises and repeated failures to establish sustainable channels of dialogue, the decision by Washington and Tehran to formally endorse an agreement offers a rare moment of optimism in…
By Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal As June arrives each year, Pakistan’s parliamentary calendar takes on a different weight. The routine churn of legislation and political exchange gives way to a far more consequential exercise: the federal budget. In constitutional terms, it is a fiscal statement of revenues and expenditures. In political reality, it is something broader and more revealing — a snapshot of how the state understands its economy, its priorities, and the limits of its own ambition. Budget-making in Pakistan is not a recent democratic ritual. Since 1947, more than seventy federal budgets have been presented before Parliament, beginning with…
By Wasim Jamal The rapid advance of technology in the contemporary era has fundamentally reshaped traditional notions of employment, giving rise to an expanding informal economy commonly referred to as the gig economy. Across Pakistan and much of the world, millions of young people are now engaged with digital platforms such as ride-hailing and delivery services, or working independently as freelancers. In global terminology, they are increasingly described as “digital platform workers” — individuals who spend long hours navigating public roads in harsh conditions or working behind screens to sustain the momentum of modern economies. Despite their growing contribution to…
By Advocate Naveed Raza Nizamani Mangoes, long celebrated as the “King of Fruits,” occupy a distinctive place in Pakistan’s agricultural imagination. They are not merely a seasonal delight that signals the arrival of summer; they are also a cornerstone of rural livelihoods, binding together a complex chain of growers, orchard owners, contractors, labourers, transporters and traders. Yet behind the fragrant abundance that fills markets each year lies an industry increasingly under strain, where rising costs, climatic volatility and inconsistent policy decisions are eroding the very foundations of profitability. At its heart, the mango economy is a risk-heavy enterprise built on…
The idea of uniting the countries whose names end in “stan” has long existed on the margins of political discussion, often appearing more as a historical curiosity or a cultural aspiration than a realistic policy objective. Yet in an era of shifting alliances, emerging regional blocs and growing dissatisfaction with existing international power structures, the notion of closer integration among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics deserves serious examination. While a fully unified political entity remains highly improbable, the broader concept of a coordinated Stan region raises important questions about the future of Asia and the evolving balance of…
By Prof Dr. Sheikh Akram Ali The July 2024 Revolution is considered a new chapter that successfully liberated the people of Bangladesh from the fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina and Indian hegemonic control. Undoubtedly, this revolution reflected the aspirations of the people; however, this spirit is yet to be fully integrated as the guiding principle for the future politics of Bangladesh. In light of the July Charter and the referendum, both the government and the opposition parties appear sincere about building a new Bangladesh. The government’s responsibility is to formulate a roadmap or framework for its actual implementation, which can…
By Amjad QaimKhani For generations, Karachi stood as Pakistan’s greatest urban success story. It was the country’s commercial capital, its busiest port city, and the engine that powered national economic growth. People from every province arrived in search of opportunity, contributing to a dynamic, diverse and entrepreneurial metropolis that symbolised aspiration and progress. Today, however, that image has been replaced by a far more troubling reality. Karachi, despite remaining the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, is increasingly associated with decaying infrastructure, failing public services, political dysfunction and declining quality of life. The deterioration of Pakistan’s largest city has not occurred overnight.…
Amir Muhammad Khan The passage of Pakistan’s Budget 2026–27 has, as expected, been accompanied by a familiar mixture of political bargaining, coalition anxiety and rhetorical contestation. In the final stretch before approval, the federal capital briefly resembled less a site of fiscal decision-making and more a theatre of negotiated survival, where competing parties recalibrated their positions not so much on the basis of economic philosophy, but on political leverage and institutional survival. The tensions within the governing arrangement were visible in the positioning of key allies. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P), long a pivotal urban political force in Sindh, once…