In this episode, Uzair talks to Mishal S. Khan about the ways in which doctors are incentivized to over-prescribe medications to patients in Pakistan. This is something many of us have known about anecdotally, but now we have research to tell us about how widespread this problem could be. Mishal S. Khan is a Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK and Visiting Faculty at Aga Khan University, Pakistan. Guest’s profile link -...

Pakistan’s cities are choking on smog, with the cities in Punjab including Lahore being the worst impacted. In this episode, Uzair talks to Abid Omar about what is causing this air pollution crisis in the country and what can be done about it. Abid Omar is the founder of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, which provides community-driven air quality data and resources to increase social awareness. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:30 What is going on? 12:10 Transportation’s impact 26:20 Things...

Uzair talks to Shadi Hamid on the US elections and the difficult choice American-Muslims are having to make in this cycle given the choices on offer. Shadi shared his own thoughts on how the Biden administration utterly failed when it comes to stopping the ongoing orgy of violence in Gaza. We also talk about why Kamala Harris has failed to engage with the community during the campaign, and the threat Trump represents to both Arab and Muslim lives at home and abroad. Shadi Hamid is a...

Uzair talks to Nayyera Haq about the upcoming U.S. elections and what it means for the country, especially for immigrants and members of the American-Pakistani diaspora. We talked about the recent endorsement by PAKPAC for Donald Trump, the impact of the war in Gaza on voters, and scenarios for election night. Nayyera Haq is a seasoned communications strategist, speaker, and former White House Senior Director and diplomat known for her expertise in helping leaders communicate powerfully and...

In this episode, Uzair has a broad conversation with Fasi Zaka about whats going on in Pakistan with the recent student protests, the constitutional amendments, and the state of the broader information ecosystem. We also talked about two of the weirdest amendments being discussed as part of the proposed constitutional amendments and what they mean for Pakistan. Fasi Zaka is a Pakistani political commentator, columnist, radio talk show host, and television anchor. Chapters: 0:00...

Political tensions continue to brew in Pakistan, with the Sharif government facing issues both in Islamabad and in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In this episode, Uzair talks to Arifa Noor about the latest political developments in Pakistan. Arifa Noor is a journalist with Dawn and host of the shows Newswise. We covered what going on with the announcement to ban and then un-ban the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), why the Tehreek-e-Insaf is facing challenges in achieving its goals via protests, and...

The world seems like it is staring into the abyss, with conflicts breaking out across Eurasia. Does this mean that we are entering a new global conflict where the three great powers – the United States, Russia, and China – are entering into direct conflict? What role are smaller powers such as Israel and Iran, playing in all of this? And what do the political systems in the great powers tell us about what comes next? These are the big questions that Dr. Kamran Bokhari tries to answer in this...

In this episode, Uzair talks Khurram Husain about the recent agreement between Pakistan and the IMF, which has secured a 3-year $7 billion programme. We talked about what comes next for the economy and why the hard work is only just beginning. In addition, we focused on Pakistan’s debt sustainability, with Khurram sharing his perspective on why restructuring debt is perhaps not the right path for the country at this point in time. The articles we referred to in our conversation are linked...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Salahuddin Ahmed about the ongoing moves to amend Pakistan’s constitution and its drivers. We focused on the role of the Supreme Court, why the government is pushing through a new ordinance to change the court’s procedures, and the impact of political polarization on the superior judiciary. We also talked about why these proposed changes matter to ordinary citizens, and the outlook for Pakistan’s democracy. Salahuddin Ahmed is a lawyer and former president of...

