19 Women Killed in a Stampede for Food

On Monday, at least 19 women were killed in a stampede in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Karachi. According to the NY Times, “The stampede occurred as a local trader was distributing food [flour, lentils and other goods] in Khori Garden, a sprawling neighborhood in the southern part of the city. Hundreds of women [...]

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The Sugar Crisis Ain’t So Sweet – Bilquis

In the past few weeks, the term “sugar crisis” has been increasingly used by media outlets and Pakistani authorities to describe the recent rise of sugar prices. But what are the factors behind this so-called crisis? Below, Bilquis, a consultant from Lahore [click to read her previous CHUP contribution], delves into the issue in an [...]

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Rain in Karachi

I was really struck by the above photo that captured this past weekend’s torrential downpour in Karachi. According to CNN, the monsoon rains in Pakistan’s commercial capital “killed dozens, cut power to 15 million and broke a 32-year record.” Dawn on Monday reported that 41 people were killed by “rain-related deaths.”
CNN spoke to fellow [...]

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When in Doubt, Get a Fatwa

The Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) has reportedly obtained a fatwa [religious decree] from 12 senior Islamic scholars against the theft of electricity, which is costing the company 1 billion rupees ($12.3 million) a month. KESC spokeswoman Ayesha Eirabie told Reuters, “It is astonishing and disturbing to find that certain segments of our society do [...]

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Pakistan May Be a Top Ten “Failed State,” But…

According to the Happy Planet Index (HPI), which is calculated by life expectancy, life satisfaction, and ecological footprint, Pakistan ranks number 24 in the world. Not bad for a country recently included in Foreign Policy’s 2009 Failed States Index.
According to New Economic Foundation, the organization that conducted this study, “The HPI is an innovative measure [...]

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Challenging Musharraf’s Economic Legacy – Bilquis

Recently, media outlets have used the words “faltering,” “fragile,” and “bleak” to describe Pakistan’s economy. Below, contributor Bilquis, a consultant from Lahore, assesses the current situation and challenges the notion that former President Musharraf’s greatest legacy was Pakistan’s economy:

People often consider that General Musharraf’s brilliant legacy was Pakistan’s booming economy. During his military tenure, most [...]

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Pakistan’s Silver Lining

Today, Pakistan was once again inundated with a stream of negative news developments. I began this post doing a run-down of the news – from Sufi Muhammad of the Tehreek-e-Nifaz-Shariat-Mohammed [TNSM] announcing that he has pulled out of the government peace deal in the Swat region [the PATA - Provincially Administered Tribal Areas], to the [...]

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Pakistan’s Load-Shedding Problem

On Friday, Pakistani political leaders addressed the country’s power load-shedding issue in a press conference televised by most national news agencies. In the joint press conference, Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman and Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf announced that the government will take multiple steps to overcome the nationwide problem. According [...]

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Pakistan Strengthens Alliances, IMF Approves $7.6 Bn Credit

On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund announced that its executive board had approved a credit of 7.6 billion dollars for Pakistan, “the Fund’s first rescue in Asia since the global financial crisis began,” reported the AFP. According to USA Today, “The IMF said a first installment of $3.1 billion will be transferred immediately.” The news [...]

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Pakistan Tackles its Economic Issues

According to Dawn News, Pakistan has formally asked the International Monetary Fund for a $9 billion loan, requesting the immediate release of $4 billion. Bloomberg, which cited the Dawn News report, noted than an agreement with the IMF is likely to be signed on November 20. The Daily Times also cited the channel, reporting that [...]

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