Sajjad Ashraf

Special to Gulf News

Articles from the author

Why Pakistan budget-making is a struggle to plug holes

Governance failure and fiscal fire-fighting leave little room for development or reform

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves remain fragile, propped up not by trade surpluses or investment inflows, but by buying from the local market.

Why Pakistan’s $10b fast train is a vanity project

Punjab government’s $10 billion high-speed rail plan is a disservice to real priorities

The interior of one of the 40 modern passenger coaches that Pakistan Railways received from China.

India-Pakistan ceasefire must be a new beginning

Ceasefire a chance to recover lost trust, rediscover shared humanity, and pursue progress

Pakistani Rangers (in black) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers (in khaki) perform the flag-lowering ceremony at the Pakistan-India border crossing at Wagah.

Why Pakistan is falling behind on development goals

Structural reforms, climate action, and citizen engagement can change country’s trajectory

In a country with so much promise, several interlinked factors are contributing to Pakistan’s underwhelming performance on the SDGs.

Water disputes challenge Pakistan’s fractious unity

A sustainable water-sharing arrangement can only be achieved through cooperation and trust

This aerial photograph taken on March 18, 2025 shows an artificial glacier built by local residents during winters to conserve water for the summers at Pari village in Kharmang district, in Pakistan's mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Pakistan’s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto honoured at last

Nishan-e-Pakistan award a recognition of Bhutto legacy and the history that shaped him

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Peace in Afghanistan provides legitimacy to the Taliban

Taliban-ruled Afghanistan remains out of media headlines due to wars in Ukraine and Gaza

An Afghan woman prepares 'Bolani', flatbreads stuffed with potatoes, at a bakery in Mazar-i-Sharif on March 6, 2025.

Tariffs are likely to hurt the US economy

The US needs to realise that global leadership isn’t free. It comes at a price.

A vehicle travelling into the United States at the Canada-US border in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, Canada, on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Just three countries, China, Mexico and Canada accounted for $430.5 billion of US trade deficit in 2024.

Can Quad evolve into an 'Asian NATO'?

A decade on, the Quad remains a major diplomatic tool but not a formidable alliance

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, U.S., January 21, 2025

ASEAN faces a precarious path ahead

ASEAN's future hinges on balancing Myanmar, South China Sea tensions, global power plays

Asean fosters regional stability, economic integration, and political cooperation among Southeast Asian nations.

New leadership sparks hope for Sri Lanka’s future

The island nation embarks on reforms to revive its ailing economy

The newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

BRICS signals shift towards global multipolarity

As Russia, China unite with new members, West faces growing push for financial reform

World leaders stand for a photograph during the BRICS 2024 summit at Kazan, Russia

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