The second day of the 9th Afkar-e-Taza ThinkFest at the Alhamra Arts Council featured wide-ranging and candid discussions on global inequality, democratic accountability, governance reform, and digital resilience, drawing policymakers, scholars, journalists, and a large public audience.

A key highlight of the day was an address by Thomas Piketty, a professor at the Paris School of Economics and author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Drawing on decades of empirical research and data from the World Inequality Database, Piketty presented a comparative global picture of income and wealth disparities. He demonstrated how inequality persists across regions despite overall economic growth, stressing that more equal societies tend to be more productive due to sustained investment in education, health, and human capital.

Reflecting on long-term historical trends, Piketty noted that while global poverty has declined, inequality has continued to rise because returns to capital often outpace overall income growth. He cautioned that without deliberate policy intervention, global inequality will remain deeply entrenched, emphasizing that equality, productivity, and sustainability are inseparable.

Other discussions throughout the day addressed Pakistan’s political polarization, institutional erosion, youth unemployment, and the shrinking space for democratic expression. Speakers underscored the role of media, free speech, and accountability in confronting these challenges, warning that without open debate and institutional reform, public trust will continue to erode.

Digital resilience emerged as another major theme, with Federal Minister of Planning Development and special initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal highlighted misinformation, geo-economic confrontation, and online polarization as key threats. Young people were encouraged to engage responsibly on social media, using ethical filters that reject hate and prejudice, while recognizing that equality does not require uniformity.

In addition to policy discussions, two book launches took place on the second day, drawing strong interest from participants and adding to ThinkFest’s intellectual and literary engagement.

The day concluded with a live concert by Omar Mukhtar, which was well attended by a large number of young people, bringing energy, music, and cultural expression to a festival rooted in ideas and dialogue.