Shows
Tabadlab | Understanding ChangeA Raging Fire
Pakistan’s Debt Crisis
You can download the complete PDF here.
Detailed in Tabadlab’s seminal analysis, “A Raging Fire,” the gravity of this crisis is laid bare, revealing the depth and breadth of the problem, the quantum of financial resources lacking, and the path forward with or without transformational structural changes.
By dissecting key financial indicators, drawing comparisons with global standards, and showcasing multi-scenario projections “A Raging Fire” serves as a critical blueprint for navigating Pakistan’s debt dilemma.
Providing comprehensive solutions in a dedicated section, the analysis ends with crucial reform...2024-02-1800 minTabadlab | Understanding ChangeVast, Fast & Ahead of Schedule
How Fintech is transforming Saudi Arabia
You can download the full deck here.
Since 2018, fintech in Saudi Arabia has achieved staggering growth in a way that promises to transform the country and its position in the global economy.
This shift was enabled by a successful policy effort, but the scale of growth has exceeded goals and expectations. What does this transformation look like? What does it mean for the country’s economy and society? What lies ahead for Saudi Arabia in the face of this tremendous shift?
“Vast, Fast & Ahead of Schedule” tells the ex...2023-12-0700 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 174 - Can Pakistan Deal with Climate Change?Uzair talks to Zeeshan Salahuddin about the climate crisis and its impact on Pakistan. We focus on the fallout from the catastrophic floods in 2022, why the response was weak and the path forward for the country.
Zeeshan is the Director for the Center for Regional and Global Connectivity (CRGC) at Tabadlab, a think tank and advisory services firm that works with businesses, international organisations, and governments to solve their most pressing challenges.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Overview of the climate crisis
6:40 Capital needs and debt
13:24 Taxing to become client resilient
17:00 Youth involvement
23:25 Capacity issues in Pakistan
26:50 Role of finance
32:20 Focus for 2024 and...2023-10-0953 minPakistonomyTabadlab Tabadlab Pakistonomy - Episode 167 - Startup Ecosystem UpdateIn this episode, Uzair talks to Mutaher Khan about the state of Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and the outlook for the next 12-18 months. Mutaher is a technology and business journalist, and co-founder of Data Darbar.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:45 State of the ecosystem
18:18 Why did big startups collapse?
29:05 Talent demand for tech
40:50 Impact of legislation and policy
52:20 Outlook for next 12 months
1:01:50 Reading recommendations
Reading recommendations:
- India Wins Freedom by Maulana Azad
- Cornered Tiger by Adam Licudi and Wasim Raja
- Patras Kay Mazameen by Patras Bokhari2023-08-041h 06PakistonomyTabadlab Pakistonomy - Episode 166 - Human-Healthcare: World Class Healthcare At Your DoorstepAccess to quality healthcare is a major challenge across Pakistan. This is especially true for those of us who are abroad and need to find quality healthcare for our loved ones back home. Human-Healthcare aims to solve this problem, providing a one-stop concierge service for healthcare needs in the country.
In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Atif Zafar about the startup, how and why it was founded, and the ways in which it is providing quality care in the country. We also talked about some of the challenges the team has faced, and the plans for growth.
Atif Zafar...2023-07-2847 minTabadlab | Understanding ChangeDigital Now: A Guide to Pakistan’s Digital Transformation
Download the full report PDF (20 MB) Download the executive summary (6 MB)
Digital technologies are reshaping the global economy in unprecedented ways, especially since the accelerated adoption of digital during Covid-19. This structural shift in how individuals, businesses, governments, and societies interact has deep-rooted implications for politics, labour markets, trade, governance, and human rights.
For Pakistan to keep pace with the evolution of the global economy, it needs to undergo a radical, multi-sectoral digital transformation that requires an ambitious and forward-looking agenda. Tabadlab’s Digital Now: A Guide To Pakistan’s Digital Transformation outlines this...2023-04-2800 minTabadlab | Understanding ChangeDealing with Disaster: Learning from 2010 Floods
You can download the full version of this Flood Deck here
Executive Summary
An in depth analysis of NDMA’s response to the 2010 flood led to a series of recommendations covering the legal, institutional, policy, and recovery domains.
Legal and institutional RecommendationsEstablishing strategic planning networksStrengthening legal foundationsIncreasing the administrative and warehousing capacity of NDMA, PDMAs, and DDMAsMainstreaming disaster risk reduction in planning and budgeting
Policy recommendations:
Creating mechanisms for response coordinationEnsuring local procurement by donorsIncreasing cooperation between the government and humanitarian communityCapacity-building for civilian disaster response personnelStrengthening early warning systemsMainstreaming gender Improving dis...2022-10-1100 minTabadlab | Understanding ChangePolio-free Pakistan: The Challenge of High-Risk Districts
Read the complete First Response here.
After more than a year of no cases in Pakistan, fourteen cases of wild poliovirus have been detected in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as of August 2022.
Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme has scaled up remarkably well, and thus contained the virus from spreading. However, it continues to exist and circulate through six high-risk districts in southern KP.
These areas have unique challenges in terms of insecurity, post-conflict rebuilding, administrative flux, and the Tochi River acting as a connection of water channels from Afghanistan to Pak...2022-08-2400 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 90 - How Politics will Dominate the Economy in 2022Welcome to Season 3 of Pakistonomy.
2022 will be a year where politics will dominate the discourse, and rightfully so. In the first episode of this season Amber Rahim Shamsi helps us understand key things we all should keep an eye on, and how they will affect the economy moving forward.
