Loud Thinking

At a moment when a fast-escalating, over six-week Gulf war between Iran, the United States plus Israel appeared to be hurtling toward a third world war, the decisive diplomatic intervention of Pakistan helped secure a ceasefire. Islamabad’s steady engagement, shuttle diplomacy, and credibility with multiple sides averted a catastrophic spiral. That sterling role in preserving world peace deserves more than polite acknowledgment; it calls for a strategic, forward-looking response that consolidates peace through shared prosperity.

The time is ripe to move from ad hoc crisis management to a long-term regional compact. A bold but structured proposal is the creation of a $2 trillion Pakistan Development Partnership Fund (PDPF) over 20 years; phased, performance-linked, and co-invested by Gulf states, the United States and other partners. This is not aid; it is strategic investment in a country that has demonstrated its credentials as a net security provider and credible diplomatic stabilizer, sitting at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

In view of its demonstrated leadership in averting a major global conflict and its growing role as a stabilizing force, the international community must now move beyond symbolic acknowledgment. The United Nations and major world powers should immediately consider the immediate induction of Pakistan as the sixth permanent member of the UN Security Council. Such a step would not only recognize Pakistan’s proven military and diplomatic credentials at the world stage, as a top-tier security provider and harbinger of global peace, but would also make the Security Council more representative and effective in a rapidly evolving multipolar world. Moreover, it will be in the own interest and image of BRICS to approve Pakistan’s membership, sooner than later.

A durable framework must be inclusive. China should deepen its role, particularly considering its impressive $400 billion investment plan in Iran by expanding infrastructure into energy security corridors; notably oil and gas pipelines and high-capacity rail and transport links from Gwadar Port and Iran to western China via Gilgit-Baltistan, ensuring long-term energy security and reducing maritime vulnerabilities. Russia can contribute to regional energy systems, grid stabilization, and transit diplomacy. Central Asia, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, stands to benefit from southbound connectivity to warm-water ports and diversified trade routes. Iran and Turkey are indispensable partners in industrial, technological, and economic integration with Pakistan, linking energy, manufacturing, and innovation ecosystems across regions.

Stability in Afghanistan remains central to any regional design. A pragmatic approach, combining humanitarian stabilization, economic corridors, and conditional engagement; can transform Afghanistan from a persistent fault line into a connectivity bridge between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea.

No regional vision can succeed without sustainable peace between Pakistan and India; two nuclear powers that cannot afford another escalation. The unresolved issue of Kashmir remains the central impediment. A credible pathway lies in reactivating a process under the auspices of the United Nations, consistent with UN Security Council resolutions, to enable the right of self-determination for Kashmiris through a plebiscite. Moreover, Kashmir imbroglio is not a Pakistan-India bilateral but an international issue, which is evident from the presence of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, which also provides an institutional foundation for ceasefire monitoring and confidence-building. Simply put, Indo-Pak peace is indispensable for global peace and no more a bilateral dispute of Pakistan and India, in which China is also an extremely important stake holder, as well.

As Gulf nations and Iran rebuild after the conflict, Pakistan is uniquely positioned to export up to ten million skilled and semi-skilled workers, accelerating reconstruction while generating employment and remittance inflows. This reconstruction dividend can be aligned with vocational training and certification frameworks under the broader development initiative.

The proposed $2 trillion fund should be deployed in phased tranches, tied to governance reforms and measurable outcomes with strict third-party oversight. Its core pillars would include the development of twenty futuristic, climate-resilient and AI-enabled cities to accommodate population growth; large-scale infrastructure and connectivity projects linking regional markets; energy transformation through renewables and integrated grids; and an industrial and technological leap focusing on advanced manufacturing, minerals, rare earth resources, and innovation partnerships.

Pakistan’s transformation must be broad-based and inclusive, spanning agriculture through precision farming and agro-industrial value chains; industry through export diversification and mineral development; services including finance, logistics, and healthcare; the AI and digital economy through nationwide connectivity and innovation ecosystems; education through technical training and research partnerships; and tourism through sustainable development of natural and cultural assets. To unlock such scale, credibility must be institutionalized through transparency, independent oversight, digital monitoring, and strict performance benchmarks, with structural reforms embedded into the financing framework.

