CSS Chronicles June 2021

CSS Magazine Edition 11
Past Paper MCQs Compilation
Essay Outlines
History in Colors
Recommended Books’ Review & much more!
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June 2021- Edition
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Content
Monthly round up: May at a glance 6
International 10
1. The Murky World of Cyber Warfare 11
2. Debating the OIC: A Palestinian Case Study 15
3. Myanmar: The Next Failed State in Asia 19
4. Can the Ice between Iran and Saudi Arabia Melt? 22
National 25
1. Time to Steer Towards Sustainability 26
2. Civil Service Reforms 29
3. Reforming the Electoral Regime in Pakistan 33
4. IMF Bailouts and the Way to Get Out of the Crisis 36
Meet our CSP 39

1. Instructor of the Month 39
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Monthly Press Review 41
Essay Outlines 61
1. Democracy and Illiteracy Do Not Move Together 62
2. War divides, Economy Unites 62
3. It has become appallingly obvious that our 63
technology has superseded our humanity
4. Truth is a Rare Commodity Despite the Freedom 63
Enjoyed by The Print and Electronic Media
History in Colors 65
MCQs Compilation 68
73
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MONTHLY ROUND UP:

MAY AT A GLANCE
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Dates Events
1 The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a review of trade relations
with Pakistan and ending its eligibility for the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP)
status.
2 The government decided to directly release funds to police stations in Islamabad for
day-to-day expenditures, including fuel for vehicles and maintenance of buildings.
3 In a bid to prevent possible arrival of new Covid-19 variants, the National Command
and Operation Centre (NCOC) decided to enhance protocols on borders with Iran and
Afghanistan by regulating inbound pedestrian movement and effectively managing
health guidelines.
4 Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to
vehemently counter Islamophobia and falsely equating of Islam with radicalism and
terrorism.
5 Thousands of Afghans started to flee their homes as fierce fighting erupted between
government forces and the Taliban in Helmand province after the US military began
withdrawing its remaining troops from Afghanistan, officials said.
6 Saudi Arabia assured Pakistan of its support in its initiatives for regional peace and
stability.The assurance was extended by Chief of General Staff (CGS), Saudi Armed
Forces, Gen Fayiadh Bin Hamed Al Rowaily during a meeting with Chief of the Army
Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa.
7 The country`s fiscal deficit has increased to 3.6 per cent of gross domestic product
(GDP) or Rs1.652 trillion during the first nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal
year despite a drastic cut in development, almost static defense expenditure, healthy
provincial cash surpluses and record petroleum levy collections.
8 Pakistan and Saudi Arabia expressed desire for resolution of Kashmir dispute through
dialogue and Afghan conflict through political settlement.
9 Pakistan urged the international community to develop a post-pandemic framework

for development to recover from the shocks of the Covid-19 crisis.
10 A close aide to the prime minister announced that Islamabad and Riyadh had signed a
prisoner transfer agreement to repatriate over 2,000 Pakistani prisoners languishing in
Saudi Arabia`s jails.
11 The Taliban captured a key district just outside the Afghan capital Kabul in central
Wardak province, forcing government forces to retreat, security officials said.
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Dates Events
12 To express solidarity with the people of Palestine, who are treated savagely by Israeli
security forces, Prime Minister Imran Khan joined trending Twitter campaigns #We
stand with Palestine and #We stand with Gaza.
13 The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held Israel responsible for violence in
Palestinian territories and called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to
urgently take action to stop these attacks by the Israeli forces.
14 All members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), who participated in an
emergency meeting on the situation in Palestine, urged Israel not to make demo-
graphic and territorial changes in the occupied territory and immediately cease its
hostilities.
15 Fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces resumed in the restive
southern province of Helmand, officials said, ending a three-day ceasefire agreed by
the warring sides to mark the Eid ul Fitr holiday.
16 Prime Minister Imran Khan reconstituted the Executive Committee of National Econom-
ic Council (ECNEC) to fill the void created after the exit of former finance minister Dr
Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.
17 Israeli air strikes hammered the Gaza Strip pre-dawn after a week of violence between
the Jewish state and Palestinians left more than 200 people dead as international calls
for de-escalation went unheeded.
18 The federal cabinet decided to initiate the process of electoral reforms by tabling the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Report 2019-20 in the National Assembly for
starting a debate on it from May 24 even if the opposition abstains.
19 Pakistan urged the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to deploy an international protection