Amber is Head of Communications at Tabadlab. She is also an award-winning multi-media journalist, with wide-ranging experience in television, radio, online and the print media. She is also an International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) and The Centre for Excellence in Journalism (ICFJ) fellow.
Reading Recommendations:
Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett
Interesting...2022-01-1454 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 85 - The Pakistani Elite’s Seven Deadly NeglectsUzair talks to Mosharraf Zaidi, founder of Tabadlab, about his latest opinion column, why he is not optimistic about a change in elite behavior, and ways in which the state should deal with groups like the TLP and PTM.
Reading Recommendations are all books written by Mariana Mazzucato:
- Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism
- The Value of Everything: Makers and Takers in the Global Economy
- The Entrepreneurial State
If you like this podcast, then do check out Tabadlab's latest podcast focusing on Climate Change. Listen to Climate Mahaul using the link below or by searching...2021-11-201h 34
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 70 - Wheat Production and ImportsThis episode digs deep into Pakistan's wheat market, discussing the recent output figures, why the government wants to import additional wheat, buildup of commodity debt, and the utter lack of detailed data to help policymakers plan for a sector that has a tremendous impact on tens of millions of households across the country.
Note: Adil made an incorrect claim about a Rs 200 billion wheat subsidy for Punjab. This is the budgeted expenditure for state trading of wheat, not a subsidy. The error is regretted.
Adil Mansoor is an agricultural policy analyst who does some brilliant research for BR Research. He...2021-07-1055 min
Tabadlab's Dragon RoadS01 E06 - China's Carbon FootprintGuest:
Dr. Christoph Nedopil, Founding Director of the Green Belt and Road Initiative Center
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has come under heavy criticism for financing and supporting pollutive coal power projects. For example in Pakistan, coal went from a negligible share of the fuel for the country’s electric power generation in 2014 to almost 20 per cent in 2019 with Chinese assistance. With the rising popularity of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower, China is now changing focus towards a “Green BRI”.
In this podcast, host Arif Rafiq discusses the reasons behind this shift and its conseque...2021-07-0938 min
Tabadlab's Dragon RoadS01 E05 - String Of Pearls: Djibouti & Gwadar Part IIS01 E05 - String Of Pearls: Djibouti & Gwadar Part II by Tabadlab's Centre for Regional and Global Connectivity2021-07-051h 01PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 69 - From BCCI to Alfalah: A Banker’s JourneyUzair talks to Azmat Khan about his banking career, which started at the BCCI in the 1970s. In the 1990s, Azmat Khan played a pivotal role in building the personal relationships that deepened Pakistan's strategic ties with the UAE, following which he helped setup and expand Bank Alfalah in Pakistan.
This conversation records the history of Khan's career, things he learnt along the way, and his views on Pakistan's own economic journey and potential.2021-07-031h 40PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 68 - Afghanistan After U.S. WithdrawalUzair talks to Sameer Lalwani about the evolving situation in Afghanistan, prospects for peace following the U.S. withdrawal from the country, and the role regional powers are and can play in ensuring peace and stability in the country.
Sameer Lalwani is a Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center where he researches nuclear deterrence, interstate rivalry, national security decision making, crisis behavior, and counter/insurgency. He is also a term member with the Council on Foreign Relations, a Contributing Editor to War on the Rocks, a non-resident fellow with the Sigur Center for...2021-06-2558 minTabadlab's Dragon RoadS01 E04 - China's Strategic STRONGPOINTS Part IIn the first of a two-part series, Arif Rafiq separates the various strands of the “String of Pearls” theory with Isaac B. Kardon, which assumed the establishment of Chinese naval military bases from the South China Sea westward to the northern Indian Ocean in Chinese-operated commercial ports. These included ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. However, China’s first overseas military base was set up in 2017 in the East African country, Djibouti, further fueling speculation about China’s ‘strategic strongpoints’. Kardon explains whether missions are prepared for offensive or defensive operations. He talks about the nexus between Chinese party-state...2021-06-2540 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 67 - Pakistan's Political EconomyUzair talks to Dr. Ilhan Niaz about the structural underpinnings of Pakistan's political economy and how things are eerily similar to the way the economy functioned during the British colonial era.
This conversation focuses on Dr. Niaz's recently-published paper "Pakistan's search for a successful model of national political economy" which you can read using this link: https://www.academia.edu/47785779/Pakistans_search_for_a_successful_model_of_national_political_economy
Reading recommendations:
- Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas
- The Water Kingdom: A Secret History of China by Philip Ball
- Islam...2021-06-1954 minTabadlab's Dragon RoadS01 E03 - China's Digital Silk Road & the Tech BattleIn this third episode of Dragon Road, Arif Rafiq speaks to Elina Noor about the emerging China-US rivalry in the digital space.
China has transformed itself from an exporter of cheap manufactured goods to a leading player in the technology space, like from artificial intelligence, to blockchain, and from 5G to e-commerce. China’s emergence has caused great anxiety in the West, especially in Washington DC, due to suspicions about China-backed enterprises like Huawei and ZTE providing a backdoor to the Chinese government to spy on Western citizens.
In this episode of Dragon Road with Ms. Noor, we discuss the im...2021-06-1833 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 66 - Oraan: Digitizing SavingsUzair 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 McConaughey2021-06-1255 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Twitter Spaces - Budget 2021-22Uzair 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.2021-06-111h 07PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 65 - Inside Pakistan's Media IndustryPakistan'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 fr...2021-06-041h 38Tabadlab's Dragon RoadIntroducing - Dragon RoadTabadlab's Centre for Regional and Global Connectivity is proud to present...
