DAWN Editorials - 30th March 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Hard habits

FEELING the heat, the ruling elite has rolled out some big guns for the fight against national fragility.

This week, the high-powered ‘Harden the State Committee’, which counts among its members two federal secretaries, the FBR chairman, and representatives of all the top civil and military intelligence agencies, convened to brainstorm, among other things, strategies to curb the export of beggars to the Gulf.

Just a few days later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired another high-level meeting, this one attended by representatives of the information ministries of all four provinces and Azad Kashmir, to discuss how TV dramas and films may be used to enlighten the general public about the ills of terrorism and extremism.


That such issues are now on the agenda of these high-powered committees shows that the state is at least serious about achieving a more adequate level of hardness. But is all this necessary?

Can ideas like state-produced TV dramas and films really contribute towards building national narratives in this day and age? Admittedly, our media industry has a few examples of state-sponsored productions attaining immense public popularity. Some of these dramas, in their heyday, were even able to evoke much patriotic fervour among ordinary citizens. However, the last of such nationally popular productions was released in the 1990s, when there were no smartphones and content-streaming platforms, and when the family television set was all there was for evening entertainment. These days, TV and film products compete in a globalised market, where production values often overshadow the script and where a massive variety of content is always available to distract audiences. Dramas and films cost a fortune to produce and are more often than not misses rather than hits. What, then, is the regime thinking? Can we really afford such undertakings given Pakistan’s present state of finances?

Our energies would be better spent elsewhere. The fundamental ‘whys’ of our myriad problems are well known. The solutions to them are also obvious. The only thing required is for the state to acknowledge its mistakes and correct course.

Instead, we continue to see individuals and institutions transgressing into unrelated domains, which creates bigger problems out of small ones. For example, a high-level committee comprising some of the top intelligence officials should have more important things on its agenda than curbing international begging. That is a job best left to the police. Likewise, politicians need not concern themselves with producing TV dramas. Their job is to ensure that social pressures do not build to the point where problems like militancy and terrorism become a national headache. It is routine interference like this that has not let our state harden sufficiently.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025


Dreams of gold

PROSPECTS of the Reko Diq project taking off soon seem to have brightened lately following the completion of the updated feasibility report by the OGDCL. The study edges up project financing costs by 58pc to $6.8bn from previous estimates on account of inflation, enhanced project capacity, energy mix, alternative water supply options, and updated processing plants and machinery. However, with authorities here having already approved the increase in their contributions to the financing costs, the miner, Barrick Gold, is said to be well on track to start production in 2028 with an initial ore processing capacity of 45m tonnes per annum, followed by an expansion to 90m tonnes from 2034 onwards. For now, the successful closing of a $3bn limited recourse project financing facility and deteriorating security conditions appear to be the only ‘hitches’ in the development of the world’s largest ‘undeveloped’ copper-gold deposits in Balochistan’s Chagai district.

The project, which has undergone multiple ownership changes over three decades without delivering even an ounce of copper or gold, is of huge importance for both Balochistan and the country’s struggling economy. Barrick estimates that the project will deliver an internal rate of return of 21.32pc, generating $90bn in operating cash flow and $70bn in free cash flow (on a 100pc basis) based on a three-year trailing average copper price of $4.03 per pound and gold price of $2,045 per ounce over the mine’s 37-year life. It will generate $54bn in revenue within Pakistan. Barrick believes that the mine’s life could be extended through upgrades and expansions, which, hopefully, would generate more revenues for shareholders. Though the project feasibility study released earlier this year and the one published by OGDCL last week support the public disclosure of mineral resources and reserve estimates, concerns over the transparency of revenues to be generated remain. Many experts have said that the real, long-term benefits of the project can only be realised by the country in general and Balochistan in particular if a fully transparent system is in place. Another concern pertains to the miner’s plans to export the precious minerals in raw form rather than setting up a refinery here as the Balochistan government had planned before a World Bank arbitration forced Pakistan’s hands. Barrick should address these concerns as it seems to be in Pakistan for a longer haul.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025


No invitation

FOR all of Pakistan’s hockey struggles, including their failure to qualify for the Olympics and World Cup as well as their rapidly diminishing status in the sport, there was one event that always had a place for the national team: the annual Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia. Not anymore. Pakistan has not received an invitation from the organisers for this year’s tournament. Instead, Malaysia will receive top-ranked sides including Belgium, Germany, India and Ireland — all among the world top 10 — during the November tournament. Naturally, the omission has led to an outcry in Pakistan. For the last several years, the Azlan Shah Cup had offered the country a window to the world, an opportunity to gauge where the team stood globally. Last year, when the Olympics were held in Paris — the third straight Games for which Pakistan failed to qualify — the team finished runners-up to Japan at the Azlan Shah Cup. In the tournament’s previous edition, in 2022, Pakistan had finished in third place. Alongside Pakistan, defending champions Japan have also not been invited this time.

But while Malaysia has already announced the line-up, Pakistan continues to hope. The Pakistan Hockey Federation has refuted claims that the national team was omitted because there were some outstanding dues it owed to its Malaysian counterpart. With former Olympians adding their voices to the debate, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid has asked the International Hockey Federation president to ensure Pakistan’s participation. However, Pakistan must accept the reality. The Azlan Shah Cup is Malaysia’s tournament, aimed at the best interests of its own team. Now it has some of the world’s top sides coming to play. The sooner Pakistan accepts this, the better. Instead, the PHF should focus on other opportunities to provide competition to the national team, while redirecting its efforts to improving its international standing. While an opportunity for exposure has been lost, the PHF should try and secure matches elsewhere.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025