force to end the ongoing violence in Palestine and to disengage Israelis and Palestin-
ians.
20 Israel`s `security cabinet` approved an end to military operations in the bruising 11-day
hostilities in Gaza Strip.
21 Pakistan`s economy performed beyond expectations with all major macroeconomic

indicators showing positive trend amid the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in a 3.94 per
cent economic growth rate this fiscal year, compared to a revised negative 0.47pc in
2019-20.
22 US military planners pushed for nuclear strikes on mainland China in 1958 to protect
Taiwan from an invasion by Communist forces, classified documents posted online by
Daniel Ellsberg of `Pentagon Papers` fame show.
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Dates Events
23 The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) to
play its role in getting all vaccines acceptable by countries which have made it man-
datory for visitors to be inoculated by certain brands only.
The icebreaker between Islamabad and Washington took place in Geneva where
24 national security advisers Jake Sullivan of the US and Moeed Yusuf of Pakistan met and,
according to a statement jointly issued by them, `agreed to advance practical cooper-
ation`.
25 Four days after allowing vaccination of citizens aged 30 and above against Covid-19,
the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decided to open registration for
people over 18 years having computerised national identity cards (CNICs).
26 Four suspected members of a banned extremist outfit, including a commander, were

killed in an intelligence-based operation of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in
Killi Aghbarg area of the provincial capital.
27
Experts approved a single national curriculum for Class VI to VIII which would be intro-
duced from next year.
28
After the UK variant made inroads into various cities of the country, Pakistan reported
its first confirmed patient carrying the Indian strain.
29 Pakistan`s top tax machinery claimed to have crossed Rs4.143 trillion in 11 months of the
current fiscal year against Rs3.536tr collected over the corresponding months of last
year indicating a revival of economic activities in the country.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Iraq`s Minister for Interior Othman Ali
30 Farhood Moshir Al Ghanimi agreed on the need for exchanging delegations with a view
to enhancing cooperation in security matters, countering narcotics smuggling and
visa facilitation.
31
Israeli and Egyptian officials held talks in both countries aimed at bolstering the Cai-
ro-brokered ceasefire that ended the latest deadly flare-up of violence between the
Jewish state and Gaza`s Hamas rulers.
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CSS Magazine edition 11
INTERNATIONAL
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The Murky Syeda Urooj Fatima
World of This May the cyber-attack on Colonial Pipeline’s

Billing system made the headlines worldwide. It
Cyber
was not just the attack but the impunity with
which the hackers went away with after
receiving the whopping amount of $4.4 million
Warfare
in cryptocurrency as ransomware. The hackers
were allegedly affiliated with the DarkSide
cybergang. The company had to shut the entire
pipeline to prevent the spread of infection to its
operational controls. It shows how vulnerable
companies and economies are to such
cyber-attacks. This reminds me of the words of
Robert Mueller, former FBI director," there are
only two types of companies: those that have
been hacked and those that will be."
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Today, cyber-crimes have become the worst

