Policy analysis

Independent observers note that without accountability, the culture of impunity will only deepen. Families continue to lose loved ones in suspicious circumstances, while officers operate with an apparent licence to kill.

The world has faced oil shocks before. This one, Birol made clear, is different – deeper, wider and more dangerous. How governments respond in the coming weeks will determine whether the pain remains temporary or becomes a lasting scar on the global economy.

Experts tracking these trends note that sustained improvements in female LFPR could play a pivotal role in achieving broader economic goals, including higher productivity and inclusive growth.

The report stresses the need for drastic improvements in the public procurement system. Recommendations include establishing clearer bid evaluation criteria, strictly screening abnormally low bids that often lead to abandoned contracts, and enhancing the government’s e-procurement system.

As the NCHR report concludes, comprehensive judicial reform and a shift from punishment to rehabilitation are essential.

The transition will require careful policy planning to ensure that the gains achieved over decades are not undermined by sudden changes in trade and development frameworks.

Structural weaknesses persist: low GDP per capita, exposure to external shocks and natural disasters, and governance metrics that lag behind ‘BB’-category peers.

As South Asia pushes ahead with billions of dollars in LNG infrastructure, the unfolding crisis in the Gulf is a stark reminder that energy security in a volatile world remains deeply intertwined with geopolitics.