The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected] and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
Global and Pakistani retail are shifting fast as mobile and quick commerce compress the supply chain into minutes. Algorithms and data profiles now replace shelves and sales reps—forcing businesses to adapt or lose customers.
As Pakistan debates budgets, tobacco drains the economy: Rs 1,800bn in annual losses versus Rs 265bn in taxes. Illicit cigarettes exceed half the market, driven by weak enforcement and evasion.
From electricity and hospital appointments to court rulings and jobs, Pakistan’s daily life runs on uncertainty. The article argues that endless waiting erodes trust, hope, and institutional credibility.
Pakistan’s Rs18.8tn Budget 2026-27 signals a shift toward recovery, with 4% growth and 3.6% deficit targets. Yet debt servicing and limited development spending leave a fragile, unproven transformation.
Pakistan’s malls and social media spotlight consumption while essentials remain out of sight. The article argues that poverty stays quiet, and policy success must prioritize escaping need.
Pakistan’s IMF deal stabilizes inflation and reserves, but debt servicing consumes 89% of net federal revenue. Poverty rises as political will and tax reform lag.
The article recalls the “era of saints” through Sufi-inspired Pashto poets like Ghani Khan, Hamza Shinwari, and Ajmal Khattak—whose verses awaken spirituality, dignity, and inner freedom beyond sermons.
Pakistan’s youth crisis grows as education outpaces employability. Graduates wait for jobs that don’t arrive, skills mismatch persists, and frustration fuels drug abuse.
The May 24 Quetta shuttle train bombing killed dozens and injured many, highlighting the human cost of terrorism in Balochistan. Pakistan warns hostile actors exploit instability through proxies and cross-border sanctuaries.
An Islamabad inspection of 1,618 food outlets found just one met hygiene standards. The article links unsafe food handling to foodborne illness, hospital crowding, and rising public health costs.
UNEP’s Food Waste Index 2025 finds Pakistan wastes about 122 kg of food per person yearly, even as over 60 million live below the poverty line. Supply-chain losses, weak storage, and household habits drive the crisis.
