Hello to a new week, this Sept 14!
Diving right it, the World Health Organisation has said that Pakistan is being over medicated and the figure that struck me was 45% antibiotics appear in prescriptions and well, it’s not surprising. When I rejected antibiotics from a doctor once without tests being done that I needed them, she said that I was the very few that have ever done that (scary, scary).
I’ve also done an explainer on where the Iran war is at and the Houthi-Saudi conflict.
See you all tomorrow!
Enjoying The Current Tea? If you’d like to support independent journalism, consider pledging your support here.
If this was forwarded to you, subscribe here.
If you don’t want to get these emails anymore, scroll down and hit unsubscribe. I won’t mind but I would also be grateful to know why. If you can take out the time to let me know, click here.
If you do like The Current Tea, would you forward it to a friend?
PM Shehbaz Sharif has announced a Rs100 per litre petrol subsidy for motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqis and cars up to 800cc as global oil prices rise. Two- and three-wheelers can get the discount on 20 litres a month, while small cars can get it on 30 litres. The scheme starts in Islamabad on September 15 and across the rest of Pakistan on September 17.
A new study has found that doctors in Pakistan prescribe an average of 4.2 medicines per patient, more than twice the WHO-recommended 1.6 to 1.8. Only about 25% of medicines are prescribed by generic name, while antibiotics appear in 45% of prescriptions, well above WHO guidelines. Researchers warn that overprescribing and antibiotic misuse are happening across the country and could worsen drug resistance.
KHI’s Jinnah airport wants the govt to delay mandatory digital vaccination cards for overseas travellers from September 14 to October 1. Airport officials say Karachi currently has only one designated dispensary for travellers to get vaccinated, which could cause major difficulties. Travel agents and airline operators have also called for the rollout to be postponed until a simpler system is in place.
India’s women’s cricket team refused to collect the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final. The presentation was delayed for more than half an hour and eventually ended without India receiving the trophy or winners’ medals, with the team saying it was following the BCCI’s stance. It mirrors last year’s men’s Asia Cup controversy, when India also refused to take the trophy from Naqvi.
What is happening in Iran?
Iran is still effectively still at war with the US and Israel. Iran says it will not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the US meets its conditions.
Right now, Iran is simultaneously fighting and negotiating. There have been fresh explosions and attacks around southern Iran and shipping in Hormuz, while Iran is also talking to neighbouring Gulf countries to try to prevent the conflict spreading further. A planned meeting in Oman between Iran and Gulf Arab states about Hormuz has now been postponed.
So what is happening between Saudi Arabia and Yemen?
This is a separate escalating conflict, but it is increasingly connected to the Iran crisis. Yemen’s civil war has reignited between the Iran-aligned Houthis (considered rebels agains the internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia). The Houthis have made major territorial gains, including along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the strategically crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Now Saudi Arabia is being pulled directly back into the fighting. The Houthis have fired missiles and drones into Saudi Arabia, and Saudi meanwhile, has launched airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. The Houthis say Saudi Arabia carried out 58 airstrikes in just 24 hours on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
Why is this becoming such a big international problem?
There are now two critical shipping chokepoints under threat at the same time: Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, while the Houthis have strengthened their position around Bab el-Mandeb, the entrance to the Red Sea and the route towards the Suez Canal.
On top of that, a drone attack forced Saudi Arabia to shut its major East-West oil pipeline, which is particularly important because it allows Saudi oil to bypass Hormuz. Oil has consequently surged above $108 a barrel, and reports warn that prolonged disruption to the Saudi pipeline could remove as much as 4% of global oil supply.
And where does Pakistan fit into all this?
Pakistan is trying to position itself primarily as a mediator, but it also has security commitments to Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan previously helped negotiate between Iran and the US, hosting their first face-to-face talks in 47 years and helping establish what the reports call the Islamabad MoU.
At the same time, we have defence commitments to Saudi Arabia under the Makkah agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. We want good relations with neighbouring Iran and aree trying to broker peace with the US, while also having commitments to Saudi Arabia as Saudi-Houthi fighting intensifies.
PM Shehbaz told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Pak will continue efforts to defuse regional tensions, and condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The simplest way to understand the whole situation: Iran is fighting the US/Israel and using pressure around Hormuz; Iran-aligned Houthis are fighting Saudi-backed forces in Yemen and threatening Saudi Arabia and Saudi is striking back; and Pakistan is caught in the middle diplomatically: trying to mediate with Iran while also maintaining its security relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Don’t ignore your sleep. Sleep early and your day will go well. It’s that easy.
We’re on a mission to bring sharp, easy-to-digest stories straight to your inbox — but we need your help. If you’ve been enjoying the newsletter, please share it with your friends and family. A quick forward or a simple “hey, check this out” could make a huge difference. More readers means more impact, and we’d be so grateful for your support. 💌