Oil prices could cripple world

Pakistan and China marked the 99th founding anniversary of China’s People’s Liberation Army at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir praised the Chinese military and called the friendship between the two nations a bond built on trust. Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong thanked Pakistan for hosting the event and promised continued support under the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. The words on both sides were warm, and the friendship is real. It has lasted through decades of change. But warmth alone does not build an economy. Pakistan needs more than ceremonies and speeches. It needs results. China has shown the world what discipline and planning can achieve. In a few decades, it moved millions of people out of poverty. It built factories, highways, ports and technology companies that now compete with the best in the world. Pakistan should study this record closely and ask what lessons apply at home. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was meant to be a turning point. It has delivered roads and power plants, but progress on trade, industry and jobs has been slow. Pakistan’s leaders talk often about brotherhood with China. They talk far less about learning from China’s work ethic, its focus on exports, and its long-term planning. Friendship between nations should serve the people of both countries. For Pakistan, that means turning diplomatic goodwill into factories that run, exports that grow, and jobs that last. It means learning how China trains its workers, manages its cities, and plans decades ahead instead of just one budget cycle. Pakistan and China have a friendship worth celebrating. But the next chapter of this relationship must move beyond guards of honour and official statements. It must bring real economic change to ordinary Pakistanis.

The country is having an important conversation again. Should the country create new provinces to fix its governance problems? Or should it strengthen local governments and give real power to mayors instead? Federal Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently argued that the current system of governance has become outdated. He warned that without real reform, Pakistan will still face the same problems ten years from now. He is right that something needs to change. Large provinces, especially Punjab, are simply too big to manage efficiently from one provincial capital. But former State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussain offers an important word of caution. He points out that creating new provinces means building an entirely new layer of bureaucracy. Each new province needs its own secretariat, its own cabinet, its own departments, its own buildings and vehicles. All of this adds permanent, recurring costs to a country that is already struggling with debt and financial pressure. Creating a new province does not solve a problem. It often creates an expensive new one. Dr Ishrat Hussain’s proposed solution deserves serious attention. He suggests that instead of drawing new provincial boundaries, Pakistan should strengthen mayoral systems and local governments in every major city. If cities like Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad were given real financial and administrative powers, with elected mayors controlling budgets and development projects, this could fix governance problems without the heavy cost of new provincial structures. His argument makes sense. The real issue is not how many provinces Pakistan has. The real issue is that power has never properly reached the local level, where problems are actually felt and solved. This is a reasonable middle path. Strengthening city governments should be the first priority. Giving elected mayors genuine control over budgets, infrastructure and daily administration would bring government closer to the people it serves, without adding new layers of expensive bureaucracy. That said, there may still be a limited case for new provinces where genuine historical, linguistic and administrative grounds exist. Punjab is an unusually large province, and two regions within it, the Seraiki belt in the south and the Potohar region in the north, have long-standing and distinct identities, dialects and development needs that differ from central Punjab. If any new provinces are ever created, these two are the most defensible candidates, since they rest on real cultural and administrative logic rather than short-term political convenience. But this should remain the exception, not the rule.

Some people are calling it a tragedy on a par with the Peshawar Army Public School. The death of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) is a heartbreaking tragedy. These babies had just entered the world and were among the most vulnerable members of society. Their deaths raise serious questions about the safety of public hospitals and the responsibility of those entrusted with protecting patients. The National Assembly’s health committee has rightly questioned the initial claim that an old air conditioner caused the fire. The committee says there is no conclusive evidence so far to establish where the fire began. Other possibilities, including faulty electrical wiring and problems with the oxygen supply system, are now being investigated. Finding the real cause is important. However, the larger question is why a fire in a hospital nursery was allowed to become so deadly. Hospitals must be among the safest places in society. A newborn ward should have the highest level of fire protection, emergency planning and trained staff. This tragedy must not end with another inquiry and a few temporary suspensions. If negligence, poor management or failure to follow safety rules is found, those responsible must face strict action. Accountability should not stop with junior employees. Senior hospital officials and government authorities must also be investigated if they failed to ensure proper safety arrangements. There is an urgent need for practical reforms. Every major public and private hospital should undergo regular independent fire and electrical safety inspections. Fire alarms, smoke detectors, emergency exits and firefighting equipment must be checked regularly and kept in working condition. Hospitals should conduct frequent emergency drills so that doctors, nurses and other staff know exactly what to do during a fire. Special attention must be given to areas containing oxygen pipelines, electrical equipment and highly vulnerable patients. Old buildings should not be used for critical wards unless they meet modern safety standards. Where possible, newborns and intensive-care patients should be shifted to safer and better-equipped facilities. The government should also make the results of hospital safety audits public. This will increase transparency and encourage institutions to take safety rules seriously. Most importantly, safety standards must be enforced before a tragedy happens, not after innocent lives are lost. A fair investigation, strict accountability and strong safety reforms are the minimum that these innocent victims deserve. Pakistan cannot afford to wait for another tragedy before learning the same lesson again.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is right to celebrate Pakistan’s progress at the Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems Expo 2026. Local drones, simulators and autonomous platforms on display are genuine achievements, and the government deserves credit for organising this event. Such expos give young innovators a stage, and they should happen far more often. One expo a year is not enough for a country trying to catch up in robotics and artificial intelligence. But an honest look tells us something the speeches often skip. Pakistan’s technology sector has largely grown because of private effort, not government funding. Young software engineers, startup founders, freelancers and university students have kept this sector alive, often without meaningful state support. Many built their skills through free online courses, self-funded projects and sheer persistence, not through government grants or well-funded labs. When government share of support has been minimal, it is unfair for credit to travel only upward. The youth of this country deserve real recognition, not just polite mentions in a prime ministerial address. If Pakistan genuinely wants technological independence, praise alone will not build it. Research budgets remain thin. Universities struggle with outdated labs and low funding, a problem raised repeatedly by academics themselves. Local innovators frequently move abroad, not because they lack patriotism, but because opportunities and funding are stronger elsewhere. Indigenous drone and simulator production is encouraging, but it cannot substitute for a broader national investment in research, education and startups. The government’s job now is to convert one successful expo into a lasting system. That means consistent funding for research institutions, easier access to capital for young tech entrepreneurs, and closer partnerships between universities and defence industries. It means holding such expos regularly, not as one-off showcases, but as part of a serious innovation calendar.

