In this episode, Uzair talks to Sardar Awais Leghari, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), about the recently announced incentives for electric vehicle charging in Pakistan because of which tariffs will be cut by almost 45 percent. We spoke about why this announcement was made and what impact Minister Leghari anticipates as an outcome of these policy incentives.

We also spoke about near-term reform priorities in the power sector for 2025 and the minister’s views on uniform and competitive pricing for electricity in Pakistan.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:39 EV charging incentives

8:20 Solar net metering

16:20 Reform priorities for 2025

20:50 Competitive pricing

In this episode, Uzair talks to Amb. Asif Durrani about the state of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and why they have soured. Amb. Durrani is the former special representative to Afghanistan and Senior Research Fellow at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute.

You can read his recent article here - https://stratheia.com/choose-between-pakistan-or-ttp/

In this episode, Uzair talks to Khurram Husain about what 2024 was like for Pakistan’s economy and the outlook for 2025. We discussed how stability was restored on the economic fronts, its associated costs, and why no real reform has happened so far under the current setup.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

0:58 Stability restored

7:10 Finance minister’s performance

16:47 Investor confidence in Pakistan

23:20 Outlook for 2025

In this episode, Uzair talks Junaid Iqbal about his experience on Shark Tank Pakistan and the businesses that have excited him the most. We talked about valuations for businesses, the talent in the country, and the role Shark Tank can play in exciting next-generation talent in the country to be entrepreneurs.

We also talked about Junaid’s project @Pakistan&Counting, which is making excellent and nuanced content on business and economic topics.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:24 Shark Tank experience

9:45 Valuations for businesses

17:08 Pakistan & Counting

24:00 Pakistan’s power crisis and opportunity

38:45 Doing the right things in the economy

53:18 Conclusion

Links:

- https://www.youtube.com/@PakistanAndCounting

- https://youtu.be/rGioFk29o4U?si=yiIX43KfEZ9YTfZL

- https://youtu.be/_IhB6LkQXLU?si=MQk6N_QNbRr8ezv9

- https://youtu.be/5KX1uNFsvks?si=rdKmQJLGUQ5DkClY

In this episode, Uzair talks to Zaigham Khan about PTI’s final call protest which ended in failure on November 26. We talked about the reasons for this failure, the current regime’s own weaknesses, and why the PTI and Imran Khan ought to reconsider their strategy.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:20 Politics of dharna

9:30 Failure of coalition building

14:40 Why didn’t people come out?

23:08 PTI’s mistakes

32:47 Establishment’s weaknesses

39:20 General Munir’s strengths

45:02 Conclusion

Recommendations:

Imran Khan’s interview where he accepts using the ISI: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/transcripts/read-imran-khans-full-atlantic-council-interview-on-failed-peace-with-india-pakistans-plight-and-his-own-fate/

Imran Ismail’s podcast with Kamran Khan: https://youtu.be/cYdfWto0Cqc

In this episode, Uzair talks to Sunil Dahiya about the air pollution crisis in India and its key causes. We talked about what is being done to resolve this issue, why public pressure has not materialized in a big way, and how this current season marks an inflection point.

Sunil is founder of Envirocatalysts and has been conducting research and advocacy on air pollution and environmental improvements for years.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:20 Causes of the crisis

12:10 Vehicle testing and controls

18:20 Public pressure

30:10 What needs to happen

41:00 Reading recommendations

43:30 Conclusion

Reading recommendations:

- Choked by Beth Garner

- Breathless by Jennifer Niven

- Under the Dome (Documentary on YouTube)

In this episode, Uzair talks to Mishal S. Khan about the ways in which doctors are incentivized to over-prescribe medications to patients in Pakistan. This is something many of us have known about anecdotally, but now we have research to tell us about how widespread this problem could be.

Mishal S. Khan is a Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK and Visiting Faculty at Aga Khan University, Pakistan.

Guest’s profile link - https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/khan.mishal-s

More details about the study - https://www.patientsnotprofits.org

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:00 Key findings

6:50 Does ethics training help?

11:30 Local v. international companies

14:40 Methodology

18:10 Pressure by patients

21:00 Policy recommendations

24:50 What can individuals do?

28:39 Reading recommendations

Reading recommendations:

- Why we sleep by Matthew Walker

- Poems by Faiz

Pakistan’s cities are choking on smog, with the cities in Punjab including Lahore being the worst impacted. In this episode, Uzair talks to Abid Omar about what is causing this air pollution crisis in the country and what can be done about it.

Abid Omar is the founder of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, which provides community-driven air quality data and resources to increase social awareness.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:30 What is going on?

12:10 Transportation’s impact

26:20 Things that can be done to solve the crisis

42:50 Do we need more data?

Reading recommendations:

- Factfulness by Hans Rosling

- The Economics of Air Pollution in China by Ma Jun

- A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Uzair talks to Shadi Hamid on the US elections and the difficult choice American-Muslims are having to make in this cycle given the choices on offer. Shadi shared his own thoughts on how the Biden administration utterly failed when it comes to stopping the ongoing orgy of violence in Gaza. We also talk about why Kamala Harris has failed to engage with the community during the campaign, and the threat Trump represents to both Arab and Muslim lives at home and abroad.

Shadi Hamid is a columnist at the Washington Post and author of the book The problem of democracy: America, the Middle East, and the rise and fall of an idea. He also co-hosts the podcast The Wisdom of Crowds.

Episode Links:

- https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shadi-hamid/

- https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Democracy-America-Middle-East/dp/0197579469

- https://wisdomofcrowds.live/podcast

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

3:00 Is this an inflection point for Muslim-Americans?

11:28 Democrats v. Republicans

18:10 Why do people think Trump is better?

24:50 Democrat’s failure to engage

32:45 US policy on democracy

40:15 Nuance and politics

44:25 Engaging on foreign policy

50:29 Conclusion

Reading recommendations:

- Light Years by James Salter

- The Study Quran

Uzair talks to Nayyera Haq about the upcoming U.S. elections and what it means for the country, especially for immigrants and members of the American-Pakistani diaspora. We talked about the recent endorsement by PAKPAC for Donald Trump, the impact of the war in Gaza on voters, and scenarios for election night.

Nayyera Haq is a seasoned communications strategist, speaker, and former White House Senior Director and diplomat known for her expertise in helping leaders communicate powerfully and authentically. As a respected political commentator, she regularly appears on outlets like CNN and MSNBC discussing global affairs, culture, and policy.

Nayyera also hosts of the TrailBlaze podcast and talk radio on SiriusXM, where she amplifies diverse perspectives and thought leadership. With her dynamic career at the intersection of journalism and communication, Nayyera is a trusted voice in shaping public narratives.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:45 Pakistanis supporting Trump

13:55 Muslim-Americans and Gaza

25:50 State of the political race

33:10 Countering Trump rigging allegations

37:35 Future of the Republicans

45:15 Future of the Democrats

51:45 Elections and foreign policy