nightmare of both companies and
governments. The only difference is that by
definition it is a cyber-crime for the former
and ‘cyber warfare’ for the latter. Literature
defines cyber warfare as "attacking and
defending information and computer
networks in cyberspace, as well as denying an
adversary’s ability to do the same.’’ Well, that
does not sound that scary! Now, consider this
scenario: God forbid! enemy plans a
cyber-attack on Pakistan. With the right tools
and software, its hackers can hack the power
grid, airports, disrupt the supplies countrywide
and can broadcast fake news via
television/social media to create mass
hysteria. Not to mention the complete
doomsday scenario: the breaking of dams or
access to any nuclear facility! Now, that’s
scary! And that is no exaggeration either. In
2013, hackers got access to the Bowman
Avenue dam’s gates in the US and power grid
in Ukraine in 2015. Last year, Iran blamed Israel
for a series of cyber targeting of its nuclear
facilities and causing an explosion at Natanz.
Iran vowed to strike back, raising the
temperature of already boiling Middle East's
political tensions. That is why World Economic
Forum (WEF) considers cyber-attacks as one
of the biggest global risks in its 2019 report. arena of cyberspace. As president Obama
admitted, "frankly we’ve got more capacity than
Superpowers in the world of cyber anybody, both offensively and defensively." Its
warfare national intelligence agency, NSA, is notorious
for its suspicious leakages of various spy tools.
Its spy tool, Eternal Blue, which exploited a
vulnerability in Microsoft software, has
bankrupted many companies. Stuxnet, a
computer worm, a cyber weapon allegedly
made by collaboration of the US and Israel,
ruined more than one-fifth of Iran’s nuclear
centrifuges. US has also turned a blind eye to
the cyber mischiefs of its best buddy: Israel. This
small state is now leading the world in its cyber
skills and technology. But instead of employing
its skills in the fair market, it is waging a cyber
war against the world. The infamous
On this virtual battlefield, rivals are already achievements of its spyware Pegasus, launched
showing their fangs and flexing their muscles. by the NSO, an Israeli technology firm, are as
The US intelligence reports consider Russia, worst kept secret as its nuclear weapons are.
China, Iran and North Korea as the biggest However, the shocking extent to which Israel has
cyber threats. Russia was accused of cyber advanced in the cyber warfare arena was
manipulation in 2016's US elections. Pentagon exposed in 2020 by Pegasus vs. Al-Jazeera
accused China of probing US networks for scandal. In its research, Citizen Lab found that
data that could be exploited in case of a crisis. NSO’s spyware was used in a major espionage
But the US itself is not a naïve virgin in the
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campaign against Al-Jazeera’s media

organization. The NSO allegedly sold its spyware
to autocratic regimes which then used it to curb
the dissenting voices against them. It was
reported that the iPhones of hundreds of
This zero click technology costs billions of
journalists and members of civil society were
dollars, so it can only be bought by rich
hacked. Where it added to the list of allegations
autocrats and used against some specific
against NSO’s role in targeting of journalists in
‘high-profile’ targets. The NSO is already fighting
Morocco, political dissidents from Rwanda,
a case in court for the alleged contribution of its
politicians in Spain, and pro-democracy clergy
spyware in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
in Togo, it also raised questions regarding
security of iPhone. WhatsApp and Facebook also
Pakistan is not in the safe zone either. In
fought a case against the NSO, accusing it of
December 2019, the Guardian reported that
using these apps to hit its targets.
more than two dozen Pakistani government
officials were targeted in the same way. The
What makes Pegasus so dangerous is its
situation is even more worrisome, since Pakistan
sophisticated method of getting access to the
was ranked 7th among the countries having the
target’s gadget. It would not only be a
worst cybersecurity in a study conducted by
conventional way of sending a suspicious link to
Comparitech. In 2018, Pakistan’s banking system
WhatsApp or spam email. It can get into your
became a victim of a major cyber-attack,
phone with ‘zero-day exploit’ or ‘zero click
costing it Rs.2.6 million. In August 2020,
exploit’-which means you don’t even have to do
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies tracked a major
anything to let it in. The spyware then lets
security breach by Indian hackers, targeting
hackers to get in and control your phone
phones and other gadgets of government and
completely without giving you a hint: access the
military officials. This threat is real, more than
messages, photos and can even turn off mic
ever. And a solution is indispensable, more than
and camera.
ever! Pakistan must work on its cyber security
domain. Following Israel's model can be very
helpful. Israel is the only country where cyber
security is offered as an optional in high-school
matriculation examinations, and the first country
to offer a Ph.D. program in cyber security. There
are more than six cyber security research
centers in the country. Pakistan should similarly
pay heed to its educational and research fields
to create and nourish minds that can compete
with today’s cyber skilled adversaries.
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Providing fresh graduates with facilities to sharpen their skills and participate in international cyber
defense practices can be very fruitful. Competitions like NATO-backed Locked Shields event should
be arranged in South Asia too. In these competitions, a team of defenders has to defend a
country against a team of hackers, allowing cyber-experts to sharpen their skills. It’s time to
proactively deal with the threat. It’s not a matter of if we get hacked, instead it’s a matter of
when. A single vulnerability is all what a hacker needs and must not leave any for exploitation.
The cyber security is all about evolution in the cyberspace. In words of Christopher A. Wray,’’
As cyber threats evolve, we need to evolve as well." We need to evolve too! As fast as we
can! Otherwise, the fastest and the fittest would walk over the slowest and the weakest!
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Debating the Abdul Samad Khan
OIC: A The world-leading organizations originated