It should not be necessary to remind the world, and the United States in particular, of the immense human, material, and opportunity costs Pakistan has borne, and continues to bear, for supporting the 49-nation coalition in the Afghanistan war as a principal frontline state throughout the two-decade War on Terror. Since 2001, Pakistan has suffered losses conservatively estimated at over one trillion dollars, alongside the sacrifice of more than one hundred thousand civilian and uniformed lives. These are not abstract figures; they represent a staggering national burden; an unfinished and largely unacknowledged legacy of the War on Terror.

The United States should assume a leading role in seizing this historic opportunity to help establish the proposed $2 trillion Pakistan Development Partnership Fund (PDPF). Such moments of convergence are exceedingly rare—defined by a narrowly averted global conflict, effective diplomacy, and a shared determination to prevent catastrophe. By grounding peace in economic interdependence and inclusive growth, the region can transform crisis into enduring opportunity. In the period ahead, the international community may once again look to Pakistan to play a constructive and stabilizing role in advancing efforts toward a just and lasting resolution of the Palestine crisis.

The ceasefire was the first step; a bold, cooperative development compact; centered on Pakistan but globally supported, can ensure it becomes the foundation of a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

8^th April, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

In an era marked by volatility and fractured alignments, Pakistan has emerged—not merely as a participant but, as a poised, principled, and profoundly consequential architect of restraint in the unfolding Gulf crisis. With a diplomatic agility that borders on the extraordinary, Islamabad has woven together channels of influence stretching from Tehran to Washington, from Riyadh to Beijing, demonstrating a rare capacity to be heard, trusted, and respected across deeply divided geopolitical fault lines. This is not routine diplomacy; it is strategic statecraft of the highest order; measured, credible, and quietly transformative.

Pakistan’s role stands out for its combination of moral clarity and pragmatic finesse. It has refused the temptations of rhetorical excess while simultaneously amplifying the urgency of de-escalation. In doing so, it has elevated itself into a stabilizing fulcrum; a state that speaks not for blocs, but for balance; not for escalation, but for equilibrium. Its voice carries weight precisely because it is anchored in consistency: respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and an unambiguous prioritization of peace over posturing.

Equally remarkable is the seamless strategic synchrony between Pakistan and China, two nations operating with disciplined coherence to inject sobriety into an overheated geopolitical theatre. Their joint posture is not reactive but anticipatory; not symbolic but substantive. It signals the emergence of a diplomatic axis that is both credible and constructive, capable of bridging divides that others have only deepened.

Five-Point Initiative of China and Pakistan for Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region (Beijing, 31 March 2026)

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China H.E. Mr. Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar met in Beijing on 31 March 2026 to review the situation in the Gulf and Middle East Region.

The two sides put forward the following:

I.     Immediate Cessation of Hostilities: China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas.

II.     Start of peace talks as soon as possible. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks.

III.     Security of nonmilitary targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.

IV.     Security of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy. China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible.

V.     Primacy of the United Nations Charter. China and Pakistan call for efforts to practice true multilateralism, to jointly strengthen the primacy of the U.N., and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and international law.

Islamabad
March 31,2026

85/2026

What emerges is a masterclass in calibrated diplomacy. Pakistan’s expansive and simultaneous engagement across rival capitals underscores its rising stature as a credible interlocutor, while China’s willingness to step forward as an “honest broker” signals a maturing global role. Together, they present not just a statement, but a pathway, one rooted in legitimacy, balance, and the quiet conviction that even the most tangled imbroglio can yield to principled, persistent diplomacy.

At this decisive moment, as the Gulf conflict edges toward a likely denouement in the coming days or weeks, potentially preceding a consequential visit by the President of the United States to China; Pakistan stands at the threshold of converting diplomatic prestige into enduring economic transformation. At its core, diplomacy finds its highest purpose not merely in managing crises, but in elevating a nation to become a focal point, indeed, the “apple of the eye”, of global economic growth and development. Nowhere is this opportunity more compelling than in the rise of Karachi: already one of the most sought-after harbor during the present Gulf crisis, its geostrategic relevance has been underscored by its reliability, connectivity, and capacity under pressure. Augmented by the deep-sea capabilities of Port Qasim, Karachi presents a dual-port advantage of rare distinction, an integrated maritime gateway capable of handling the expanding currents of regional and transregional trade.

