The last few days have been a whirlwind for Afghanistan and its people. With the Taliban seizing control over Kabul and America withdrawing from its longest war, there are fears that regional instability will only increase in the coming days. In this episode, Uzair talks to Fahd Humayun about what the Taliban's military win mean for Pakistan. Fahd Humayun is a PhD candidate at Yale University and frequently writes on South Asian affairs. He has recently written two must-read articles on this top...
Aug 21, 2021•54 min
Bangladesh has had the fastest rate of economic growth during the pandemic in the subcontinent, despite the fact that its export sector has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Despite its success story, however, the country continues to face serious challenges which may upend the country's growth story. In this episode, Uzair talks to Atif Ahmad about the Bangladeshi economy's outlook beyond 2021. Atif Ahmad is a DC-based researcher of South Asian affairs. He was born and raised in Dhaka...
Aug 14, 2021•55 min
Uzair talks to Omair Ansari, CEO and Co-Founder of Abhi, about the startup's mission, growth plans, and how younger folks can set themselves up to thrive in Pakistan's startup ecosystem. Abhi is a Karachi-based salary advance platform that has recently raised $2 million in a seed round. Founded by Omair Ansari and Ali Ladhubhai Abhi enables employees to withdraw their accrued wages anytime through its web or mobile app. The product is Shariah-compliant and charges employees a small transaction f...
Jul 17, 2021•59 min
This episode digs deep into Pakistan's wheat market, discussing the recent output figures, why the government wants to import additional wheat, buildup of commodity debt, and the utter lack of detailed data to help policymakers plan for a sector that has a tremendous impact on tens of millions of households across the country. Note: Adil made an incorrect claim about a Rs 200 billion wheat subsidy for Punjab. This is the budgeted expenditure for state trading of wheat, not a subsidy. The error i...
Jul 10, 2021•55 min
Uzair talks to Azmat Khan about his banking career, which started at the BCCI in the 1970s. In the 1990s, Azmat Khan played a pivotal role in building the personal relationships that deepened Pakistan's strategic ties with the UAE, following which he helped setup and expand Bank Alfalah in Pakistan. This conversation records the history of Khan's career, things he learnt along the way, and his views on Pakistan's own economic journey and potential.
Jul 03, 2021•1 hr 41 min
Uzair talks to Sameer Lalwani about the evolving situation in Afghanistan, prospects for peace following the U.S. withdrawal from the country, and the role regional powers are and can play in ensuring peace and stability in the country. Sameer Lalwani is a Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center where he researches nuclear deterrence, interstate rivalry, national security decision making, crisis behavior, and counter/insurgency. He is also a term member with th...
Jun 25, 2021•59 min
Uzair talks to Dr. Ilhan Niaz about the structural underpinnings of Pakistan's political economy and how things are eerily similar to the way the economy functioned during the British colonial era. This conversation focuses on Dr. Niaz's recently-published paper "Pakistan's search for a successful model of national political economy" which you can read using this link: https://www.academia.edu/47785779/Pakistans_search_for_a_successful_model_of_national_political_economy Reading recommendations:...
Jun 19, 2021•54 min
Uzair talks to Halima Iqbal, Founder and CEO of Oraan, a startup committed to the financial enablement of the underserved. This conversation focuses on how Oraan is digitizing committees, the barriers women face in terms of accessing formal financial services, and how Oraan is looking to scale its business to bridge the digital and financial divide. Reading Recommendations: - Ride of a Lifetime Robert Iger - Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Jun 12, 2021•55 min
Uzair talks to Faseeh Mangi and Samiullah Tariq about Pakistan's 2021-22 budget during this discussion. Participants on Twitter also share their comments, questions, and insights about the budget and what they liked and / or didn't like about it.
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Pakistan's vibrant media landscape has been facing increasing curbs in recent years. From attacks on journalists to forcing media outlets to not cover certain issues, the media industry is facing unprecedented pressures. In this episode, Uzair talks to Wajahat Khan about how the media industry operates, its structural weaknesses, and how overt and covert influence is exerted to force journalists and outlets to toe a certain line. Wajahat Khan is Nikkei Asia’s Digital Editor in New York City, rep...
