We take a step back from the coverage of the economic crisis and ongoing negotiation and focus on emerging businesses that are the future of the economy,
In this episode, Uzair talks to Omer Khan, founder and CEO of PostEx, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce service provider. PostEx is offering easy access to capital with embedded logistics and Uzair and Omer talk about the company’s vision, what it takes to solve for issues faced by small businesses, and how young adults can succeed at startups and founding their own businesses.
Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:20 What is PostEx?
10:45 Credit, trust, and small business
22:30 Formalizing and digitizing payments
29:30 Why cash is king?
35:30 Failing and entrepreneurship
39:50 Where is the startup ecosystem headed?

Pakistonomy - Episode 143 - PostEx: Powering Commerce in Pakistan

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Erum Sattar about the Indus Waters Treaty, its history, and India's notice to amend the agreement. We dive deep into some of the capacity constraints on the Pakistani side and why we should be paying attention to ongoing events related to the treaty.

Dr.Erum Sattar is the Former Program Director of the Sustainable Water Management Program and a Lecturer at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University.

Pakistonomy - Episode 144 - India's Notice to Amend the Indus Waters Treaty

In this episode, Uzair talks to Gonzalo Varela about the World Bank’s most recent report on Pakistan’s economy and its key findings. We talk about how distortions caused by tax policy, inefficient pricing of inputs and products, and curbs on imports are stagnating growth in the country.

We also talk about the benefits of improving the economic inclusion of women in the country and its near- and long-term consequences on the broader political economy. Finally, we also lay out the sequence of key reforms that must be considered by a government to rebuild from the ongoing crisis.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:55 Key findings from the report
17:50 Distortions in the wheat market
27:45 Sovereign’s borrowing and impact on investment
43:10 Women’s role in economic growth
51:00 Sequence and nature of reforms

You can read the full World Bank report here - https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099820410112267354/pdf/P1749040fc80a70ca0b6f70f7860c4a1034.pdf

Pakistonomy - Episode 146 - A roadmap for sustaining post-crisis growth in Pakistan

Uzair talks to Usama Nini, co-founder of Qureos, a startup changing how people connect, learn and work. The team is on a mission to accelerate 100 million careers by matching talent to mentors, projects and job opportunities.
In this episode, we talk about Usama’s own journey, what Qureos is looking to do, and how technology is helping reduce friction in the jobs market.
Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:30 Mission and vision
18:30 Growth and investment goals
24:20 What should people focus on early in their careers?
39:15 Reading recommendations

Pakistonomy - Episode 148 - Bridging the gap between talent and companies

Over the next few episodes, we are going to be focusing on the US-China rivalry and what it means for the world. In addition, we will try to bring to the forefront a diverse set of views on this rivalry and what key actors are concerned about and trying to do.

To start things off, I spoke to Andrew Small on China’s rise, what are the key things concerning countries in East Asia, and where he sees things going.

Andrew Small is a senior transatlantic fellow with GMF's Indo-Pacific Program, which he established in 2006. His research focuses on U.S.–China relations, Europe–China relations, Chinese policy in South Asia, and broader developments in China's foreign and economic policy. He is the author of The Rupture: China and the Global Race for the Future, which was named one of the 2022 Financial Times Politics Books of the Year, and The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 China’s rise and key concerns
10:00 Military escalation in East Asia
21:37 Assessing Washington’s approach
32:10 Emerging markets, debt, and Chinese influence
40:20 What should South Asia pay attention to?
48:06 Reading recommendations

Pakistonomy - Episode 153 - Special Series: Understanding the US-China Rivalry w/ Andrew Small

We continue our special series on the US-China strategic competition this week by looking at the deepening military ties between Pakistan and China with Sameer Lalwani.

Sameer Lalwani is a senior expert on South Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He is also a non-resident senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

From 2015 to 2022, Dr. Lalwani was a senior fellow for Asia strategy and the director of the South Asia program at the Stimson Center. He has also spent time as an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and as a Stanton nuclear security postdoctoral fellow at the RAND Corporation.

Sameer recently published a report titled A Threshold Alliance: The China-Pakistan Military Relationship which is a must-read: https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/03/threshold-alliance-china-pakistan-military-relationship

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:30 What is a threshold alliance?
4:50 Pakistan’s procurement of Chinese weapons
10:25 Where is the Pakistan-China relationship going?
19:30 China’s influence in Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea
29:40 Important trends to monitor
37:37 Reading recommendations

Pakistonomy - Episode 154 - Special Series: Understanding the US-China Rivalry w/ Sameer Lalwani

We continue our special series on the US-China strategic competition this week by looking at Australia’s evolving foreign policy with Professor Jane Golley.

