Pakistonomy

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

In this episode, Uzair has a broad conversation with Fasi Zaka about whats going on in Pakistan with the recent student protests, the constitutional amendments, and the state of the broader information ecosystem. We also talked about two of the weirdest amendments being discussed as part of the proposed constitutional amendments and what they mean for Pakistan.

Fasi Zaka is a Pakistani political commentator, columnist, radio talk show host, and television anchor.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

3:20 What’s going on in the PTI?

19:20 Rape allegations and protests

31:20 Media ecosystem and regulations

52:01 Pakistani diaspora supports Trump?

1:00:10 Gaza and the media

1:06:15 Constitutional amendments

Political tensions continue to brew in Pakistan, with the Sharif government facing issues both in Islamabad and in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In this episode, Uzair talks to Arifa Noor about the latest political developments in Pakistan. Arifa Noor is a journalist with Dawn and host of the shows Newswise.

We covered what going on with the announcement to ban and then un-ban the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), why the Tehreek-e-Insaf is facing challenges in achieving its goals via protests, and the reasons for the PML-N’s growing confidence in the economy.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:30 PTM ban

21:20 PTI protests and its impact

28:10 Centers of power in Pakistan

36:53 Economic stability and PML-N’s confidence

51:25 Bilawal’s role in constitutional amendment

The world seems like it is staring into the abyss, with conflicts breaking out across Eurasia. Does this mean that we are entering a new global conflict where the three great powers – the United States, Russia, and China – are entering into direct conflict? What role are smaller powers such as Israel and Iran, playing in all of this? And what do the political systems in the great powers tell us about what comes next?

These are the big questions that Dr. Kamran Bokhari tries to answer in this conversation. Dr. Kamran Bokhari is the Senior Director of the Eurasian Security and Prosperity portfolio at the New Lines Institute. He served as Director of the Analytical Development Department from 2019 to 2023. Dr. Bokhari is also a national security and foreign policy specialist at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute.

Some of the recent pieces of analyses he has written are worth a read:

- https://newlinesinstitute.org/political-systems/post-khamenei-iran-the-future-of-evolutionary-regime-change/

- https://geopoliticalfutures.com/irans-regional-position-is-crumbling/

- https://geopoliticalfutures.com/southwest-asias-shatter-belt/

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:45 Are we in a third world war?

13:10 Evolution of warfare

22:10 Role of smaller powers

31:30 Critiquing the Washington Beltway consensus

43:30 Assessing China and Russia

59:02 Future scenarios

1:15:30 US elections and foreign policy