Pakistan’s relationship with cryptocurrency is a complex and evolving one, with signs of both significant adoption and ongoing regulatory challenges. The analogy of a “crypto balloon flying too close to the sun” might be apt, given the enthusiasm for crypto in the country juxtaposed with the inherent risks and the government’s cautious, often contradictory, stance.

Here’s a breakdown of the situation:

High Adoption Despite Ambiguity:

• Significant User Base: Pakistan has a remarkably high rate of crypto adoption, ranking among the top countries globally. Reports indicate millions of users, with some estimates suggesting over 20 million, making it a significant player in the crypto space.
• Economic Drivers: This adoption is often driven by a desire to hedge against inflation and currency depreciation, as well as the convenience of faster and cheaper transactions for freelancers and remittances. Many Pakistanis use stablecoins to protect their finances.
• Peer-to-Peer Trading: A substantial portion of crypto activity in Pakistan occurs through peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions, which makes it harder for authorities to track and regulate.

The Evolving Regulatory Landscape – A Mixed Signal:

• Historical Ban & Caution: For years, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Ministry of Finance have maintained that cryptocurrency is not legal tender and have advised the public against trading it, citing risks like high volatility, fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
• Recent Shift Towards Regulation: Despite the official ban, there’s a clear shift in government attitude.
  • Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC): The Ministry of Finance recently endorsed the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) and the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC). These bodies are tasked with exploring regulatory frameworks, tokenizing national assets, facilitating Bitcoin mining using surplus electricity, and fostering blockchain innovation.
  • “Regulate, not ban”: There’s a growing sentiment within government and industry that outright prohibition is not effective and that regulation is necessary to protect consumers, attract investment, and harness the potential of this technology.
  • Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: The CEO of the PCC has even announced the creation of a national Bitcoin wallet to hold digital assets as a sovereign reserve, signaling a long-term commitment.

Risks and Challenges (The “Too Close to the Sun” Part):

• Lack of Legal Clarity: The biggest challenge remains the ambiguous legal status of cryptocurrencies. While there are initiatives to regulate, a formal legal framework is yet to receive parliamentary approval. This creates confusion and leaves users vulnerable.
• Regulatory Contradictions: There are conflicting signals from different government bodies. The SBP and Ministry of Finance still reiterate the illegality of crypto transactions, even as the Crypto Council pushes for regulation and explores initiatives like Bitcoin mining.
• Consumer Protection: Without robust regulation, investors lack legal protection and recourse in cases of fraud, hacking, or exchange failures.
• Financial Stability and Capital Flight: Concerns about potential capital flight and impact on financial stability persist, especially given Pakistan’s economic challenges.
• AML/CFT Concerns: While Pakistan has made strides in meeting FATF recommendations, the anonymous nature of some crypto transactions raises ongoing concerns about money laundering and terrorism financing.
• Shariah Compliance: For a country with a significant Islamic finance sector, Shariah compliance is a key consideration. The speculative nature of cryptocurrencies can be a challenge for Islamic finance principles.
• Infrastructure and Awareness: Challenges also include a lack of public awareness, prevalence of scams, and limited technical infrastructure.

Conclusion:

Pakistan’s crypto balloon is undoubtedly flying high, fueled by strong public interest and a recognition of the technology’s potential. However, it’s also navigating a turbulent regulatory atmosphere. The “too close to the sun” analogy highlights the inherent risks of this high-flying adoption without a clear, comprehensive, and consistent regulatory framework.

The current move towards regulation, particularly with the establishment of the PDAA and PCC, suggests a more pragmatic approach from the government. If successful, this could help mitigate the risks and allow Pakistan to harness the benefits of digital assets. However, until a robust and unified legal framework is firmly in place, the journey remains fraught with uncertainty for crypto users and businesses in the country.

Plastic bags indeed pose significant urban problems, impacting various aspects of city life and the environment. Here’s a breakdown of the major issues:
1. Environmental Pollution and Litter:
* Visual Blight: Plastic bags are highly visible litter, accumulating in streets, parks, and waterways, making urban areas look unsightly and neglected.
* Drainage Systems Clogging: They easily get into storm drains and sewer systems, causing blockages that lead to localized flooding during rain events. This can damage infrastructure, disrupt traffic, and create unhygienic conditions.
* Harm to Wildlife: Animals, particularly birds and marine life, often mistake plastic bags for food, leading to ingestion that can cause internal injuries, blockages, starvation, and death. They can also get entangled in bags, hindering movement and causing suffocation.
* Soil and Water Contamination: As plastic bags break down into microplastics over time, they contaminate soil and water sources, potentially entering the food chain and posing risks to human health.
2. Waste Management Challenges:
* Bulky and Lightweight: Despite their light weight, plastic bags take up significant volume in landfills, reducing their lifespan. Their lightweight nature also makes them easily airborne, contributing to litter.
* Difficult to Recycle: Many types of plastic bags are difficult and expensive to recycle due to their low density and tendency to jam recycling machinery. Contamination from food residue or other materials also makes them unsuitable for many recycling processes.
* High Collection Costs: Cleaning up littered plastic bags requires significant municipal resources, including labor and equipment, increasing waste management budgets.
3. Economic Impacts:
* Tourism and Property Values: A polluted urban environment due to plastic bag litter can deter tourism and negatively impact property values, reducing economic opportunities.
* Infrastructure Damage: The costs associated with clearing clogged drains and repairing flood damage caused by plastic bags can be substantial for municipalities.
* Agricultural Impact (Peri-Urban Areas): In areas where urban sprawl meets agricultural land, plastic bags can blow into fields, affecting crop growth and potentially being ingested by livestock.
4. Social and Health Issues:
* Disease Vectors: Clogged drains and standing water caused by plastic bags can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying vectors.
* Aesthetic Degradation: A visually polluted environment can negatively impact the mental well-being and sense of pride among urban residents.
Solutions and Mitigation Efforts:
Many cities worldwide are implementing strategies to combat the plastic bag problem, including:
* Bans or Levies: Imposing outright bans or charging fees for plastic bags to discourage their use.
* Promoting Reusable Bags: Encouraging citizens to use cloth or other durable reusable bags.
* Improved Waste Management: Investing in better collection systems, street cleaning, and advanced recycling technologies.
* Public Awareness Campaigns: Educating the public about the environmental impact of plastic bags and the importance of responsible disposal.
* Developing Biodegradable Alternatives: Research and development into truly biodegradable and compostable bag alternatives.
Addressing the plastic bag problem requires a multi-pronged approach involving government policy, industry innovation, and public cooperation.