DRAGON ROAD...
an exploration of China in the world.
Season 01 is hosted by Arif Rafiq, President of Vizier Consulting.2021-06-0201 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 64 - Making Internet for All a RealityUzair 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...2021-05-311h 04PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 63 - Potential of AgribusinessIn 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 Devji2021-05-241h 10PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 62 - The State of Mental HealthMay 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...2021-05-1753 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 61 - The Story of Pie in the SkyUzair 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 Austen2021-05-1055 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 60 - Achieving $60 billion in exportsIn 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 Reversal2021-04-2639 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 59 - Economic Impact of COVID-19Uzair 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...2021-04-1953 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 58 - Changing Pakistan's Economic TrajectoryUzair 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...2021-04-1254 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 57 - Sehat Kahani - Bringing Telemedicine to PakistanUzair speaks to Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram and Dr. Iffat Zafar Aga, the co-founders of Sehat Kahani. In this discussion we talked about the startup, which has recently raised $1 million in a funding round, its growth strategy, and what it is like to be a female founder of a startup in Pakistan.
Sehat Kahani is an all-female health provider network including that is working to create quality health care solutions for communities where health access, quality, affordability of health care is still a dream, using cost effective ICT enabled solutions. Sehat Kahani has impacted over 1.5 million people globally with its...2021-04-0556 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 56 - Achieving State Bank's Autonomy (Urdu Discussion on SBP Amendments)In this episode, Uzair talks to regular guest Ammar Khan about the proposed amendments to the SBP Act. They talked about whether giving autonomy to the SBP will lead to bankruptcy, how inflation is a major issue that needs resolution, and what the process ought to be in order to pass this legislation through parliament.2021-03-2937 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 55 - Sustaining Pakistan's Economic Growth (Urdu)This is episode is in Urdu so that a wider audience can understand why Pakistan's economy cannot maintain high rates of growth over long periods of time. To understand the reasons for this, Uzair spoke to Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, who is a Research Fellow and heads Policy Solutions Lab at Sustainable Development Policy Institute [SDPI] Pakistan.
Prior to joining to SPDI, he was Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor at Department of Economics, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). Dr. Sajid’s research is located at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry of issues related to structure of economic gr...2021-03-221h 17PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 54 - India's Economic ReformsSince the onset of the pandemic, the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed forward a whole host of reforms, including much-needed changes to India's farm laws. Farmer protests, however, have caused many to focus on the everything but the core components of these reforms and what they seek to achieve.
In this episode, Uzair spoke to Sadanand Dhume about India's economic reforms and what he calls Modinomics 2.0. Sadanand is a South Asia columnist for the Wall Street Journal and covers South Asia's political economy and business affairs. He has worked as a foreign correspondent for the...2021-03-1550 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 53 - Women and the EconomyThere is systemic exclusion of women in Pakistan's economy and the drivers of this systemic exclusion are poorly understood by most. In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Hadia Majid about the role of women in Pakistan's economy and the unique and diverse challenges they face in the country.
Dr. Hadia Majid is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics & Director at the Saida Waheed Gender Initiative at LUMS. She is a a Fulbright Scholar and holds a PhD in Development Economics from The Ohio State University. Her research agenda is focused on labor markets in Pakistan where she...2021-03-0854 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 52 - Reimagining LearningUzair talks to Pramath Sinha about Harappa Education, an education startup offering the foundational skills critical to achieve professional success and personal meaning.
Pramath is a trailblazer in many different fields, including education. He served as the Founding Dean of Indian School of Business (ISB), which just got ranked as the best business school in India and #23 in the world, according to the Financial Times. He is also one of the founders of Ashoka University.
Book Recommendations:
The Story Of My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJ048MM/ref=cm_sw_r...2021-03-011h 12
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 48 - BykeaBykea is one of Pakistan's startup success stories that raised $13m in the middle of a pandemic.
In this episode, Uzair talks to Rafiq Malik, the startup's Chief Operating Officer, about the business and its growth plans.
Rafiq's book recommendations are:
- A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060883286/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_4SZ51RF4EPHP991P332J
- The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143116177/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0JXTYBT31JFMK9E91Q172021-03-0154 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - A Conversation with Zarrar KhuhroIn this special episode, Uzair talks to Zarrar Khuhro about a whole host of issues, focusing on the rise of illiberal populism around the world.
Zarrar is a co-host of the show Zara Hat Kay which airs on Dawn News and writes a weekly column for Dawn.2021-02-2446 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 51 - Modernizing Food RetailUzair talks to Jarrar Shah about his startup 24Seven.pk, an online Grocery Shopping platform based in Lahore.
The 24SEVEN journey started from his farm when he painfully found out how he was getting no premium for growing graded, good quality produce in the off season and consequently decided to create an alternative marketing channel for farmers that would enable them to bypass the middle men.
His book recommendations are:
- Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose
- Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
- Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
- Skin in the Game2021-02-221h 08PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 50 - Making India GreatUzair Younus talks to Dr. Aparna Pande about her new book "Making India Great: The Promise of a Reluctant Global Power. The episode covers a wide range of topics related to India, including domestic politics, economic nationalism, the country's foreign policy, and its relations with Pakistan.
Dr. Aparna Pande is Director of the Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute, Washington D.C. Her major field of interest is South Asia with a special focus on India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Foreign and Security Policy.
Born in India, Pande received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degr...2021-02-161h 01
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 49 - The State of MediaUzair talks to Raza Rumi about the state of media in Pakistan and the role of Nayadaur in bringing alternative perspectives into the discourse. Raza Rumi Director, Park Center for Independent Media and teaches in the journalism department; a visiting lecturer at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs. He is also the Founding Editor of Nayadaur Media, a bi-lingual progressive digital media platform. He is also a visiting lecturer.