With the forward thrust of CPEC Phase II and the collaborative engagement of friendly nations, the bold declaration of Karachi as a comprehensive Special Economic, tax-free zone could catalyze its evolution into a futuristic global economic hub; surpassing even the benchmarks set by Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In doing so, Karachi would not merely expand; it would transform, emerging as the harbinger and prime mover of Pakistan’s economic renaissance, and ensuring that the dividends of peace are anchored firmly within Pakistan’s shores.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

1^st April, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

Pakistan is sliding into an economic and social emergency. Real incomes are falling, food consumption is shrinking, and inequality is widening at levels unseen in decades. When households begin cutting back not only on meat but on wheat and rice, the crisis is no longer abstract, rather it is existential.

Credible assessments tell the same story. Economist Yousuf Nazar estimates that when vulnerability above the subsistence line is included, as much as 60–70 percent of Pakistan’s population may now be poor or at risk. Former finance minister Miftah Ismail has highlighted that real incomes and consumption have been declining for nearly a decade, while official survey data reported by journalist Shahbaz Rana show poverty and inequality at multi-decade highs.

Pakistan has had seven prime ministers and eleven finance ministers since 2014. If leadership change were the answer, recovery would have already begun. The problem is not who governs Pakistan, but it is how Pakistan is governed.

A State Designed to Spend, Not to Deliver

Pakistan’s constitutional and fiscal architecture rewards expansion of government rather than performance. Power and resources sit far from citizens, while accountability evaporates as responsibilities pass between federal, provincial, and district authorities.

Provinces receive large fiscal transfers but face little pressure to deliver education, health, or economic opportunity. Districts, where citizens actually encounter the state; remain underpowered and underfunded. The result is a large, expensive government that delivers remarkably little.

This is not a failure of intent. It is a failure by design of the elite capture.

What Pakistan Can Learn from South Korea, Malaysia and China;
countries that have successfully reduced poverty did not rely on slogans. They restructured incentives. China achieved historic poverty reduction through relentless focus on delivery and local accountability. Moreover, Switzerland demonstrates how decentralised, fiscally autonomous local governments can deliver prosperity without a bloated state.

Pakistan should adapt these lessons by transforming its districts into civil Cantons: political, fiscal, and administrative units with real authority over education, healthcare, local infrastructure, and taxation.

When governance moves closer to citizens, responsibility becomes visible; and so does failure.

Why Provincial Political Governments Must Give Way

Once districts are empowered as Cantons, the current provincial political superstructure becomes redundant. Governors, chief ministers, and oversized provincial cabinets add cost without improving service delivery.

Provinces should be retained only as lean coordinating bodies, responsible for inter-district infrastructure, standards, and dispute resolution: not day-to-day governance. This reform alone would significantly reduce public expenditure while improving accountability.

Decentralisation does not weaken the state. It makes it work.

Fiscal Discipline Without Austerity for the Poor

Economic recovery will require painful choices, but not for those already suffering.

Loss-making state-owned enterprises must be privatised or closed. Untargeted subsidies and elite privileges including free utilities/servants must end. Tax rates should fall, but exemptions; especially for powerful sectors such as agriculture, retail, and real estate; must disappear.

At the same time, social protection must expand. Cash transfers, nutrition programmes, and education vouchers for poor households are not charity; they are investments in stability.

The Real Choice Before Pakistan

Pakistan’s crisis is often described as cyclical. It is not. It is structural. Without a redesign of the state, growth will remain fragile, poverty will deepen, and inequality will harden into permanence.

These reforms will face resistance and harsh criticism because they threaten entrenched interests and patronage networks. But delaying them guarantees a harsher outcome: a poorer, more fragile country unable to provide opportunity for its citizens.

Pakistan does not need another change of government.
It needs a change in how the state works.

That choice cannot be postponed, because hunger, unemployment, and despair are not waiting.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Lahore.
+92 321 9402157

Excellency Shehbaz Sharif,

اسلام و علیکم

Honourable Sir,

Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport and a proud symbol of our sporting heritage. It is the game that brought immense glory to the nation, earning Pakistan eight Olympic medals — three gold, three silver and two bronze out of total 11 medals won — at the Olympic Games. Regrettably, our national hockey has suffered a prolonged decline, culminating in Pakistan’s failure to qualify for the last three Olympic Games.