Pakistan does not often receive praise from international publications on economic matters. This time, it has earned it. A US publication has praised Pakistan’s efforts to modernise its financial system, saying the country is steadily strengthening its position in the global digital financial landscape through reforms and technological innovation. This praise is well deserved. This did not happen by accident. It happened because Pakistan chose to invest in digital transformation at a time when many countries are still debating whether digital finance is worth the effort. The article rightly noted that Pakistan has the potential to play a meaningful role in the evolving global digital economy. The publication commended his vision, and for good reason. Building a regulatory system for virtual assets from scratch is not easy. Pakistan needed clear rules, not confusion, and PVARA has worked to provide exactly that. The message is simple: Pakistan must actively position itself within the international digital financial system to benefit from emerging technologies and new economic opportunities. What stands out most is a simple but powerful idea from the article. The future will belong to countries that make swift decisions and implement reforms without delay. This is a lesson Pakistan has learned the hard way in other sectors, where slow decision-making has cost the country valuable time. In digital finance, Pakistan appears determined not to repeat that mistake. The article also makes an important point about how governments must operate going forward. It says governments can no longer rely solely on traditional bureaucratic systems. They must instead adopt the speed, flexibility and innovation-driven approach of technology startups. This is a bold statement, but it reflects reality. Digital finance moves fast, and slow institutions get left behind. Digital assets are becoming the foundation of tomorrow’s financial infrastructure. Countries investing in digital finance today will be better positioned for long-term economic growth and global competitiveness. Pakistan is one of these countries, and that deserves recognition. None of this means the work is finished. The government still has a long road ahead in building trust and expanding financial inclusion. But the direction is right, and this recognition from an international publication confirms that Pakistan’s efforts are being noticed. Pakistan should build on this momentum, not lose it.

Lahore’s old city is finally getting the attention it deserves. Nawaz Sharif, the three time former prime minister, has now been made chairman of the newly formed board of the Lahore Heritage Area Revival project. He has also been named patron in chief of the Punjab Walled Cities and Heritage Areas Authority. This is a welcome change, and it deserves praise. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif only held the title of chief patron. He could give advice, but he had no real power to act. Now, under a new notification issued by the Punjab government, a proper board has been formed. This board has full executive and administrative powers. This means decisions can be made faster, without getting stuck in bureaucratic delays. This move shows something important. A senior political leader is choosing to give his time and attention to restoring the heritage of his own city. Lahore’s old streets, its Mughal era buildings, its Sikh period structures, and its colonial landmarks carry the memory of centuries. For too long, many of these sites were left to decay. Now, with pedestrian zones planned from New Anarkali to Paan Gali, and from Kacheri Chowk to Neela Gumbad, the old city may finally get the dignity it deserves. Nawaz Sharif has a track record of completing large projects on time. Motorways, roads, and infrastructure schemes from his earlier terms are still remembered today. If he brings that same energy to Lahore’s heritage revival, the city stands to gain a great deal. This is not just about buildings. It is about restoring identity, culture, and pride for the people who live there. This is why other politicians across Pakistan should take note. Every city in this country has its own history, its own old markets, its own forgotten buildings. Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, and Quetta all carry stories that deserve to be preserved. Political leaders in these cities should step forward the way Nawaz Sharif has done for Lahore. Owning a city means more than winning votes there. It means protecting its identity for future generations. At the same time, the federal government must think bigger. If provinces and cities can be revived one by one, the whole country can be revived together. Pakistan does not just need leaders who own their cities. It needs a government that owns the entire nation, its heritage, its people, and its future.