Professor Jane Golley is an economist at the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University (ANU). Jane is an ANU graduate (BEc, Hons, 1993). Jane's life-long interest in China began with a brief stint in the Asia Section of the Australian Commonwealth Treasury in 1993, before she left for the University of Oxford, where she wrote her Dphil thesis on 'The Dynamics of Chinese Regional Development: Market Nature, State Nurture'.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:50 The Australian view on China
11:08 Assessing Australia’s China policy
14:50 Technology and geoeconomics
23:15 Debt-trap diplomacy
31:30 Who wins this competition?
37:50 What should Global South countries do?
44:15 Key trends to watch for
48:20 Reading recommendations

Reading Recommendations:

-	The China Choice by Hugh White
-	Fear of Abandonment by Allan Gyngell
-	No Enemies No Friends
-	Six Faces of Globalization by Anthea Roberts

Pakistonomy - Episode 155 - Special Series - Understanding the US-China Rivalry w/ Prof. Jane Golley

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Fahd Ali about the recent deal Pakistan reached with the IMF and what comes next. We also talked at length about the taxation challenges in Pakistan, whether the country needs debt restructuring, and what he would like to see policymakers focus on in the next 12 months.

Dr. Fahd Ali is Assistant Professor and Dean of Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at the Information Technology University. Dr. Fahd Ali did his PhD in Economics from The New School for Social Research. He also has an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, and two Masters in Economics from Lahore University of Management Sciences and University of Utah, respectively. His research interests lie in macroeconomics and economic history with political economy as theme common to both.

Before joining the Information Technology University, he was working at Habib University as an assistant professor in their Social Development Policy and policy programme.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
2:15 The IMF deal
16:10 Taxation challenges
36:50 Debt restructuring
52:00 Priorities for next 12 months
1:09:10 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:

- The Wages of Destruction by Adam Tooze
- Directorate S by Steve Coll

Pakistonomy - Episode 163 - What comes after the IMF deal

We have talked a lot about the role of Pakistani elites in the ongoing crises the country is facing, but not a whole lot on the role of the international order in influencing elite choices and Pakistan’s political economy. In this episode, Uzair talks to Azeema Cheema about the global drivers of Pakistan’s prolonged crises and the ways in which international actors have encouraged autocracy in the country.

Azeema Cheema is a Founding Director at Verso Consulting, a Pakistan-based collective of practitioners, where she leads the portfolio on Conflict, Fragility and Violence.  Azeema has over seventeen years of experience as a researcher with civil society organizations, governments and international organizations focusing on political economy, social cohesion, and conflict in Pakistan.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Global elites and their role
15:15 War and Pakistan
24:20 Why didn’t Pakistan end up like Korea?
38:30 Current situation and scope for reform
49:46 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:

- Under the Gun: Political Parties and Violence in Pakistan by Nilofer Siddiqui

- The Culture of Power and Governance in Pakistan by Ilhan Niaz

Pakistonomy - Episode 165 - The Role of the International War Economy in Pakistan's Dysfunction

In this episode, Uzair talks to Khurram Husain about what is going on with the rupee and why money supply growth is actually the real driver of the ongoing weakness of the currency. We also talk about why Khurram has a bleak outlook for the economy, what it will take to stop the vicious cycle, and his views on the SIFC.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:25 What is causing PKR weakness?
20:15 Political impact of the adjustment
27:00 How to stop the vicious cycle?
34:40 Views on SIFC
41:10 Conclusion

Pakistonomy - Episode 170 - Why did the dollar cross 300 rupees?

In this episode we talk about Mexico’s ongoing economic growth story, which has taken off due to increasing investments in light of the US-China competition. Uzair talks to Beatriz Navarro about what’s going on in the country, its politics, and the expectations around the upcoming elections.

Beatriz is a lawyer and international public affairs specialist. She also served as an appointed diplomat at the Mexican Embassy in the United States. She currently serves as Senior Public Sector Specialist for the World Bank Group. Beatriz has published several articles for the Inter-American Development Bank on accountability and social development in Latin America.