As you have rightly and consistently emphasized, every challenge presents an opportunity.

Following the recent resignation of the President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), we are faced with a critical leadership vacuum at a decisive moment.
With our national team scheduled to travel within few days on 24th February to Egypt for participation in the World Cup qualifiers scheduled from 01 – 07 March 2026, the situation calls for immediate, visionary, and result-oriented leadership.

In this context, I respectfully submit that Mujahid Anwar Khan, Air Chief Marshal (Retd.), stands out as an exceptional candidate to lead the PHF.
A proven leader with an uncompromising commitment to excellence, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to transform institutions through clarity of vision, strategic foresight, and decisive execution.

His tenure as Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force is widely acknowledged—both nationally and internationally—as a benchmark of dynamic leadership. Of particular note is his foresight in establishing the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTAIC) in 2020. The strategic significance of this initiative has even been acknowledged by Indian media. ZEE News, in a report dated 7 August 2025 titled “Operation Sindoor Fallout: What Is CENTAIC and Why India Can’t Ignore China-Pak AI War Network”, highlighted CENTAIC as a central pillar of Pakistan’s AI-driven military transformation. The opening paragraph of the report, in particular, stands as a remarkable tribute to Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan’s vision and strategic foresight.

(Reference link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/zeenews.india.com/world/operation-sindoor-fallout-what-is-centaic-and-why-india-can-t-ignore-china-pak-ai-war-network-2942864.html/amp)

At a time when Pakistan hockey urgently requires institutional reform, professional governance, and a renewed culture of excellence, Air Chief Marshal (R) Mujahid Anwar Khan’s leadership credentials make him uniquely suited to spearhead its revival. His appointment as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation would send a strong and reassuring signal of seriousness, accountability, and ambition — qualities essential for restoring Pakistan hockey to its rightful place on the world stage.

I sincerely hope this submission will receive your kind consideration in the larger national interest.

With the highest respect,

Yours faithfully,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Lahore
+92 321 9402157

Preventing deaths of children and adults in open manholes requires a mix of engineering fixes, governance, and community action. One layer alone isn’t enough.

1. Engineering & Infrastructure (most critical)

These prevent accidents even when humans fail.

• Lockable, tamper-proof manhole covers:

• Heavy, interlocking, or bolted covers that cannot be removed casually or stolen.

• Hinged or chained covers:

• So, a cover can’t be fully displaced and left open.

Raised or sealed rims:

Prevent waterlogging and accidental slips.

Load-bearing, standardized covers:

So temporary wooden/metal sheets are never used.

Smart sensors (where feasible):

Low-cost IoT sensors that alert authorities when a manhole is opened or displaced.

This is the single biggest life-saving step.

2. Visibility & Immediate Risk Reduction

When a manhole must be open:

• High-visibility barricades (not stones or branches)
• Reflective tape, cones, and warning signs
• Solar or battery-powered blinking lights at night
• Temporary steel grates that allow work but prevent falls

Open = Protected. No exceptions.

3. Maintenance & Accountability

Deaths often happen because “someone was supposed to close it.”

• Digital logging of maintenance work
• Open → work → close → photo proof → supervisor sign-off

• Time limits on openings (e.g., auto-alerts if open too long)
• Clear legal responsibility assigned to a named department or contractor
• Heavy penalties for negligence, not just inquiries after deaths

Accountability saves lives more than posters do.

4. Preventing Cover Theft

A huge hidden cause.

• Non-resale materials (fiber-reinforced plastic instead of iron)
• Serial-numbered covers
• Scrap-dealer regulation and audits
• Community reward systems for reporting stolen or missing covers

If it can’t be sold, it won’t be stolen.

5. Urban Design & Child Safety

Especially important near homes and schools.

• Manholes away from play areas
• Protective railings in high-risk zones
• School-area audits after monsoons
• Covered drainage systems instead of open designs

6. Public Reporting & Rapid Response

People often see danger but don’t know whom to tell.

