No substance, no poetry, no thought, no Pakistan—the world, friends, is moving on!
In this last week, alone, much has happened outside the land of the pure and plenty. The Egyptians earned foreign exchange and tourism flourished. Not a lot happened at Sharm El-Sheikh, except that the red seacoast lit up with suits and dresses and some scanty-dresses. The usual moral stampede by the less favored nations—read all…
Sheep, Shepherds, Pakistan, and Social Pollution!
“To be born again, first you have to die. How to ever smile again, if first you won’t cry? How to win the darling’s love mister, without a sigh?” I will not even dare and explain whose quote I am using. Those who know, do shut up. Pakistan is, I think, in need of this…
Future Afghanistan economy? Taking clues from the economy of the ‘Taliban Group’
The debate on how Afghanistan’s economy will fare, once the coalition forces, and their proxies and supporting service providers, have left, rages on. From an economic point of view, much has changed and yet much stays the same. Falsely propped-up consumption is fast going down. The prevalence of abject poverty in the masses stays the…
Adapting Pakistan To Post Covid-19 Technology Gains: Some Thought Pathways
Post pandemic, a massive compression of technology adoption and adaptation is happening in Asia, but Pakistan, still amongst the least technology-friendly states, is lagging. Is the enabling environment in Pakistan holding back this technology adoption and adaptation? Is dearth of capital chasing technology innovation in Pakistan holding back emergence of ideas and innovations and entrepreneurs,…
2021, snakes and ladders and a virus exposing virulent buffoons
We were all exposed as selfish nations, as selfish global communities. Let there be some cheer in that.
Pakistan Motorcycle Stories – Speed-brakers, Pulpit, and Pakistan’s Writ!
August 4, 2020 The speed breaker, also known as the speed bump, was invented in 1950 by Arthur Holly Compton when he noticed that drivers frequently sped past Washington University (https://www.acplm.net/5-things-didnt-know-speed-bumps/). I think, the man should have kept to what he knew best, his discoveries in electromagnetic theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize.…
Pakistan Motorcycle Stories – Tourism, Cleanliness, Trees, Roads and post COVID-19 recovery!
August 3, 2020 Distances and destinations define tourism. Tourism brings in revenue—both local and foreign. Local economies around destinations and along the distance thereto, grow. The same can also deteriorate if tourism is not entrenched within an overall “circularity”. The economic system which ensures use of resources such that waste is eliminated is nowadays called…
Pakistan Motorcycle Stories – Corruption, Pulpits, and Injustice!
Jul 24, 2020 Riding out to Tirah over the weekend before Eid-ul-Azha, reminded me about all what is right and wrong about Pakistan. Tirah valley stretches through Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai Agency, in our beloved Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. While deciding this to be a destination for a weekend adventure ride from Islamabad our aim was…
Pakistan’s COVID-19 Response: Pro-activity, Impact and Needs Assessment, and Using IT Proactively
The Government of Pakistan should be carrying out a Covid-19 Impact and Needs Assessment (CINA), in accordance with the global practice. [https://empowerpakistanbyazd.blog/2020/03/27/pakistans-covid-19-response-and-the-international-financial-institutions-where-is-the-rapid-needs-assessment-and-a-national-action-plan/] The tool preferred for the required COVID-19 CINA in Pakistan is a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA) hybrid, without delving into the tedious Damage and Loss…
Pakistan’s COVID-19 Response: Help the SMEs, please @Government of Pakistan
SME’s need help! The need for the government to help small and medium businesses is growing by the day as the lock-down continues. This has also been a key issue discussed during the daily virtual global-national brainstorming meetings being spearheaded by PIDE. How should the government help these SMEs during this pandemic and resulting economic…
Empower Pakistan 