Pakistonomy

In this episode, Uzair talks to Abdul Moiz Jaferii about the ongoing hearings in the Supreme Court, which has intervened to ensure that elections are held as per the constitution. We talked about the process that led to the hearings in the Supreme Court, the split in the bench, and the medium-term outlook for the superior judiciary. Abdul Moiz Jaferii is a lawyer and tweets @jaferii. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:45 Why did the courts intervene for elections? 19:20 What happens if the government does not comply? 25:30 Split in the superior judiciary 36:10 Reko diq case and its end

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Erum Sattar about the Indus Waters Treaty, its history, and India's notice to amend the agreement. We dive deep into some of the capacity constraints on the Pakistani side and why we should be paying attention to ongoing events related to the treaty. Dr.Erum Sattar is the Former Program Director of the Sustainable Water Management Program and a Lecturer at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University.

We take a step back from the coverage of the economic crisis and ongoing negotiation and focus on emerging businesses that are the future of the economy, In this episode, Uzair talks to Omer Khan, founder and CEO of PostEx, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce service provider. PostEx is offering easy access to capital with embedded logistics and Uzair and Omer talk about the company’s vision, what it takes to solve for issues faced by small businesses, and how young adults can succeed at startups and founding their own businesses. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 What is PostEx? 10:45 Credit, trust, and small business 22:30 Formalizing and digitizing payments 29:30 Why cash is king? 35:30 Failing and entrepreneurship 39:50 Where is the startup ecosystem headed?

In this episode, Uzair talks to Ali Khizar about the ongoing negotiations with the IMF, the path forward, and why consensus is needed to rescue the economy. We also talk about debt restructuring, why the last few months have destroyed Pakistan’s credibility, and the broader challenges confronting the economy even after an IMF program is put back on track. Ali Khizar is a business journalist who frequently writes for Business Recorder. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:45 Why did the IMF deal did not happen? 24:00 Debt restructuring needs 34:30 Political crisis and economic stability

In this episode, Uzair talks to Khurram Husain about the latest economic developments in Pakistan, focusing on the ongoing negotiations with the IMF. We also talk about why this time feels different, with not a whole lot of optimism for the economy and its future. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:55 IMF negotiations 21:35 Can the economy stabilize even with the IMF? 27:30 The role of the central bank 34:00 Why this crisis is different

In this episode, Uzair talks to Ali Farid Khwaja about the economic chaos in Pakistan and the collapse of the rupee. We also talk about why restructuring is necessary and how that process would work. Finally, we also touch on the startup community and takeaways from Paklaunch’s Unconference, which was recently held in Dubai. Ali Farid Khwaja is Chairman of KTrade Securities and has over a decade of experience in the technology and financial sectors. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:30 Devaluation of the rupee and debt restructuring 15:30 Why has selective default happened? 24:30 Economic discourse and role of politics 31:10 Gravity of the situation 34:43 Takeaways from Paklaunch Unconference 40:19 Saving and investing for the long-term 44:30 Need for honesty

In this presentation, Uzair talks through a presentation on the economic crises in Pakistan, their causes, and the implication of not resolving the crisis through structural reforms.

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Naveed Sherwani about the global semiconductor industry, how geopolitics is affecting what is an extremely interconnected supply chain, and Pakistan’s potential in this space. Dr. Naveed Sherwani is Chairman, President, and CEO of Rapid Silicon, which was launched in 2021. Rapid Silicon’s goal is to promote, adopt and implement open source tech to address the low- to mid-range FPGA market. Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or integrated circuits sold off-the-shelf. He is a well-known semiconductor industry veteran with over 35 years of entrepreneurial, engineering, and management experience. He is widely recognized as an innovator and leader in the field of design automation of ASICs and microprocessors. Dr. Sherwani has founded or co-founded over fifteen silicon companies including Intel Microelectronics Services, Open-Silicon, and others. The companies collectively have a valuation of over $4.5B. Reading Recommendations: - Talent is overrated by Geoffrey Colvin - Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 State of the global semiconductor ecosystem 13:50 US-China competition 30:00 Pakistan’s potential in this space 40:10 Ongoing developments in Pakistan’s ecosystem 54:35 Reading recommendations You can read the semiconductor plan here - https://paklaunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Pakistan-National-Semiconductor-Plan-PNSP-1.pdf

In this episode, we continue our focus on Pakistan’s economic crisis and discuss the way out of it with Dr. Ahmed Pirzada. Dr. Ahmed Pirzada is an Assistant Professor at the University of Bristol, UK. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK, and the Chair of the independent Economic Advisory Group (EAG), Pakistan. He specialises in macroeconomics with a focus in monetary policy, and the conversation dives a bit deeper into what he sees as the main drivers of the crisis, the way out of it, and why debt restructuring may be a decent option. You should read the EAG’s latest press release on this at this link: https://eag.org.pk/eag-advises-debt-restructuring-and-warns-against-import-substitution-policies/ Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 What caused this crisis? 19:37 What decisions exacerbated the crisis recently? 28:30 Distorted exchange rate 35:21 Debt restructuring need 45:30 Painful adjustments in the economy 51:11 Reading recommendations Reading Recommendations: - This time is different by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff - Quantum Enigma by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner - The history of western philosophy by Bertrand Russell

In the first episode of 2023, Uzair talks to regular guest Ammar H. Khan about the economic situation in Pakistan and the outlook for 2023. We talked about why the Dar Peg is so dangerous, why people keep ignoring economic fundamentals to run Pakistan’s economy, and the path forward. Reading Recommendations: - The Prize by Daniel Yergin - World for Sale by Javier Blas Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Current economic situation 8:00 Why is the Dar Peg so dangerous? 20:30 Will decent policies be made in 2023? 23:28 Energy conservation plan of the PDM 28:00 Bright spots in the economy 37:10 Global themes to watch for 40:45 Reading recommendations