• Single emergency helpline / app
• QR codes on poles nearby to report issues
• Guaranteed response time (e.g., barricade within 2 hours)

Fast action prevents the next death.

7. Education (supporting role, not the main solution)

Useful, but never a substitute for safety.

• Teaching children to avoid open drains
• Training workers on safe practices
• Public campaigns during rainy seasons

Education helps — infrastructure protects.

Bottom line:

Deaths from open manholes are 100% preventable.

When they happen, it’s not an accident — it’s a systems failure.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

3^rd February, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

Pakistan today stands at a decisive crossroads. Persistent governance failures, absolute elite capture, economic fragility, institutional decay, corruption, uneven justice delivery, and widening social alienation have pushed the country into a prolonged state of crisis. Incremental reforms and short-term fixes have failed repeatedly. What Pakistan now requires is not another policy tweak, but a structural, constitutional reset.

The expected 28th Constitutional Amendment presents a rare, historic opportunity to fundamentally redesign governance in Pakistan. At stake is nothing less than the country’s unity, stability, and economic future.

Two bold reform pathways are under serious consideration; either of which could redefine Pakistan’s trajectory if executed with political will and national consensus.

Option A: Converting Districts/Divisions into Cantons/Autonomous Units – Governance Through Full Fledged Down Delegation

The first option proposes the conversion of all districts/divisions into autonomous Cantons/Units, governed under uniform, rules-based administrative frameworks. This model emphasizes:

• Strong local governance with clear accountability
• Swift delivery of justice and public services
• Zero tolerance for corruption and elite capture
• Direct citizen-state engagement at the grassroots

By shrinking the distance between decision-makers and citizens, Canton-based governance can neutralize inefficiency, restore public trust, and eliminate the administrative chaos that fuels discontent and lawlessness.

Option B: Federal Charter Cities – Engines of Growth and Stability

The second, more transformative option is the launch of Federal Charter Cities, beginning with five strategic urban centers by 2030:

Karachi, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gwadar, and Rashakai/Hattar

These cities would operate under special constitutional charters, independent of provincial dysfunction, with globally competitive systems for:

• Law and order
• Commercial dispute resolution
• Taxation and regulation
• Urban planning and infrastructure
• Digital governance and merit-based administration

Charter Cities are not theoretical experiments. They have powered economic miracles in Shenzhen, Dubai, and Singapore. China’s expressed willingness to support Pakistan in this transformation adds geopolitical credibility and financial muscle to the plan.

A Phased National Transformation

The reform envisions a phased rollout:

• Phase I (2026–2030): Five Charter Cities launched
• Phase II (2030–2035): Five additional cities
• Phase III (2035–2047): Nationwide expansion

By Pakistan’s centenary in 2047, the country can realistically aspire to become a $10 trillion economy, ranking among the global top ten; not through slogans, but through systems.

Why This Is an Existential Need—not a Luxury

These reforms are no longer optional. They are essential to:

• End elite capture and systemic corruption
• Deliver fast-track justice and public services
• Create mass employment and reduce poverty
• Drain oxygen from insurgencies and proxy wars
• Heal alienation in neglected regions

Underdevelopment, injustice, and governance failure are the real enablers of extremism and foreign interference. Charter governance strikes at their roots.

A Choice Between Managed Decline and Strategic Rebirth

Pakistan’s challenge has never been a lack of talent, resources, or strategic importance, but it has been a failure of governance design. The 28th Constitutional Amendment offers a final chance to correct this foundational flaw.

History will not judge Pakistan by its intentions, but by its courage to act.

This is the moment to choose systems over slogans, institutions over individuals, and long-term national survival over short-term political comfort.

The window is narrow. The stakes are absolute.

Pakistan must decide about a reset now, or risk permanent decline.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

2^nd February, 2026 nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

Pakistan and Bangladesh together account for nearly half a billion people. If the International Cricket Council (ICC) thinks it can trample over the sentiments of this vast cricket-loving population to appease Indian political pressure, then it should abandon the illusion of neutrality altogether. Such conduct only hastens the ICC’s descent into an Indian Cricket Council, one that sacrifices fairness, inclusivity, and credibility for dominance, and in doing so signs its own death warrant.