Raza's recommended the following books:
- Masvani by Rumi
- The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm
- Aag Ka Darya by Qurratulain Hyder2021-02-081h 04PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 47 - Raast: Digitizing PakistanPakistan finally has a digital payments system and this development is going to revolutionize financial transactions in the country. It will also accelerate the formalization of the economy, increase financial inclusion, and catalyze the growth of fintech startups in the country.
Uzair spoke to Rehan Akhtar, Chief Digital Officer at Karandaaz Pakistan, about Raast and its potential.
This week's book recommendation:
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell.
A book that I recently read complements this excellent recommendation:
- Upstream: How to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath2021-01-251h 03
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 46 - Outlook for Reforms in 2021In the first episode of 2021, Uzair talks to Hasaan Khawar about why it is difficult to push through bureaucratic reforms, why Prime Minister Khan accepting his government's mistakes is something that should be appreciated, and his theory of change.
Hasaan also shared three books that have profoundly interested him:
1) The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1443456624/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_oVDaGb2HNARQA
2) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Hariri - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062316095/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vXDaGb5AXWMBG
3) Directorate S: The C.I.A. and...2021-01-181h 02PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 45 - Pakistan: 2020 and BeyondIn the final episode of 2020, Uzair talks to frequent guests Ammar Khan and Ariba Shahid about how 2020 turned out for Pakistan's economy, unresolved issues, and the outlook for 2021.
Thank you to all of you for tuning in this year. I will be taking a break for the next couple of weeks and a new season of the show will be back in early January, 2021.2020-12-1947 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 44 - Bangladesh's Economic TransformationUzair Younus talks to a Bangladesh-based economist about the keys to Bangladesh's economic transformation.
Syed Yusuf Saadat, Senior Associate at the Center for Policy Dialogue, is an economist with deep expertise is in assessing economic policies and has done research for several international organizations, including the UNDP.
Yusuf is also co-author of the book titled “Youth Employment in Bangladesh—Creating Opportunities, Reaping Dividends” published by Palgrave Macmillan.2020-12-0752 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 43 - A Volatile 2020: India's ExperienceThe COVID-19 pandemic brought the global economy on its knees, leading to mass unemployment and a dramatic slowdown in economic activity. The Indian economy, which was already showing signs of weakness before the pandemic, has now entered a recession.
At the same time, concerns over India's illiberal turn, its refusal to enter trade agreements, and poor implementation of flagship programs have led some to argue that India is missing a once in a century opportunity.
Uzair Younus spoke to Aman Thakker about these developments, asking his guest about why Narendra Modi's BJP continues to be the dominant force in politics...2020-12-0253 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 42 - Increasing Pakistan's ExportsPakistan's exports have been a chronic issue and in the last few years, an overvalued exchange rate dramatically accelerated the decline in the country's exports.
But exchange rate is only one of several issues that have made Pakistan's exports uncompetitive. In this episode, Uzair Younus spoke with Dr. Gonzalo Varela about why Pakistan's exports have fared poorly and how this can be changed.
Dr. Gonzalo Varela is a Senior Economist in the Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice of the World Bank. He is currently based in Islamabad, where he leads the trade program. Previously, he worked in the World...2020-11-2759 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - New Social Media Rules (Urdu)In this special episode, Uzair Younus speaks to Farieha Aziz about the new social media rules that have been approved by the government. These rules have raised serious objections from ISPs, digital rights activists, journalists, and other organizations in Pakistan. Uzair asked Farieha why this has caused an uproar and the potential impact of these rules on free expression in Pakistan.2020-11-2322 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 41 - The Potential of LNG in PakistanPakistan is about to experience another winter of gas shortages. Meanwhile, the LNG sector continues to cause confusion among citizens, with baseless claims of corruption and backroom dealings sowing doubt among many in Pakistan.
In this episode, Uzair Younus talks to Laure Baynes Clarke about the LNG sector, how it operates, and its potential in Pakistan.
Laure is a General Manager and part of Shell’s global leadership team that manages its global LNG portfolio. She comes with a wealth of experience in the business, in trading and origination for LNG, she has led teams that have bought and sold LN...2020-11-1648 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 40 - Building Pakistan's Fintech EcosystemFintech has played an important role in promoting financial inclusion, formalizing the economy, and accelerating economic growth around the world. Pakistan, however, has struggled in efforts to ensure that a significant part of the country's population has access to formal financial services.
To talk about how this ecosystem is being developed in the country, Uzair Younus spoke with Nadeem Hussain, Founder of Planet N. He also founded Tameer Micro Finance Bank, Pakistan’s first private sector microfinance bank and is someone who has played a key role in promoting financial inclusion in Pakistan.2020-11-1144 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 39 - The Economy of WasteMillions of dollars a year are made in collecting, sorting, and recycling waste across Pakistan. But this sector remains largely informal, leading to a whole host of issues, including the use of child labor, sexual abuse and exploitation, and criminality. Ahmad Shabbar is someone who has been on a mission to change the way the system works in Karachi. He is the Founder and CEO of GarbageCAN, an organization providing comprehensive waste management to several schools, festivals, and businesses; recycling management to established restaurants; and enable to households to recycle via our door-to-door program. We have also introduced an Adopt-A-Spot...2020-11-0253 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Why Do Markets in Karachi Pay More Taxes? (Urdu)Uzair Younus talks to Ammar Khan and Shahrukh Wani about the latest FBR data which shows that markets in Karachi - Jodia Bazar and Saddar in particular - pay significantly more in income taxes than markets in the rest of Pakistan. Despite that, Karachi has poor infrastructure and public service delivery.
