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Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

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PSMs revival must begin with accountability

THE decision by the government to revive Pakistan Steel Mills instead of proceeding with liquidation is encouraging. Pakistan needs a strong...

friday 30

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Beneath the Corridor: Pakistan’s Mineral Wealth, CPEC and the New Geopolitics of Economic Security

Beneath the Corridor: Pakistan’s Mineral Wealth, CPEC and the New Geopolitics of Economic Security

The world is entering a new economic era where critical minerals are becoming as strategically important as oil was in the twentieth century. Rare...

09.09.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Governance and identity

THE creation of Pakistan in 1947 was not merely a political development; it was the outcome of a centuries-long historical process shaped by identity,...

31.08.2026 50

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pakistan’s water emergency: Time to think beyond dams

Pakistan is no longer approaching a water crisis; it is already living through one. Rapid population growth, climate change, inefficient irrigation,...

19.08.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Makkah Agreement & emerging logic of regional security

THE Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is formally a collective security arrangement, but its significance may...

15.08.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Book Review Carving value: Pakistan’s stone & mineral economy

CARVING Value: Pakistan’s Stone and Mineral Economy is a timely contribution to the discourse on Pakistan’s natural resource potential and...

12.08.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Before creating more provinces, diagnose system

THE renewed debate over creating more provinces in Pakistan reflects genuine public frustration with weak services, distant decision making and...

08.08.2026 250

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Reconciliation where stakes are highest

PAKISTAN needs a permanent national policy of reconciliation and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan should be among the first places where it is...

02.08.2026 40

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Cockroach movement: When India’s youth challenges politics of silence

A generation that was once told to remain patient, work hard and wait for its opportunity has discovered a new language of resistance. In India, that...

25.07.2026 50

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Faceless taxation: A new way forward for Pakistan’s tax system

A good tax system is not only about collecting revenue. It is also about building trust between citizens, businesses and the government. People are...

22.07.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

The paradox of war

THROUGHOUT human history, wars have brought destruction, suffering and loss on a massive scale. Millions of people have lost their lives, economies...

16.07.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Strengthening Industrial Capacity through China–Pakistan Partnership

Pakistan possesses a highly diverse geological landscape, rich in marble, granite, limestone, gemstones, industrial minerals and strategically...

15.07.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

The unseen Pakistani player at World Cup

Pakistan may not lift the trophy, but its craftsmanship has been part of football’s greatest moments. When millions of football fans around the...

13.07.2026 40

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Social media: Control or freedom?

EVERY day, millions of voices clash and echo across social media. What began as a space for connection and creativity has become a battleground of...

09.07.2026 250

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Islamabad MoU: A beginning, not a settlement

THE Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America with Pakistan serving as...

02.07.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

SDZ: A smarter path to industrial growth in Pakistan

Pakistan’s economic challenge is not a lack of resources but a persistent failure to convert them into value. The country remains heavily reliant on...

21.06.2026 80

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC 2.0: Between Vision and Execution

The idea of a young Pakistani engineer commuting to a modern energy-efficient industrial zone or farmers using smart agriculture tools to improve...

17.06.2026 200

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pakistan’s economy: Stabilisation without transformation

PAKISTAN’S latest Economic Survey and the federal budget for 2026–27 together offer a picture that is at once reassuring and unsettling. The...

14.06.2026 200

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

From queues to careers Unlocking Pakistan’s female potential

11.06.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Empowering young talent

FRESH graduates in Pakistan face a persistent paradox. Companies claim to hire them to develop raw talent, yet they often disqualify candidates who...

02.06.2026 80

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Security beyond battlefield

THE world is entering a more dangerous phase, where conflict in one region no longer remains confined to one battlefield or border. Its effects now...

23.05.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pak-Afghan water dispute after India

PAKISTAN’S relationship with Afghanistan has long been shaped by border tensions, security concerns and mistrust. Now, another serious issue is...

20.05.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

8-0: The new benchmark

IN a country where football has long struggled for attention and stability, Pakistan’s women’s national team has quietly produced a result that...

