Pakistonomy

Uzair talks to Halima Iqbal, Founder and CEO of Oraan, a startup committed to the financial enablement of the underserved. This conversation focuses on how Oraan is digitizing committees, the barriers women face in terms of accessing formal financial services, and how Oraan is looking to scale its business to bridge the digital and financial divide. Reading Recommendations: - Ride of a Lifetime Robert Iger - Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Uzair talks to Faseeh Mangi and Samiullah Tariq about Pakistan's 2021-22 budget during this discussion. Participants on Twitter also share their comments, questions, and insights about the budget and what they liked and / or didn't like about it.

Pakistan's vibrant media landscape has been facing increasing curbs in recent years. From attacks on journalists to forcing media outlets to not cover certain issues, the media industry is facing unprecedented pressures. In this episode, Uzair talks to Wajahat Khan about how the media industry operates, its structural weaknesses, and how overt and covert influence is exerted to force journalists and outlets to toe a certain line. Wajahat Khan is Nikkei Asia’s Digital Editor in New York City, reporting on Indo-Pacific security. A graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism and the University of Michigan, Wajahat has reported from 16 countries covering conflict, diplomacy, politics and media for digital, cable and network news, on and off camera. An Emmy-nominee for producing breaking news, Wajahat was bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan for NBC News for most of the last decade, and covered South Asia for The Times, India Today and leading Pakistani networks. He has also authored the 2019 Amazon sports bestseller, “Game Changer: Being Shahid Afridi.” Reading Recommendations: - Neuromancer by William Gibson - The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy - The Battle for Pakistan: The Bitter US Friendship and a Tough Neighbourhood by Shuja Nawaz If you like Pakistonomy, then check out Dragon Road, a new Tabadlab podcast covering China's growing global influence. Dragon Road is hosted by Arif Rafiq and season one is out now. Click the link below to listen to the first episode: https://soundcloud.com/tabadlab-dragonroad/s01-e01-how-china-does-aid

Uzair talks to Isfandiyar Shaheen about making internet access a reality for all and why this can have a transformative impact on communities around the world. Isfandiyar also shares his perspective on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, including how this emerging technology is transforming how business can be conducted. Isfandiyar is Founder & CEO of NetEquity Networks, an infrastructure sharing start-up based in San Francisco. NetEquity has established a partnership with Facebook and is focused on building open access fiber optic networks in collaboration with electric utilities. Prior to this, Isfandiyar helped create a tower co in MENA region called Towershare (acquired by edotco - 2017). In addition, Isfandiyar served as Director on the boards of two publicly traded companies, Engro Corporation and Engro Foods (51% acquired by FrieslandCampina - 2016). Isfandiyar graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a degree in Economics and Mathematics. Reading Recommendations: - Sapiens by Yuval Noah Hariri - The Three-Body Problem (Trilogy) by Liu Cixin - A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

In this episode, Uzair talks to Ovais Zuberi, founder of Shazday Foods, which is doing some fantastic work in Gilgit-Baltistan. This conversation focuses on the potential of agribusiness in the country, how this potential can be fully realized, and the good, bad, and the ugly about doing business is Pakistan. You can check out Shazday on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShazdayCo/ Reading recommendations are: - The Lean Startup by by Eric Ries - The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau - Muslim Zion by Faisal Devji

May 10-16 is mental health awareness week and Uzair hosted Dr. Aisha Sanober Chachar to talk about mental health and illness. Dr. Aisha talked about why paying attention to mental health is important, issues people typically face, especially women and children, and how we can improve both our own mental health and support those around us that may need help. Dr. Aisha Sanober Chachar is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and former Medical Director at Alleviate Addiction Suffering (AAS) Trust & AAS Recovery Center, Pakistan, and currently working with the pediatric population. Dr. Chachar is a graduate of ISRA University, Hyderabad. She completed her adult psychiatry residency at Aga Khan University. She has worked at a faculty position at the Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University. At the same time, the Office of Dean of Students, Aga Khan University, Karachi, jointly appointed her as a College Psychiatrist. In 2020, she completed her second fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She serves as a peer reviewer for national and international academic journals. She has authored several academic papers and book chapters. She is a member of the WPA (World Psychiatry Association) Early Career Psychiatrist Committee, IACAPAP Early Career Psychiatrist Task Force, UK Balint Society, and an International Member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Her book recommendations are: - Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress by Christopher Ryan - When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom - The Psychoanalysis of Career Choice, Job Performance, and Satisfaction by Paul Marcus

Uzair talks to Naila Naqvi, founder of Pie in the Sky, about her entrepreneurial journey and keys to success. Pie in the Sky is a well-known bakery in Karachi in Hyderabad, with over 20 branches, employing over 400 people. Naila's book recommendations are: - Animal Farm by George Orwell - Novels by Jane Austen

In this episode, Uzair talks to World Bank economists Alen Mulabdic and Gonzalo Varela about their recent research, which shows that Pakistan's export potential stands at $60+ billion. This discussion talks about how this potential can be realized and some of the actions that the Pakistan government is already taking to grow its exports. You can read Gonzalo'r thread documenting the research findings here - https://twitter.com/gonwei/status/1379381149169037316?s=20 Book Recommendations: - The Great Convergence - Mostly Harmless Econometrics - The Great Reversal

Uzair talks to Maha Rehman about what the data tells us regarding the economic toll of the pandemic on Pakistani households. Maha is a Data Analytics Expert with almost a decade of experience in designing and executing evidence-based programs, products and policies to improve service delivery and impact. Previously, she has set up the Analytics Wing at CERP that focused on embedding data in the decisions and operations of private and public sector companies to increase efficiency, impact and profit. Prior to this, she has led research experiments at CERP and at the World Bank in the fields of education, public finance and governance. She has designed curriculum and taught policymakers, bureaucrats and data practitioners at various programs in the USA and Pakistan. Besides using data analytics for policy and program reform, her research interests include energy economics, education and law & governance. She also teaches at LUMS and currently a Director Data-Led Policy Reforms at MHRC. You can read the article detailed Maha's findings here - https://mhrc.lums.edu.pk/pakistan-dialogues/covid-19-pandemic-economic-burden-in-pakistan.html Reading Recommendations: - The Practice of Adaptive Leadership by Ronald A. Heifitz - Nudge by Richard H. Thaler - Learning from Others by Syed Babar Ali

Uzair talks to Dr. Shahida Wizarat about the structural underpinnings of Pakistan's economy and why the country has gone from being a role model to a basket case. Dr. Shahida is Dean at CESD, Institute of Business Management. She has authored three books, The Rise and Fall of Industrial Productivity in Pakistan (OUP), Fighting Dependance: Proclaiming Sovereignty for an Enslaved Pakistan (LAP) and Fighting Imperialism: Liberating Pakistan (CRS). She has authored more than 70 research papers published in international and national journals and newspapers. Dr Wizarat has been visiting faculty at the Naval Staff College, Air War College, Command and Staff College and National Defence University. Reading Recommendations: - The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins - China’s Model of Development—Lessons for Pakistan by Ambassador Syed Hasan Javed