CPDI Pakistan

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) is an independent, non-partisan and a not-for-profit civil society organization.

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

The $1 Billion Cost of Border Tensions: Pakistan–Afghanistan Trade Fallout 🇵🇰🇦🇫

Over 3 months of severe border closures and diplomatic strains between Pakistan and Afghanistan have inflicted a major blow on regional economics and human lives.

In our latest podcast, Mukhtar Ahmad Ali unpacks the deep impact of this crisis:

📉 Economic Loss
🥖 Supply Chain Strains
🩺 Humanitarian Impact
🗺️ The Regional Dilemma

Can a more calibrated, geo-economic approach solve regional deadlock, or will tensions continue to spiral?

📺 Watch the full analysis:
https://t.co/icGoalPjpc

#PakistanEconomy #AfghanistanTrade #BorderTensions #Geopolitics #CPDIDigital #Podcast

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Water, treaties, and regional stability.
Can the India-Pakistan water dispute become the next major crisis in South Asia? Watch the latest CPDI PeaceTalk Podcast for an in-depth discussion.

🎥 Watch now: https://t.co/o6zPdtdwyL

Guest: @mqur2001 | Host: Nowsheen Khurram
#CPDI #PeaceTalk #WaterSecurity #IndusWatersTreaty

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?
During this budget season, there is an industry proposal to link taxes directly to nutritional value and added sugar. But as CPDI's Executive Director @mqur2001 points out: "This is also not a feasible proposal in a country like ours where monitoring is very difficult, and it is very easy to dodge such requirements."

We cannot allow complex corporate loopholes to compromise our public health policy. Real change requires collective action—citizens must actively step up and place these public health demands directly in front of their respective MPAs and MNAs.

CPDI calls for stronger enforcement, higher taxes on health-harming industries, and empowering families to make healthier consumer choices for our future generations. Let's hold our lawmakers accountable.

#HealthyGrowth #HealthFriendlyBudget #PublicHealth #GoodGovernance #CPDI

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Is our economic growth hiding a deeper crisis? Right now, when a citizen falls ill, pays doctor fees, and buys prescription medicines, every single one of those transactions counts as "positive GDP growth."

We are caught in a vicious cycle: first, we allow unhealthy products to inflate our economic numbers, and then we count the cost of treating the resulting illnesses as economic progress.

True development requires us to break this cycle. We must stop using the informal market as an excuse to lower health taxes.

CPDI calls for stronger enforcement, higher taxes on health-harming industries, and empowering families to make healthier consumer choices for our future generations.

#HealthyGrowth #HealthFriendlyBudget #PublicHealth #EconomicReform #ConsumerAwareness #CPDI

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Can we afford to compromise public health for short-term economic numbers?

According to WHO guidelines, even "100% natural" packaged juices lack essential fiber, processing in our bodies as free sugars. Combined with the hidden sugars pre-added to our everyday teas and coffees, our food ecosystem has triggered a national emergency: over 30% of Pakistan’s population now lives with diabetes, directly driving up heart disease.

We cannot justify promoting unhealthy products under the guise of creating jobs and factory revenue, only to spend far more treating a preventable health crisis.

CPDI urges the federal government to adopt a Health-Friendly Budget that prioritises nutrition awareness and citizen well-being over commercial profit.

#HealthyGrowth #HealthFriendlyBudget #DiabetesAwareness #PublicHealth 🏥

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Should corporate profits have a bigger voice than public health?

The food and beverage industry makes up nearly 20% of Pakistan’s Large-Scale Manufacturing, giving them massive influence over policy. When health taxes are proposed, the common excuse is that consumers will just shift to the untaxed, informal market.

But the solution isn't making unhealthy products cheaper—it's strengthening governance, bringing the informal sector into the tax net, and prioritizing the quality of our growth.

CPDI advocates for an efficient tax on harmful sugar and processed foods to fund public healthcare. Let’s invest in life, not just numbers.

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

True national progress isn’t just about economic numbers—it’s about the health, well-being, and future of our people. When we evaluate success purely through GDP growth, we sometimes overlook the quality of that growth. If the rising consumption of high-sugar products, tobacco, or ultra-processed foods drives our economic metrics upward, we must ask ourselves: Is this the sustainable development we want for Pakistan?