15.05.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

China’s Manufacturing Success: Lessons for Pakistan’s Industrial Future

China’s transformation from a predominantly agrarian economy to the world’s manufacturing powerhouse in just a few decades stands as one of the...

13.05.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Bridging the gap: How education reform can boost Pakistan’s SMEs

PAKISTAN’S Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are a cornerstone of the country’s economy, contributing over 60% of employment and around 35% of...

12.05.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Punjab’s HIV crisis demands urgent, compassionate action

IN a quiet corner of a clinic in Punjab, a mother sits with her young son, holding his hand as she struggles to make sense of a diagnosis that has...

19.04.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

From Classrooms to Careers

Pakistan is educating too many young people for a future that does not exist. We continue to send millions through schools, colleges, and universities...

18.04.2026 200

The Nation

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pakistan’s global role: Internal weaknesses

14.04.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Cricket of Pakistan, by its people, for its pride

Pakistan’s cricketing style has always stood apart from other top nations, especially when it comes to batting philosophy. While modern cricket...

08.04.2026 80

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Mothers, Empires, and the Stories We’re ...

Do you remember when we were young, and our mothers would tell us stories, not just to get us to sleep but also to keep us indoors, especially during...

03.04.2026 70

The Nation

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

The governance issue in Pakistan

03.04.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC 2.0: Reimagining Pakistan’s Agricultural Future

For most Pakistanis, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has long been associated with highways, power plants and large infrastructure...

01.04.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pakistan’s debt challenges and reforms

AS of January 2026, Pakistan’s central government debt continues its upward trajectory amid fiscal pressures and borrowing needs. Data from Topline...

26.03.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Iran’s strongest leverage lies beyond the battlefield

WHEN people think about war, they usually picture airstrikes, missile exchanges, troop movements and battlefield dominance. But that lens is too...

17.03.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Economic weakness breeds geopolitical vulnerability

ACROSS recent decades, a striking pattern has emerged: nations facing contestation often experience significant economic and military weakening before...

15.03.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

AI lessons from Iran-Israel+US war

IN early 2026, the Iran–Israe US conflict showed the world that modern wars are no longer fought with missiles and soldiers alone. Artificial...

10.03.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan

THE relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has long been fraught with territorial disputes and ideological divides. However, recent events have...

05.03.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC and Neom: A Vision for Tomorrow

Humanity has always been captivated by grand visions and ambitious goals. From the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the towering skyscrapers of New York...

04.03.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC and Neom: A Vision for Tomorrow

Humanity has always been captivated by grand visions and ambitious goals. From the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the towering skyscrapers of New York...

04.03.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Securing CPEC Through Inclusion and Stability

Pakistan stands at a defining moment where economic ambition and internal stability are tightly bound together. Nowhere is this more evident than in...

26.02.2026 200

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Breaking barriers for SMEs

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are critical to the economic fabric of many countries, including Pakistan. Despite their importance, SMEs in...

15.02.2026 150

Business Recorder

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Over the counter: A growing crisis

ACROSS Pakistan, a silent but dangerous crisis is unfolding. From major cities to small towns and villages, many young people are falling into...

15.02.2026 50

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Securing CPEC Through Inclusion and Stability

04.02.2026 60

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Lahore’s rooftops come alive: Basant is here!

03.02.2026 80

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Reforming Pakistan’s SOEs

Pakistan’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) occupy a central role in the country’s economic landscape. These entities are meant to safeguard the...

27.01.2026 100

Business Recorder

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Nationalism: The key to economic stability

26.01.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

From mines to markets

23.01.2026 70

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

Pakistan’s economic crossroads: a call for urgent reforms

Pakistan is currently facing a critical economic situation, grappling with challenges that threaten its stability and future growth. Despite promises...

14.01.2026 90

Business Recorder

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC: Pakistan Before the Corridor, Under It, and Without It

14.01.2026 100

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh

CPEC 2.0: Transforming Challenges into Green Opportunities

07.01.2026 90

Pakistan Observer

Zahid Maqsood Sheikh