South Asia is mostly bad news…and then there's Afghanistan

Lush times: A tea plantation in Sri Lanka. Photo by Jaromír Kavan on Unsplash

Sri Lanka is in turmoil. Pakistan is in a political flux. India is stepping proud and disdainful of calls to solidarity with those denouncing Russia’s brutal invasion of a sovereign neighbour.

Funnily enough, the only good news seemingly to be had from South Asia right now comes from Kabul.

We’ll come to that soon.

But before that Sri Lanka’s moment of crisis is a salutary lesson in economic mismanagement, not least politicians’ propensity to play politics with taxation.

Consider what’s underway in the tear-shaped island. There are growing protests over the power cuts and shortage of basic goods. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is trying to stabilise the government. Efforts underway include forming a unity government, imposing a curfew and blocking social media sites.

Basically it comes down to the government having run out of money — foreign reserves — to pay for fuel and other imports.

Analysts say there are many ro…