Unpacking Us

02/08/2024

26/07/2024

New Episode! "Does AI Worsen Gender Inequities?"

Machine learning algorithms are increasingly being used to make highly consequential decisions for citizens of the Global South. I talk to Genevieve Smith about how algorithmic decision making in the realm of financial inclus...

exploring the deepest questions facing Pakistani society, politics, and the economy

22/11/2023

22/11/2023

With all the buzz surrounding AI, we're missing an understanding of how recent AI advancements affect those in the global South. Asad talks to Rida Qadri about ways in which generative AI fails to represent those in the Global South, what the implications of these failures are, and what's needed to do better.

22/11/2023

New Episode! "How Does Generative AI represent the Global South?"

With all the buzz surrounding AI, we're missing an understanding of how recent AI advancements affect those in the global South. I talk to Rida Qadri about ways in which generative AI fails to represent those in the Global S...

exploring the deepest questions facing Pakistani society, politics, and the economy

02/11/2023

New Episode! "How Will Parties and Voters Influence the Upcoming Election in Pakistan?"

In Pakistan, election decisions can be dependent on either the party’s label or the party’s ideology. Currently, Pakistan’s political parties are facing a number of constraints in trying to influence the outcomes of voters’ c...

exploring the deepest questions facing Pakistani society, politics, and the economy

20/12/2022

As Pakistan approaches another political transition, here is a reminder that the heart of democracy lies at the local level. In the latest episode of Unpacking Us, I talk to Ahmed Iqbal (Former Chairman Narowal District Council) about why Pakistan needs strong local governments.

You can find it on YouTube or your favorite podcasting platform here:

I talk to Ahmad Iqbal about the state of local governments in Pakistan, why we should care about strong local governments, and what it would take for a l…

20/12/2022

New Episode! "Why Pakistan Needs Strong Local Governments"

I talk to Ahmad Iqbal about the state of local governments in Pakistan, why we should care about strong local governments, and what it would take for a lasting and strong local government system in Pakistan. Ahmad Iqbal is th...

I talk to Ahmad Iqbal about the state of local governments in Pakistan, why we should care about strong local governments, and what it would take for a l…

01/10/2022

New Episode! "How Can we Close Gender Gaps in Voting?"

Pakistan has one of the largest gender gaps in voting in the world. In the 2018 election, the number of women who voted was 11 million less than the number of men who voted. What can we do to close this gender gap? How can we...

Pakistan has one of the largest gender gaps in voting in the world. In the 2018 election, the number of women who voted was 11 million less than the numb…

28/09/2022

Will 'fixing' the exchange rate solve Pakistan's economic crisis? How should we thinking about the balance of payments crisis? Listen to the first episode of Unpacking Us, where Asad Liaqat talks to Harvard Professor Asim Khwaja about what explains Pakistan's economic crisis---and what the real long term solutions are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcje3uyFpYY

** This episode was recorded before floods started wreaking havoc across the entire country. You can find a list of Pakistan and US-based charities involved ...

25/09/2022

Despite Naya Pakistan housing program, and 50+ years after Bhutto's "Roti Kapra Makan", why is affordable housing so elusive? To find out, listen to the 3rd Episode of Unpacking Us with Asad Liaqat, where he talks to urban planner & researcher Fizzah Sajjad.

I talk to Fizzah Sajjad about why affordable housing in Pakistani cities remains an elusive policy dream. We talk about the reasons why there is so much unm...

17/09/2022

I talk to Fizzah Sajjad about why affordable housing in Pakistani cities remains an elusive policy dream.

We discuss unmet demand for housing, speculative investments, how the Naya Pakistan Housing Program has failed to live up to its goals, and what we can learn from other countries.

Player links & show notes: https://www.unpackingus.com/affordable-housing/

17/09/2022

New Episode is out! "Why is Housing Unaffordable in Pakistani Cities?"

I talk to Fizzah Sajjad about why affordable housing in Pakistani cities remains an elusive policy dream.

We talk about unmet demand for housing, speculative investments, how the Naya Pakistan Housing Program has failed to live up to its goals, and what we can learn from other countries.

I talk to Fizzah Sajjad about why affordable housing in Pakistani cities remains an elusive policy dream. We talk about the reasons why there is so much…

15/09/2022

New podcast on Pakistani politics, society & economy. Listen now!

04/09/2022

Learn what's needed for coordinated flood recovery efforts, what interventions can help avert long-term shocks, and what we can learn from the 2005 earthquake.

All in the 2nd episode of ‘Unpacking Us’, where I talk to Tahir Andrabi (Prof. of Econ, Pomona College and Former Dean LUMS School of Education).

https://youtu.be/eZqcxHde1rU

Tahir Andrabi unpacks the stages of disaster recovery that Pakistan will go through. We use his experience working on the 2005 earthquakes to think through w...

30/08/2022

Harvard Professor Asim Khwaja walks us through Pakistan's current economic crisis, and how to solve it.

27/08/2022

Listen to the trailer now to catch a glimpse of what's coming up on Unpacking Us!

Unpacking Us is launching any day now! Catch the trailer for a glimpse of what's coming up. In each episode, Asad Liaqat unpacks a deep question facing Pakistani society, politics or the economy, by talking to an expert who truly understand these ...

27/08/2022

Unpacking Us is launching any day now! Catch the trailer for a glimpse of what's coming up.

Unpacking Us is launching any day now! Catch the trailer for a glimpse of what's coming up. In each episode, Asad Liaqat unpacks a deep question facing Pakis...

21/08/2022

In the first episode of Unpacking Us (Coming Soon), Asad talks to Asim Khwaja about Pakistan's current economic crisis and how to solve it.

18/08/2022

NEW PODCAST ALERT: Join your host Dr. Asad Liaqat as he unpacks the deepest questions Pakistan faces by talking to leading academics and practitioners. Subscribe to catch the first episode as soon as it comes out!

16/08/2022

Coming soon on Unpacking Us: Sarah Khan on how we can close gender gaps in voting

16/08/2022

Coming soon on Unpacking Us: Sarah Khan on how we can close gender gaps in voting in Pakistan.

Pakistan has one of the largest gender gaps in voting in the world. In the 2018 election, the number of women who voted was 11 million less than the number o...