The guests share their views of why this is the case. You can read the article written by Ammar Khan on this topic here - https://www.samaa.tv/money/2020/09/karachis-saddar-jodia-bazaar-pay-more-tax-than-lahore-islamabad-markets/2020-10-3028 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Rescuing the Agriculture Sector (Urdu)In this Urdu discussion, Uzair Younus talks to Ahmed Majid Warraich, a Faisalabad-based entrepreneur in the agriculture sector. Uzair talked to Ahmed about the reasons for higher food inflation, his experience in modernizing farms, and what needs to be done to uplift this sector which employs almost 40 percent of Pakistan's labor force.
Ahmed is currently growing Sugarcane, Wheat, Maize and various orchards. He has converted around 100 acres of his land to drip irrigation – all powered through Solar power and has completely automated the drip through automation technologies. Ahmed is a staunch advocate of sustainable agriculture and renewable energies for viable fo...2020-10-2923 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 38 - The Role of Dynasties and Caste in PoliticsThe Role of Dynasties and Caste in Politics
In a previous episode of the podcast, Dr. Adil Najam made a very important point that underneath all divides in Pakistan is the class divide. That is a very important point and one could argue that this divide is anchored by the caste divide in the country, particularly in Punjab and Sindh. However, both caste and class are absent from the daily political and economic discourse in the country.
To talk about this issue, Uzair hosted Dr. Hassan Javid, who is an Associate Professor of Sociology at LUMS. He has done phenomenal...2020-10-271h 15PakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Understanding the Wheat Crisis (Urdu)Food inflation is breaking the back of households in Pakistan. Despite repeated warnings about a food crisis, the government has been unable to control rampant inflation.
The price of wheat and flour has been rising at a rapid pace. To understand what is going on, Uzair talked to Adil Mansoor, who has deep insights about the wheat market and how it functions.2020-10-2029 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 37 - The War on Free ExpressionThe War on Free Expression
In recent weeks, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has been on a banning spree. However, the issue is structural and the powers being used by the PTA were given to it through PECA, a legislation passed in 2016 by the PML-N government.
In this episode, Uzair Younus speaks with Farieha Aziz about the war on free expression in Pakistan, Digital Pakistan and its future, and what message is being sent to international investors and technology companies by the actions of the PTA.
Farieha Aziz is a Karachi-based, APNS-awardwinning journalist. She is a co-founder and Director at Bolo...2020-10-2050 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Gas Crisis Update (Urdu)Gas Crisis Update - Urdu
In this special Urdu discussion, Uzair speaks with Ammar Khan about the ongoing gas crisis and the recent cargos being bought by Pakistan. The price is now higher than the long-term Qatar contracts signed by the PML-N government and Uzair asked Ammar to explain what that means.2020-10-1412 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 36 - What's Going On, Pakistan?What's Going On, Pakistan?
Ariba Shahid returns to Pakistonomy to talk about recent developments in the country.
We talked about PTA bans, inflation, gas shortages, business optimism, and much more. This is a break from our usual in-depth conversations, which will return next week.2020-10-1246 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Selling Brand Pakistan's Narrative (Urdu)Many people within and outside Pakistan often say that if only Pakistan had a stronger narrative, the country would do much better. But the reality is much, much different.
In this discussion, Uzair Younus spoke to Ejaz Haider about his recently published article in The Friday Times, titled Selling the Narrative. Ejaz Haider is Executive Editor at Indus News and was the News Editor at The Friday Times.
Uzair and Ejaz talked about why the issues facing Pakistan need to be addressed by addressing root causes, rather than arguing that better marketing and branding can get the job done.
You...2020-10-0626 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 35 - A Conversation with Dr. Adil Najam (Urdu)Uzair Younus has a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Adil Najam about polarization, generational shifts in Pakistan, climate change, and much more.
Dr Najam needs no introduction. He is the inaugural Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University which was founded in 2014 with a generous gift from BU alum Frederick S. Pardee. He is also a Professor of International Relations and of Earth and Environment. Earlier, Prof. Adil Najam served as Vice Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Lahore, Pakistan and as the Director of the Boston University Pardee Center for...2020-10-051h 07PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 34 - Powering the Solar RevolutionThe world is quickly moving towards renewable energy sources. In Pakistan, less than 5 percent of the country's energy comes from renewable energy (excluding hydro power). To talk about how the country can promote renewable energy and whether ending the grid as we know it is feasible, Uzair Younus spoke to Shazia Khan.
Shazia Khan is the CEO of EcoEnergy, an environmental lawyer, and off-grid energy expert. She began her career as a consultant with the World Bank, working with the Global Environment Facility and Africa Energy. Prior to that, Shazia worked at Pakistan’s National Development Finance Corporation, facilitating long te...2020-09-2947 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Why Are There Gas Shortages in Pakistan?Karachi is already facing power shortages due to supply constraints of gas. Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned of another crisis in the winter months of this year and the next. And as expected, the issue has fallen victim to partisan politics.
To talk about this issue from a non-partisan perspective, Uzair spoke to Samiullah Tariq, Head Of Research And Development - Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company.
At the heart of the issue is the price of natural gas and for as long as the price doesn't reflect the cost of the commodity, we will continue to face issues in the ga...2020-09-2920 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 33 - What Caused the Decline of Muslim Civilization?We often hear about the unity of the ummah and how that drove progress. But this idea is poorly, if at all, understood by most people. The reasons given for the rise and fall of Muslim civilization often do not meet the test of history and rigorous analysis.