With our country currently navigating a profound diabetes and public health challenge, we need to rethink our approach to national priorities. Rather than seeking tax relief for products that strain our healthcare ecosystem, it is time for a collaborative shift toward a Health-Friendly Budget.

CPDI advocates for policies that gently but firmly encourage healthier lifestyle choices through smart fiscal measures, ensuring our economic policies protect our greatest asset: the health of our citizens.

#HealthyGrowth #HealthFriendlyBudget #PublicHealth #CPDI

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

📈 "Economic growth means nothing if it compromises the health of the nation." - @mqur2001, Executive Director - CPDI.

When we evaluate the budget, our focus is almost entirely on hitting a 6% GDP growth target. But we rarely stop to ask: what kind of growth are we promoting? If tobacco sales, cigarette production, and ultra-processed foods spike, our GDP increases on paper—but our collective quality of life actively deteriorates.

Why Budget Must Move Beyond Just Numbers:
🔹The Vicious Cycle: When unhealthy products make citizens sick, their subsequent doctor fees, hospital visits, and prescription costs further inflate GDP metrics. This is a predatory economic loop, not development.
🔹Resisting Corporate Pressure: As the food and beverage industry lobbies to lower duties during this critical budget window, policymakers must prioritize the public interest over corporate margins.
🔹Enforcing Affordability Barriers: High taxation must be used as a deliberate tool to make unhealthy foods less affordable, especially around school environments where children are most vulnerable

It is time to reform how we measure national success. CPDI urges the government to link fiscal policy with public health metrics and stand firm against industry pushbacks.

👇 Join the conversation and subscribe our Youtube Channel for more insightful videos.
https://t.co/UcIg2QSytz

#PakistanBudget #PublicHealth #EconomicPolicy #Taxation #DiabetesAwareness #CPDI #MukhtarAhmadAli

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Did you know Pakistan rushes its national budget through Parliament in just 12–14 days? ⏱️

In our latest #GovTalks clip, CPDI Executive Director @mqur2001 highlights why this lack of scrutiny is costing the country billions.

International @OECD guidelines say Parliaments need 3 months to review budgets. Pakistan gets less than 4 weeks. In contrast, India's 2026 budget session lasted 55 days, giving 24 specialized committees time to audit every ministry line-by-line.

Because our standing committees don't do deep-dive reviews, Pakistan’s current budget continuously funds zombie institutions built in the 1950s–70s whose utility is long gone. "The House debates are just gallery plays," notes Ahmad Ali.

To fix the economy, we must fix the process. Moving the budget submission to April and empowering specialized parliamentary committees is the first step toward genuine accountability.

📺 Watch the full crucial breakdown here:
https://t.co/pDMjUqAu6v

#PakistanBudget #GovernanceReform #CPDI #PublicFinance #PolicyMaking #Accountability #GovTalksPodcast

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐯𝐬. 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝐀
Pakistan inherited a British colonial administrative framework built on absolute secrecy, where government files were classified and hidden from the public by default.

In this episode of GovTalks, CPDI Executive Director, @mqur2001, drawing on his unique expertise as the Former Information Commissioner for the @punjab_rti (2014–2017); breaks down how the 18th Amendment flipped this system upside down by introducing Article 19A.

As we look at the governance landscape in Pakistan, this constitutional right legally shifts the baseline from a "culture of secrecy" to a "culture of transparency". However, serious practical challenges remain, as bureaucratic institutions frequently use procedural delays and excessive paperwork to avoid releasing public records.

𝗔𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱, 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀. Watch the full breakdown to understand how you can actively use your constitutional right to drive institutional accountability and drive real reform.

🎬 Watch here:
https://t.co/LF1OGioB5W

@UN @anticorruption @HRCP87 @PkInfoCom
#GovTalks #RightToInformation #Article19A #Transparency #CPDI

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Eid ul Adha Mubarak.
May this Eid bring peace, unity, and blessings to all.

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

📢 Deadline Extended — Consultancy Opportunity with CPDI
CPDI has extended the deadline for applications for the position of Master Trainer/Consultant to conduct capacity-building trainings for Civil Society Networks (CSNs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

🗓 Extended Deadline: 2 June 2026
📧 Apply at: [email protected]

Experienced professionals in training, facilitation, public policy, and advocacy are encouraged to apply.

