What does a city owe its citizens and what do the citizens owe it in return? It is a question that should be central to every debate around the poor air quality, congestion and broken infrastructure in Pakistan’s cities. French philosopher Henri Lefebvre described this relationship as the right to the city — the idea that urban life should be shaped by those who live it, not merely managed by those who govern it. To have a right to the city is to have a voice in how it grows, breathes and welcomes, and to recognise a shared responsibility for its care. In Lahore and Karachi, as well as other urban centres, this balance has faltered. Pakistan’s cities have been stretched and strained by unchecked expansion, real-estate development and the logic of consumption. What we are witnessing now is environmental exhaustion, but also a deeper alienation between people and place. Re-examining the right to the city, then, is less about demanding entitlements and more about asking how to rebuild ...
Gold and silver prices rose on Wednesday as US Treasury bond yields fell after data showed December retail sales growth stalled, signalling a softening economy ahead of key jobs data. Lower US yields reduce the opportunity cost of holding non‑yielding assets such as gold, and they often accompany macroeconomic shifts, like expectations of slower growth or looser policy, that tend to support precious metals. Spot gold was 0.7 per cent higher at $5,057.23 per ounce by 04:23 GMT. US gold futures for April delivery gained 1pc to $5,081.40 per ounce. Spot silver was up 2.3pc at $82.56/oz, after falling more than 3pc in the previous session. “Over the last couple of weeks, (precious metals) became very dislocated from fundamentals, so it pretty much decoupled from interest rate policy. Yields being lower are obviously supportive of gold today,” said Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com . US yields fell on Tuesday after a raft of data suggested the economy may be softening...