Dawn Editorials 6th October 2025

Beyond pink ribbons

EACH October, breast cancer awareness returns to the spotlight, with campaigns, charity drives, and public messages urging women to act. Yet, despite years of visibility and repeated campaigns, the disease remains a worsening crisis in Pakistan. The country is often cited as having among the highest breast cancer incidence rates in Asia: one in nine women is at risk in her lifetime. GLOBOCAN 2020 reported over 25,000 new cases in Pakistan, while advocacy groups estimate up to 90,000 annually, with some 40,000 deaths. Studies estimate an annual rise of over 5pc in cases. If awareness alone were enough, these numbers would not be climbing. The problem lies in the gap between knowing and acting. A comprehensive review of studies found that only about a third of Pakistani women have meaningful knowledge of breast cancer, and even fewer practise self-exams or undergo mammograms. Myths persist, particularly in rural areas, where stigma, male gatekeeping, and the absence of female doctors delay diagnosis. More than 70pc of cases are still detected at stages III or IV, when treatment is costly and survival rates collapse. Early detection offers over 80pc five-year survival, compared to less than 20pc in advanced stages of the disease. For families — and the already overburdened health system — late diagnosis is ruinously expensive.

Breast cancer must therefore be reframed as a national emergency, not just an annual awareness theme. That means universal, subsidised screening; Urdu- and regional-language campaigns that reach beyond urban elites into rural communities; and sustained investment in female health workers who can overcome cultural barriers. Employers, too, must play their part, offering workplace screening, paid medical leave, and support for women undergoing treatment. Pink ribbons may start conversations, but they will not stop this epidemic. Only when awareness is matched by decisive action — structural, financial and social — will the tide truly begin to turn.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2025

Exiting companies

COMPANIES often have ‘their own reasons’ to exit a market. Yet when a consumer products group like Procter & Gamble decides to shut down its manufacturing operations in a 250m-strong market like Pakistan “as part of its global restructuring strategy”, it inevitably reflects negatively on the host country’s business climate. P&G’s departure follows a steady stream of exits by MNCs such as Shell, Telenor, Uber, Yamaha, Eni, several foreign banks and pharmaceutical firms in recent years. The question then is: has Pakistan become more inhospitable for foreign investors than it traditionally was? Sadly, the answer is yes. Several factors, including policy uncertainty, tax policy distortions, overregulation, rising costs of doing business, weak contract enforcement, shrinking profits and exchange rate volatility appear to be driving these departures. More recently, macroeconomic challenges leading to profit repatriation restrictions, import curbs and political instability have forced some to quit this market. The same conditions have also kept fresh private foreign investment from flowing in. The departure of foreign firms and stagnant new private foreign investment underscore that the risks far outweigh the country’s business potential for any investor.

Though P&G has committed to serve the Pakistani market through third-party distributors, this cannot compensate for the advantages of local manufacturing to the economy and people. The exit of a foreign company, especially in the manufacturing sector, always means loss of jobs and tax revenues, with informal trade filling the vacuum. In recent years, the country’s business and investment climate has severely been affected by a worsening economic and political environment. On top of that, the lack of a coherent industrial policy identifying priority sectors for development, policy inconsistency, violation of rules and use of force to change contracts with power companies, overlapping provincial and federal regulations, etc, have turned this country into a headache for manufacturers. No wonder even friendly Arab countries are reluctant to fulfil their investment commitments in spite of the guarantees offered through the SIFC, the civil-military body created to attract foreign investment. China, too, does not appear keen to invest here until its concerns over the security of its personnel working in the country are taken care of. If we are to stop the exodus of foreign investors, the government must address the deep-seated structural imbalances in the economy.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2025

More hot air

FREQUENT threats and wild assertions made by Indian officials directed at Pakistan only ensure that the doors of dialogue will remain closed for the foreseeable future, and a climate of toxicity will continue to dominate South Asia.

After the Pahalgam episode, the BJP-led government has gone into overdrive to demonise Pakistan, aided by hawkish elements in the Indian media. Perhaps its performance on the battlefield — or lack thereof — during the May skirmishes and the global community’s unwillingness to buy New Delhi’s anti-Pakistan narrative have, along with Islamabad’s diplomatic successes, been a major reason for India’s frustration.

Hence its rulers are intent on sabre-rattling to cover up their inadequacies. Two senior Indian military officials made deplorable remarks recently, which only further vitiate the atmosphere. The Indian army chief, while speaking to his troops, said his country would not show ‘restraint’ and that “the opportunity will come soon”, while threatening this country. India’s air chief said that his forces had shot down several Pakistani jets during Operation Sindoor, when there is no evidence to back his delusional claim.

It is clear that India’s military men get their cue from their politicians and bureaucrats. For example, there were several terse exchanges between Pakistani and Indian officials at last month’s UN General Assembly. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while defending Pakistan’s military actions during the May clashes, held out the offer of “comprehensive dialogue” with India.

New Delhi’s foreign minister used the same platform, without naming Pakistan, to criticise “a neighbour” as the “epicentre of global terrorism”. Meanwhile, in remarks that were definitely not cricket, the Indian prime minister, following his country’s Asia Cup victory, termed the result “Operation Sindoor on the games field”.

Some commentators believe that the continued hostility towards Pakistan serves domestic political interests in India by shoring up the rabid Hindutva political base, as well as grabbing votes in close elections, such as the Bihar state polls due next month.

Whatever the Indian ruling party’s motivations, its ill-advised rhetoric is making chances for peace in the subcontinent more and more remote. At one time, hawkish lobbies in Pakistan resisted peace with India. Today, the Indian state itself, backed by an array of far-right Hindu groups and pliant supporters in the media, wants to isolate Pakistan.

Once India realises that its efforts to demonise this country will fail, and that the only sustainable path for South Asia’s people is peaceful coexistence, it is welcome to call Pakistan. All outstanding issues can and should be addressed in a frank dialogue.

Until then, Pakistan must remain on alert, and remind belligerent voices in India that it will defend itself, just as it did during New Delhi’s unprovoked aggression earlier this year.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2025