Dawn Editorials 4th January 2026

Extreme move

THE life sentences handed down by an anti-terrorism court to bloggers and journalists for their alleged role in the events of May 9, 2023, raise questions about proportionality, due process and the future of free expression in Pakistan.

No doubt, the violence that followed the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, including attacks on military and state installations, crossed several red lines. Similarly, much of the digital commentary circulating at the time was excessive, speculative, irresponsible and, in cases, non-factual. While criticism by some of the convicted had not breached acceptable bounds, the others had cultivated audiences through sensationalism, half-truths and a combative tone that blurred the line between opinion and incitement. This deserves criticism. Freedom of expression does not grant a licence to spread disinformation or inflame passions during moments of crisis.

It is also worth recalling the irony that several of these voices were once prominent cheerleaders for PTI during its ascent, attacking its political opponents, including Nawaz Sharif and his party, without attracting similar legal scrutiny from the state. The selective nature of accountability weakens the moral authority of the state’s actions. Yet acknowledging these realities does not make the sentence any less unsettling.

Handing out life terms to journalists and bloggers, following trials in absentia and under the sweeping ambit of anti-terrorism laws, is disproportionate to the alleged offences of speech and commentary. Measured legal remedies were available. Where content was defamatory, demonstrably false or malicious, civil defamation proceedings or narrow criminal charges could have addressed the harm without invoking the most extreme state instruments.

By choosing the harshest path, the authorities risk setting a precedent that may threaten legitimate journalism and dissent far beyond the individuals involved. Stability is linked to maintaining a fair justice system. A secure state should be able to confront irresponsible speech without resorting to excessive penalties.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2026

More than a number

MOVING into 2026, Pakistan stands as the world’s fifth most populous country, with more than 255m people. This fact is often viewed as a crisis to be dealt with. Yet population size itself is not the problem. The real question is whether the state treats population dynamics as a liability to be endured or a strategic force to be governed in pursuit of development. There were signs in 2025 that thinking has begun to shift. As noted by the United Nations Population Fund, improvements in reproductive health services, population data systems and youth engagement point to a growing recognition that demography sits at the heart of economic planning, social stability and climate resilience. Better coordination between federal and provincial authorities also suggests a welcome, if tentative, move away from fragmented policymaking. Yet challenges prevail. Maternal mortality is still high, millions of women lack access to family planning, early marriages persist and gender-based violence remains widespread — issues which shape fertility trends, labour participation and human capital formation. In climate-exposed districts, weak health systems and limited access to services deepen vulnerability, reinforcing inequalities. The evidence leaves little room for debate. Expanding sexual and reproductive health services, keeping girls in school, and enabling women’s participation in the economy are among the most effective ways to support informed reproductive choices and balanced population growth. Countries that have neglected these fundamentals have paid the price in stalled growth and social strain.

Where Pakistan continues to falter is governance. Policies are announced and commitments made, but delivery is weak and accountability thinner still. This is most visible in fiscal planning. The NFC award relies overwhelmingly on population size, rewarding headcounts rather than outcomes. The result is a system that does little to incentivise better health, education, or gender equality. A forward-looking state would reward progress in lower maternal mortality, higher female labour participation, improved education outcomes, and greater climate resilience. The new year offers a window. Moving from promises to progress will require political will, sustained domestic financing and strong oversight. Population is already shaping Pakistan’s future. The challenge now is to govern it as an asset, not merely count it as a problem.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2026

Unwanted, unneeded

THE festive mood from the New Year’s celebrations had not even begun to wear off, when the world appeared ready to plunge headfirst into another round of violence and war.

With protests against economic hardships turning into a bout of serious civil unrest in Iran, US President Donald Trump had on Friday issued an unwarranted threat to “respond” if Iran’s security forces killed protesters, prompting Tehran to respond with the ‘warning’ that such a development would destabilise the entire region. What was being said between the lines does not need to be spelt out for anyone.

The two countries had come face to face during the Twelve-Day War between Iran and Israel in June this past year, when the US had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, and Iran had retaliated by hitting America’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar before a ceasefire was reached.

Unsurprisingly, Israel also features prominently in the recent flare-up between them.

But Mr Trump’s interventionist aspirations have not been limited to Iran.

On Saturday, after a night of bombs and terror in Venezuela, the US president announced on his social media platform that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of the country.

A US official later told the media that special forces troops had taken part in America’s first direct intervention in Latin America since 1989.

It is worth mentioning that Mr Maduro had just days ago attempted to engage with Mr Trump on narco-trafficking and illegal migration, both of which had been sore issues in Mr Trump’s relationship with his southern neighbour. However, Mr Maduro personally believed that Mr Trump was really after Venezuela’s considerable oil reserves — a perception that was reinforced by multiple leaders from the Trump administration making varying claims on Venezuela’s resources.

The Venezuelan context is important for Iran and, indeed, the Middle East. It establishes that there are no limits or international laws when the powerful decide to seize what they want.

There is no doubt that the Iranian people are unhappy with their government for the economic misery they have been suffering. But whatever their grievances, they are for the people of Iran to settle amongst themselves.

That Israel is attempting to fan the unrest and the US is publicly providing guarantees to protesters suggests that the old playbook is being used again: yet another country is to be destabilised as an insurance policy for the state of Israel. The wider region and Iran’s neighbours, in particular, should take a stand against such interventionism, lest they want chaos and unrest at their own doorsteps.

Whatever the Iranian government’s failings, it has kept order despite being placed under immense economic strain by those now pretending to be friends of its people.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2026