Reading recommendations:
-	The labyrinth of solitude by Octavio Paz
-	Sapiens by Yuval Noah Hariri
-	The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:20 Why are companies investing in Mexico?
11:50 AMLO and his politics
41:20 Growing role of military in Mexico
50:09 Electoral outlook
58:10 Reading recommendations

Pakistonomy - Episode 172 - How Mexico Is Taking Advantage of the US-China Competition

Welcome to the 2024 season of Pakistonomy. We begin this season with as usual an outlook episode. Uzair talks to Arifa Noor, journalist at Dawn and host of the show Newswise, about the upcoming elections, the crisis of legitimacy, and the electoral dynamics in the country right now. 

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:50 State of media today
17:50 Elections outlook
23:30 PML-N’s strategy
27:12 PTI’s strategy
36:20 Scenarios and hybrid regime
41:10 New mandate and legitimacy
49:40 What is the vision for Pakistan?
55:05 Conclusion

Reading recommendations:

- Zahid Hussain’s latest piece - https://www.dawn.com/news/1783550/trying-for-a-fourth-term

- Arifa Noor’s article in Dawn - https://www.dawn.com/news/1802553/the-centre-cannot-hold

Episode 180 - Outlook for elections and beyond

In this episode, Uzair talks to Khurram Husain about Pakistan’s economic outlook in 2024, why he is concerned about the cycle of revenge, and things he will watch out for immediately after elections in 2024.

Reading Recommendations:

- https://www.dawn.com/news/1804904/reassembling-pakistan

- https://file.pide.org.pk/pdfpideresearch/discourse-2023-06-43-pakistan-and-the-imf.pdf  

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 IMF review
13:05 Caretaker reforms
19:40 Elections and legitimacy
30:30 A new triumvirate and its implications
41:50 What to look for

Episode 181 - What will the economy look like in 2024?

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Kamran Bokhari about Iran’s unprovoked attacks on Pakistan, Pakistan’s counterstrike, and what comes next. We talked about the broader issues in the region, Iran’s own calculus, and the ways in which the regional dynamics are altered in the wake of these escalations.

Dr. Kamran Bokhari is the Senior Director of the Eurasian Security and Prosperity portfolio at the New Lines Institute. Previously, he served as Director of Analytical Development Department from 2019 to 2023. Dr. Bokhari is also a national security and foreign policy specialist at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute. Bokhari has also served as the Central Asia Studies Course Coordinator at U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:30 Why did Iran attack Pakistan?
11:20 Assessing Pakistan’s response
20:20 Iran’s broader calculus
27:50 Did Pakistan strike the right balance?
43:50 What comes next?

Podcast on Iran protests - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUPncr5Mrs

Reading Recommendations:

- https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/experts-react-whats-really-going-on-with-pakistan-and-iran-exchanging-attacks/

- https://www.usip.org/publications/2024/01/making-sense-iran-pakistan-cross-border-strikes

- https://amwaj.media/article/exclusive-inside-the-iranian-pakistani-exchange-of-fire-nbsp

Episode 182 - Pakistan Responds to Iran. What comes next?

Uzair talks to Hamza Haroon, an independent candidate running in the national assembly elections in Pakistan from NA-46. Uzair talks to Hamza about his campaign strategy, the key issues facing Islamabad’s constituents, and what has he heard on the campaign trail.

You can follow Hamza on X @HamzaAliHaroon and on Instagram @hamzaaharoon.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
3:20 What is the election situation like?
7:50 Key issues of constituents
14:50 How people vote
24:10 Hamza’s electoral strategy
29:40 Islamabad’s governance challenge
33:30 Why younger people should enter politics
37:20 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:

-	Leadership on the line by Marty Linsky and Ronald Heifetz
-	For the Record by David Cameron

Episode 183 - Running in an election in Pakistan

Uzair talks to Navid Goraya about Karandaaz’s ongoing work in Pakistan and their focus on improving access to finance for SMEs and women. We also talked about the outlook for the year and the key things that have to happen after elections to rebuild confidence in the economy.

Navid Goraya is the chief investment officer of Karandaaz Capital. He has over 25 years of global experience in asset management, investment strategy, product development and corporate finance. Before joining Karandaaz as the CIO, he was leading a Strategic Advisory Firm, White Oak Advisors Inc, in New York where he was involved in serving private equity funds, family offices, banks and insurance companies in support of global investments in the US, Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 What does Karandaaz do?
11:10 Barriers to financial inclusion
17:00 Role of the National Credit Guarantee Company
22:40 Bringing modern finance to women
28:40 What should happen after elections
34:10 Avoiding past mistakes
37: Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:
- Buck Up, Suck Up . . . and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room by James Carville

Episode 184 - Providing capital to SMEs and women

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Ilhan Niaz about the 2024 elections and their implications for the country. We focused on what has occurred in the past and the various scenarios that could play out.

