In contrast to BBC, CNN or Al Jazeera, the media in Pakistan are not staffed by genuine journalists (there are a few of course, but few and far between), but commentators and news anchors. In terms of macroeconomics and public policy, there's no one of repute I can name who has asked the right questions.
If it had been me, I would've asked Asad Umar to spell-out each course of action and its outcome, e.g. let's say if we take an IMF loan, what happens to our account deficit, fiscal budget and -- when austerity kicks-in and lowers domestic spending from our fiscal budget (to service loans) -- our economic recovery plan? Let's say we default, what happens then (explain to people the issue of credit ratings, trust in trade, the potential impact on our expats and foreign worker programs, remittance flows, etc). It'd be a one-hour grilling.
Once these answers are clearly laid-out, the reasoned person will not fall into rhetoric (e.g. "ghairatmaand") or blind acceptance of every proposal (e.g. CPEC), but critically ask, "how do we navigate through this mess while preserving as many of our interests as possible?"
The issue I'm finding with us Pakistanis isn't education; not everyone will get access to education and that is a fact, but a lack of educated reasoning. There's just this general unwillingness to listen, think and be critical.
