Monthly Archives: December 2023

SUMMARY of the Article “The road to disaster,” by Tariq Khosa, Dawn [Published on December 16th, 2023]

The Transparency International Pakistan’s National Corruption Perceptions Survey 2023 reveals that the police and judiciary are perceived as the top corrupt institutions, with the top 10 corrupt sectors including police, tendering, judiciary, education, health, local government, land revenue administration, customs, excise, and income tax. Tariq Khosa, a former police chief, acknowledges the accuracy of the public perception of the police as corrupt but emphasizes deeper issues related to sacred cows and powerful elites causing corruption. He criticizes successive political and military regimes for indulging in corruption, violating constitutional obligations, and disregarding moral and ethical standards. The militarization of anti-corruption efforts is noted, with institutions like the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following the directives of the deep state. Khosa highlights the challenges faced by police commanders who value integrity and accountability, as they are often sidelined. The article also points out corruption within mainstream politics, particularly controlled by certain dynasties and families. As elections approach, » Read More…

SUMMARY of the Article “Thinking Healthy Programme” by Zafar Mirza, Dawn [Published on December 15th, 2023]

In addressing the alarming rise of mental health issues in low-resource settings like Pakistan, where specialized mental health experts are scarce, the WHO’s Thinking Healthy Programme (THP) emerges as a groundbreaking initiative. With only 1,000 psychiatrists and 3,000 psychologists for a population of over 240 million, traditional mental health care is deemed expensive, inaccessible, and inefficient. THP, rooted in cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), was tested in one of the largest randomized controlled trials in rural Rawalpindi, demonstrating remarkable results. In a community with minimal mental health access, integrating CBT into the routine work of trained community health workers significantly reduced rates of perinatal depression. The positive effects extended to higher rates of infant immunization, fewer episodes of diarrhoea, increased contraceptive use, and improved parent-child interactions. Developed in Pakistan, THP has been adopted by » Read More…

SUMMARY of the Article “Reforming School Exams” by Muhammad Memon, Dawn [Published on December 15th, 2023]

The article delves into the critical role of school exams in assessing academic performance, certifying standards, and ensuring accountability in the education system. Despite being a focal point in national education policies, significant exam reform remains elusive in Pakistan. The existing system is criticized for its inadequacy in assessing diverse learning outcomes and its susceptibility to cheating, malpractice, and corruption. Stakeholders, particularly parents and students, express dissatisfaction with the lack of fairness, transparency, credibility, and accuracy in exam results. The article highlights the absence of a written exam policy for public boards, citing issues such as outdated exam paper preparation, leakage, untrained examiners, tampered results, and delayed outcomes. Private education sectors, such as the Aga Khan University Examination Board, have emerged to address these challenges, adopting broader assessment frameworks, employing e-marking, and maintaining ethical practices. The need for a comprehensive restructuring of public exam boards, autonomy, and the establishment of an independent oversight » Read More…

 SUMMARY of the Article “Battlefield Lahore,” Editorial, Dawn [Published on December 15th, 2023]

Lahore grapples with an ongoing severe smog crisis, maintaining its position as one of the world’s most polluted cities. Recent hazardous fog led to an Air Quality Index in two areas five times higher than safe levels, posing significant health risks to vulnerable residents. Children and adults face daily health issues such as persistent cough, breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and headaches. The crisis results from vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning, and ineffective waste management. Lahore’s annual average PM2.5 level is a staggering 269, nearly 27 times higher than the WHO-recommended level of 10. This environmental crisis has evolved into a humanitarian disaster, underscoring the government’s failure to address the prolonged health emergency. The Punjab HEC’s recommendation to adopt the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) program, inspired by the US model, is commendable. However, addressing the root causes requires stringent regulations on industrial emissions, sustainable farming practices, modernization of all brick kilns, and promotion of public » Read More…

SUMMARY of the Article “Unchanged policy rate,” Editorial, Dawn [Published on December 14th, 2023]

The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to maintain the key interest rate, unchanged for the fourth consecutive time since June, reflects a commitment to ensuring price stability. Despite factors suggesting a potential rate cut, such as reduced global oil prices and depressed economic growth, the SBP’s cautious stance is influenced by concerns over high inflation, falling reserves, and fragile exchange rate stability. Critics argue that both headline and core inflation readings remain high, and a premature rate cut might lead to increased imports, draining reserves and deteriorating the exchange rate. The SBP aims for medium-term price stability, targeting 5-7% CPI inflation by June 2025. The decision to keep the interest rate at 22% accounts for the recent gas price hike’s potential impact on inflation, acknowledging uncertainties and » Read More…

SUMMARY of the Article “New Climate Finances,” by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Dawn [Published on December 14th, 2023]

The climate summit in the UAE initiated with significant developments, including the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), a pledge to replenish the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the adoption of the UAE-led Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action. These align with Pakistan’s major concerns in climate negotiations. The pledges made during the conference, totaling over $57 billion in the first four days, cover areas such as energy transition, agriculture, food security, water, urban planning, disaster risk reduction, SDGs, regional collaboration, and philanthropy. However, many of these pledges are contingent on private sector leveraging and partnerships, posing potential challenges for Pakistan in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). The UAE banking sector’s commitment to leverage $270 billion in green finance by 2030 through the Alterra fund aims to finance climate projects, particularly in countries like » Read More…

SUMMARY of the Article “Pakistan regionally” by Dr. Niaz Murtaza, Dawn [Published on December 12th, 2023]

Dr. Niaz Murtaza analyzes Pakistan’s economic status in South Asia, particularly comparing it with India and Bangladesh using World Bank data up to 2022. Pakistan lags significantly in various economic indicators, such as GDP per capita, GDP growth, inflation, investment-GDP ratio, external balance, public finance, debt, and social development. Despite brief growth spurts in the past, these were often fueled by high fiscal and external deficits, leading to economic crises. Pakistan faces challenges in exports, foreign investment, and reserves flows, resulting in frequent economic crises compared to Bangladesh and India. The country’s debt-GDP ratio is high, and the 10-year debt service-exports ratio raises concerns. Education and health outlay ratios are low, while the defense outlay ratio remains high. Dr. Murtaza argues that a fair and productive economy seems distant, and the forces needed to » Read More…