The Journey of the US Economy and Global Markets from “One-Way Siphon” to “Two-Way Rupture”

US financial markets, dollar currency and global investment trends

Rising US debt, tighter dollar liquidity and shifting investor sentiment are reshaping global markets and challenging America’s financial dominance   (By: Mian Iftikhar Ahmad) For decades, global investors have channelled vast amounts of money into US stocks and government bonds. These investments helped finance American consumer spending and business expansion. They also strengthened the dollar’s position in international markets. Today, several economic pressures threaten this long-standing pattern. Rising government debt, tighter dollar liquidity and changing investor sentiment are reshaping the relationship between the United States and the global economy. Investors…

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Lahore’s Toxic Air, Billions Spent on Smog Theatre and the Government’s Blindfold

By Iftikhar Ahmad Lahore’s air is poisoned, and this poison is descending into the lungs of the city’s 13 million residents with every breath. At 9:30 AM on a September 2026 morning, Lahore’s Air Quality Index reached 194, which is classified as extremely unhealthy, and at that moment the city rose to the number one position on the list of the world’s most polluted cities. This is not an accidental occurrence but the logical outcome of a continuously deteriorating situation. In 2025, Lahore’s average PM2.5 concentration was recorded at 88.9…

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Pakistan Power Market Reform: CTBCM and Competitive Electricity Trading

Pakistan’s Power Market Transition to a Competitive System Mian Iftikhar Ahmad A historic change is taking place in Pakistan’s power market, the announcement of which was made by Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari in a video message and which is also confirmed by official documents. Under this new system, the government is withdrawing from its traditional role of central electricity purchasing and a competitive trading bilateral contract market known as CTBCM is being introduced, the basic objective of which is to make direct buying and selling between power producers…

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