Dawn 30 September, 2020 by M.Usman and Rabia K

ICEP
DAWN EDITORIALS & OPINIONS

ANALYSIS
Dated: 30 September, 2020
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CONTENTS TABLE
Page Title Section/Category
04 Looming wheat crisis National Affairs
05 Unrepentant sexism Gender Studies
06 Shady Indian banks India’s leaks
07 An Important Visit Afghan Peace
08 No press freedom Media in Pakistan
10-26 Vocabulary and Writing Sessions Practice session
28 GB's rights Gilgit-Baltistan
30 Sustainable farming Farming in Pakistan
33 Autumn of discontent Political Affairs
36 Why are Armenia and Azerbaijan fighting and I.R
what are the implications
39 Abdullah Abdullah the harbinger for peace Afghan peace issue
COLOURS Used:
Red for Difficult Vocab
Green for Important Figures and contents
Others colours used where necessary
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DAWN+ EDITORIALS SECTION
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Looming wheat crisis | Dawn Editorial
Topic Sentence
PAKISTAN could face a major wheat crisis by the end of December.
Why in news
The warning has come from the National Assembly Standing Committee
on Commerce, which also pointed out that serious mismanagement in
planning of wheat imports had caused shortages of the commodity, leading to
a big hike in flour prices. The government had allowed the Trading
Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and the private sector to import wheat
towards the end of July in the wake of its countrywide shortages, and later
waived (give up) all taxes and duties to make imports economically viable
and release the upward pressure on its prices. Yet the imports remain slow.
Mismanagement of TCP and slow import process of wheat | Detailed Analysis

Although the private sector has imported over 300,000 tonnes of wheat and booked orders
for another million tonnes or so, the TCP is yet to place its first order. A top TCP official
told the committee that the corporation, which is supposed to purchase 1.5m tonnes of
cereal from the international market to fill the supply gap, had to cancel the tenders floated
earlier this month because of the high rates quoted by suppliers. The new bids received for
300,000 tonnes of wheat are to be opened on Oct 5, which means the first TCP wheat
shipment (cargo of goods) will not reach here before the end of October even if everything
goes according to plan. Until then, prices are expected to stay up despite private imports.
The consumers, especially low-income households, are forced to pay a higher price for their
staple (essential ) food because of delays in imports on account of the government failing to
predict the market despite less than targeted crop output last spring. Even when it was clear
the country was facing a shortfall of 1.5m tonnes for the current market year and prices had
begun surging sharply, it did not push the TCP to speed up the import process.
Way forward
The TCP authorities will have to do exactly that if the government wants to prevent the
present shortages from morphing into a major crisis in winter.
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Unrepentant sexism | Dawn Editorial
Why in news
UNDETERRED by the outrage over his earlier callous (crurl disregarding)

remarks, CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh once again exposed his sexist views
on how women should behave when he appeared before a Senate panel this
week.
Mr Sheikh unrepentant sexist comments | Details
Mr Sheikh was briefing the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights about
progress on the case of a woman who was gang-raped in front of her children near the
Lahore motorway, when he decided to indulge in the same victim-blaming exercise he was
earlier vehemently — and correctly — criticised for. The CCPO claimed the woman set out
for home at 1:30am ‘as she had gone to Lahore without seeking permission from her
husband and was returning home out of fear of him’. PPP Senator Krishna Kumari Kohli
rebuked Mr Sheikh over his comment, saying he should not make such assumptions. When
asked whether the victim had told him she was travelling without her husband’s permission,
the CCPO shockingly said he was guessing it was so.
Comments that fuels rape culture | severe criticism over Umar Sheikh
That a top police official who blatantly and repeatedly fuels rape culture is tasked with
solving this case is unacceptable. What makes things worse is that despite being a repeat
offender when it comes to dishing (sharing) out unsolicited, victim-blaming ‘advice’, he
enjoys the patronage and protection in the higher echelons of the Punjab government’s. Why
does Mr Sheikh — an officer who has failed to nab the second suspect and has on multiple
public occasions shown how incapable he is of understanding the fundamentals of a crime
like rape — still have his job?
An unacceptable behavior of victim-blaming |

The women of this country are furious, frightened and simply fed up with the way the
conversation about their safety is framed. In any civilised society, would the victim of a
terror attack or shooting be blamed for leaving their home or for venturing out without
permission? Why then are victims of rape, already uniquely vulnerable, blamed for their
assault?
Way forward
The CCPO must be sacked if the government wants to inspire any public confidence about
solving this case. Citizens ought to have the assurance that a responsible, sensitised official
is in charge of their safety. There is a dire need to sensitise the police force when it comes to
violence against women, as they are often the first responders at crime scenes. Among other
things, they must refrain at all costs from blaming the victim, trivialising the incident,
passing judgement on a woman’s appearance or, like Mr Sheikh, ‘teaching’ women how to
avoid getting raped.
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Shady Indian banks | The Express Tribune
Introduction
Recent news reports from India show just how problematic financial oversight (omission) is
in the country that has spent decades trying to paint Pakistan’s banking system as a broken
mess.
Why in news
At least 44 Indian banks appear in the recently-leaked trove (collection) of data known as
the FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) Files. The files are records of
suspicious activity reports (SAR), which American banks must file with FinCEN when there
is any suspicion of criminal activity in a US dollar transaction anywhere in the world. SARs
were filed for over 2,000 transactions worth over $1 billion between 2011 and 2017 for
parties with listed addresses in India. There could be millions of other such transactions.
Keep in mind that Australian bank Westpac recently agreed to pay a regulatory fine of
over US$900 million for allowing over 23 million suspicious transactions during a similar
timeframe.
Indian state broke all FATF rules and helped terrorist groups across the
border | Critical Analysis
But even if we only consider the proven transactions, that is a lot of potentially dirty money
changing hands. Interestingly, the worst offenders appear to be state-owned banks, such as
Punjab National Bank. This presents an interesting argument — while India continually
tried to portray Pakistan as a violator of FATF rules, the Indian state was literally
breaking those same rules. Interestingly, the foreign banks that processed the transactions
on behalf of the Indian banks included Deutsche Bank, which has paid some of the heaviest-
ever fines in recent years for facilitating money laundering and other highly-questionable
activities. Foreign banks facilitate this shady activity because they believe filing SARs
absolves (forgive) them of guilt, leaving any due diligence responsibility to the smaller
partner banks. They do this because it earns them commissions, and blocking a suspicious
transaction would not. Of course, foreign banks were only needed where Indian banks
lacked the requisite foreign branch network to conduct such transactions on their own.
India’s leaders should hang their heads in shame | flimsy response of India
Meanwhile, when Indian media contacted the central bank of India — which had over 100
transactions flagged (ease off) — the bank hid behind privacy laws to avoid saying why it
kept facilitating illegal transactions.
Unsurprisingly, top Indian leaders were quiet when the FinCEN files became public. They
were probably too worried about their names popping up to comment.
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An Important Visit | The Nation
Why in news
Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR)

Abdullah Abdullah’s three-day visit comes at a significant point for the
region. The talks between the Afghan Taliban and the government are in
progress, and undoubtedly, all regional and international players must be
brought into the loop with how things are going. Pakistan’s inextricable
(impossible to separate) ties with Afghanistan indicate that we will have an
important role to play in the aftermath of the negotiations. This is why this
visit features meetings with the highest tier of the democratic leadership;
from the Prime Minister himself, to the President and the Senate Chairman as
well.
Pakistan wants an Afghan-led and Afghan owned peace process | Details

Naturally, Pakistan—this goes for the rest of the international community too—has very
limited input at this stage. Our narrative of an Afghan-led and Afghan owned peace process
has finally been realised and this latest round of discussions, and everyone outside
Afghanistan can only hope that a deal is struck sooner rather than later. Chairman HCNR
Abdullah can work with Pakistani leaders over the course of the next few days to understand
our perspective, and perhaps also take a recommendation or two—where possible—to fast-
track the negotiations.
Way forward | Pakistan offered unconditional support to the Afghan

government
But more importantly, at this stage, representatives of the Afghan peace committee need to
look ahead and work out what comes after a deal has been struck. For any peace in the near
future, economic stability must be a priority for the Afghan government moving forward.
And the best way to guarantee that is through regional cooperation. This is where Pakistan
can assist the western neighbour and has done so in the past as well; we just recently opened
up transit trade even though India at the receiving end is leaving no stone unturned to
foment (stir up, create) instability in the region. Pakistan has stood on the side of peace
before negotiations began, and has offered unconditional support to the Afghan government.
While it is still too early to work out the details of what economic cooperation will look like
after a ceasefire has been agreed to. But undoubtedly, even at this early juncture,
Chairman Abdullah can use this visit to make initial inroads related to economic
partnerships in the coming year.
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No press freedom | Dawn Editorial
Introduction | Check over freedom of speech
THE situation is bad enough if the press and citizens of a country are denied freedom of
expression. It is at its worst if there is a system in place to ensure they are deprived of this
right. Pakistan is passing through such a phase, according to the Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists. (PFUJ)
Why in News
The union’s Federal Executive Council on Sunday pointed a finger at the PTI
government as it registered its “serious concern” over the “complete” denial
of press freedom and freedom of speech and expression in the country. Its
meeting in Quetta was among the most significant of its kind in PFUJ’s
history given the number of serious issues that it had on its agenda: freedom
of expression, large-scale lay-offs and reductions in the salaries of workers in
news organisations, the economic squeeze as a result of non-payment of dues
and government policies, kidnapping of journalists, harassment of women
journalists, the prolonged incarceration of a media house owner caught in a
vicious accountability cycle. This is a long list even by the standards of a
country where journalists’ unions have been up against one challenge after
another. It is quite clear from the questions raised that the government is not
the only one on the list of those the PFUJ must be pursuing in an effort to get
Pakistani journalists a better deal. But the government appears to be the chief
offender.
PFUJ concerns against Anti-media forces | Critical Analysis