Jun 04, 2021•1 hr 38 min
Uzair talks to Isfandiyar Shaheen about making internet access a reality for all and why this can have a transformative impact on communities around the world. Isfandiyar also shares his perspective on blockchain and cryptocurrencies, including how this emerging technology is transforming how business can be conducted. Isfandiyar is Founder & CEO of NetEquity Networks, an infrastructure sharing start-up based in San Francisco. NetEquity has established a partnership with Facebook and is focu...
May 31, 2021•1 hr 5 min
In this episode, Uzair talks to Ovais Zuberi, founder of Shazday Foods, which is doing some fantastic work in Gilgit-Baltistan. This conversation focuses on the potential of agribusiness in the country, how this potential can be fully realized, and the good, bad, and the ugly about doing business is Pakistan. You can check out Shazday on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShazdayCo/ Reading recommendations are: - The Lean Startup by by Eric Ries - The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau - Muslim Z...
May 24, 2021•1 hr 11 min
May 10-16 is mental health awareness week and Uzair hosted Dr. Aisha Sanober Chachar to talk about mental health and illness. Dr. Aisha talked about why paying attention to mental health is important, issues people typically face, especially women and children, and how we can improve both our own mental health and support those around us that may need help. Dr. Aisha Sanober Chachar is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and former Medical Director at Alleviate Addiction Suffering (AA...
May 17, 2021•53 min
Uzair talks to Naila Naqvi, founder of Pie in the Sky, about her entrepreneurial journey and keys to success. Pie in the Sky is a well-known bakery in Karachi in Hyderabad, with over 20 branches, employing over 400 people. Naila's book recommendations are: - Animal Farm by George Orwell - Novels by Jane Austen
May 10, 2021•55 min
In this episode, Uzair talks to World Bank economists Alen Mulabdic and Gonzalo Varela about their recent research, which shows that Pakistan's export potential stands at $60+ billion. This discussion talks about how this potential can be realized and some of the actions that the Pakistan government is already taking to grow its exports. You can read Gonzalo'r thread documenting the research findings here - https://twitter.com/gonwei/status/1379381149169037316?s=20 Book Recommendations: - The Gr...
Apr 26, 2021•40 min
Uzair talks to Maha Rehman about what the data tells us regarding the economic toll of the pandemic on Pakistani households. Maha is a Data Analytics Expert with almost a decade of experience in designing and executing evidence-based programs, products and policies to improve service delivery and impact. Previously, she has set up the Analytics Wing at CERP that focused on embedding data in the decisions and operations of private and public sector companies to increase efficiency, impact and pro...
Apr 19, 2021•53 min
Uzair talks to Dr. Shahida Wizarat about the structural underpinnings of Pakistan's economy and why the country has gone from being a role model to a basket case. Dr. Shahida is Dean at CESD, Institute of Business Management. She has authored three books, The Rise and Fall of Industrial Productivity in Pakistan (OUP), Fighting Dependance: Proclaiming Sovereignty for an Enslaved Pakistan (LAP) and Fighting Imperialism: Liberating Pakistan (CRS). She has authored more than 70 research papers publi...
Apr 12, 2021•54 min
Uzair speaks to Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram and Dr. Iffat Zafar Aga, the co-founders of Sehat Kahani. In this discussion we talked about the startup, which has recently raised $1 million in a funding round, its growth strategy, and what it is like to be a female founder of a startup in Pakistan. Sehat Kahani is an all-female health provider network including that is working to create quality health care solutions for communities where health access, quality, affordability of health care is still a dr...
Apr 05, 2021•57 min
In this episode, Uzair talks to regular guest Ammar Khan about the proposed amendments to the SBP Act. They talked about whether giving autonomy to the SBP will lead to bankruptcy, how inflation is a major issue that needs resolution, and what the process ought to be in order to pass this legislation through parliament.