We also talked about analog autocrats and their shortcomings, and how more repression could create further instability in the country.

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
4:45 2024 elections analysis
15:20 Failures of the analog autocrats
24:40 What can we learn from history?
41:50 Potential political scenarios
51:05 Why no one wants to rule the federation
1:01:00 Conclusion

Episode 186 - How similar is 2024 to 1977?

In this episode, Uzair talks to Farieha Aziz about the ongoing curbs on the internet, with X facing recurring blocks for the last two weeks. We talk about what the courts have said about these blocks, the response from the PTA, and why the industry needs to be more vocal about arbitrary internet shutdowns.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:10 Current situation
4:30 What have the courts said?
11:05 The state’s response
20:01 The industry’s response
22:20 Legacy of past laws
29:50 Outlook for the near-term
37:00 Conclusion

Episode 187 - The devastating impact of arbitrary internet shutdowns

In this episode, Uzair talks to Taimur Malik about his political campaign in NA-148, where he competed as a PTI candidate against PPP’s former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

The margin of victory for the PPP’s candidate was razor thin and Taimur is currently in the process of appealing the results. We talked about the vote count, what was it like to campaign in Multan given the constraints on the PTI, and what comes next for the party, both in the courts and in assemblies.

You can follow Taimur on X @taimur_malik.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
2:50 Status of NA-148 election
12:30 PPP’s response to the results
19:00 Campaigning in Multan for the PTI
28:00 Overall appeals of the PTI
37:50 PTI’s alliance with the SIC
44:40 PTI’s strategy moving forward
49:38 Reading recommendations

Reading Recommendations

-	The Constitution of Pakistan
-	Nuskha ha-e Wafa bu Faiz Ahmed Faiz
-	The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Episode 188 - Competing in the elections as a PTI candidate

In this episode, Uzair talks to Mehu Sitepu about Indonesia’s recently held presidential elections and its outcomes. These elections had a lot of similarities with Pakistan, including the use of social media to woo young voters, allegations of rigging, and questions over Indonesia’s policy towards the US and China.

Mehu Sitepu is an Associate at The Asia Group’s Southeast Asia practice, where she supports clients navigating the region’s complex political and regulatory environments to build business strategies across a variety of sectors, including banking and finance, hospitality, manufacturing, and technology. With almost a decade’s experience as a journalist in Indonesia, including three years in a senior role at BBC News, Mehu has a strong knowledge of Southeast Asia and a far-reaching network of contacts. 

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:40 Overview of the political landscape
24:50 Role of social media
30:01 Rigging allegations
35:28 Foreign policy implications
39:25 Economic policies
44:49 Reading recommendations
47:40 Role of the Indonesian military

Reading recommendations:

-	Indonesia, Etc. by Elizabeth Pisani
-	Departure: A Novel by Nh. Dini
-	Indonesian Food by Sri Owen

Episode 189 - Deciphering Indonesia’s Elections

Uzair talks to Khadija Shahper Bakhtiar about Teach for Pakistan and the organization’s mission and vision. The conversation also focuses on the fellowship program being run by the organization and the key challenges facing Pakistan’s education sector.

Khadija Shahper Bakhtiar is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Teach For Pakistan, a national nonprofit organization that nurtures leadership to end educational inequity. Teach For Pakistan provides inspired university graduates the opportunity and support to teach for two years in low-income communities through a structured Fellowship program and develop the leadership skills and contextual understandings to affect long-term, system-wide reform for educational equity.

You can learn more about the fellowship here - https://iteachforpakistan.org

Reading recommendations:

-	The Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction
2:40 What is Teach for Pakistan?
10:10 What is the fellowship program?
17:20 How do fellows help improve outcomes?
23:30 Key criteria for fellows
27:55 Major issues in education
34:00 Devolving education
40:44 Focus areas for governments
46:30 Reading recommendations

Episode 189 - Teach for Pakistan - Solving Pakistan’s Education Crisis

This week’s episode focuses on the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and its implications for the global world order. Uzair talks to Jasmine El-Gamal to get an assessment of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, why Western leaders are out of sync with their own public opinion, and the path forward for ending this conflict.