A single sentence from the declaration issued at the conclusion of the three-day meeting says
it all: “A systematic war has been launched
by the government and anti-media forces To the line (Idiom)
to curb the freedom of expression and accept the authority, policies, or principles of a
force the media houses to toe the official particular group, especially unwillingly.
"he knew that he had to toe the official line
line or face the government’s wrath.”
because he couldn't afford to be put on the dole"
There could not have been a stronger call
for the government to respond to this
extremely distressing situation for both print and electronic media. The financial squeeze
blamed on the government and an unabashed resort to old-style censorship by those who
would never have been in power but for a vibrant media figured prominently in the PFUJ
charge-sheet against the Imran Khan set-up that claims to draw its principles from the most
tolerant of orders. They are there in the list along with the comparatively less highlighted
kidnappers of newspersons. The kidnappers have been let off (set free) lightly with the mild
sobriquet (nickname) of ‘anti-media forces’.
Way forward | Others in power have a serious job at hand to address PFUJ’s concerns.
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ENGLISH WRITING PRACTICE
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Learn Idioms from Dawn ( a collection)
1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush- Having something that is certain is much
better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might losing everything.
2. A blessing in disguise- Something good that isn’t recognized by first
3. Bull in china shop- One who causes damage
4. A chip on your shoulder- Being upset for something that happened in the past
5. A damp squib- Complete failure
6. A dime A dozen - Anything that is common and easy to get
7. A doubting Thomas- A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to

believe something
8. A drop in the bucket- A very small part of something big or whole
9. A fool and his money are easily parted - It’s easy for a foolish person to lose his/ her
money
10. A gentleman at large- An unreliable person
11. A green horn- Inexperienced
12. A house divided against itself cannot stand- Everyone involved must unify and
function together or it will not work out.
13. A leopard can’t change his spots - You cannot change who you are
14. A lost cause- A hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positive
change.
15. A man of straw - A weak person
16. A mare’s nest- A false invention
17. A penny saved is a penny earned- By not spending money, you are saving money
(little by little)
18. A picture paints a thousand words- A visual presentation is far more descriptive
than words
19. A piece of cake- A task that can be accomplished very easily
20. A slap on the wrist- A very mild punishment
21. A stalking horse- Pretence
22. A steal- Very inexpensive, a bargain
23. A taste of your own medicine- When you are mistreated the same way you
mistreat others
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24. A toss-up- A result hat is still unclear and can go either way
25. A wolf in sheep’s clothing- A dangerous person pretending harmless
26. ABC: Very common knowledge about to - Ready to, just going to
27. Above all- Mainly, especially
28. Above board- Fair and honest
29. According to- In the order of; on the authority of
30. Actions speak louder than words- It’s better to actually do something than hust
talk about it
31. Add fuel to the fire- Whenever something is done to make a bad situation even
worse than it is
32. Against the clock- Rushed and short on time
33. All (day, week, month, year) long - The entire day, week, month, year
34. All along- All the time, from the beginning (without change)
35. All and Sundry- Without making any distinction
36. All bark and no bite- When someone is threatening and/ or aggressive but not
willing to engage in a fight
37. All greek to me- Meaningless and incomprehensible like someone who cannot
read, speak, or 84) All in all- Considering everything
38. All in the same boat- When everyone is facing the same challenges
39. All of a sudden- Suddenly, without warning (All at once)
40. All right- Acceptable, fine; yes, okay
41. Alpha and omega- First and last letter of Greek alphabet, means beginning and
end
42. An arm and a leg- Very expensive, A large amount of money
43. An axe to grind- To have a dispute with someone

44. An eye wash- A pretence
45. An iron hand- By force
46. Apple to my eye- Someone who is cherished above all others
47. As a matter of fact- Really, actually (also: as to)
48. As for- Regarding, concerning (also: as to)
49. As high as a kite- Anything that is high up in the sky
50. As soon as- Just after, when

51. As usual- as is the general case, as is typical
52. At all- To any degree (also: in the least)
53. At heart- Basically, fundamentally
54. At last- Finally, after a long time
55. At least- A minimum of, no fewer (or less) than
56. At odds- In dispute
57. At sixes and seven- Persons who are having different opinions
58. At the drop of a hat- Willing to do something immediately
59. Back and call- At the service
60. Back and forth- In a backward and forward motion
61. Back seat driver- People who criticize from the sidelines, much like someone
giving unwanted advice
62. Back to square one- Having to start all over again
63. Back to the drawing board- When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over
64. Bag and baggage- with all goods
65. Baker’s dozen- Thirteen
66. Bank on- Depend on, count on
67. Barking up the wrong tree- A mistake made in something you are trying to
achieve
68. Bated breath- In anxiety, expectancy
69. Beat a dead horse- To force an issue that has already ended
70. Beating around the bash- Avoiding the main topic, not speaking directly about
the issue
71. Bend over backwards- Do whatever it takes to help. Willing to do anything
72. Between a Rock and a Hard place- Stuck between two very bad options
73. Between Scylla and Charybdis- Choice between two unpleasant alternatives
74. Between the cup and the lips- On the point of achievement
75. Bite off more than you can chew - To take on a task that is a way to big
76. Bite your tongue- To avoid talking
77. Black and white- In writing
78. Blood is thicker than water- The family bond is closer than anything else

79. Blow hot and cold- Having no stand, shows favour at one time and unfavour at
another
80. Blue moon- A rare event or occurrence
81. Body and soul- Entirely
82. Break a leg- A superstitious way to say ‘Good Luck’ without saying ‘Good Luck’,
83. Buy a lemon- To purchase a vehicle that constantly gives problems or stops
running after you drive it 85) By & by- Gradually
84. By all means- Certainly, definitely, naturally (also: of course); using any possible
way or method 132) By far- By a great margin, clearly
85. By fits and starts- Irregularly
86. By heart- By memorizing
87. By hook or by crook- By any means
88. By leaps and bound- speedily
89. By oneself- Alone, without assistance
90. By the way- Incidentally
91. Call a spade a spade- Straight talks
92. Can’t cut the mustard- Someone who isn’t adequate enough to compete or
participate
93. Cast iron stomach- Someone who has no problems, complications or ill effects
with eating anything
94. 97) Cats and bull story- Untrue story
95. Cats and dogs- Heavy rain
96. Charley horse- stiffness in the leg/ A leg cramp
97. Chew someone out- Verbally scold someone
98. Chip on his shoulder- Angry today about something that occurred in the past
99. Chow down- To eat
100. Clear- cut- Clearly stated, definite, apparent
101. Close but no cigar- To be near and almost accomplish a goal, but fall short
102. Close call- A situation involving a narrow escape from danger
103. Cock and bull story- An unbelievable tale, untrue story
104. Come hell or high water- Any difficult situation or obstacle
105. Crack someone up- To make someone laugh
106. Cross your fingers- To hope that something happens the way you want it to

107. Cry wolf- Intentionally raise a false alarm
108. Cup of joe- A cup of coffee
109. Curtain lecture- A reproof by wife to her husband
110. Cut and dried- Ready made form
111. Cut to the chase- Leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point
112. Dark horse- One who was previously unknown and is now prominent
113. Day in and day out- Continuously, constantly
114. Dead Ringer- 100 % identical, a duplicate
115. Devil’s advocate- Someone who takes a position for the sake of argument without
believing in that
116. 119) Dog days of summer- The hottest day of the summer season
117. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch- Don’t rely on it until you sure of it
118. Don’t look a gift horse in the month - When someone gives you a gift, don’t be
ungrateful
119. Don’t pull all your eggs in one basket- Do not pull all your resources in one
possibility
120. Doozy- Something outstanding
121. Down to the wire- Something that ends at the last minute or last few seconds
122. Drastic times call for drastic measures- When you are extremely desperate you
need to take extremely desperate actions
123. Drink like a fish- To drink very heavily, drinking anything
124. Dry run- Rehearsal
125. Egg on- To urge somebody
126. Eighty six- A certain item is no longer available. Or this idiom can also mean, to
throw away
127. Elvis has left the building- The show has come to an end. It’s all over
128. Ethnic cleansing- Killing of a certain ethnic or religious group on a massive scale
129. Ever and anon- Now and then
130. Every cloud has a silver lining- Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to
better days
131. Every other (one)- Every second (one), alternate (ones)
132. Everything but the kitchen sink- Almost everything and anything has been
included
133. Excuse my French- Please forgive me for cussing