From Pakistan’s standpoint, the hypocrisy is blatant. How is Pakistan expected to share a World Cup stage with India when Indian leaders openly declare that the May 25 war with Pakistan was never called off? This is not rhetoric; it is an admission of ongoing hostility. The situation becomes even more indefensible when India continues its acts of aggression by effectively suspending and violating the Indus Waters Treaty, using water as a weapon against millions of civilians.

You cannot preach peace through sport while waging undeclared war through words, policies, and treaties. Cricket cannot be used as a propaganda tool to whitewash continuous hostility. Forcing Pakistan to participate under these conditions is not “keeping politics out of sport”, it is enforcing political coercion through sport.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

25th January, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

In a high-stakes move to reform the country’s entrenched bureaucracy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered the swift development of bold recommendations for a comprehensive system to evaluate the performance of federal secretaries, signalling a major overhaul of the civil service. Stressing the urgency of reform, he said that aligning the civil service with international standards was no longer optional but essential for improving governance, adding that these sweeping changes were crucial to bringing the country’s civil administration in line with global best practices.

In this connection, given below are practical, implementable recommendations for the Prime Minister of Pakistan to ensure that his vision for bold, forward-looking civil service reforms is anchored in an AI-enabled performance evaluation system for federal secretaries, one that is credible, bias-resistant, and genuinely transformative, rather than yet another bureaucratic formality.

Below are practical, implementable recommendations for the Prime Minister of Pakistan to ensure that his vision for bold, forward-looking civil service reforms is anchored in an AI-enabled performance evaluation system for federal secretaries, one that is credible, bias-resistant, and genuinely transformative, rather than yet another bureaucratic formality.

1. Establish a Clear, AI-Ready Performance Framework (Before Technology)

Why it matters: AI cannot fix a flawed evaluation design. It only scales what already exists.

Recommendations:

Define 5–7 core performance pillars common to all federal secretaries, such as:

• Policy delivery & outcomes
• Budget utilisation efficiency
• Inter-ministerial coordination
• Reform implementation speed
• Public service impact (citizen-facing results)
• Integrity & compliance

Each pillar should have quantifiable indicators (KPIs) rather than narrative assessments.

Limit discretionary scoring to no more than 15–20% of total evaluation.

👉 This ensures AI works on measurable facts, not personal opinions.

2. Use AI as an “Evaluator of Evidence,” Not an Arbitrator of Power

Key Principle: AI should analyze data, not replace human accountability.

How to apply AI:

Feed AI systems with:

Cabinet decisions implementation timelines

• PSDP project completion data
• Audit reports (PAC, Auditor General)
• Budget absorption rates
• Parliamentary question response times
• Citizen complaint portals (PMDU, Pakistan Citizen Portal)

AI should:

 Detect patterns of delays, inefficiencies, or improvements

 Flag inconsistencies between reported and actual performance

 Compare performance across ministries and over time

👉 AI evaluates evidence, while final decisions remain with elected leadership.

3. Bias Elimination Through Algorithmic Safeguards

To prevent political, regional, or personal bias:

Mandatory safeguards:

  Blind scoring: AI evaluates anonymised performance data (no name, cadre, province).

  Peer benchmarking: Performance compared only with secretaries managing similar-sized ministries.

   Time-series analysis: Focus on improvement trajectory, not one-off outcomes.

   Outlier detection: AI flags unusually high or low scores for independent review.

👉 This protects competent officers from victimisation and exposes underperformance.

4. Introduce 360° Performance Signals, Without Turning It into a Popularity Contest

Balanced inputs should include:

• Ministerial objectives (structured, not open-ended)
• Subordinate feedback (weighted lightly, anonymised)
• Inter-ministerial collaboration scores
• Independent data sources (audits, project dashboards)

AI role:

• Filter emotional or retaliatory feedback
• Identify recurring issues mentioned across multiple sources
• Ignore single-source complaints unless corroborated

👉 This avoids politicisation while still capturing ground realities.

