Pakistonomy

Pakistan's higher education sector has been in a state of flux for a long time. From regular cuts to funding to scandals about paper mills, the story has not been great. On top of that, research funded by the HEC has not led to innovation on the commercial end, something a country like Pakistan sorely needs. In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Tariq Banuri, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, on what ails this sector, his vision for reforms, and the path forward. Dr Tariq Banuri holds a PhD from Harvard University and joined HEC as its fourth chairperson. He has extensive experience of working in academia, civil society and national as well as international organisations. He was the member of Steering Committee on Higher Education Reforms, the body that played a vital role in inception of HEC in 2002. He has also worked as Professor of Economics at University of Utah, USA. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 What ails higher education today? 14:10 Where does the economy need research-led innovation? 25:50 Building industry-academia collaboration 30:30 Wishlist for reforms 35:50 Reading recommendation Reading Recommendations: - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig - Dominating Knowledge Edited by Frédérique Apffel Marglin and Stephen A. Marglin

Over the course of this podcast, we have had dozens of conversations on the need to reform the economy. But while we all know the broad scope of reforms that are needed, there is not really a constituency for reforms, across the political aisle, in Pakistan. Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, who is a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz and is currently the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Reform, joins us in this episode to talk about his efforts to build this constituency for reforms. To begin this process, his ministry is organizing the Turnaround Pakistan Conference, whose goal is to engage with people across the spectrum to prioritize and build consensus on these reforms. Reading recommendations: - The Holy Quran with translation - Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey - The Anarchy by William Dalrymple

Political violence has been a major issue facing Pakistan's flawed and floundering democracy for decades. From Karachi to South Punjab, political actors have overtly and covertly deployed violence to gain influence, votes, and power. But why do political actors use violence to achieve these goals? And what are ways to deal with this issue? In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Nilofer Siddiqui about political parties and violence. Dr. Siddiqui is an Assistant Professor at the University of Albany. She is also a Nonresident Fellow at the Stimson Center and a Fellow at the Mahbub ul Haq Centre at LUMS. She is author of the book Under the Gun: Political Parties and Violence in Pakistan, which examines why political parties engage in violence and the variation in violence strategies that they employ. Reading Recommendations: - We crossed a bridge and it trembled by Wendy Pearlman - No good men among the living by Anand Gopal - Bring the war home by Kathleen Belew

A record-breaking heatwave has been wreaking havoc across the subcontinent, impact the wheat and mange harvest, setting fire to forests, and giving us a trailer of what climate change can do to our world. In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Erum Sattar of what is the latest research showing about where the world is headed and what actions governments and individuals must take to day to reduce the likelihood of the worst-case scenarios becoming a reality. Dr.Erum Sattar is the Program Director of the Sustainable Water Management Program and a Lecturer at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Elizabeth Haub School of Law, Pace University and has taught at Northeastern University School of Law, and the National University of Singapore School of Law where she taught the school’s first-ever course on water law and policy. Reading Recommendations: - Diplomacy and Capitalism: The Political Economy of U.S. Foreign Relations - Water: A Biography by Giulio Boccaletti - Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise by Natalie Hell and Scott Rozelle - Metabolical: The truth about processed food and how it poisons people and the planet by Robert H. Lustig

There is a widely-held belief that strong governments deliver reforms and sustainable growth. Research, however, shows otherwise. In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Irfan Nooruddin about his research on this topic, based on his must-read book Coalition Politics and Economic Development: Credibility and the Strength of Weak Governments. Dr. Nooruddin is is the senior director of the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and the Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Professor of Indian Politics in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Irfan conducts research in the political economy of development, trade, and investment, and the challenges of democratization in the 21st century. He is the author of The Everyday Crusade (Cambridge University Press, 2022), Elections in Hard Times (Cambridge University Press, 2016), Coalition Politics and Economic Development (Cambridge University Press, 2011) and more than thirty scholarly articles and book chapters. In 2012, he was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC., and is a Team Member of Lokniti: Programme in Comparative Democracy in New Delhi, India. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University. He was born and raised in Bombay, India. You can download his book from this link: https://www.coalitionpoliticsandeconomicdevelopment.com/chapters.html Reading recommendations: - Political Order in Changing Societies by Samuel Huntington - Democracy and Development by Adam Jaworski - Scientist: E. O. Wilson: A Life in Nature by Richard Rhodes

The situation in Balochistan has been complex for decades starting with the way in which Balochistan became part of Pakistan following independence in 1947. In recent months, the insurgency there has picked pace, but many forget that there are two insurgencies roiling the province. In addition, the economic situation is dire, with citizens facing abject poverty and a continued extractive approach to economic development. This episode is an Urdu conversation with Rafiullah Kakar, a public policy expert based in Quetta. Rafiullah writes a column for Dawn, which is a must-read. You can find his writings here: https://www.dawn.com/authors/8211/rafiullah-kakar Reading Recommendations: - Wretched of the Earth By Frantz Fanon - Justice by Michael Sandel - Islamic Exceptionalism by Shadi Hamid - Remotely Colonial by Nina Swidler

Crypto is going through another winter with prices of all major crypto assets down sharply. There has also been the Luna collapse, which has raised a lot of questions about the future of the crypto and Web3 economy. In this episode, Uzair talks to Salahuddin Khawaja about what's going on in the crypto economy and how is he navigating the ongoing downturn. Salahuddin Khawaja is CEO of Hypermode, a crypto consulting firm - helping clients design, build, grow and transform in Web3.

Pakistan’s economy is spiraling out of control with the rupee hitting a record low on a daily basis. What is driving this crisis and how can Pakistan get out of this tailspin? This episode focuses on the ongoing crisis, with Ammar H. Khan joining the podcast to offer his perspective on what is going on and the path forward. Ammar is a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, and is the Group Chief Risk Officer at Karandaaz Pakistan, a UK FCDO and BMGF backed entity that focuses on enabling access to finance for Small & Medium Enterprises, and digital financial inclusion. Previously, he has worked with the largest asset manager in Pakistan as a Chief Risk Officer, as well as at HSBC in varying roles in sovereign risk assessment, and credit risk. In addition, he has been a consultant to multiple energy projects, from coal mines to LNG power plants, and terminals, with an accumulated ticket size of more than US$10 billion. Having worked in projects across the energy value chain, Ammar has an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of the sector. He tweets at @rogueonomist.

Pakistan's monetary policy has been the focus of attention over the last few years, particularly since Dr. Reza Baqir became governor in 2019. His three year tenure is up, which is a good time to assess the central bank and its performance. In this episode, Uzair talks to Ariba Shahid, a business journalist based in Pakistan, about the highs and lows of the SBP over the last few years.

Uzair talks to Maleeha Lodhi about Pakistan's foreign policy and the repercussions of the regime change conspiracy theory. Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi most recently served as Pakistan's Representative to the United Nations. Previously, she served as Pakistan's envoy to the Court of St James' and twice as its ambassador to the United States.