134. Fabian policy- Policy of delaying decisions
135. Face-to-face- Direct, personal; directly, personally (written without hyphens)
136. Fair and wide- Equal opportunity to all
137. Far and wide- Every where
138. Few and far between- Not frequent, unusual, rare
139. Field day- An enjoyable day or circumstance
140. Fifty- fifty- Divided into two equal parts
141. Finding your feet- To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing
142. Finger licking good- To become more comfortable in whatever you are doing
143. Fire and brimstone- A very tasty food or meal
144. Fire and fury- Fearful penalties
145. First and foremost- Extreme enthusiasm
146. Fishy: doubtful- Highest priority
147. Fixed in your ways- Not willing or wanting to change from your normal way of
doing something 194) Flash in the pan- Something that shows potential or looks
promising in the beginning but fails to deliver
148. Flea market- A swap meet. A place where people gather to buy and sell
inexpensive goods
149. Flesh and blood- This idiom can mean living material of which people are made
of, or it can refer to human nature
150. Flip the bird- To raise your middle finger at someone
151. Foam at the mouth- To be enraged and show it
152. Fools’ Gold- Iron pyrites, a worthless rock that resembles real gold
153. Foot the bill- Bear expenses
154. For good- Permanently, forever
155. For once- This one time, for only one time
156. For sure- Without doubt (also: for certain)
157. For the time being- Temporarily (also: for now)
158. Free and easy- Natural and simple
159. French kiss- An open mouth kiss where tongues touch
160. From now on- From this time into the future
161. From rags to riches- To go from very poor to being very wealthy

162. Fuddy- duddy- An old-fashioned and foolish type of person
163. Full monty- This idiom can mean either, “The whole thing” or “Completely nude”
164. Funny farm- A mental institutional facility
165. Gall and wormwood- Source of irritation
166. Get down to brass tacks- To become serious about something
167. Get over it- To move beyond something that is bothering you
168. Get up on the wrong side of the bed- Someone who is having a horrible day
169. Get your walking papers- Get fired from the job
170. Gird up the loin- To be ready
171. Give and take- Compromise, cooperation between people
172. Give him the slip- To get away from, to escape
173. Give in- Surrender
174. Go down like a lead balloon- To be received badly by an audience
175. Go for broke- To gamble everything you have
176. Go out on a limb- Put yourself in a tough position in order to support someone/
something 224) Go the extra mile- Going above and beyond whatever is required for
the task at hand

177. Good Samaritan- Someone who helps others when they are in need, with no
discussion for
178. Graveyard shift- Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8.00
179. Great minds think alike- Intelligent people think like each other
180. Green room- The waiting room, especially for those who are about to go on a TV
or radio show 186)
181. Gut feeling- A personal intuition you get, especially when feel something may
not be right
182. Had better- Should, ought to, be advisable to
183. Hand a gloves- Very intimate friends
184. Hard and fast- Certain
185. Hard of hearing- Partially deaf, not able to hear well
186. Haste makes waste- Quickly doing things results in a poor ending
187. Hat Trick- When one player scores three goals in the same hockey game.
188. Haughty and naughty- Arrogant and naughty

189. Have an axe to grind- To have a dispute with someone
190. Have got- To have, to possess
191. Have got to- Must (also: have to)
192. He lost his head- Angry and overcome by emotions
193. Head and shoulder- Superior
194. Head over heels- Very excited and/ or joyful, especially when in love
195. Heart and soul- With full devotion
196. Hell in a hand basket- Deteriorating and headed for complete disaster
197. Helter Shelter-Here and there
198. Herculean task- A tedious job
199. High five- Slapping palms above each others heads as celebration gesture
200. High on the Hog- Living in luxury
201. Hit below the belt- Contrary the principles of fairness
202. Hit the books- To study, especially for a test or exam
203. Hit the hay- Go to bed or go to sleep
204. Hit the nail on the head- Do something exactly right or say something exactly
right
205. Hit the sack- Go to bed or go to sleep
206. Hither and thither- Here and there
207. Hocus Pocus- In general, a term used in magic or trickery
208. Hold your horses- Be patient
209. Hole and corner policy- A secret policy for an evil purpose
210. Hornet’s nest- Raise controversy
211. Hue and cry- Great noise
212. Hush money- A bribe
213. Icing on the cake- When you already have it good and get something on top of
what you already have
214. Idle hands are the devil’s tools- You are more likely to get in trouble if you have
nothing to do
215. If it’s not one thing, it’s another- When one thing goes wrong, then another, and
another…
216. Ill at ease- Uncomfortable or worried in a situation

217. In a hurry- Hurried, rushed (also: in a rush)
218. In case- In order to be prepared if the meaning is in order to be prepared if

something happens 224) In hand- Under firm control, well managed
219. In like Flynn- To be easily successful, especially when sexual or romantic
220. In no time- Very quickly, rapidly
221. In the bag- To have something secured
222. In the buff- Nude
223. In the heat of the moment- Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment
224. In the long run- Eventually, after a long period of time
225. In the worst way- Very much, greatly
226. In time to- Before the time necessary to do something
227. In touch- Having contact
228. In vain- Useless, without the desired result
229. In your face- An aggressive and bold confrontation
230. Ins and outs- Full detail
231. Inside out- With the inside facing the outside
232. Intents and purposes- Practically
233. It figures- It seems likely, reasonable, or typical
234. It takes two to tango- A two person conflict where both people are at fault
235. It’s a small world- You frequently see the same people in different places
236. It anyone’s call- A competition where the outcome is difficult to judge or predict
237. Ivory tower- Imaginary world
238. Ivy league- Since 1954 the Ivy league has been the following universities:
Columbia, Brown, Cornell
239. 245) Jaywalk- Crossing the street (from the middle) without using the crosswalk
240. Joshing me- Tricking me
241. Keep an eye on him- You should carefully watch him. Keep an eye on
242. Keep body and soul together- To earn a sufficient amount of money in order to
keep yourself alive
243. 249) Keep your chin up- To remain joyful in a tough situation
244. Kick the bucket- Die
245. Kith and kin- Blood relatives
246. Kitty-corner- Diagonally across. Sometimes called Catty- Corner as well

247. Knock on Wood- Knuckle tapping on wood in order to avoid some bad luck
248. Know the ropes- To understand the details
249. Last but not least- An introduction phrase to let the audience know that the last
person mentioned is also very important
250. Last straw- The final event in a series of unacceptable actions
251. Latin and Greek- Unable to understand
252. Leave no stone unturned- Make all possible efforts
253. Lend me your ear- To politely ask for someone’s full attention
254. Length and breadth- All over
255. Let along- and certainly not (also: not to mention, to say nothing of)
256. Let the cat out of the bag- To share a secret that wasn’t suppose to be shared
257. Level playing field- A fair competition where no side has an advantage
258. Life and soul- Main support
259. Like a chicken and its head cut off- To act in a frenzied manner
260. Liquor someone up- To get someone drunk
261. Little by little- Gradually, slowly (also: step by step)
262. Live-wire- Energetic
263. Loaves and fish- Material interests
264. Lock and key- In safe place
265. Long in the tooth- Old people (or horses)
266. Loose cannon- Someone who is unpredictable and can cause damage if not kept
in check
267. Make no bones about- To state a fact so there are no doubts or objections
268. Method to my madness- Strange or crazy actions that appear meaningless but in
the end are done for a good reason
269. Might and main- With all enthusiasm
270. Milk and water- Weak
271. More or less- Approximately, almost, somewhat, to a certain degree
272. Mumbo Jumbo- Nonsense or meaningless speech
273. Mum’s the word- To keep quiet, To say nothing
274. Narrow-minded- Not willing to accept the ideas of others Join 40,000+ readers
and get free notes in your email

VOCABULARY SECTION

The Newyork Times and The Hindu Newspaper Vocabulary
1. fend off (phrasal verb) – ward off, defend oneself against, prevent.
2. blow up (phrasal verb) – destroy.
3. muster (verb) – gather, assemble, organize, arrange.
4. teeth (noun) – (genuine) power/effectiveness.
5. grounds (noun) – reason/factor, cause, basis.
6. duck (verb) – avoid, dodge, evade/eschew.
7. doom (verb) – ill-fated, cursed, hapless.
8. weigh in (verb) – make a contribution forcefully.
9. uphold (verb) – preserve, protect, validate/justify.
10. devastating (adjective) – destructive, disastrous, catastrophic.
11. academic (adjective) – theoretical, conceptual, notional.
12. traction (noun) – popularity, acceptance.
13. slither (verb) – slide, slip, glide (move smoothly).
14. rinse, repeat (phrase) – used to indicate that an action or process is
repeated endlessly with same steps.
15. off the wall (phrase) – unconventional, unorthodox, weird/strange/bizarre.
16. get a bite at the apple (phrase) – get an opportunity/ chance again (for the
second time).
17. staggering (adjective) – shocking, appalling, surprising/astonishing.
18. sit out (phrasal verb) – wait without taking action till the bad condition is over.
19. across the aisle (phrase) – In the U.S., the two major parties are the
Democrats and the Republicans. In this expression, the “aisle” refers to the
actual physical walkway that divides the legislative halls. Members of the two
parties sit on opposite sides.
20. in one’s tracks (phrase) – suddenly.
21. ameliorate (verb) – make something better, improve, enhance.
1.
imperil (verb) – endanger, jeopardize, risk.
2. species(noun) – a group/breed/family of living organisms (animals & plants)
with the individual having the same quality & can breed.
3. climate change (noun) – a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a
region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).
4. whoop (verb) – shout, roar, scream/cheer (due to joy/excitement).
5. weep (verb) – cry, shed tears, wail.
6. mounting (adjective) – increasing, growing, intensifying.
7. global warming (noun) – it is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average
surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the greenhouse
gases released as people burn fossil fuels.
8. teeth (noun) – (genuine) power/effectiveness.
9. contentious (adjective) – controversial, disputable, debatable.
10. exhausting (adjective) – very tiring, draining, taxing.
11. barrel (verb) – hurry, race, run.
12. the point of no return (phrase) – the point beyond which someone must
continue on his/her current course of action because turning back is physically
impossible, prohibitively expensive, or dangerous.
13. virtuous (adjective) – righteous, ethical, lawful.
14. dispiriting (adjective) – disheartening, discouraging, demoralizing.
15. coda (noun) – concluding event, finale, ending/end.
16. retrograde (adjective) – unprogressive, negative, reverse/regressive.