5. Real-Time Dashboards for the Prime Minister’s Office

What the PM should see:

• Live performance dashboards of all federal secretaries
• Red/amber/green status on reform delivery
• Early-warning alerts for delayed flagship initiatives
• Comparative performance trends (quarterly and annual)

Why this is game-changing:

• Moves PM oversight from reactive to predictive
• Reduces dependence on selective briefings
• Makes performance discussions fact-based

6. Link Evaluation Outcomes to Clear Consequences

Without consequences, even the best AI system will fail.

Recommended actions:

 Top 20% performers:

• Accelerated promotions
• Prestigious postings
• International training opportunities

  Bottom 20% (after due process):

• Mandatory performance improvement plans
• Reassignment to less critical roles
• Early retirement options (where legally possible)

👉 Merit must be visible, and underperformance must have costs.

7. Independent AI Governance & Oversight Body

To build trust within the civil service:

 Create an Independent Performance Evaluation Unit reporting directly to the PM

 Include:

• AI experts
• Governance specialists
• Retired senior civil servants with reform credibility

  Mandate annual algorithm audits to ensure:

• No systemic bias
• Transparency in scoring logic
• Compliance with law and service rules

8. Start with a Pilot, Then Scale Fast

Suggested approach:

• Pilot the system in 5 key ministries (Finance, Planning, Energy, Health, Commerce)
• Run parallel evaluations (traditional + AI) for 6 months
• Refine indicators before nationwide rollout

👉 Speed with credibility is better than rushed failure.

9. Communicate Reform as Protection for the Honest Officer

For success, narrative matters.

PM’s messaging should emphasise:

• AI protects officers from arbitrary decisions
• Performance, not connections, will define careers
• Reform is about empowerment, not punishment

👉 This will reduce resistance and win buy-in from competent officers.

Final Strategic Insight

If implemented correctly, an AI-enabled, bias-resistant evaluation system can become:

• The most powerful civil service reform since independence
• A lasting institutional legacy beyond any single government
• A model for provincial and SOE reforms

The key is not technology alone, but disciplined leadership, clear rules, and unwavering political will.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

18th January, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

Submitted for the kind consideration of the Prime Minister of Pakistan

Background

In line with the Prime Minister’s recent directives, as reported in the press, regarding the expedited placement of Pakistani manpower in Gulf countries, there is a compelling opportunity to fundamentally transform Pakistan’s economic outlook through a strategic shift from low-paid, unskilled labor export to high-value, certified skilled workforce export.

At present, millions of Pakistani expatriate workers are employed abroad at very low remuneration levels, primarily due to the lack of internationally recognized skills training and certification. This has constrained Pakistan’s remittance potential despite the large size of its overseas workforce.

Problem Statement

While Gulf and other developed countries have a severe shortage of skilled tradespeople, Pakistan exports predominantly low-skilled or semi-skilled labor, resulting in:

• Low wages for Pakistani workers abroad
• Underutilization of Pakistan’s young and capable workforce
• Missed opportunities for exponential growth in remittances

Highly paid and consistently in-demand trades abroad include:

• Culinary arts (chefs, bakers, food technologists)
• Plumbing and sanitary services
• Electrical and power technicians
• Nursing and allied healthcare services
• Automobile repair and diagnostics
• Hairdressing, beauty, and personal care services

These professions command multiple times higher salaries compared to general labor categories in Gulf countries, Europe, East Asia, and North America.

Strategic Opportunity

If Pakistan systematically trains and exports workers who are:

• Professionally skilled
• Certified by world-recognized institutions
• Aligned with international labor market requirements

then Pakistan can increase its annual remittances by more than USD 150 billion within the next three to four years, according to conservative projections based on wage differentials and demand trends.

Such an increase in remittances has the potential to:

• Stabilize foreign exchange reserves
• Reduce reliance on external borrowing
• Strengthen the Pakistani rupee
• Improve household incomes and poverty indicators
• Rapidly alter Pakistan’s economic landscape in a short timeframe

• Proposed Policy Measures

To achieve this objective, the following measures are proposed for immediate consideration and implementation:

1. National High-Value Skills Export Initiative

Launch a focused national program under NAVTTC/TEVTAs to prioritize highly paid international trades, particularly those in demand in Gulf countries.

2. International Certification Framework

Partner with world-recognized certification bodies (e.g., City & Guilds, Pearson, NVQs, international nursing councils, global hospitality institutes) to ensure Pakistani workers meet global standards.