In this episode, we are going to try to understand the causes of its dramatic rise and sustained decline.
To help us understand this complex topic, Uzair Younus spoke to Dr. Ahmet T. Kuru Professor of Political Science at San Diego State University. Dr. Kuru is the author of the fantastic award-winning...2020-09-211h 04PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 32 - Understanding the China-Pakistan Economic CorridorUnderstanding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Conversations around the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in mainstream media end up in a “are you a patriot” or “are you a traitor” binary. There is no doubt about the fact that Pakistan has doubled down on its strategic relationship with China in recent years: Prime Minister Imran Khan recently saying in an interview that Pakistan’s future is tied to China.
But what is CPEC all about? And how does it fit into China’s overall regional and geopolitical ambitions?
To talk about this, Uzair Younus invited Dr. Tayyab Safdar, a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University o...2020-09-151h 03PakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - The Pension Crisis (Urdu)Pakistan is facing a pension crisis which is straining the country’s fiscal resources. In a recently published article for Business Recorder, Ali Khizar wrote that pension spending has gone from “Rs 164 billion in FY 11” to “Rs988 billion in FY21.”
To talk about this crisis, Uzair Younus spoke to Ali Khizar and discussed what is going on and why it is important that Pakistan prioritize pension reforms.
If you are interested in diving deep into this topic, read Ali Khizar’s articles below:
Defusing the pension bomb - https://www.brecorder.com/news/40013934
How pension turned into a bomb - https://www...2020-08-3116 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 31 - Ethnicity and Governance in PakistanEthnic cleavages have created unique challenges for Pakistan's political economy since 1947. Since the passage of the 18th Amendment, the conversation has changed substantially.
To talk about how these issues affect Pakistan's political system and its economy, Uzair Younus spoke with Dr. Farhan H. Siddiqi. Dr. Siddiqi is an Associate Professor at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad and has done in depth research on ethnic issues in the country.
If you liked this episode, please share it on your social media and with your friends and family!
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Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pakistonomy/
...2020-08-2658 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Stocks Make a ComebackStocks Make a Comeback (Urdu)
The KSE-100 has been rallying in recent weeks, increasing optimism among investors about the prospects of Pakistan's economy. While the stock market is not fully indicative of the real economy, it provides us with insights about where the economy is headed and the sentiment among investors.
To talk about this ongoing rally, Uzair Younus spoke with Bilal Moon. They talked about whats driving the recent momentum, why foreign investors have been net sellers, and what retail investors should do to maximize their long-term returns.
If you liked this episode, please share it on your social...2020-08-2117 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Special Episode - Renegotiating Power Contracts (Urdu)Renegotiating Power Contracts (Urdu)
Uzair speaks with Ammar Khan about the government's successful negotiations with IPPs and what it means for Pakistani consumers.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic, listen to the podcast Uzair hosted with Ammar on the power sector:
https://soundcloud.com/tabadlab/pakistonomy-episode-15-pakistans-power-sector2020-08-1917 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 30 - Unlocking the Economy?Pakistan has been able to successfully flatten the COVID-19 curve and that has had a positive impact on the economy, with some key indicators turning positive over the last few weeks.
Uzair Younus spoke with Ariba Shahid, a business journalist at Profit by Pakistan Today, about this nascent recovery. We also spoke about Karachi's governance challenges, Punjab's chief minister, and her predictions for the next 3-6 months.
Views expressed in this video are personal and do not reflect the employer’s views.
If you liked this episode, please share it on your social media and with your friends and family!
Do...2020-08-1850 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 29 - India's Growth Story: Astute Planning or an Accident?India’s Growth Story: Astute Planning or an Accident?
Shankkar Aiyar is a political economy analyst, columnist, and the author of several books, including Accidental India: A History of the Nation's Passage Through Crisis and Change, which is a must-read for anyone who wants to fully understand what it took for India to push through transformative structural reforms.
Uzair talked to him about India's reforms, why crises are an opportunity for pushing change, and how COVID-19 creates new opportunities for India and other emerging markets.
If you liked this episode, please share it on your social media and with your fr...2020-08-101h 03PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 28 - A Conversation with Junaid IqbalCareem has transformed mobility in Pakistan and around the world and Junaid Iqbal played a key role in making that possible. In this episode, Uzair Younus talks to Careem's former MD about how the startup was able to succeed, his views on Pakistan's digital payments ecosystem, and a whole lot more.
If you liked this episode, please share it on your social media and with your friends and family!
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel!
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pakistonomy/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/tabadlab
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/tabadlab
You can also subscribe to...2020-07-3044 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 27 - A Conversation with Shuja NawazA Conversation with Shuja Nawaz
Shuja Nawaz is author of The Battle for Pakistan: The Bitter US Friendship and a Tough Neighbourhood. This book is a fascinating account of Pakistan's troubled relationship with the United States and is based on detailed interviews with key US and South Asian leaders, access to secret documents and operations, and the author's personal relationships and deep knowledge of the region.
In this discussion, Uzair talks to the author about recent developments in Pakistan, how Pakistan should navigate the US-China confrontation, and what Pakistan needs to do to transform itself from being a problem that...2020-07-271h 01PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 26 – Airlift: Fueling Pakistan’s Startup EcosystemAirlift recently raised $10m in a funding round and has set its sights on transforming Pakistan’s mobility landscape. By provided affordable, safe, and comfortable rides to its users in major cities, the startup is making a big impact. It has also entered the grocery business and its promise to deliver goods to households within 45 minutes is going to fundamentally disrupt e-commerce in the country.
