Let's Talk Development

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 Talk Development, Dr. Umair Javed sits down with development anthropologist Dr. Muhammad Ali to unpack the changing global aid architecture, the politics behind shrinking donor support, and what these shifts mean for Pakistan. Together, they examine the promises and pitfalls of aid, its impact on state capacity and knowledge production, and what needs to be done to contend with this new era of dwindling aid.

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 decisions, education investments, and family dynamics. This conversation in our upcoming episode of Let’s Talk Development explores the complex relationship between legal reform, social norms, and women's economic empowerment.

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) discuss how digitising land records in Punjab increased women's access to inherited land while also reshaping marriage decisions, education investments, and family dynamics. This conversation also explores the complex relationship between legal reform, social norms, and women's economic empowerment.

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 College) to discuss one of the most important questions of our time: is education in Pakistan keeping up with the fast-evolving world?From the overemphasis on grades in classrooms across Pakistan to the quiet erosion of deep thinking, Dr. Hussain draws on his extensive teaching experience at institutions like LUMS, and now heading Aitchison College, to make a compelling case for returning to the basics: critical thinking, strong writing and, above all, building character. The conversation also explores where AI fits in, and where it does not, why good teachers remain irreplaceable and what it will take to prepare Pakistan’s younger generation for a rapidly shifting world.

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