3. Fast-Track Digital Skill Mapping

Leverage complete digitization and online monitoring (as already directed by the Prime Minister) to:

• Map skilled workers in real time
• Match them with overseas demand
• Track placement, wages, and performance

4. Ministry-Led Overseas Placement Drive

Direct the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to:

• Secure government-to-government labor agreements
• Negotiate skill-specific quotas with Gulf states
• Promote Pakistan as a reliable supplier of certified skilled manpower

 5. Apprenticeship and Industry Linkages

Ensure strict implementation of the Apprenticeship Law by linking training institutes with:

• Hotels, hospitals, workshops, and construction firms
• Domestic and international employers

6. Youth-Focused Skill Transformation

Target Pakistani youth with structured pathways from training → certification → overseas employment, reducing unemployment while maximizing national returns.

Expected Outcomes

If implemented with urgency and coordination, this strategy will:

Shift Pakistan from low-wage labor export to high-income skill export

• Multiply remittance inflows within 3–4 years
• Enhance Pakistan’s reputation as a skilled manpower hub
• Deliver rapid and sustainable economic gains

Conclusion:

Pakistan’s young workforce is rich in potential but under-leveraged. By emphasizing the export of trained, certified, and globally competitive skills, the Government of Pakistan can unlock unprecedented economic benefits in a very short time.

This proposal fully aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of modernizing vocational training, accelerating overseas employment, and maximizing the value of Pakistani human capital.

Submitted with utmost respect for kind consideration and necessary directions.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

14th January, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.

New Year 2026 Greetings

As the new year 2026 unfolds, we extend our heartfelt wishes to the people of India for peace, stability, and prosperity. This message from Pakistan comes not as a gesture of weakness, nor as rhetoric, but as a confident appeal rooted in realism, dignity, and goodwill.

If friendship is to exist between our two nations, it must be sincere and meaningful, not symbolic, selective, or hypocritical. True friendship cannot flourish amid double standards, nor can peace endure where mistrust is cultivated as policy.

Pakistan today stands as a strong, resilient, and fully capable country, secure in its sovereignty and firm in its deterrence. This strength is not meant for aggression, but for stability. At the same time, the strategic reality of our region is undeniable: neither India nor Pakistan can conquer the other without inviting mutual destruction. Conflict between us promises no victor; only irreversible loss.

So why must we continue to exhaust our energies on imagined hatreds and inherited animosities? Why remain captives of a painful past when the future calls for wisdom, restraint, and vision?

Let this new year be a conscious moment of renewal.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Let us choose genuine peace which must be grounded in mutual respect and strategic balance. Let fear give way to confidence, and provocation to dialogue. Let both nations feel secure enough to step back from perpetual confrontation and redirect their immense potential toward human progress.

Ring out the false pride of place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Let us fight the real enemies that plague our peoples with poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance, and inequality. Let us imagine a subcontinent known not as a nuclear flashpoint, but as a cradle of civilisation, commerce, culture, and compassion.

India and Pakistan need only a single uninterrupted decade of authentic and sustained peace to transform South Asia into one of the most powerful economic and cultural regions of the world. The condition is simple yet profound: peace must be genuine, consistent, and mutual; like the peace that binds today’s Europe.

Why should India and Pakistan continue to live like a divided Korea: eternally mobilised, mistrustful, and frozen in hostility? Why can we not live like a united Europe? Europe, once shattered by centuries of conflict and two world wars, chose reconciliation over revenge; and today reaps the dividends of peace, integration, and shared prosperity.

Both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed states. War between us is not courage; it is collective suicide. Even the illusion of “limited war” is a dangerous fantasy. Any escalation risks destruction so vast that it would poison not only our lands, but the future of generations to come.

Peace, therefore, is not a concession. It is the highest form of strategic wisdom.

Disputes will remain; no neighbours are without differences. But civilisation advances when peace is given priority over provocation, and dialogue over dogma.

Let us make a new beginning with the simple and humane resolve:

Long live the friendship of the teeming millions of India and Pakistan.

With respect, confidence, and sincere hope for a peaceful and prosperous year ahead.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore – Pakistan

+92 321 9402157

1st January, 2026

nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.