DAWN Editorials - 19th August 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Rebutting rumours WHEN rumours first began circulating that a change was being considered in the top tier of the civilian component of the ruling set-up, both Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and military spokesman Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had issued statements rubbishing them.

That ought to have put such idle talk to rest, but it seems that neither Mr Naqvi nor the DG ISPR was to be believed on the matter. Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir was expected to address the same question during his recent sojourn in Brussels, both during a public interaction and in an interview with a senior journalist.

Like the others, he, too, dismissed talk that the prime minister and president would be replaced as “completely false”. When told that “both civil and military agencies” had been sharing this ‘news’, the chief dismissed it as “not possible”, expressing suspicion that this may be the work of those who “oppose both the government and the authorities and wish to create political anarchy”.

It is hoped that the government at least is resting a little easier. It is unfortunate that the army chief himself was expected to step into this conversation, considering that he has far more important things to take care of.

It is also concerning that there are mischief-makers around who are trying to drive a wedge between the authorities and the government. The country has experienced enough political anarchy over the last few years, and the ruling arrangement formalised after the Feb 8, 2024, general election was expected to be the counterweight to it.

Whether these rumours started because of the civilian leaders’ inability, perceived or otherwise, to deliver on this ‘mandate’ or something completely different has been difficult to pin down, mainly because the alliance between the government and the ‘authorities’ has otherwise proved to be a match made in heaven.

Now that the army chief himself has made it clear that he is interested in nothing more than serving as Pakistan’s ‘protector’, perhaps the political leadership should shift its focus back to its job.

The country has been experiencing a rare period of stability, but what it will make of it remains a big question. Despite repeated promises that an economic breakthrough is just around the corner, Pakistan’s teeming millions have yet to see any significant improvement in their personal lives.

Prices may have largely stabilised, but the public will soon start asking why the benefits of the ‘economic turnaround’ that the government keeps talking about are not visible in their own lives as well.

It is these expectations that are, in fact, the government’s biggest challenge. It must find it within itself to inspire and lead the public and guide it to a more prosperous future.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

Essential transition THE government’s push to fast-track the transition to a cashless economy could be Pakistan’s dream leap into the future. At a meeting on his cashless economy initiative, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on plans to expand Raast services nationwide to facilitate the creation of a single digital financial identity for every citizen by integrating their national identity, biometrics and mobile numbers. Ambitious targets have been set to accelerate mobile banking and fintech adoption under the initiative: raising the number of active digital merchants to 2m by June, increasing mobile/internet banking users from 95m to 120m, routing all remittances through the formal channels and doubling annual digital transactions to 15bn. These goals are ambitious but achievable. With more than 143m broadband users and nearly 40m monthly active mobile wallet users — now outnumbering traditional bank account holders — Pakistan is ready to embark on its shift to a cashless economy. An early transition to digital transactions offers wide-ranging benefits, including efficiency, transparency and reduced corruption. For individuals and small businesses, digital finance offers access to loans, savings, insurance services and social protection transfers. For low-income groups and women, it opens the door to financial inclusion. For overseas Pakistanis, it ensures safer, cheaper and transparent remittances. And for the broader economy, it enhances documentation, widens the tax net and curbs leakages.

Yet scaling up the cashless economy faces several challenges. Digital literacy is low, particularly in the rural areas. Public trust in digital platforms is fragile because of real and perceived fraud risk. Most businesses still prefer cash to avoid tax payments. Patchy internet coverage and limited access to the digital infrastructure outside big cities coupled with frequent internet outages make cash a necessity for many. Therefore, the latest push towards a cashless future for the country is an important and forward-looking step to align Pakistan’s economy with global trends. If the effort bears fruit, it will prove to be one of the country’s most transformative reforms and hopefully put the economy on the global map. But the successful execution of this initiative demands more than everyday rhetoric. Much depends on the steady and consistent implementation of the goals set under it to strengthen public confidence in the digital payment system and tax reductions on digital transactions, besides other incentives for those who avail of it.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

Treaty impasse RECENT efforts in Geneva by some 183 countries on a global plastics treaty ended in stalemate. There were deep divisions between nations pushing for production caps and those prioritising recycling and waste management. Now, without any consensus, the world remains without a binding agreement to curb the worsening crisis of plastic pollution, which has left not only our oceans and soil contaminated, but also our bloodstreams. Pakistan’s delegation at the conference took a strong line, highlighting equity and justice concerns. Climate Minister Musadik Malik highlighted how it is developing nations that suffer disproportionately from plastic pollution while wealthier states — often the largest producers and consumers — benefit most from green financing. Pakistan pressed for fair access to funds, technology transfer and capacity-building, and even floated the idea of a plastic credits market to support recycling and the livelihoods of waste workers. Furthermore, by seeking to build alliances across the Global South, Islamabad pointed out that poorer countries cannot shoulder the burden of transition without adequate support.

However, Pakistan’s advocacy on the global stage must be matched by discipline at home. While all the provinces have issued decrees banning single-use plastic bags, the flimsy carriers still change hands in bazaars from Karachi to Peshawar. Our understanding of and emphasis on recycling is rudimentary, waste is rarely segregated and collection has become the burden of poorly paid, unprotected waste pickers. The state must prove it means business: enforce provincial bans, punish violators and back the spread of biodegradable packaging. Changing entrenched consumer habits needs sustained awareness drives, while investment in proper garbage collection and waste segregation is essential to stem the tide of plastic litter. Policymakers must encourage innovation in packaging, nurture a viable recycling industry and bring the informal army of waste pickers into the formal economy with protections and pay. Calls for fairness abroad will carry more weight if they are backed by action at home.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025