Author: Uzma Ehtasham

By Uzma Ehtasham The national conference on prison and justice sector reforms convened by the Supreme Court has highlighted an uncomfortable reality that Pakistan has struggled with for decades. While laws exist, courts function and prisons continue to operate, the broader criminal justice system remains burdened by delays, overcrowding and institutional weaknesses that deny countless citizens their constitutional right to timely and fair justice. The participation of the country’s four chief ministers, the federal law minister, chief justices of the high courts, senior police officials and prison administrators reflected a rare consensus that meaningful reform cannot be achieved by any…

By Uzma Ehtasham The latest exchange of accusations between Pakistan and India over military operations linked to Afghanistan is another reminder of how fragile security remains in South Asia. The rhetoric may be familiar, but the underlying challenges have become increasingly serious. Cross-border militancy, competing strategic interests and a deep absence of trust continue to shape relations not only between Islamabad and New Delhi but also between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In such an atmosphere, every military action, diplomatic statement and security incident risks widening an already dangerous regional divide. Pakistan has forcefully rejected India’s criticism of its recent military operations…

By Uzma Ehtasham Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again placed Pakistan’s growing population at the centre of the country’s development debate, describing it as one of the greatest challenges facing the nation. While chairing a meeting on population welfare, he directed officials to convene the first meeting of the National Population Council and emphasised that sustainable development depends upon balancing population growth with available resources. He also called for population planning to be linked with broader economic development, human capital and social protection initiatives. These are reasonable objectives, and few would dispute that population planning deserves serious policy attention.…

By Uzma Ehtasham The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has once again laid bare the deep fragility of relations between Pakistan and India, reminding the international community that even the most enduring agreements are vulnerable when political tensions override legal commitments. Signed in 1960 under the mediation of the World Bank, the treaty has long been regarded as one of the most successful examples of international water diplomacy. For more than six decades it withstood wars, military confrontations and prolonged diplomatic breakdowns, largely because both countries accepted that the management of shared rivers should remain insulated from political disputes.…

By Uzma Hashmi KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah defended the province’s local government system on Wednesday, saying those criticising its performance should first assess the functioning of local bodies in their own provinces before questioning the model adopted in Sindh. Speaking to reporters in Karachi, the chief minister said criticism of Sindh’s local government structure often overlooked the fact that local government institutions remained weak or were absent in several other parts of the country. He argued that provinces where local bodies were not functioning effectively had little justification for criticising Sindh’s system. “Those commenting on Sindh’s local…

By Uzma Ehtasham The government’s decision to keep petrol and diesel prices unchanged despite a marked decline in international crude oil prices has once again exposed the gap between official promises and economic reality. At a time when global energy markets have eased following the reduction of military tensions between the United States and Iran, consumers across Pakistan had every reason to believe they would finally receive some relief after months of bearing the burden of elevated fuel costs. Instead, the latest pricing announcement has delivered disappointment, leaving millions of households questioning why the benefits of falling global oil prices…

By Uzma Ehtasham For much of Pakistan, climate change is often discussed in terms of rising temperatures, longer heatwaves and increasingly unpredictable rainfall. In Balochistan, however, the crisis has become far more personal. It is measured by empty wells, dry taps and the daily search for water. Across Pakistan’s largest province, shrinking groundwater reserves, prolonged droughts, devastating floods and the collapse of centuries-old irrigation systems are combining to create an unprecedented water emergency. From the crowded streets of Quetta to the flood-hit plains of Nasirabad and the date orchards of Makran, communities are finding it harder each year to secure…

By Uzma Ehtasham Parliament has now approved the federal budget and the accompanying Finance Bill for the coming fiscal year, moving the government’s economic blueprint one step closer to implementation. Although a number of amendments were accepted during the parliamentary process, the broad direction of fiscal policy has remained largely unchanged. The opposition’s proposed revisions were rejected, reinforcing the government’s determination to pursue its chosen path of revenue collection, tax restructuring and deficit management. Yet once the parliamentary debate ends and the legislation receives presidential assent, the true test of the budget begins. Its success will not be determined by…

By Uzma Ehtasham The encouraging developments emerging from the latest round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, held in Switzerland with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar, have raised hopes not only for regional stability but also for wider economic benefits that could extend far beyond the immediate parties involved. At a time when geopolitical tensions have repeatedly disrupted global markets, any meaningful progress towards de-escalation is welcome. Yet for Pakistan, which played a significant role in facilitating dialogue, the real test will be whether diplomatic success can be translated into tangible economic gains. The reported decision to…

By Uzma Ehtasham The emergence of a photograph reportedly showing senior leaders of the banned Hafiz Gul Bahadur group residing comfortably at Kabul’s luxury InterContinental Hotel has added fresh weight to Pakistan’s long-standing concerns regarding the continued presence of anti-Pakistan militant organisations on Afghan soil. For years, Islamabad has argued that terrorist groups responsible for violence inside Pakistan have not only found sanctuary across the border but have also been able to operate with a degree of freedom that poses a direct threat to regional stability. The latest evidence, if authenticated, reinforces questions that the international community can no longer…