To learn more about the startup’s vision and its growth plans, Uzair spoke to Saba Abid, who is General Manager at Airlift. This was a wide-ranging discussion that includes tips about what younger people need...2020-07-2034 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 25 - How Technology is Ushering in the Age of FreedomRethinking Humanity, published by the think-tank RethinkX is a fascinating read that talks about how major technological shifts in key sectors such as agriculture and energy are about to usher in a new age for humanity.
The authors of the book argue that humanity is at a crossroads, but not for reasons most would assume. Based on historical analysis, they predict that this is not another Industrial Revolution but something far more fundamental.
In this episode, Uzair Younus talks to one of the co-authors of the book, James Arbib, who is also the co-founder of RethinkX.
You can read the...2020-07-1356 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 24 - PIA's Decline and the Path AheadThe Pakistan International Airlines has found itself in the news yet again, starting with the tragic crash of the flight 8303 in Karachi. Since then, issues about fake pilots, the sale of the Roosevelt hotel owned by the PIA in New York, and systemic issues plaguing the airline have been the talk of town.
To talk about the reasons for PIA’s decline and how the airline could be reformed and restructured, Uzair Younus spoke with Dr. Musharraf Rasool Cyan, who is the former CEO of the PIA and is no stranger to both the internal and external issues that plague th...2020-07-0657 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 23 - Demystifying Rural Sindh: Property Rights, Elite Capture, and FeudalismMany of us have a surface-level understanding of rural Sindh and its political economy. Feudalism, lack of land reforms, and elite capture are often bandied out as catch-all issues that plague not only Sindh, but many parts of rural Pakistan. But the reality is far more complex and the foundational issue in the political economy of rural Sindh, and rural Pakistan in general, is the lack of property rights.
To talk about rural Sindh and its political economy, Uzair Younus invited Dr. Mujtaba Isani as a guest on the podcast. Dr. Isani is a political scientist with a PhD in...2020-06-3057 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 22 - Innovation in Education: A Conversation with EdkasaDistance learning became the norm after COVID-19 shutdown schools all over the world. In Pakistan, where access to quality education is challenging for millions of households, edtech startups are beginning to change the status quo. Edkasa is one such startup and it has embarked on a mission is to provide easy access to quality education to Pakistan's youth to enable them to take full advantage of future opportunities.
In this episode, Uzair Younus talks to Annum Sadiq about Edkasa and the edtech sector in the country.
Annum is Co-founder and Chief Education Officer of Edkasa. She is also a 2016 Fulbright...2020-06-2255 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 21 - Budget TimeThe 2020-21 Budget comes at a time when Pakistan is reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The last year saw the economy enter a recession, with growth coming in at -0.38 percent. For the coming year, the government is projecting the economy to grow by about 2 percent and expects revenues to grow by a significant amount.
To talk about the budget and what it means, we decided to reverse roles for this episode. Shahab Siddiqi from Tabadlab moderates this discussion with Uzair Younus, who shares his views and insights about the economic survey and 2020-21 budget.
If you liked this episode...2020-06-1549 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 20 - The Informal Economy (Urdu)Many people view the informal sector as corrupt, illegal, and detrimental to the country’s economic well-being. The reality, of course, is more complex. In fact, some argue that the informal sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.
In this episode, Uzair Younus talks to Dr. Ali Kemal about Pakistan's informal sector and its implications on the country's economy. Dr. Kemal is an Economic Policy Advisor at the SDG Support Unit, Ministry of Planning Development and Reform. He has co-authored a detailed analysis of Pakistan’s informal economy in a paper titled “Exploring the Determinants of Underground Economy of Pakistan...2020-06-0851 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 19 - The Water EconomyDr. Erum Khalid Sattar talks to us about Pakistan's colonial past and its impact on the water economy, why mega-dams will not solve the country's water, and the need to strengthen the institutional software governing the country.2020-06-011h 00PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 18 - Economic Decline: A Historian's TakePakistan's civilian institutions have been in decline since independence. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Ilhan Niaz, Associate Professor of History at the Quaid-e-Azam University, about the impact of this decline on Pakistan's political economy.2020-05-1854 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 17 - What Can We Learn From Reko Diq?The Reko Diq case has been a long, drawn out saga where Pakistan faced penalties of almost $5.9 billion. To talk about this case, the overall role of international arbitration, and the path forward for Pakistan, Uzair spoke to Marike Paulsson. Marike is one of the foremost experts in the field of international arbitration and is Vice President of the Global Legal Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.2020-05-1143 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 16 - The Pakistan Super LeagueCricket is perhaps the greatest unifying force in Pakistan and in its early years, the Pakistan Super League has had a transformative effect on the cricketing landscape in the country.