from the need for a common economic,
Palestinian
political, social, religious, and cultural security.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was
established with purposes to protect the sacred
Case Study
religious places of Muslims as well as promoting
social, economic, scientific, and cultural
coordination among the member countries.
Unfortunately, the OIC seems to be falling short

of fulfilling its objectives for a plethora of issues
it is facing now. The ongoing daring challenges
to the Ummah need to be uprooted via taking
some tangible measures thereby making the
Ummah an Ummah in letter and spirit.
Above all, the curtailment of the decades-long

oppression, brutality, genocide of Palestinians,
and illegitimate occupation and settlement of
the Palestinian land has been a litmus test for
OIC.
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Understanding the Organization of

Islamic Countries
When the Al-Aqsa mosque- a religiously
sacred place for Muslims- was put on fire by
the Israeli forces in the 1960s, the Muslims
across the world felt a need for the formation
of an organization to bring into light the issues
the Muslim Ummah was facing then, thereby
safeguarding the sacred religious places of
Muslims across the world. Thus, the OIC came
into being in 1969.
It further aimed at enhancing the

collaboration and cooperation across the
Muslim world in the areas of science,
economy, and cultural exchange among
others ushering into a solidified and unified
Ummah.
Finding durable solutions to a number of

conflicts taking place on Muslim soil like the
Palestine issue, the Kashmir conundrum, and
the Middle Eastern saga, fall under the duty of
OIC.
While zooming in the geographical features of

the OIC, the organization is home to a
resource-rich hydrocarbon bed among which
only the Middle East provides 25% of the total
energy required to the West. The Palestine Issue
The beginning of the twentieth century started
Moreover, it claims over a handful of paving way for the unlawful settlement of Jews
important straights which contribute in the land of Palestine. The Holocaust episode
immensely to the World’s marine trade followed by the devastation of WW2 enhanced
especially in that of hydrocarbon. Similarly, the the said illegitimate occupation.
Ummah is incorporating almost 1.8bn Muslims Initially, a handful of Arab countries were seen
across the world which counts a huge part of up in arms against this de facto move ushering
the world’s total population resulting in into a series of conflicts among the warring
undeniable manpower of the Ummah. parties. In the end, a wide range of peace
initiatives was seen over a long time in the past;
Notwithstanding all the perils the Muslim world but none of them did remain successful.
has, the Ummah is yet to resolve a plethora of The reasons behind the failure of the said peace
issues ranging from territorial conflicts to initiatives have been many over the past few
political, economic, and social morbidity. The decades ranging from the lack of political will to
OIC needs to galvanize and reinforce per se to the geopolitical and economic influence leaving
set aside all the challenges to Ummah in order a majority of the Ummah affected.
to make the Ummah able to exploit all the Similarly, the Al- Quds has been a holy site to
natural and artificial resources it has been the followers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
bestowed with, in the best favour of its people. which is why the site has been a battleground
among those three as each one leaving no
However, it finds itself paralyzed by disunity stone unturned to fulfil its religious
and inward-looking of its member countries commandment and predications viz- a -viz the
brushing the common interests of Ummah ownership of this holy land.
aside. The annul over the past not less than a
thousand years indicates the taking and
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overtaking of this holy site by either of those three fascinators to the sacred piece of land. One thing
that is common in the whole period of Palestine issue as to why it has yet to be resolved has been the
dormancy of not only the international community but also the whole Ummah- politically the
Organization of Islamic Countries. The researchers find the US and a handful of European countries
the main driving forces behind the long-standing Israeli terrorism. The US foreign policy towards the
Middle East- Israel-oriented- keeps Israel’s question in view as it aims at securing the interests of its
allies among which Israel keeps an undeniable position.
It is formed by the Pentagon which means that it has minimum chances of being reverted. Moreover,
the American-based Jewish lobby for Israel has been moulding an Israel-oriented US foreign policy
towards the Middle over the past few decades.
The Fragile Nature of the OIC