Mar 29, 2021•38 min
This is episode is in Urdu so that a wider audience can understand why Pakistan's economy cannot maintain high rates of growth over long periods of time. To understand the reasons for this, Uzair spoke to Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, who is a Research Fellow and heads Policy Solutions Lab at Sustainable Development Policy Institute [SDPI] Pakistan. Prior to joining to SPDI, he was Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor at Department of Economics, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PID...
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Since the onset of the pandemic, the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed forward a whole host of reforms, including much-needed changes to India's farm laws. Farmer protests, however, have caused many to focus on the everything but the core components of these reforms and what they seek to achieve. In this episode, Uzair spoke to Sadanand Dhume about India's economic reforms and what he calls Modinomics 2.0. Sadanand is a South Asia columnist for the Wall Street Journal...
Mar 15, 2021•51 min
There is systemic exclusion of women in Pakistan's economy and the drivers of this systemic exclusion are poorly understood by most. In this episode, Uzair talks to Dr. Hadia Majid about the role of women in Pakistan's economy and the unique and diverse challenges they face in the country. Dr. Hadia Majid is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics & Director at the Saida Waheed Gender Initiative at LUMS. She is a a Fulbright Scholar and holds a PhD in Development Economics from...
Mar 08, 2021•54 min
Uzair talks to Pramath Sinha about Harappa Education, an education startup offering the foundational skills critical to achieve professional success and personal meaning. Pramath is a trailblazer in many different fields, including education. He served as the Founding Dean of Indian School of Business (ISB), which just got ranked as the best business school in India and #23 in the world, according to the Financial Times. He is also one of the founders of Ashoka University. Book Recommendations: ...
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Bykea is one of Pakistan's startup success stories that raised $13m in the middle of a pandemic. In this episode, Uzair talks to Rafiq Malik, the startup's Chief Operating Officer, about the business and its growth plans. Rafiq's book recommendations are: - A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060883286/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_4SZ51RF4EPHP991P332J - The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143116177/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0JXTYBT31JFMK...
Mar 01, 2021•54 min
In this special episode, Uzair talks to Zarrar Khuhro about a whole host of issues, focusing on the rise of illiberal populism around the world. Zarrar is a co-host of the show Zara Hat Kay which airs on Dawn News and writes a weekly column for Dawn.
Feb 24, 2021•46 min
Uzair talks to Jarrar Shah about his startup 24Seven.pk, an online Grocery Shopping platform based in Lahore. The 24SEVEN journey started from his farm when he painfully found out how he was getting no premium for growing graded, good quality produce in the off season and consequently decided to create an alternative marketing channel for farmers that would enable them to bypass the middle men. His book recommendations are: - Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose - Grit: ...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Uzair Younus talks to Dr. Aparna Pande about her new book "Making India Great: The Promise of a Reluctant Global Power. The episode covers a wide range of topics related to India, including domestic politics, economic nationalism, the country's foreign policy, and its relations with Pakistan. Dr. Aparna Pande is Director of the Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute, Washington D.C. Her major field of interest is South Asia with a special focus on India, Pakista...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Uzair talks to Raza Rumi about the state of media in Pakistan and the role of Nayadaur in bringing alternative perspectives into the discourse. Raza Rumi Director, Park Center for Independent Media and teaches in the journalism department; a visiting lecturer at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs. He is also the Founding Editor of Nayadaur Media, a bi-lingual progressive digital media platform. He is also a visiting lecturer. Raza's recommended the following books: - Masvani by Rumi - The ...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Pakistan finally has a digital payments system and this development is going to revolutionize financial transactions in the country. It will also accelerate the formalization of the economy, increase financial inclusion, and catalyze the growth of fintech startups in the country. Uzair spoke to Rehan Akhtar, Chief Digital Officer at Karandaaz Pakistan, about Raast and its potential. This week's book recommendation: - The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladw...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min
In the first episode of 2021, Uzair talks to Hasaan Khawar about why it is difficult to push through bureaucratic reforms, why Prime Minister Khan accepting his government's mistakes is something that should be appreciated, and his theory of change. Hasaan also shared three books that have profoundly interested him: 1) The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1443456624/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_oVDaGb2HNARQA 2) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Hariri - https://www.am...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min