Completed TORs:
https://t.co/Z2bYdoxJGq

#CPDI #ConsultancyOpportunity #DeadlineExtended #CivilSociety #PolicyAdvocacy #Training

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

Following the landmark Islamabad High Court judgment regarding the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2017, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recently introduced its own Right of Access to Information Regulations 2026.

But do these new rules actually empower citizens, or do they build higher walls around institutional data? In this episode of #GovTalks, RTI expert Mukhtar Ahmad Ali delivers a masterclass analysis on the constitutional flaws embedded within the ECP’s new framework.

Mukhtar Ahmad Ali explains why true democratic resilience relies on the free flow of information and why these regulations fundamentally challenge the spirit of Article 19A of the Constitution.

📄 Read the official ECP Regulations: https://t.co/99gfcSIC3y
📺 Watch the full breakdown here: https://t.co/R8SKGFajGp

#RTI #RightToInformation #Accountability #Democracy #PakistanElections #Transparency #CivicSpace #GovTalks #ECP

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

🗞️ Sindh Assembly passes landmark resolution on safe disposal, recycling & regulation of solar panels and batteries!

Introduced by MPA Sajjad Ali Soomro (Green Zameen Fellow), the resolution demands:
🔹Official recycling infrastructure for solar panels
🔹Designated dumping grounds for expired equipment
🔹Strict certification for EVs & batteries

Sajjad Ali Soomro also raised the issue of prolonged K-Electric load shedding, leading to a special Assembly session.

#GreenZameen #CPDI #SolarRecycling #RenewableEnergy #JustEnergyTransition #ClimateAction

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝!
The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) is seeking qualified consultants for the development of Policy Papers at both Federal and Provincial levels under the project: “𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 (𝗖𝗦𝗡𝘀) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗖𝗦𝗢𝘀)”
📅 Application Deadline: 25 May, 2026
📲 Scan the QR Code in the post to apply

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

https://t.co/5KDzVwUTht

Did the Islamabad High Court wrongly exclude the ECP and President House from Pakistan’s Right of Access to Information Act 2017?

In this detailed analysis, @mqur2001 breaks down the IHC judgment, explains the legal definitions within the RTI law, and discusses why this decision could have serious implications for transparency, accountability, and citizens’ constitutional right to information under Article 19A.

Watch the full episode of #GovTalks for an in-depth legal and constitutional perspective.

#RTI #RightToInformation #Pakistan #Transparency #Accountability #IHC #ECP #Article19A #GovTalks

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Sindh Assembly unanimously passes landmark resolution to promote Electric Vehicles & Clean Transport!

The resolution — developed by CPDI under its Just Energy Transition project — calls for all new government vehicles to be electric and urges expansion of EV charging infrastructure in Karachi.

Introduced by MPA Sajjad Ali Soomro (@GreenZameen1 Fellow).
Full Press Release attached 👇
https://t.co/vLWCfJCgjq

⚡🌱 #EVs #CleanTransport #CPDI #GreenZameen #JustEnergyTransition #Sindh

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

From petrol expenses to staff diversity, the ECP & President House refused basic transparency. Now, a shocking court ruling misinterprets Sec 2(ix)(c) of the RTI Act to exempt these constitutional bodies from accountability entirely!

No office is above the law or public scrutiny.
🎙️ Full podcast: https://t.co/q0C2So3mNv

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

The Big Refusal!
Why are state institutions above accountability?

The ECP and the President House officially refused to share basic administrative and expense details with the public.

🔹Petrol & vehicle maintenance costs? Refused.
🔹Staff numbers and demographics? Refused.
🔹Internal inquiries against officials? Refused.

Why should any public institution be exempted from transparency? Instead of following the law, why take the matter to the Court?

We break down the entire legal battle, the irony of the judgment, and its consequences in our latest #GovTalks episode.

Click the link below to watch the full episode:
https://t.co/G5w61WdPbN

@ECP_Pakistan @PresOfPakistan @PakPMO @NAofPakistan

[CPDI Pakistan @cpdi_pakistan]

CPDI is seeking a Process Consultant for Policy Paper Development under our project on Capacity Development of CSNs & CSOs.

🗓️ Deadline: May 20, 2026 📲 How to Apply: Scan the QR code below! or visit link below.
https://t.co/ceZ0UVPZbw

#Hiring #Consultancy