Pakistonomy

In this Urdu episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Ali Hasanain about the types of corruption, how they impact Pakistan's political economy, and ways in which reform measures can be implemented to address corruption in society. Dr. Ali Hasanain is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Economics Department at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Dr. Hasanain’s research focuses primarily...

Uzair talks to Akhil Bery about ongoing developments in Sri Lanka, which is in the midst of a severe economic crisis, caused in large part by COVID-19. Akhil talked about the overall political economy in the island nation, its geopolitical ties with China, India, and the United States, and what's next. Akhil is currently Director, South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute, where...

Uzair talks to Wahaj Ahmed, co-founder of Retailo, about the startup, its growth plans, and how it is looking to digitize small businesses in Pakistan's retail sector. They also talked about what it takes to excel at a startup, and how recent graduates can get their foot in the door at a startup like Retailo. Wahaj's book recommendations are: - Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Hussain Nadim about reforming institutions in Pakistan, why bureaucrats still use fax to send documents, and how data can be used to better inform policy. We also discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan towards the tail end of the episode, where Dr. Nadim shared his views on Pakistan's role in the region and what may happen next. Dr. Nadim's reading reco...

Ariba Shahid returns to the podcast to talk about what is going on in Pakistan, including the successee of the NCOC and Ehsas Program, as well as the constant changes in the finance ministry.

The last few days have been a whirlwind for Afghanistan and its people. With the Taliban seizing control over Kabul and America withdrawing from its longest war, there are fears that regional instability will only increase in the coming days. In this episode, Uzair talks to Fahd Humayun about what the Taliban's military win mean for Pakistan. Fahd Humayun is a PhD candidate at Yale University and...

Bangladesh has had the fastest rate of economic growth during the pandemic in the subcontinent, despite the fact that its export sector has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Despite its success story, however, the country continues to face serious challenges which may upend the country's growth story. In this episode, Uzair talks to Atif Ahmad about the Bangladeshi economy's outlook beyo...

Uzair talks to Omair Ansari, CEO and Co-Founder of Abhi, about the startup's mission, growth plans, and how younger folks can set themselves up to thrive in Pakistan's startup ecosystem. Abhi is a Karachi-based salary advance platform that has recently raised $2 million in a seed round. Founded by Omair Ansari and Ali Ladhubhai Abhi enables employees to withdraw their accrued wages anytime through...

This 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...

Uzair 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 vie...

Uzair 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...

Uzair 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/477...

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 Ro...

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 a...

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 st...

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 recom...

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 Consultan...

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 findi...

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 de...

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...

Uzair 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 car...

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.

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...