Pakistonomy Tabadlab

The world’s largest elections are over and they have delivered a surprise in India. While we will get more detailed analysis in the coming days, what is for certain is that the elections mark a return to coalition politics in the world’s largest democracy.

Uzair spoke to Rahul Verma about what the results mean for India, Narendra Modi, and the country’s democracy. We also talked about what the BJP and Congress got right, what they are likely to do next, and the role of coalition allies moving forward.

Rahul Verma is Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, and Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, Ashoka University, Sonipat. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests include political representation, political parties, and voting behaviour.

He is a regular columnist for various news platforms, and a regular TV commentator on elections, party politics, voting behavior, and public opinion polls. His book co-authored with Pradeep Chhibber, Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India, develops a new approach to defining the contours of what constitutes an ideology in multi-ethnic countries such as India. He recently co-edited a volume with Sudha Pai & Shyam Babu - Dalits in the New Millennium.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Key takeaways from the elections
8:30 Has Hindutva reached its peak?
21:30 Return of coalition politics
29:10 Scope for reforms in a coalition
33:50 What to look for in the near-term
38:47 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:
- Coalition Politics and Economic Development: Credibility and the Strength of Weak Governments by Irfan Nooruddin
- Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India by Rahul Verma and Pradeep Chhibber
- Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla

In this episode, Uzair talks to Abdul Moiz Jaferii about the ongoing cases in Pakistan’s superior judiciary. We focused on the wiretapping case being heard by Justice Babar Sattar, cases related to Imran Khan, and the broader implications of the supposed standoff between the establishment and the judiciary.

We also focused on the political ramifications of these cases through the summer and whether Imran Khan will be out of jail in the next few months.

Abdul Moiz Jaferii is a lawyer and tweets @jaferii

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:30 The latest at the courts
7:30 IHC’s letter to Justice Isa
15:00 Illegal wiretapping case
33:30 Political ramifications
39:00 Will Khan be out soon?

In this episode, Uzair talks to Ali Khizar about the upcoming budget and the ongoing conversations between the IMF and Pakistan. We focused on why this government will only pursue incremental reforms, the issues with the power sector, and why broadening the tax base is unlikely for the time being.

Ali Khizar is head of research at Business Recorder and has over 20 years of experience in economic research and business analysis.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:55 IMF’s focus for Pakistan
9:30 Taxes in the budget
22:50 Cost of energy
36:30 Privatization outlook
47:20 Political space for reforms

In this episode, Uzair talks to Ali Farid Khwaja about the potential of Saudi investments into Pakistan. We talked about why things were moving slowly, sectors Saudi is interested in, and why it is important for Pakistan to approach these conversations in a more professional manner.

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
1:35 Current state of play
12:00 What Pakistan needs to get right
19:20 Engagement with IMF
27:20 What is Saudi seeking from Pakistan?
32:30 Risks to watch for
38:20 Conclusion

In this episode, Uzair talks to Khurram Husain about the latest decision by the central bank to keep rates unchanged. We talked about why the central bank has a credibility problem and how the IMF is influencing its choices. We also discussed the ongoing conversations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, why it feels different this time around, and the role of geopolitics.

Finally, we also discussed the upcoming budget, the finance minister’s priorities, and how he can secure his position in the cabinet.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Interest rates and the IMF
16:20 Saudi Arabia’s interest in Pakistan
24:45 Role of geopolitics in Saudi conversations
32:18 Budget and reforms outlook
39:05 How long will the finance minister last?

Uzair talks to Dr. Ghazala Mansuri about Pakistan’s stunting crisis and its implications for the country’s future. We focused on key causes of stunting, the linkage with Pakistan’s water supply, and what the country can learn from other nations. The conversation also focused on climate change and its impact on human development, especially stunting.

Dr. Ghazala Mansuri is a Lead Economist for the South Asia Region and a Global Lead for the Welfare Impacts of Climate Change at the World Bank. Her work, at the intersection of research and policy, has been published in leading journals in economics and development, including the American Economic Review, the Review of Economic Studies and the Review of Economics and Statistics. Her current research focuses on the effect of public policies on human development, and the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on the agri-food system and its implications for human health, poverty, and inequality. Her recent reports include When Water becomes a Hazard (2018), and the Pakistan Country Climate and Development Report (2022). She holds a PhD in economics from Boston University.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
3:05 Nature and scale of crisis
18:10 Water and stunting
25:50 Ways to solve for this
31:50 Climate change and stunting
48:50 What have other countries done?
55:30 What can the government do?
59:10 What can parents do?
1:09:00 Reading recommendations

Reading Recommendations:

- An Agricultural Testament by Albert Howard
- The Soil and Health by Albert Howard
- Farmers of Forty Centuries by Franklin H. King
- Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization by David Montgomery