17. backslide (verb) – weaken, relapse, deteriorate.
18. ominous (adjective) – threatening, menacing, forbidding.
19. greenhouse gas (noun) – heat trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor,
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc) in the atmosphere that absorbs
and emits radiation, causing greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s
temperature. (Courtesy: VOA Learning English).
20. fossil-fuel (noun) – non renewable resources (or fossil fuels such as coal, oil
and natural gas are formed from the buried /deposited organic materials).
21. wean (verb) – accustom, adjust, adapt.
22. swift (adjective) – prompt, rapid/sudden, fast.
23. dismissiveness (noun) – showing disregard/indifference.
24. fealty (noun) – allegiance/adherence, faithfulness, obedience/loyalty.
25. conviction (noun) – position, stance, opinion/thought.
26. inevitably (adverb) – necessarily, inescapably, unavoidably.
27. zero-sum game (phrase) – zero-sum game is one in which no wealth is
created or destroyed. So, in a two-player zero-sum game, whatever one player
wins, the other loses.
28. defection (noun) – desertion, absconding, decamping.
29. predecessor (noun) – previous holder of the post; ancestor, antecedent.
30. biodiversity (noun) – the existence of a number and variety of species (plants
& animals) in a particular geographic region/ environment.
31. cripple (verb) – ruin, destroy, wipe out.
32. envisage (verb) – foresee, predict, forecast.
33. rollback (noun) – reduction, cut, decrease.
34. whining (noun) – high-pitched sound/cry.
35. inhabit (verb) – live in, occupy.
36. executive order (noun) – an executive order is a tool Presidents use to make
new policy. They can become law. Sometimes, Presidents use them to avoid
apposition in Congress. (Courtesy: VOA Learning English).
37. cloud (noun) – threat, suspicion, trouble.
38. censure (noun) – condemnation, criticism, attack.
39. threshold (noun) – lower limit, starting point, the level (to react to something).
40. renewable energy (noun) – energy generated from the natural resources
(such as water, wind, solar energy).
41. agony (noun) – pain, suffering, torture.
42. cloud (verb) – confuse, muddle, make unclear.
43. exile (noun) – banishment, expulsion,deportation.
44. ruthless (adjective) – merciless, cruel, heartless.
45. prod (verb) – prompt, drive/push, urge.
46. ceasefire (noun) – truce; a temporary stoppage of a war.
47. carnage (noun) – massacre, mass murder, mass destruction.
48. de facto (adjective) – Latin phrase, literally means ‘of fact’; actual,
existing, effective.
49. thug (noun) – a criminal, violent person; gangster, murderer, killer.
50. strangle (verb) – throttle, choke, stifle; to cause a person/animal unable
to breathe properly by tightening the neck to block the air flow through the
throat.
51. dismember (verb) – cut off, mutilate, disjoint (the limbs of a person).
52. the consulate (noun) – embassy; the building where a consul lives and
works.
53. (be) hard on (phrase) – criticize (someone) severely.
54. furore (or) furor (noun) – commotion, uproar, outcry/agitation.
55. heart-rending (adjective) – distressing, heartbreaking, painful.
56. wage (verb) – engage in, carry on, conduct (a war).
57. sectarian (adjective) – denoting a sect (a group of people); factional,
partisan.
58. (humanitarian) nightmare (noun) – ordeal, torment, burden/curse.
(humanitarian crisis (noun) – it is also called as humanitarian disaster; a
situation with high levels of human suffering in which basic human welfare is in
danger on a large scale).
59. innumerable (adjective) – countless, numerous, untold.
60. entangle (verb) – restrict, bog down, prevent.
61. ordnance (noun) – military supplies (weapons, arms & etc).
62. call on (phrasal verb) – appeal to, demand; ask/request.
63. Houthi (adjective) – relating to an Islamic religious-political-armed
movement that emerged from Yeman.
64. pull the plug (phrase) – prevent, terminate, discontinue.
65. indiscriminate (adjective) – thoughtless/unthinking, careless,
unmethodical.
66. pummel (verb) – strike, hit, thrash (repeatedly).
67. flee (verb) – run away, take flight, escape (from a place of danger).
68. proxy (noun) – representative figure for something (original).
69. shiite (adjective) – relating to Shia (a branch of Islam).
70. war of attrition (noun) – a military strategy consisting of aggressive
attempts to win a war by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of
collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel.
71. submission (noun) – yielding, surrender, capitulation.
72. blockade (noun) – barricade, barrier (obstruction of supply of essential
goods and others to an area).
73. punitive (adjective) – harsh, severe/cruel, savage.
74. famine (noun) – scarcity of food, food shortages; paucity/poverty.
75. catastrophic (adjective) – destructive, ruinous, disastrous.
76. starvation (noun) – extreme hunger, lack of food, famine.
77. probation (noun) – trial period, test period.
78. larceny (noun) – theft, stealing, robbery.
79. abstain (verb) – refrain, desist/refuse, give up.
80. tantamount (adjective) – equivalent to, virtually the same
as, comparable to/amount to.
81. relapse (verb) – get ill again, get worsen/weaken (of someone’s
condition).
82. usher in (phrasal verb) – signal, mark the start of/pave the way for,
begin/initiate.
83. chronic (adjective) – persistent, long-term, incurable.; continuing or
happening again and again for a long time.
84. opioid (noun) – mind-altering drug, pain reliever; a class of drugs that
include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic drug such as fentanyl and pain
relievers available legally by prescription.
85. sobriety (noun) – the state of being sober: not influenced by alcohol or
drugs.
86. rationally (adverb) – logically, sensibly, coherently.
87. impair (verb) – damage, diminish, weaken.
88. sheer (adjective) -utter, complete, out and out.
89. free will (noun) – volition, independence, self-determination.
90. colossal (adjective) – huge, massive, very large.
91. carrot and stick policy (phrase) – a policy approach that offers both a
reward and threat of punishment.
92. thwart (verb) – prevent, block, impede/hinder.
93. breed (verb) – cause/create, produce, generate.
94. absurdity (noun) – ridiculousness, pointlessness, stupidity.
95. profound (adjective) – intense, extreme, acute.
96. craving (noun) – strong desire, appetite, longing.
97. far and away (phrase) – by far, by a great amount.
98. incarceration (noun) – imprisonment, confinement, detention.
99. taper off (phrasal verb) – decrease, lessen, dwindle (gradually).
100. be part and parcel of (phrase) – be an important aspect/feature of.
101. remission (noun) – reduction in (a prison’s) sentence
102. striking (adjective) – noticeable, prominent/notable, distinct.
103. forbidding (adjective) – hostile, unfriendly, unapproachable.
104. mean-spirited (adjective) – inconsiderate, unsympathetic.
105. aspersions (noun) – defamation, condemnation, castigation/criticism.
106. apprehensive (adjective) – anxious, worried, concerned.
107. saber-rattling (noun) – the display of military
force; aggressive/belligerent, warmongering.
108. dovish (adjective) – peaceful, diplomatic, accommodating. (Hawkish
means aggressive, combative, belligerent).
109. heady (adjective) – exciting, thrilling, stimulating.
110. choreograph (verb) – organize/arrange, plan, orchestrate (an event).
111. longing (adjective) – yearning, urge, desire/wish.
112. suffuse with (verb) – spread over, cover, fill.
113. banter (noun) – crosstalk/wordplay, witty conversation, private
discussions with one or more individuals.
114. heap (verb) – pile up, stack up, store up.
115. armistice (noun) – truce, ceasefire, suspension of hostilities.
116. honor guard (noun) – another term for guard of honor; a group of
soldiers officially welcoming an important visitor.
117. imperial (adjective) – high-handed, commanding, dictatorial.
118. robe (noun) – costume, trappings; a long, loose garment worn on formal
functions.
119. upbeat (adjective) – optimistic, positive, hopeful.
120. rid (verb) – clear, free, cleanse.
121. euphoria (noun) – elation, excitement, delight/happiness.
122. exultantly (adverb) – happily, euphorically, delightedly/over-joyfully.
123. murderous (adjective) – violent, savage, fierce/vicious.
124. denuclearisation (noun) – the act of removing nuclear weapons from a
place.
125. synchronous (adjective) – concurrent, happening at the same
time, coincident.
126. nuclear umbrella (noun) – a guarantee from a nuclear weapons
country to a country that does not possess nuclear weapons for protection.
127. impoverished (adjective) – weakened, exhausted, drained.
128. onerous (adjective) – arduous, punishing, heavy/ burdensome.
129. sanctions (noun) – action taken, or an order given to force a country to
obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not
allowing economic aid for that country, etc (Courtesy: VOA Learning English).
130. inevitably (adverb) – automatically, certainly, definitely.
131. pre-emptive (adjective) – preventive, precautionary, protective.
132. confound (verb) – invalidate, negate, contradict.
133. impetuous (adjective) – powerful/forceful, vigorous; hasty.
134. better off (phrase) – in a more advantageous position.
135. mindful (adjective) – aware of, conscious of, heedful of.
136. bilateral (adjective) – involving two groups or countries.
137. fora plural form of forum (noun) – meeting, gathering, conference.
138. a study in contrasts (phrase) – a great example of contrasting people.
139. be a study in something (phrase) – to be a great/perfect example of
something.
140. broadside (noun) – criticism, censure, denunciation, rant, diatribe,
tirade.
141. reference (noun) – mention of, comment on, remark about.
142. broader superlative adjective of broad (adjective) – comprehensive,
inclusive, extensive, wide-ranging.
143. diplomat (noun) – envoy, consul, ambassador.
144. incessant (adjective) – continuous, non-stop, unending, relentless.
145. rant (noun) – talk/speak in a noisy, uncontrolled, or angry way; tirade,
verbal onslaught.
146. warmongering (noun) – encouragement, advocacy, endorsement,
instigation (to start a war).
147. vilification (noun) – condemnation, criticism/censure, character
assassination, defamation.
148. islamophobia (noun) – the fear, hatred of, or prejudice against, the
Islamic religion or Muslims generally, especially when seen as a geopolitical
force.
149. extremist (adjective) – radical, fanatic, hardliner.
150. ideology (noun) – beliefs, ideas, principles.
151. inspire (verb) – motivate, cause, persuade, encourage.
152. racial purity (noun) – systematic attempt to eliminate other races from
the population by sterilisation (sterilisation means the surgical
procedure which permanently prevents a person’s capability of reproduction).
153. supremacy (noun) – dominance, superiority, advantage.
154. cleanse (verb) – rid, clear, free, purify, purge (something
unpleasant/bad).
155. Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) (noun) – The Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to grant citizenship to religious minorities of
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who had to flee their homeland facing
persecution. The six minority groups that have been specifically identified are
Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis.
156. Nuremberg laws (noun) – Two distinct laws passed in Nazi Germany in
September 1935 are known collectively as the Nuremberg Laws: the Reich
Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German
Honor. These laws embodied many of the racial theories strengthening Nazi
ideology. They would provide the legal framework for the systematic
mistreatment of Jews in Germany.
157. detention (noun) – imprisonment, confinement/incarceration, captivity,
custody.
158. diatribe (noun) – a bitter verbal attack; a tirade, verbal onslaught, rant.
159. mirror (verb) – reflect, reproduce, repeat, imitate; reiterate.
160. accusation (noun) – allegation, charge, claim.
161. dilute (verb) – diminish, reduce, decrease, lessen.
162. akin (adjective) – similar, related, equivalent.
163. genocide (noun) – mass murder, massacre, racial killing.
164. contravene (verb) – break, breach, fail to comply with, violate.
165. Line of control (LoC) (noun) – it is a 450 mile-long military control
line lying between India and Pakistan’s controlled parts of the former (under
the British) Jammu and Kashmir. This line is not actually a legally recognized
international boundary but prevails as per de facto. After the Simla Agreement
signed in July 1972, this line was officially renamed as “Line of Control” from
“the Cease-fire Line”.
166. ceasefire (noun) – a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by
other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary
stoppage of a war, truce, armistice.
167. exaggerated (adjective) – overstated, excessive, overemphasized,
amplified/overdone.
168. flashpoint (noun) – a situation where sudden problems could happen. In
international relations, a flashpoint is an area or dispute that has a strong
possibility of developing into a war.
169. counter (verb) – oppose, resist, tackle, confront.
170. dismiss (verb) – reject, deny, pay no heed to, disregard, brush off.
171. credentials (noun) – identities, qualities; history, past.
172. secular (adjective) – non-religious.
173. decisive (adjective) – deciding, conclusive, determining, key.
174. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) (noun) – The Financial Action
Task Force (FATF) is the global money laundering and terrorist financing
watchdog. The inter-governmental body sets international standards that aim
to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society.
175. grey/watch list (noun) – a list of countries on observation due to their
“strategic deficiencies” in countering terror-financing and money-laundering.
The countries put on grey/watch list by the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF) will be subjected to direct monitoring and intense scrutiny by the
International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG) on terror financing.
176. demographic (adjective) – the statistical study/structure of populations,
especially human beings.
177. given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
178. carry out (phrasal verb) – conduct, perform, execute.
179. decade (noun) – a period of ten years.
180. sans (preposition) – without, minus, devoid of.
181. characterisation (noun) – a description of the distinctive features
182. purview (noun) – range, scope, ambit.
183. legitimate (adjective) – valid, reasonable, reliable.
184. address (noun) – speak, talk, discourse.
185. disregard (verb) – ignore, take no notice of, pay no heed to, overlook,
186. barb (noun) – insult, hurtful remark, abuse.
187. hurl (verb) – throw, propel, direct something at someone; say something
aloud & forcefully.

