Express Tribune Editorials 7th September 2026

Gaza: erasing progress

Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israel has left no stone unturned in ensuring that it breaks as many articles of the Geneva Convention as it possibly can. Now, another act could potentially be added to the so-called state's extensive list of war crimes - expelling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip entirely. Currently, Israel is seeking US President Donald Trump's backing to begin transferring Palestinians from their own home to foreign lands that are willing to accept them but also want Trump's approval.

This war of disparate powers has already subjugated Palestinians to conditions they are hard-pressed to escape. It has introduced famine to the once-thriving region, obstructed basic healthcare facilities, impeded international support and continued the illegal killing of Palestinians despite a supposed ceasefire. If Israel were to succeed in expelling Palestinians from their own territory, that would be considered the final nail in the coffin of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

It seems that the decision entirely hinges on Trump's approval and subsequently, the rejection of his performative Board of Peace - an international body overseeing the Gaza peace plan and post-conflict governance. It must be duly noted that the 20-point peace plan introduced by the White House last year makes no mention of Palestinians deportation. It solely outlines clauses like the disarmament of Hamas and the captives' release.

Countries that are on Trump's good side - like Pakistan - should find it their moral and humanitarian responsibility to ensure that the Israeli plan for ethnic cleaning does not come to fruition. The fight for Gaza has not yet ended. With winter soon approaching, millions of people are still trapped, and families are still living in tents amidst the rubble. A deportation plan will only mean going back on any progress that has been made by now, even if it has been meagre.

IT boom, AI fears

Pakistan's technology sector is enjoying an impressive moment. IT and IT-enabled services exports have reportedly reached $4.6 billion, reflecting the country's growing ability to earn from the digital economy. The opportunity is particularly significant because the global technology industry is entering another period of transformation. AI is changing how businesses operate and what they demand from workers.

Yet beneath these encouraging figures lies a contradiction that policymakers might be ignoring. While Pakistan is producing more technology-related revenue, the traditional entry points into the technology workforce are increasingly under threat from AI which is rapidly changing the nature of work, particularly at the lower end of the technology sector. For a country whose digital economy has relied heavily on outsourcing and relatively inexpensive human labour, this presents both an opportunity and a warning. Greater automation could allow Pakistani firms to become more productive, but it could also reduce the very jobs through which young workers traditionally enter the industry.

However, Pakistan's deeper problem is the quality and structure of its human capital. An economy cannot leap into high-value technology while its education system struggles to provide strong foundations in critical thinking and problem-solving. Nor can technological ambitions be separated from persistent weaknesses in necessary civic services like electricity and internet connectivity. Pakistan therefore needs to rethink what it means to be a technology economy. Competing primarily on the basis of cheap labour will become increasingly difficult as automation improves. The objective must instead be to build capabilities that allow Pakistani businesses and workers to participate in higher-value segments of the global digital economy.

The AI revolution may ultimately create more opportunities than it destroys. But that outcome is not guaranteed. If Pakistan fails to reform its education system and economic infrastructure, AI could deepen unemployment and inequality rather than deliver a digital dividend.