Let's Talk Development

Climate Change, Unequal Cities and the People Left Behind

From choking winter smog to flooded monsoon streets, Pakistan's cities are feeling the weight of a changing climate, and the poorest residents are paying the highest pric

Beyond Aid: Rethinking Development in Pakistan

As the era of abundant foreign aid comes to an end, developing countries are being forced to rethink how development is financed and delivered. In this episode of Let's T

Land Rights for Women: The Promise and the Paradox

Drawing on IGC’s new research, Dr. Sabrin Baig discusses how digitising land records in Punjab increased women's access to inherited land, while also reshaping marriage d

Justice Ayesha Malik on Rule of Law, Governance and True Cost of Weak Enforcement

Drawing on IGC’s new research, Dr. Sabrin Beg (Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Delaware) and Ms. Angbeen Mirza (Assistant Professor of Law at LUMS)

More Than Marks: What Education Owes the Next Generation

In this episode of Let’s Talk Development, Ayesha Hussain (Educationist and Author) sits down with Dr. Syed Turab Hussain (Economist, Educator and Principal of Aitchison

The Future of Agriculture in Pakistan: What Really Drives Change

This episode discusses how Climate change is impacting Pakistan's agricultural and what steps can Pakistan take to navigate this challenge.

The Knowledge Deficit: Rethinking Progress with Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy

In this episode Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy joins Dr. Ijaz Nabi to explore the roots of Pakistan’s current economic and social challenges. Moving beyond fiscal policy, Dr. Pervez

Development in an Age of Inequality and Polarisation

In this episode, Dr. Taimur Rahman joins Fasi Zaka for a wide ranging conversation on growth, inequality and inclusion in Pakistan. The discussion assesses the dominant d

When Floods Hit the Poor: Rethinking Poverty Graduation

When climate shocks hit the poorest, what happens to the programmes meant to lift them out of poverty? In this episode, Dr. Nasir and Dr. Adeel explore the National Pover

Revisiting Pakistan’s Past to Understand Its Present: Ayesha Jalal in Conversation

What can history teach us about Pakistan’s current economic dilemmas and its future? In this episode, Ayesha Jalal joins Ijaz Nabi to reflect on the country’s enduring po

How to deliver economic growth in an uncertain world?

Global growth is slowing, debt burdens are rising and climate pressures are intensifying, what does this mean for the future of economies? In this episode, Dr. Roberta Ga

Unlocking Pakistan’s Youth Potential: How to develop a skilled workforce

64% of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30. This “youth bulge” holds immense promise if equipped with the right skills. In this episode, Ahmed Khan and Saba Shah

Cities on the Brink: Climate Risks and Urban Realities in Pakistan

Pakistan is facing a dual burden of rapid urbanisation and increasing climate vulnerability, with low-income and marginalised communities bearing the greatest impact. In

Mapping Karachi: Spatial Vulnerability and Climate Change

The impact of climate change in cities is highly dependent on spatial factors. Within a sprawling and metropolitan city like Karachi, examining its topographic and geogra

Gateway to Growth: Export Policy as a Catalyst for Pakistan’s Economy

Pakistan’s economy is known for its volatile ‘boom-and-bust’ framework. When it experiences bouts of growth and stability, trade and industrialisation imbalances force it

Sri Lanka's Economic Recovery: Lessons for Pakistan

Sri Lanka suffered a great economic crisis 2019 onwards, however in the late 2024, it's economy demonstrated significant signs of recovery. In this episode, Dr. Shantayan

The Unbalanced Scale: Gender, Work and Productivity

Pakistan has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in the South Asian region (22%), compared to 35% in Bangladesh and 37% in India. This means half of

From Crisis to Resilience: Rethinking Water Management in Pakistan

In Pakistan, poor water management coupled with climate change has severely intensified the frequency and intensity of floods. The unpredictable rainfall patterns and ina

The Climate-Energy Nexus: A critical review

For a country like Pakistan, it has become increasingly critical to focus on the climate-energy nexus as it grapples with climate vulnerability and escalating energy inse

Enveloped in Haze - Pakistan’s Air Quality & Health Challenges

Every year as summer descends, Lahore observes a drastic change in air quality. The PM2.5 concentration in Lahore is currently 53.2 times greater than the WHO required le