DAWN+ OPINIONS SECTION

GB's rights | Dawn Opinion
Afzal Ali Shigri
The writer, a former IGP Sindh, belongs to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Constitutional development of Gilgit-Baltistan | Introduction

ON Jan 17, 2019, the Supreme Court issued a landmark judgement on the legal status and
constitutional rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. For the past 70 years, GB has been
administered via ad hoc presidential decrees, the latest being the Government of Gilgit-
Baltistan Order, 2018, issued by the outgoing PML-N set-up that diluted the already limited
constitutional rights conferred on GB in 2009. In response to a challenge against the order,
the court directed the federation to prepare a fresh draft for GB’s governance keeping in
view the Sartaj Aziz committee report. This committee involved all key stakeholders. In
compliance, the sitting government submitted the draft GB governance reform order, 2019.
The court had ordered that:
i) The “proposed order … shall be forthwith promulgated by the president on

the advice of the federal government in any case within a fortnight hereof.
ii) No amendment shall be made to the order … except in terms of the

procedure provided in Article 124 of the same nor shall it be repealed or
substituted without the instrument amending, repealing or substituting … the
same being placed before this court by the federation through an application
that will be treated as a petition…. Nothing in this shall be construed to limit
the jurisdiction conferred on this court by the proposed order itself, and
iii) If the order so promulgated is repealed or substituted by an act of parliament

the validity thereof, if challenged, shall be examined on the touchstone of the
Constitution”.
Govt filed a petition of review | an undemocratic act on its side

The judgement essentially approved a draft prepared with the consensus of all stakeholders
who participated in the deliberations of a high-powered committee constituted by the
federation. However, the government took a U-turn and filed a review against the judgement
on untenable grounds, saying GB residents voiced a desire to be governed through an act of
parliament and not presidential order. A meeting was held with stakeholders including the
GB government, which also reportedly endorsed this demand. The process of consultation
embodied in this petition was unprecedented and violated all norms of consultations in a
democracy, consisting largely of an in-house meeting aimed at frustrating the
implementation of the verdict on a sensitive national matter.

A brief examination of the proposed amendments in the already approved draft reveals it
comprises an attempt to disempower the people of GB and to remove the safeguard
contained in the judgement for protecting their constitutional rights. Instead, it is aimed at
controlling the governance machinery through legal machinations, a tool typically used by
colonial powers and learnt by our babus, one which has found currency with an inept
political leadership. The following summary of proposed amendments in the court verdict
reflects the mindset of the present political leadership:
The PTI must correct its cavalier approach to GB.
The federation requested the court to delete the following sections of the verdict:
the preamble of the proposed law which explains the stance of the federation and undertakes
to give the provisional status of province to the area subject to the settlement of the Kashmir
dispute, in line with a plebiscite outcome contained in the UN resolution; the subsection of
Article 81 of the proposed law; Article 94 (2) that provides protection against any
government executive order to ensure that the people’s rights are not violated; Article 103
(2) which gives the right of appeal before the Supreme Court against any action not falling
under local laws; Article 124 of the draft order that exercises checks on arbitrary governance
orders, thus providing protection by ensuring these are subject to a hearing under Article 184
(3) of the Constitution.
Way forward | What the Govt should immediately do

Local assembly elections in GB are due in November and the party in power in the
federation is also fielding its candidates. Against a backdrop of intense political activity, the
government has declared it will grant provincial status to GB. Considering the government’s
revision petition, one might question this unexpected change of heart. Similar promises have
been made by various leaders before, but when it comes to implementation, the government
after cashing in on the benefits of its declarations fails to deliver.
PTI must immediately: withdraw its revision petition; promulgate the 2019 approved draft
law; move a bill in parliament for constitutional amendments for granting the status of
province with all powers, rights and responsibilities to GB.
Following through will result in big political gains for the PTI, otherwise there will be
serious setbacks. Other political parties must refrain from impeding immediate
implementation of these decisions as delay will be costly in the election. The PTI still has an
opportunity to translate decisive action into an electoral win, provided it removes the
stumbling blocks in the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict.