In this episode, Uzair talks to Shoaib Naveed, Project Executive of the Pakistan Super League, about the PSL's business model, the path to profitability for franchises, and what's in store for the future.2020-05-041h 06PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 15 - Pakistan's Power SectorUzair talks to Ammar H. Khan, an energy economist, about Pakistan's power sector, the power industry report and its findings, and reforming the country's power sector.2020-04-2759 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 14 - Dr. Miftah IsmailUzair talks to Dr. Miftah Ismail, former finance minister of Pakistan and member of the PML-N about COVID-19 and its economic impact, structural reforms, and the path ahead for Pakistan.2020-04-201h 12PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 13 - What Caused the Sugar and Wheat Crises?Uzair speaks with Ali Khizar, Senior Consultant at Business Recorder, and M. Adil Mansoor, an Agriculture and Water Policy Analyst. The episode looks at the causes behind the sugar and wheat crises and why both markets need to be de-regularized to prevent yet another crisis in the future.2020-04-1357 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 12 - Real Estate in PakistanUzair talks to Hammad Rana about Pakistan's real estate sector, what's holding it back, and how it can play a key role in boosting Pakistan's economic growth. Hammad leads Colliers International Pakistan's Sales, Leasing and Investment Advisory teams. In his role, he works extensively with multi-national corporates, institutional investors, banks, hotel operators and developers on projects across Pakistan.2020-04-0648 minPakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 11 - Economy and CoronavirusUzair and Shehzad Ghias (host of The Pakistan Experience) talk about COVID-19 and its impact on the economies of both the US and Pakistan. If you haven't listened to The Pakistan Experience, do check it out on your favorite podcast app!2020-03-271h 10
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 10 - The Economic Impact of CoronavirusUzair talks to Erum Haider, Maheen Rehman and Mosharraf Zaidi about the economic impact of the Corona Virus in Pakistan.2020-03-181h 00PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 09 - Can Pakistan Replicate Korea?Uzair talks to Dr. Khalid Ikram about South Korea's economic miracle and what Pakistan needs to do to change its economic trajectory. Dr. Ikram has worked for the Pakistan Planning Commission and the World Bank, and was awarded the Korean President's medal for services to Korean development.2020-03-161h 19PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 08 - Women, Feminism, and the Aurat MarchUzair talks to Dr Afiya Shehrbano Zia about the future of women in Pakistan, their economic empowerment, and the importance of movements like the Aurat March.2020-03-081h 18PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 07 - Dr. Umair JavedThe Politics of Reforms.
Uzair talks to Dr. Umair Javed about tax and bureaucratic reforms and how politics in the country is responsible for reduced impetus for reforms in Pakistan.2020-03-021h 21
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 06 - Naurin MuzaffarIn this episode, Uzair speaks with Naurin Muzaffar about why Pakistan's textile sector has failed to keep up with Bangladesh, what Pakistan can learn from Bangladesh, and what needs to change in Pakistan.2020-02-241h 26PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 05 - Kalsoom LakhaniIn Episode 05, Uzair speaks with Kalsoom Lakhani, Founder and CEO of Invest2Innovate, about Pakistan's startup ecosystem, its evolution, and advice for young entrepreneurs.2020-02-161h 13
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 04 - Atif MianIn Episode 04, Uzair speaks with Dr. Atif Mian about why Pakistan keeps going back to the IMF, why the country’s economy keeps going from one crisis to another, and what he would do if he was the economic czar in the country.2020-02-071h 22
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 03 - Pakistan's Stock MarketIn episode 3, Uzair talks to Bilal Moon, who has been working in the equity markets for over a decade about Pakistan’s financial markets, how it works, and how they can be taken to the next level.2020-02-011h 02
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 02 - Mehvish ArifeenIn our second episode, Uzair talks to Mehvish Arifeen, co-founder and COO of GharPar. We talk about GharPar’s mission and vision, Pakistan’s start-up ecosystem, and her journey as a woman entrepreneur.
About GharPar: GharPar is a social enterprise that provides timely, convenient and professional at-home beauty services to its female clients through a web and mobile based solution. The start-up also enables women to be economically self-sufficient, and the company has gone from having 6 beauticians and 200 customers in 2016 to over 150 beauticians and 30,000 customers today.
Check it out at www.gharpar.co!2020-01-2443 min
PakistonomyPakistonomy - Episode 01 - Khurram HusainThe first episode of Pakistonomy, a podcast in which Uzair Younus will discuss the state of Pakistan's economy with key stakeholders in the rate of growth, the degree of stability and the manner in which political economy shapes the lives of ordinary Pakistanis.
Episode 01: Khurram Husain
Khurram Husain is a leading business and economy journalist in Pakistan, based out of Karachi. He has taught at the prestigious Lahore University of Management Sciences in the past. He writes a widely read column in Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English language newspaper and in television has been a contributor to the BBC, providing sh...2020-01-1346 min
PakistonomyIvan Rasmussen on the story of ChinaIvan Rasmussen of NYU Shanghai appears on Tabadlab Live to explain the rise of China, how it got to where it is today, and how it plans to continue to get where it wants to be tomorrow.
Ivan Rasmussen bio: https://shanghai.nyu.edu/academics/faculty/directory/ivan-rasmussen
Recorded on March 21, 2019, in Islamabad.2020-01-1246 min
PakistonomyParag Khanna on “The Future Is Asian”Parag Khanna, author of "The Future is Asian" appears on Tabadlab Live to explore how the coming years and decades will look, sound and feel distinctly "Asian". He invites his readers to look beyond current narratives about China, the impact of urbanization and how commerce, conflict, and culture in the 21st Century will be shaped by Asia.
Parag Khanna bio:
Recorded on January 10, 2019, in Islamabad.2019-02-2538 min
PakistonomyHina Khar, Mohammad Sadiq & Joshua White on the future of Afghanistan* Hina Rabbani Khar, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan
* Mohammad Sadiq, former Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan
* Joshua White, former White House staff under the Obama National Security Council
appear on Tabadlab Live to discuss the prospects for peace in Afghanistan, the emergence of the dialogue lead by Zalmay Khalilzad, and the hopes for successful detente between the Taliban and the US.
Recorded on December 13, 2018.2019-02-251h 04