Gary Kirsten recently opened up about his reasons for leaving his coaching role with the Pakistan cricket team, citing a significant lack of influence and external interference. He was the white-ball coach, while Jason Gillespie was the Test coach, and both saw their tenures cut short.

Here are the key points from Gary Kirsten’s statements:

• Lack of Influence in Selection: Kirsten stated that a primary reason for his departure was being removed from the selection panel. He felt that once he was “taken off selection and asked to take a team and not be able to shape the team, it became very difficult as a coach then to have any sort of positive influence on the group.” This lack of authority over team composition made his role largely ineffective.

• External Interference: He hinted at significant “external influential noise” and “other agendas” that made it difficult to lead the team effectively. Kirsten emphasized that “Cricket teams need to be run by cricket people” and that when there’s a lot of outside interference, it’s hard for leaders to guide the team where it needs to go. He explicitly stated, “I’m too old now to be dealing with other agendas; I just want to coach a cricket team and work with the players.”

• “No Unity” in the Team: Reports from during his tenure, specifically after Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, quoted Kirsten as saying there was “no unity” in the Pakistan team and that he had “never seen such a situation” in his coaching career. He reportedly stated that players were not supporting each other and were separated.

• Short and Tumultuous Stint: Kirsten took over as Pakistan’s white-ball coach in April 2024 but resigned just six months into his job. He described these as “tumultuous few months.”

Despite the frustrating experience, Kirsten has not ruled out a potential return to coach Pakistan in the future, but only “under the right circumstances” and without the external interference he experienced previously. He expressed his fondness for the Pakistan players, acknowledging the immense pressure they face

نایاب زمینی دھاتیں دراصل 17 کیمیائی عناصر پر مشتمل ایک گروپ ہوتا ہے جو زمین کی سطح پر کم مقدار میں پائے جاتے ہیں، لیکن ان کی ٹیکنالوجی، دفاع، اور توانائی کے شعبوں میں انتہائی اہمیت ہے۔

یہ درج ذیل 2 گروپ پر مشتمل ہوتے ہیں:

1) لینتھینائیڈز گروپ (15 عناصر): اس میں نیوڈیمیم (Neodymium), یتربیئم (Ytterbium), سماریم (Samarium), گڈولیینم (Gadolinium) اور ڈیسپروسیئم (Dysprosium) جیسی دیگر دھاتیں شامل ہوتی ہیں۔

2) دوسرے گروپ میں 2 دھاتیں موجود ہیں: اسکینڈیئم (Scandium) اور یتریم (Yttrium)

ترقی یافتہ ممالک کے لیے ان کی اہمیت کیوں ہے؟

یہ دھاتیں ہائی ٹیک مصنوعات کی تیاری میں ضروری ہیں جیسے موبائل فونز، لیپ ٹاپ، کیمرے، ایل ای ڈی وغیرہ میں۔ اسی طرح نیوڈیمیم اور پراسیوڈیمیم کی مدد سے مضبوط میگنیٹس بنتے ہیں جو ایئر فونز، الیکٹرک گاڑیوں اور ونڈ ٹربائنز میں استعمال ہوتے ہیں۔

یہ نایاب دھاتیں ریڈار، میزائل سسٹمز، فائٹر جیٹ، اور نائٹ وژن میں بھی استعمال ہوتی ہیں۔ سماریم-کوبالٹ میگنیٹس کو ہائی ٹمپریچر میں استعمال کیا جا سکتا ہے جو جنگی طیاروں میں بہت اہم ہیں۔

دنیا Net-Zero کاربن اخراج کے اہداف حاصل کرنے میں بھی ان پر انحصار کرتی ہے۔ جدید چپس، ٹچ اسکرینز، اور ایرو اسپیس سسٹمز میں بھی ان کا استعمال لازمی ہوتا ہے۔