Sustainable farming | Dawn Opinion
Bina Shah
The writer is author of Before She Sleeps.
AS the recent rains in Sindh have proven, climate change is now a reality in
Pakistan. Flooding has destroyed houses and crops, negatively affecting
livelihoods and food security. Ironically, agriculture has contributed to
climate change, with poor use of resources harming the very environment it
depends on. But Pakistani farmers can play a large role in battling climate
change by switching to sustainable farming techniques, thereby increasing
productivity while conserving water and respecting the environment.
Thesis statement
Unwise approach to farming in Pakistan | Introduction

For 60 years, farming in Pakistan has relied on an agricultural system that is no longer
tenable (able to be maintained) . The government, buoyed (feel confident) by the Green
Revolution of the 1960s, concentrated on irrigation, building numerous tube wells that
drained natural aquifers (underground layer holds water); encouraged the use of imported
fertiliser, local herbicides and pesticides; and promoted the modernisation of farms, using
tractors and other machinery reliant on polluting fossil fuels.
Result of uncalculated and misplaced Policies of farming |

This has resulted in massive resource degradation. Land is less fertile due to the overuse of
chemicals, increase in salinity (quality of containing salt) , and disturbance of the uppermost
soil layer, which can no longer protect the nutrients beneath. Irrational government policies
clash with sensible crop planning and patterns, eg mandating that rice be grown in northern
Sindh, sugarcane in southern Sindh, and cotton in Punjab, regardless of climate or water
availability. Flood irrigation uses up valuable water that we simply will not have access to in
the future.
Challenges of today’s corporate Agriculture industry |

Today’s corporate agriculture industry, based on a model of products pushed by
multinational companies, only worsens the situation. Hybrid seeds tie us to the corporations
that trademark them. Drip irrigation is costly and impractical. Chemical fertilisers are
expensive imports. Soil testing is costly and hard to oversee. More mechanisation would
cause mass unemployment for millions of agricultural workers. Industrial-scale agriculture
cannot work for the thousands of Pakistan’s small farmers who own five acres of land or
less.

Pakistan’s agricultural system is no longer tenable.
The Concept of Paradoxical Agriculture by Asif Sharif | Creating new

opportunities in the field of farming
Enter a new movement: paradoxical agriculture, a concept propagated by Asif Sharif, an
agricultural businessman. On a visit to the Amazon rainforest, he realised that here was a
thriving ecosystem with no artificial inputs from humans. Could this paradox be made to
work in commercial farming? Could age-old natural techniques transform our agriculture
system entirely? Focusing on soil restoration, water conservation and sustainability, Sharif
theorised, could wean( prevent) us off flood irrigation, imported fertiliser, pesticides and
tilling.
While running his family farm at Pakpattan, Sharif travelled the world and sought out
conservation- and sustainability-focused innovative solutions. He devised a system of crop
intensification/conservation agriculture in a project with Cornell University and the FAO.
By growing rice in raised beds instead of flooded paddies, they successfully reduced the
need for water by 70 per cent. He did not accept financial assistance for the project.
Innovative Opportunities | Way forward

Sharif champions multicropping: no-till farming that retains soil health without inundation
(overflow) or leaving it exposed to the air. He introduced sugarcane nurseries to hundreds of
farmers in Punjab: instead of planting full sticks of sugarcane, farmers nurture smaller
pieces of stalk containing the nodes from which new buds and leaves emerge, using far less
water to grow the crop until it reaches maturity. Mulching is also one of his favoured
practices to restore the soil’s nutrients and keeps its pH level balanced. It delivers a
consistent source of moisture straight to the root systems of the crops. It is so effective that it
can be used with sugarcane, one of the most water-intensive crops. In Pakistan, vegetable
crops grown with mulch did not need irrigation for six months.
Commercial mulching as a business would create many jobs, as it is labour-intensive, but it

would also bring training and skill, education and investment into that rural labour force.
Mulch is locally produced and would reduce our reliance on expensive fertiliser imports.
Mulch can be made from agricultural waste — banana leaves, straw and stalks from fodder
and cereal, debris from sugarcane. At present, agricultural trash is burned, which harms the
environment. Wide-scale mulching would reduce water usage, diesel and electrical
consumption in tube wells, as well as the use of chemical weedkiller.
Conclusion
Our soil, our labour and our water are our most valuable resources; nobody understands this
better than Pakistan’s farmers, large and small. Another agricultural revolution in Pakistan is
long overdue, one that takes into account the climate emergency and respects natural
processes that regenerate, not exploit, our environment. We can then envision a future where
the rivers flow at higher strength into the sea, desertification slows, and extreme storm and
rain conditions reduce.
VOCABULARY DESCRIPTION

no-till farming technique:
No-till farming (also
known as zero tillage or
direct drilling) is an
agricultural technique
for growing crops or
pasture without
disturbing the soil
through tillage. No-till
farming decreases the
amount of soil erosion
tillage causes in certain
soils, especially in
sandy and dry soils on
sloping terrain. Other
possible benefits
include an increase in
the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil, soil retention of organic matter, and nutrient
cycling. These methods may increase the amount and variety of life in and on the soil.
Typically, no-tillage systems require the use of very large amounts of herbicides to control
weeds.
Mulch (terminology) :
A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch
include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing
weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area.
A mulch is usually, but not exclusively, organic in nature. It may be permanent (e.g. plastic
sheeting) or temporary (e.g. bark chips). It may be applied to bare soil or around existing
plants. Mulches of manure or compost will be incorporated naturally into the soil by the
activity of worms and other organisms. The process is used both in commercial crop
production and in gardening, and when applied correctly, can improve soil productivity.

Autumn of discontent |Dawn opinion
Autumn of discontent The time of uneasiness as it relates to a group of people. A change in
power, the lives of people altered in a way that causes discontent and unhappiness.
The writer is an author and

journalist.
Introduction
THE recent leaks about the army chief’s meetings with politicians have generated a
maelstrom(turbulence) . There have been some collective interactions with the political
leaders but there were some private ones too. Ordinarily such disclosures would not have
mattered much but the context of these meetings does raise the question: who is in charge here?
The question becomes more pertinent given the prevalent chaos.
Hybrid rule and political instability

One characteristic of hybrid rule is the duality of power, and that has its own perils. The
present political disorder is symptomatic of this incongruity(incompatibility) . Indeed, the
civil and military imbalance of power has been a major reason for perpetual political instability
in the country. But the current situation is more about the abdication of civilian authority to the
security establishment.
In the past, we have seen constant friction between elected civilian rulers and the security
establishment that would invariably result in estabilization of the democratic process. The main
cause of conflict has been the existence of what is being described as ‘the state within the state’
or ‘the state above the state’. Both the PPP and the PML-N governments have experienced that
situation.
Nawaz Sharif’s virtual speech from London to the multiparty conference in Islamabad last week
was testimony of his constant tug of war with the military establishment that ultimately caused
his ouster from power. What is most ironical is that other political parties would become a
handy tool for the establishment in this game of political manipulation.
A characteristic of hybrid rule is the duality of power, and that has its own perils.
Who sponsored Imran Khan’s siege of Islamabad in 2014 is now an open secret. That move
failed because of the rare show of unity among the other political forces in parliament. But the
game never stopped. The 2018 elections produced a weak government that needed to be
propped up(supported)
That has created a new political reality where a civilian administration is completely dependent
on the security establishment for its survival. The military’s support may have given Imran
Khan’s government some semblance of stability, but it has also diminished its capacity to
govern and to deal with key political matters itself.
That responsibility too seems to have been taken over by the military. The military leadership’s
interaction with the opposition leaders on key national issues is a manifestation of civilian
abdication. The military’s prop has reinforced Imran Khan’s disregard for elected institutions.
That has dragged the security establishment deeper into the political fray(dispute) .
Now, the military leadership is directly involved even in political firefighting on behalf of
Imran Khan’s government. What JUI-F’s Maulana Ghafoor Haideri said in an interview to a
private TV channel the other day about a JUI-F delegation’s meeting last year with the army
chief, at the latter’s invitation, is a case in point. According to him, the meeting was called for
the purpose of asking the party to call off its Azadi March. It was purely a political issue that
should have been dealt with by the political leadership.
Limitations to what the security establishment can do