Pakistan’s parliament has historically been one of the weakest institutions in the country, but even by those standards, events that transpired over this past week have set a new low. Masked men entered parliament and took away numerous PTI legislators, who were subsequently arrested by the police. This has caused an uproar across the country, with the PTI leading the charge in terms of talking about the sustained and accelerating decimation of the rule of law and democracy in the...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Ilhan Niaz about where Pakistan stands today and the nature of the status quo ruling the country. We also talked about the mainstreaming of anti-establishment views and what that means for the politics in the country. Finally, we also talked about modernization and the role of the Protestant Reformation in kick-starting this process in Europe, and whether Pakistan has the core ingredients to modernize. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Independence Day...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Amb. Shamsher Mubin Chowdhury about what led to the collapse of the Hasina regime in Bangladesh and what comes next for the country. We focused on the reasons why younger citizens were angry with the government and reports of violence against Hindus over the last few days. We also discussed whether foreign agencies led to Hasina’s ouster. Amb. Chowdhury is a war hero who took active part in the Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971. For his bravery and...

Balochistan’s city of Gwadar has been the center of protests for the last few days. Roads and highways leading into the city have been blocked and countless protestors have been arrested. Uzair talks to Dr. Mahvish Ahmad to figure out what is going on in the province and better understand the underlying reasons for the crisis in Balochistan. Dr. Mahvish Ahmad is an Assistant Professor in Human Rights and Politics. Before joining LSE, she was an A.W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Zaigham Khan about the ongoing polycrisis in Pakistan and the path forward. We focused on the structural drivers of this conflict, in particular the breaking down of the post-Zia social contract that has sustained Pakistan’s political economy for decades. Zaigham argues that the PTI’s popularity is a symptom of the underlying breakdown of this social contract and that repression is unlikely to yield any sustainable stability in the country. We also discussed...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Faysal Itani about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. We talked about the current state of play, the strategic goals for both sides, and the role of the United States, Iran, and other powers. Faysal Itani is a Senior Director at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy. He is also an adjunct professor of Middle East politics at Georgetown University. Itani was born in and grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, and has lived and worked in several...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Zahid Hussain about the latest in Pakistan, where the Sharif government has announced it will seek to ban Imran Khan’s PTI. This is a dangerous move and Zahid helps us understand why this reflects the ruling regime’s weakness. We also talked about internal politics within the Pakistan Army and why this confrontation is headed in a very dangerous direction for Pakistan. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:45 PTI ban reasons 14:05 Surveillance in Pakistan 19:20...

In this episode, Uzair talks to Gilles Verniers about the recent French parliamentary election results. With many expecting gridlock in Paris, Gilles helps us understand what the results mean and what comes next for the country. Gilles Verniers is Karl Loewenstein Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at Amherst College, and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. He also holds affiliations with the Centre for Advanced Studies of India at UPenn, and...

This episode is about assessing Joe Biden’s foreign policy as it relates to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. While not a whole lot has changed in terms of the substance of US policy towards Palestine and Israel, a lot has indeed changed in terms of the political discourse in Washington. Uzair talked to Matt Duss about these developments and the long-term implications of Biden’s foreign policy choices. We also talked about the prospects for a broad agreement with Saudi Arabia, and the ways in...

There has been a lot of confusion about the recently-announced Azm-e-Istehkam effort, which was initially dubbed as an operation but later revised to be a vision by the Sharif-led government. To talk about what the state is trying to do and to better understand the growing security crisis across Pakistan, Uzair invited Iftikhar Firdous to the podcast. Iftikhar is founder and editor of The Khorasan Diary, an organization that closely follows security issues in the region. We talked about the...

Shehbaz Sharif’s government has put forward a new budget for the upcoming fiscal year, setting off a debate on more taxes, government spending, and economic reforms. As parliament debates the budget, some things may change about the exact numbers. But to discuss what has been put on the table, Uzair spoke to Ammar H. Khan about what this budget signals and why it pursues a “deepening” of the tax net, as opposed to a widening. We also talked about the energy sector and why prices are being...

This year has seen more record-breaking heatwaves across the subcontinent, leading to immense loss of life and economic output. Given climate change, these heatwaves are likely to be the new reality around the world, especially in Pakistan and India. Both these countries face tremendous risks from extreme weather events, especially heatwaves. In this episode, Uzair talks to Kathy Baughman McLeod about heatwaves and how we can be better prepared to deal with them. Kathy Baughman McLeod is CEO...

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...

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...

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...