Beyond the Eagle and the Dragon
This is with reference to the cover story ‘Between the Dragon and the Eagle’ that appeared in SouthAsia Magazine in its September 2025 edition. I believe Pakistan needs to be self-sufficient and look beyond China and the United States. However, China can serve as a role model for phenomenal development and growth. For example, in the past four decades, China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of poverty, a historic achievement significantly contributing to global poverty reduction. In Pakistan, meanwhile, almost half of its population lives below the poverty line. In his recent visit to China, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif rightly said that the friendship between Pakistan and China will remain despite the challenges, be it global pressure, geopolitical tensions or economic difficulties. No doubt, Pakistan and China have always stood by each other, and this friendship is primarily based on trust, sincerity, and cooperation. That is why it is called iron friendship. However, special attention must be paid to some key areas to make this friendship stronger and more sustainable by strengthening the economic structure, making technological advancements and skill development, and ensuring transparency. Both countries must promote educational exchanges and the transfer of modern science and technology so that the younger generation can get the practical benefits of development from this friendship.
Durdana Mehboob,
Lahore, Pakistan.
New Province Debate
As per the news reports, the work is underway on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which will change the basic structure of the Constitution, and the powers of creating new provinces will be transferred to the Federation by amending Article 239 of the Constitution. In India, too, a “States Reorganization Commission” was formed in 1953, after whose detailed report, the powers of creating new provinces or states in India were given to the Center. Later, the “States Reorganization Act of 1956” was also implemented. Since its independence in 1947, India has been increasing its provinces according to administrative needs. At the time of partition, India had nine provinces, but today there are 28 states and eight union territories in India. If the same principle is adopted in Pakistan under Article 239, the monopoly of provinces will end. The current situation in the country also demands the creation of new provinces.
Asghar Hayat,
Peshawar, Karachi.
Why Kalabagh Dam?
To reduce the devastating effects of floods and protect lives and property, it is necessary to construct more water reservoirs. In Pakistan, the growing population and rapidly decreasing water resources require that such projects be started immediately, which can increase the water reserves. Kalabagh Dam not only has the capacity to store the water of the Indus River, but it can also increase the country’s agricultural production many times over. Completing this dam will also save millions of acre-feet of water lost to the sea every year due to a shortage of water reserves. Kalabagh Dam will generate cheap and environmentally friendly electricity, which will not only alleviate the energy crisis but also reduce dependence on imported fuel. Along with this, the dam›s construction will also help control the flood situation and will irrigate millions of acres of land. Pakistan is in dire need of the Kalabagh Dam for the future of the country’s economy, agriculture and energy.
Sarah Jameel,
Toronto, Canada.
Earthquake in Afghanistan
The recent severe earthquake in Afghanistan has once again highlighted that this region is located on the Earth›s belt where the risk of earthquakes is always present. Dozens of human lives were lost, thousands of houses collapsed, and the affected areas became victims of a major humanitarian tragedy. Earthquakes cannot be stopped, but their damage can be reduced. For this, it is necessary to make the construction of earthquake-proof buildings mandatory. Awareness campaigns should be launched so people can take the proper steps during an earthquake. Emergency rescue services should be equipped with modern equipment. Mutual cooperation between the region›s countries should be increased to adopt a common strategy to deal with natural disasters. Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran are naturally located in the earthquake zone. This region will always be at risk due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Earthquakes are natural processes that cannot be stopped, but their damage can be reduced through scientific knowledge, planning and better strategies. There is a need for governments and the public to take steps together to minimize human lives and economic losses in future disasters.
Abdul Ghani,
Kabul, Afghanistan.
Jirga Under Dock
TThis refers to the article ‘Pandora’s Box,’ which appeared in SouthAsia Magazine in its September 2025 issue. The article discussed the Jirgas system’s core functions and characteristics compactly without unnecessary detail. It touched on essential dispute areas (land, blood feuds, forced marriages, honor crimes), decision-making features (reconciliation, binding outcomes), and consequences of non-compliance. The article also highlighted the limited role of women, an important dimension in evaluating fairness. However, the article did not explain why Jirgas hold authority in certain societies, their historical roots, or cultural legitimacy. Without context, readers might misinterpret Jirgas only as coercive systems rather than community-driven institutions. While appreciating this skillfully written article, another article should be written to evaluate the remaining aspects of this conventional Jirga system and the failure of our legal and constitutional judicial system to dispense justice. There is a need to assess how Jirga decisions align or conflict with human rights, the rule of law, and gender equality, with real examples like “vani” marriages or land disputes. The article should have taken a bold stance to highlight power dynamics within the Jirga system—who benefits from Jirgas (elders, elites, men) and who is marginalized (youth, women, weaker tribes). Overall, the article gives a useful descriptive overview. There is a need to circumvent any effort from the government or NGOs to introduce reforms in Jirgas to regulate or integrate this mechanism into formal legal systems (e.g., in Pakistan, some are outlawed but persist).
Muhammad Qamarullah
Internet.
AI and Cancer Treatment
Advances in science and technology usually go hand in hand. The results obtained by combining mRNA and artificial intelligence are a great example of this, which have provided the basis for revolutionary medical treatments for cancer patients and thus have begun a new and revolutionary era of medicine. We believe that artificial intelligence will play a key role in developing specific vaccines and drugs for cancer treatment in the future. AI algorithms can quickly analyze genetic data and help us identify patterns we ignore in traditional methods. As global cancer data is collected, specific vaccines will also improve. As cancer patient tumors change, with the help of technologies, we can make specific and necessary changes in the structure of mRNA at the same speed. We believe that combining AI technology and mRNA in medical research will usher in a revolutionary era that can be compared to Moore›s Law for microchips. Moore›s Law predicted that we would see a similar acceleration in the power of computers to meet our urgent medical needs. However, there are still some inequities. It is now the responsibility of scientists, governments, public health authorities and societies to move towards practical measures to close the gap in our current knowledge and technological progress.
Jamshed Maroof,
Sydney, Australia.