The inactive posture of the OIC while representing nearly 1.8bn Muslims across the world, seems to be
deplorable viz-a-viz the resolution of the Palestinian conflict among others left nothing unaffected.
The status quo of the Palestinian issue paralyzes OIC by virtue of a number of reasons among which
the leading position of GCC takes a key position. The history of normalization of ties with Israel with the
hope of providing a durable solution to the Palestinian conundrum portraying a pathetic picture of
genocide and unlawful occupation of the Palestinian land has been failed badly.
The studies unveil that the failure in resolving the issue has been due to the surpassing of the
parochial geopolitical and economic interests over the common interests of Ummah especially the
affected sites like Palestine. The OIC is largely dominated by the Arab nations which have failed in
protecting per se against the mounting geostrategic perils of their positions.
The lack of coordination and cooperation among the members of OIC in a plethora of areas
concerned provides a widening fissure among the Ummah cutting the feathers of the member
countries.
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The OIC needs a strong back from Ummah which the latter fails to provide. Almost every country falls
in the clutches of its parochial geo-economic and political interests which prevents it from
contributing to the prosperity of Ummah.
More or less the territorial conflicts and foreign occupation and oppression are caused by the fragile
nature of OIC members viz-a-viz the resolution of the key challenges the Ummah is facing.
Prioritizing the Interests of Ummah

The OIC needs the provision of strong political will on behalf of the Ummah in order to resolve the key
issues the Muslim world is coming across. The OIC member countries especially the GCC which hold a
lion’s share of the Muslim world politically and economically must oil the wheel of OIC to accelerate
the resolution of key issues.
The GCC should prioritize the interests of Ummah over their personal interests requiring them to avoid
any political, economic, and diplomatic move setting aside the will and presence of the key party-
Palestinians in Palestine issue.
They should not revise the so-called normalization episode at the cost of the Palestinians rather must
include them in any future initiative to resolve the issue. It has made clear by a plethora of
normalization initiatives over the past few decades that each of them did not deliver just because of
the seriousness of Muslim Arab nations prioritizing their personal interests over the resolution of the
Palestinian issue.
Similarly, the recent normalization was ironically based on closing the illegal occupation of the
Palestinian territory in return to which the UAE and other willed Arab countries would normalize their
diplomatic ties with Israel. However, it has not been the case as the ongoing oppression and genocide
of the Palestinians and the attack on Al-Aqsa frankly expose the shallow nature of the basic of the
Abraham Accord.
A Need for Unity

The OIC must be backed by a unified posture by its member countries to resolve all the key
challenges to Ummah. Moreover, the international community and international organizations
including the UN must relinquish their double-standard viz-a-viz the resolution of key international
conflicts and gross human rights violation, but it again needs the sensitization of the gross human
rights violation the Muslim world is facing which is a daring call upon the OIC.
The international media must highlight the power asymmetry in the Palestinian dilemma wherein
one- Israel- is occupier and other-Palestinians- is occupied. The US and the other global powers
including European countries must set aside their apartheid approach regarding the resolution of key
international issues especially those related to the Muslim world in one way or the other.
Wrapping up the discussion, the OIC needs to be active to achieve its founding objectives which
demand a strong backup by its member countries. It is pretty sure that unity, coordination and
cooperation while exploiting resource-rich Muslim world will put forward solutions to a number of
issues the Ummah is struggling to cope with.
The economic independence of Ummah would bestow it with an undeniable posture in international
politics which would grant it a strong political weight. However, for all this is required the superiority of
Ummah interests to the personal and parochial interests of a single Muslim country.
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Myanmar: Atika Khalid Abro
The Next A failed state is unceasingly entangled in