Jasmine El-Gamal is a national security expert, political analyst and former Middle East advisor at the Pentagon. She is the founder and CEO of Mindwork Strategies, LTD, a consulting firm with a mission to help organisations craft empathy-based, culturally driven approaches to foreign policy, communications and workplace mental health. She has served throughout her 22-year career in various public and private-sector organisations covering issues related to security and international affairs. From 2008-2013, Jasmine served as a Middle East advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy. 

Born in New York and raised in Egypt, Jasmine’s experiences in the aftermath of 9/11 compelled her to spend her career advancing a less militarized, more humane U.S. approach to the Middle East, first as a U.S. public servant and then as a writer, analyst and media commentator.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
4:10 Israel’s goals and strategy
18:25 Hamas’ surrender and a ceasefire
27:20 Double standards in Washington
41:10 Building coalitions across communities
45:20 Impact on US policy
55:50 The need for patience
1:01:45 Censorship in the West
1:08:00 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations

- Out of Place by Edward Said
- No Ordinary Time: Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Episode 191 - How Israel's War on Gaza is Changing the Global World Order

Uzair talks to Dr. Ishrat Hussain about his new book and its key findings. We focused on Dr. Hussain’s view of why Pakistan fell behind India and Bangladesh, why policy stability matters, and things that he is watching for on the economic front.

Dr. Hussain’s latest book Development Pathways 1947-2022 is now available in Pakistan and you can order it here - http://www.libertybooks.com/development-pathways-9786277626198

Dr. Ishrat Husain started his career as member of Civil Service of Pakistan and then spent over two decades at the World Bank 1979-1999, where among many key positions, he became the Bank’s  Chief Economist for Africa, Director Poverty and Social Department,  Country Director for Central Asian Republics. He completed two terms as  Governor  of State Bank  of Pakistan 1999-2005 and has been appointed to chair various commissions and other boards. In addition to his role as public policy practitioner in national and international arenas  he has also taken active interest in scholarly pursuits.  He is author of twenty four books , prominent being Governing the Ungovernable and The Economy of an Elitist state published by Oxford University Press . He has been awarded several international and national awards including the highest civilian award of Nishan e Imtiaz.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
4:00 India’s reform success
12:00 Role of common sense economics
18:30 The role of unconstitutional interventions
30:45 Trading with India
35:50 Bangladesh’s keys to success
42:15 Military Inc and its role
46:20 Growing the pie v. distributing wealth
50:35 Outlook for Pakistan’s economy
56:10 Reading recommendations

Reading Recommendations
-	Search for Stability edited by Maleeha Lodhi

Episode 192 - Why did Pakistan fall behind India and Bangladesh

Uzair talks to M. Abdul Aleem about the role of foreign investment in Pakistan’s economy and the key reforms that foreign investors would like to see in the country. We also talked about what leading executives look for in emerging talent, and the key pain points faced by foreign investors in Pakistan.

Mr. Muhammad Abdul Aleem is the CEO and Secretary General of Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce & Industry (OICCI). OICCI is the oldest (since 1860) chamber of commerce in Asia. 
OICCI’s members comprising of 210 foreign investors collectively contribute about one third of the total tax revenue of Pakistan besides being the leader in transfer of technology and investment. 

Mr Abdul Aleem has worked in senior positions in both Exxon Chemicals and Engro Corporation, serving in Pakistan and Singapore. Thereafter, he worked with British American Tobacco Group UK (BAT) in Pakistan and overseas, where he ultimately served as CEO of BAT Operations in Cambodia, Mauritius, and Indian Ocean territory. Since 2004, he has served in senior positions with large Government-owned organizations in Pakistan and his last assignment was as the Managing Director, Pakistan State Oil Company Ltd.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
4:30 The role of foreign investors
13:30 Key issues and solutions for the economy
22:20 Why are investors kept away from policymaking?
26:40 Key traits for emerging talent
33:25 Learning from failure
36:40 Reform priorities
42:40 Judicial reforms
46:05 Reading recommendations

Reading Recommendations:

- CEO Excellence by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra
- Prosperity: Better Business Makes the Greater Good by Colin Mayer

Episode 193 - Why is foreign investment critical to Pakistan's economic success?

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

Episode 195 - Pakistan's Stunting Crisis

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?

Episode 196 - Budget, Reforms, and the IMF

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

Episode 197 - Prospects for Saudi Investment in Pakistan

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

Episode 198 - Budget, Taxes, and the IMF

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?

Episode 199 - Imran Khan v. Judiciary v. Establishment

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

Episode 200 - What just happened in the Indian elections?

Pakistan's first podcast focused on the country's economy, simplifying the complex relationships between paisa, politics and the public.

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