Niaz Murtaza

Op-Ed Writer at Dawn

Political economist, among senior-most Dawn Op-ed writers, UC Berkeley PhD/exFellow. Progressive/secular. support leftist parties. against army in politics.

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Articles

Rescuing democracy

2 weeks ago | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

OUR democracy is on its deathbed, felled by natural ills and inflicted wounds. These issues need legal fixes. But our elite rulers can adopt them only after large public mobilisations, such as those seen in Sindh against the canal projects, or even Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Democracy’s two basic traits are fair polls and civilian sway that slowly ensure its ultimate trait — good governance.
War and peace

1 month ago | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

After ending in a draw on the battlefield, the epic Indo-Pak tussle has moved to the battlefield of peaceful diplomacy, where it belonged from day one. The foes are now hoping for a clear win there. A draw often seems like a loss to the stronger side and a win to the upcoming side. In starting a war, India may have hoped to inflict one-sided, humiliating losses on Pakistan before global umpires intervened, fearing nuclear escalation.
One more crisis

1 month ago | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

AN economic, security, and political polycrisis had ravaged us after 2021. Luckily, our most risky crisis — war with India — didn’t occur at that time. But just as some of its axes had eased, conflict erupted, which may worsen the crisis. The April 22 terrorist act in Pahalgam was shameful. But a series of errors undid India’s valid quest to find the killers. Some of these errors by India are noted below. Political: Failing to pacify the Kashmiris despite India’s global claims to the contrary.
Common platform

2 months ago | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

THE broad contours of the regime’s vision for the future are reflected in the measures it has taken to discourage dissent against its elitist agenda of economic inequity and mediocrity regardless of the misery and insecurity it inflicts on the masses. After the February 2024 polls — widely seen as rigged — the first year saw the ruling set-up take measures that had not been seen in past civilian eras. These measures reduced civilian sway, weakened the judiciary and curbed free speech and dissent.
Unhinged America

2 months ago | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

IT is scary to see a mad elephant run amok, ravaging tiny villages until it is tamed. It is more terrifying to see the world’s sole superpower do so globally — with its nukes, financial volatility and carbon emissions posing far greater risks than wild tuskers. This is happening under a party — symbolised by an elephant — that had turned erratic long ago. Donald Trump’s actions now are truly manic. Ordinary Americans come to office one morning only to find they have lost their jobs.
Battling autocracy

Mar 17, 2025 | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

THE case against autocracy is strong. Most developed states progressed under maturing democracy. Most autocracies do poorly — economically and on human rights. The few doing better have non-replicable traits: tiny size, oil or strong revolutionary parties. Even most such parties do poorly. Autocracy does well mainly in East Asia. Democracy does well in diverse realms, including our region even when not fully mature. Yet, autocracy is growing globally.
A year of misrule

Mar 3, 2025 | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza |Jawed Naqvi

AS the PML-N set-up marks one year in power today, I review its outcomes via a detailed framework that I have used for several past set-ups. It says the quality of an administration’s outcomes depends on the quality of its strategies, which, in turn, depends on the quality of its team. The outcomes occur in five domains (economic, political, social, security, and external) and functions (legislation, policy, projects, services, and institutional reform).
Two steps back

Feb 17, 2025 | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

IT’S sad driving on Constitution Avenue, Islamabad, even after 26/11. The buildings are intact but x-ray eyes can vividly see the gutted institutions inside. Global works like Why Nations Fail see inclusive institutions as the key to progress. But at home, one sadly sees deinstitutionalisation at the hands of the unelected masters of our fate. Strong institutions emerge more easily in homogenous, equal societies.
Captain & captains

Feb 3, 2025 | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

IN this piece, I cover the new kid on the bloc — the PTI and its captain — and an aged elephant in the room. The Bhuttos are landed elites, the Sharifs business elites, while the Muslim League’s top ranks had all elite classes. The PTI is the first federal party led by upper middle-class elites, who seem well-armed, with their education, global links and resources, to rule better. But these pluses are negated by their weak grassroots links with the masses and elite status.
Shaky foundations

Jan 20, 2025 | dawn.com | Niaz Murtaza

AFTER discussing the damage caused to democracy by the two main political families (the Bhuttos and the Sharifs), I now broaden my focus to political forces. I start with the parent Muslim League which ruled Pakistan in its key formative years. The analysis reveals the same ills plaguing it as all our main parties — they have shown a stronger record in pursuing democracy when out of power but have undermined it later when in power.