But there are limitations to what the security establishment can do; it cannot improve
governance and run the economy. It can’t make the prime minister change the Punjab chief
minister, or stop him from making frequent and unnecessary changes in the bureaucracy, which
has virtually paralysed the administration.
So one should not be surprised by the PML-N leaders’ strong reaction on the arrest of Shahbaz
Sharif, the leader of the opposition. They have demanded that the security establishment pull
back from supporting an “incompetent” government. The widespread perception that it is
shielding the government has made the security establishment the main target of the attack.
Shrinking democratic space

The army chief has been quoted as saying that the security forces would serve any elected
government. But that is not what has been happening. The general impression is that the
military leadership is party to the relentless persecution of the opposition leaders in the name of
accountability. The shrinking democratic space in the country is at odds with these solemn
pledges of impartiality. The statements of some federal ministers claiming to be speaking on
the military’s behalf raise more questions about the latter’s increasing political role.
Opposition’s democratic movement to be launbeed against hybrid rule

What has brought together the disparate opposition parties is their growing frustration with
closing avenues for democratic political process in the country. The formation of the Pakistan
Democratic Movement (PDM) with a strong anti-establishment narrative is indicative of
the changing political atmosphere in the country.
It is not just about the opposition political parties joining hands but also the growing concern
among civil society over increasing incidents of human rights violations, forced disappearances
and treason cases filed against journalists that has made the situation extremely volatile. The
Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association in a joint statement last week
warned against fast diminishing freedom of expression, freedom of the press and personal
liberties. It also condemned the “use of accountability as a tool of political engineering”.
An approaching storm
These are signals of a gathering storm, but within the government and the establishment there
seems little realisation of the gravity of the situation. The government’s response to the
formation of the PDM is threatening the opposition with more arrests. But that seems to have
the opposite effect. It has led to the opposition groups closing ranks, particularly where the
PML-N is concerned. Even the moderates who were sceptical of Nawaz Sharif’s hard-line anti-
establishment position have now come on board.

The PDM has announced it will launch its protest campaign from next month. The battleground
is Punjab, which is also the PML-N’s stronghold. The absence of governance and rising
inflation has fuelled discontent in the province and led to a decline in the PTI’s support base.
However, it remains to be seen whether the opposition alliance is able to bring out the masses
on the street and put the government under pressure. The political temperature in the province
has been rising, and any use of force by the government may cause the situation to implode.
The government neither has the capacity nor competence to deal with mass protests. It may be
an autumn of discontent for a rudderless (confused) government.
The writer is an author and journalist.

Why are Armenia and Azerbaijan fighting and what
are the implications? | The Guardian
Tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh region have caused one of Europe’s

‘frozen conflicts’ to erupt
Michael Safi
What is happening?
Early on Sunday, Armenia announced it was
declaring martial law, mobilising its army and
ordering civilians to shelter. It claimed its
neighbour Azerbaijan had launched a military
operation inside a breakaway region called
Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan said it attacked only in response to Armenian shelling.
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognised internationally as Azerbaijan’s territory but has a
mostly Armenian population who have resisted Azerbaijani rule for more than a
century. In 1991 the region declared independence and since then it has ruled itself –
with Armenian support – as the unrecognised Republic of Artsakh.

Despite signs in the past two years of possible progress towards peace, one of Europe’s
“frozen conflicts” has erupted again. Since Sunday, forces from Nagorno-Karabakh
along with the Armenian military have been fighting Azerbaijani troops, armour and
aircraft. At least 100 people have been killed including civilians, and hundreds more
are said to be injured. Azerbaijan has claimed to have taken territory inside Nagorno-
Karabakh, a claim the Armenians dispute, and it appears to be a fluid situation on the
ground.
What’s the background?
Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous, landlocked region inside the borders of
Azerbaijan, has been a source of dispute since before the creation of the Soviet Union.
Tensions were suppressed when both Armenia and Azerbaijan were Soviet states, but
they re-emerged as the cold war ended and Communist party control of the bloc
dissolved.
A war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces ended in a ceasefire in 1994, with
Armenia in full control of Nagorno-Karabakh and other surrounding enclaves of
Azerbaijan’s territory.
The border between the two is considered one of the most militarised in the world, said
Laurence Broers, the Caucasus programme director at Conciliation Resources, a peace-
building group.
“We have a situation where we have trench warfare going on in Europe more than 100
years after the first world war,” he said. “In some areas the lines are so close they can
hear and potentially talk to one another.”
Azerbaijan is majority Muslim and Armenia is majority Christian, and some elements
on both sides seek to cast the conflict in religious terms, though analysts say this angle
is exaggerated (Azerbaijan, for example, maintains strong defence ties with Israel).
Why are they fighting now?
An Armenian revolution in 2018 ushered in a new generation of leadership and raised
hopes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict could move towards resolution. Those
aspirations have since dwindled, with Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan,
taking a firm – and in the eyes of Azerbaijani leaders, provocative – line on the issue.
With the Covid-19 pandemic taking a toll on the price of Azerbaijani oil and gas, it may
be that its rulers have decided now is a good time to act, Broers said. “They may have
thought: perhaps it’s an idea to have an operation now, rally the population around the
flag, make some territorial gains and re-enter the peace process from a position of
strength,” Broers said.
Azerbaijan says it is responding to Armenian aggression in areas that are legally its
territory and which have been occupied by enemy troops and separatists for decades.
Why does it matter?
Other than the humanitarian issue, with civilians on both sides being killed, the conflict
sparks international concern for a few reasons. The major one is that regional powers
including Russia, Turkey and Iran are invested in the South Caucasus to varying
degrees. If the fighting is left to fester, “you could have a process of sleepwalking, as
you did in the first world war, into a larger regional conflict,” Broers said.
Turkey has already declared its staunch support for Azerbaijan, while Russia is
traditionally closer to Armenia, though its ties with Azerbaijani elites have grown. The
two countries have been jostling for influence in different theatres around the world
including in Syria and Libya. Armenia has claimed that Turkey is sending Syrian

fighters into the area to fight on Azerbaijan’s side, a claim Azerbaijan calls “complete
nonsense”.
There is not yet clear evidence that Syrians are on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh,
but several fighters in Syria’s Idlib province have told the Guardian that a Turkish
private security company started a recruitment drive a month ago for men to send to
Azerbaijan.
The wider South Caucasus is a crucial artery for gas and oil from Azerbaijan into
Turkey and on to Europe and other world markets. Azerbaijan supplies about 5% of
Europe’s gas and oil demands (helping to reduce the EU’s dependence on Russia), and
fighting in 2016 came close to a number of these pipelines.

Abdullah Abdullah the harbinger for peace | Daily
Times
Ikram Sehgal
The US Military expenditure in Afghanistan | Introduction
The total military expenditure in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 is $822bn,this
includes the US Department of Defense, State Department, USAID and other government
agencies. The real costs might be much higher. The considerable human cost includes2,300
US soldiers killed and 20,660 wounded, not counting those traumatised who cannot find
their place in society again.According to Ghani since he became President in 2014 more than
45,000 members of the Afghan security forces and over 100000 civilians have been killed,
notcounting the casualties of the Taliban.
Pakistan and Afghanistan Relations | Historical overview

After Daud Shah toppled his cousin King Zahir Shah and declared himself the first President
of the Afghan Republic in 1973, relations with Pakistan became tense. To counter with this
emerging threat on its western borders Pakistani President Z A Bhutto tasked Commander
IGFC Brig (later Maj Gen) N K Babar. A number of Afghan students were given training by
one of my childhood friends Maj (later Lt Col) Salman Ahmad of SSG in two camps in
Pakistanin 1974, among them Ahmad Shah Masood. Alongwith Salman in the Kandahar
region during the Afghan war was Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, now the Taliban’s
political leader heading their delegation in the peace talks in Doha. Trained in the Indian
Military Academy, he was commissioned in the Afghan Army. Joining the Mujahidin during
the 80s he was in their Military Committee set up by Salman (codename “Col Faizan”).
More than any other Pakistani serviceman in our history Salman has fought multiple times
more battles for Pakistan in East Pakistan in 1971 and during the entire Afghan war against
the Soviets. Hesays among all the Afghans Stanikzai accompanied him most in military
operations against the Soviets. Incidentally Salman took Sandy Gall making his famous
BBC documentary, “Allah Against the Gunships”.
The peace between the Taliban and the US signals a rigorous

withdrawal of US forces from Afghan soil in line with President
Trump’s policy of ‘America first’. Not happy with the situation the
US military would like to keep a foot in the Afghan door by leaving
behind some troops
Recent Peace Process in Afghanistan | A glimpse of hope

A distant dream for many years,peace is now within reach. In February 2020 the US reached
a pragmatic agreement with the Taliban, while also signing a declaration with the
government of Afghanistan to start an intra-Afghan peace process.Notwithstanding the
structure of the peace agreement and its faultlines, without the help of Pakistan as a go-
between this agreement would not have been reached. With its own stake in the civil war in
Afghanistan Pakistan had also to learn its lesson. Pakistani politicians and military
professionals have been putting their money and effort on the Pashtun horse in the race for
changing the power balance has cost our country dearly. A flood of Afghan refugees created
economic turmoil that has adversely affected our growth rate and other economic indicators.

In addition, the militarization of our society fed by stolen US weaponry meant for
Afghanistan took a new turn. Flourishing in Pakistani seminaries,”Jihadism”financed with
external funds resulted in the rise of a Pakistani Taliban force as an off-spring of the Afghan
movement. Instead of recognizing the danger that was brewing in the underdeveloped and
unruled tribal areas Pakistani military and intelligence put their trust and money in the
Pashtun component of the Taliban movement, thus alienating the Taajik and Uzbek elements
of Afghan society.
To add to this a cruel and selfish newcomer Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was sent into the war in
the 1990s by Pakistani intelligence, Basically a Karuti from Paktia Province, Hekmatyar
alienated Ahmad Shah Masood and others, at various times fightingboth against and
aligning himself with almost every other group in Afghanistan. He ordered frequent attacks
on other rival factions to weaken them in order to improve his own position in the post-
Soviet power vacuum. His internecine rivalry led to his arranging the arrest of Ahmad Shah
Masood in Pakistan in 1976 on so-called spying charges. Masood and Hekmatya ronce
agreed to stage a takeover operation in the Panjshir valley-Hekmatyar at the last minute
refused to engage his part of the offensive, leaving Masood open and vulnerable. Masood’s
forces barely escaped with their lives.
The India Role in Afghanistan

India is not the friend Afghans would like to believe, Afghanistan only used them as a means
to an end, a convenient platform for conducting a proxy war at someone else’s expense, first
at Soviet Union’s cost and then the US, with Afghanistan taking the brunt of the death and
destruction that ensued. Afghans cannot seem to perceive the ruling BJP’s hatred of muslims
in India, incidentally most of whose ancestors came from Afghanistan.
The Pashtun-Tajik problem

The Pashtun-Tajik problem started in 1929 when Habibullah Kalakani, as Tajik leader who
was a kingmaker and the power behind the Afghan throne whose advice was binding on the
king, overthrew King Amanullah Khan because he would not scale back his reforms
openingthe Afghan society to western norms. Because of differences with Amanullah Khan,
the long time C-in-C Nadir Shah hadearlier gone into exile. From the border areas, now
mostly comprising Pakistan, Nadir Shah created a Mehsud and Waziri tribal lashkar and
defeated Habibullah Kalakani’s forces. He then executed Kalakani and many members of his
family by firing squad. Unfortunately the lashkar then went on a rampage north of Kabul in
the Tajik area, pillaging and looting,they committedmany atrocities. The bloodfeud has
lasted nearly a 100 years. It is time to heal the wounds of the past. With a mixed parentage
ofa Pashtun father and Tajik mother, Dr. Abdullah Abdullahis best equipped to do this.
Pakistan Policy regarding Afghanistan |

Our unwise policy in Afghanistan during the 1990s allowing the US to use our ports, roads,
air bases and other amenities added to our human and economic cost and alienated the
Taliban also within Pakistan,Pakistan is still having to bear theresiduals of this failed policy.
Nevertheless, Pakistan’s remaining influence was still enough to help bringing the Taliban to
the negotiating table. Just a week ago after another period of harsh negotiations, the peace
talks between the Taliban and the Ghani government, there are severe doubts if the two sides
can agree on anything – that much was immediately clear during the very first meeting. The
severe attacks of Taliban groups at Afghan soldiers and security personnel only displays the
continuing rift between the two. An additional difficulty is the fact that the anti-Taliban side
is divided in itself; Both the first and the second presidential election – both severely marred
– brought a close run for power between Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. While Ashraf

Ghani returned to Afghanistan after 24 years in December 2001 after leaving his posts at the
UN and World Bank to join the new Afghan government as the chief advisor to President
Hamid Karzai on 1 February 2002. Abdullah Abdullahwas a senior member of the Northern
Alliance working as a close adviser to Ahmad Shah Masood before 2001. After serving as
the Foreign Minister for nearly five years he stood against President Karzai and Ashraf
Ghani even twice (last time in 2019) and every time came second according to the official
counting. Based on the doubts that the handling of the election and the vote counting were
manipulated he rejected the official results and got himself has sworn in as separate
president.
During the “Afghanistan Re-Connected” dialogue series organised during the 2007-2012
period by the prestigious US think tank East West Institute (EWI), I was designated as the
EWI Director for Brussels and Berlin, I was privileged to have long conversations with both
Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. Both have tremendous grasp of both domestic and
international issues, while Ghani tends to be abrasive at times Dr Abdullah was always more
cool, suave and accommodating. On a flight back from Berlin to Dubai, Dr Abdullah was by
coincidence sitting next to me. When asked why he did not constructively engage with
Pakistan, his reply stumped me, “Even if we want to, will Pakistan talk to us?” When I
approached the powers-that-be in Pakistan about Dr Abdullah Abdullah being far more
pragmatic than other Afghans but seeming to have a genuine grievance with Pakistan that
needed assuaging, I was given a “shut up” call!.
Dr Abdullah visit to Pakistan | a crucial step

In the aftermath of the first several controversial days of peace negotiations Dr. Abdullah
Abdullahis now visiting Pakistan. As a young doctor he served briefly in Pakistan in 1985-
86. This belated visit gives us unique opportunity to rethink and perhaps rectify our former
Afghan policy. Pakistan needs a peaceful Afghanistan,they are our neighbours and this fact
won’t change at any time in future. As the connecting link to Central Asia and Russia.
Afghanistanplays an important role in the water and energy policy of the region and without
peace no progress in those domains is possible. CPEC(and its extension to Iran) makes
Afghanistan a vital link to Central Asia.Most of the 2 million or so Afghans would go back
home if there was peace and a chance for a better life, this would certainly ease our
economic burden.
Conclusion
The peace between the Taliban and the US signals a rigorous withdrawal of US forces from
Afghan soilin line with President Trump’s policy of ‘America first’. Not happy with the
situation the US military would like to keep a foot in the Afghan door by leaving behind
some troops. In the aftermath of US withdrawal, fighting might still go on. We cannot afford
the existing govt structure in Afghanistan to collapse and return to a vacuum in governance,
so a fair-sized contingent of US troopsmust remain for some time. Ashraf Ghani servesthe
USbetter than Abdullah Abdullah and that is why the vote counting came out in his favour.
However Abdullah Abdullah is more a ‘son of the soil’ than Ghani, who sooner or later
willreturn to the US. It would also suit Afghanistan and the region if it had a rather
independent government. In a growingly interconnected world the present peace process,
with India attempting to sabotage it by all means possible,is not only in the interest of all the
countries of the region but is certainly justified in our interest.
The Foreign Office (and more so the ISI) must be applauded for arranging this extremely
important and tremendous breakthrough.As the possible harbinger for peace, welcome to
Pakistan Dr. Abdullah Abdullah!

Dawn 30 September, 2020 by M.Usman and Rabia K

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ICEP

DAWN EDITORIALS & OPINIONS

1 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

Red for Difficult Vocab

Green for Important Figures and contents

Others colours used where necessary

2 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

3 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

Mismanagement of TCP and slow import process of wheat | Detailed Analysis

4 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

UNDETERRED by the outrage over his earlier callous (crurl disregarding)

Mr Sheikh unrepentant sexist comments | Details

An unacceptable behavior of victim-blaming |

5 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

6 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR)

Pakistan wants an Afghan-led and Afghan owned peace process | Details

Way forward | Pakistan offered unconditional support to the Afghan

7 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

PFUJ concerns against Anti-media forces | Critical Analysis

8 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

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2. A blessing in disguise- Something good that isn’t recognized by first

3. Bull in china shop- One who causes damage

5. A damp squib- Complete failure

6. A dime A dozen - Anything that is common and easy to get

7. A doubting Thomas- A skeptic who needs physical or personal evidence in order to

8. A drop in the bucket- A very small part of something big or whole

10. A gentleman at large- An unreliable person

11. A green horn- Inexperienced

15. A man of straw - A weak person

16. A mare’s nest- A false invention

19. A piece of cake- A task that can be accomplished very easily

20. A slap on the wrist- A very mild punishment

21. A stalking horse- Pretence

22. A steal- Very inexpensive, a bargain

10 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

25. A wolf in sheep’s clothing- A dangerous person pretending harmless

27. Above all- Mainly, especially

28. Above board- Fair and honest

29. According to- In the order of; on the authority of

32. Against the clock- Rushed and short on time

35. All and Sundry- Without making any distinction

39. All of a sudden- Suddenly, without warning (All at once)

40. All right- Acceptable, fine; yes, okay

42. An arm and a leg- Very expensive, A large amount of money

43. An axe to grind- To have a dispute with someone

45. An iron hand- By force

46. Apple to my eye- Someone who is cherished above all others

47. As a matter of fact- Really, actually (also: as to)

48. As for- Regarding, concerning (also: as to)

49. As high as a kite- Anything that is high up in the sky

50. As soon as- Just after, when

11 ICEP CSS-PMS Dawn

52. At all- To any degree (also: in the least)

53. At heart- Basically, fundamentally

54. At last- Finally, after a long time

55. At least- A minimum of, no fewer (or less) than

56. At odds- In dispute

58. At the drop of a hat- Willing to do something immediately

59. Back and call- At the service

60. Back and forth- In a backward and forward motion

62. Back to square one- Having to start all over again