internal lawlessness paving way for
Failed State
interventions from international community.
Likewise, Myanmar’s different stakeholders vie
for power as there is a clear void of authority,
in Asia
resulting in breaking of the social contract with
its citizens. The country is an ethnically diverse
and divided nation. The powerful military junta
has declared a state of emergency for a year
and despite their reassurance of holding free
elections in due time, what waits in future is
well-known. One can clearly find those primary
characteristics of a “failed state” in Myanmar
which are shared by Noam Chomsky, they are,
inter alia: citizens remain unprotected,
perpetrators of crimes enjoy impunity, the
democratic institutions suffer from “democratic
deficit”, i.e., they are toothless institutions.
Referring to the country’s colonized past while
analyzing the present scenario, it is mandatory
to get a clear picture of events. Myanmar could
well be among failed states of Asia, with the
likes of Afghanistan, yet there is a glimpse of
hope as the military is caught flat-footed by the
anti-coup protesters and growing civil
disobedience movement. Therefore, it is not
easier during this time around to subjugate
democratic aspirations of people.
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The Historical Baggage of the Region:

Failed Democratization
PThe legacy of a colonial past still haunts the
colonized states. British policy of divide and
rule was evident when they handed over
power to ethnic majority- Bamar. Dr Thant
Myint-U in his book “The Hidden History of
Burma: Race, Capitalism and the Crisis of
Democracy in 21st Century” elaborately writes
about the resulting constant warfare in
country among different militias. To curb these
insurgencies the military was seen as the only
power to keep the country intact. Gradually,
this institution became a law unto itself,
entrenching itself in politics, economy and
defense alike. This undemocratic power grab
resulted in Tatmadaw’s hold on to power for
more than five decades. Undoubtedly, this
non-representation of people’s aspirations in
governance is indication of a failed state.
Regional Players’ Lackluster

Response
There is a growing fear of proxy wars in
Myanmar. China, the bordering country, has
remained unfazed by this change. Its only
concern is smooth sailing of its
Myanmar-China Economic Corridor.
Protection of its economic and strategic
interests is its chief concern, therefore, it, along Muang Zarni considers ASEAN to be a total
with Russia, blocked UN resolution failure when it comes to genocides and other
condemning the coup. As far as India is mass atrocities committed within its backyard.
concerned, many regional experts opine that He quotes the example of Cambodia in 1997 and
it needs to take a strong position against the the organization’s hiding behind its
coup since the country is world’s largest non-intervention. He thinks that ASEAN has lost
democracy and has presented its so-called its moral ground by rolling out red carpet for a
Look East Policy. But how it can call a spade a man who is eventually going to land at The
spade when there is clear authoritarianism Hague because of his crimes against humanity.
within its democracy. If left undisturbed, this Only Indonesia and Malaysia, among the ten
unrest will surely have a spill over into the members of ASEAN, have democratic set ups.
region and beyond. Analysts have predicted However, ASEAN needs to do its utmost to move
the rise in issues like refugee crisis, human the needle and save Myanmar from being a
trafficking, narcotics trade, and even piracy total failed state.
towards the northern end of the Strait of
Malacca. Thus, a failed state is a public
nuisance. Individual Level of Analysis
Let’s understand the current events through the
ASEAN lens of individual level of analysis. Min Aung
In April the regional organization ASEAN held a Hlaing, the country's de facto leader, had vested
summit calling Min Aung Hlaing to agree to its interests behind this coup. On the pretext of
Five Points of Consensus. According to Prof. alleged unfair election results of November 8,
Amitav Acharya, it would have been far better, 2020, General Elections, he has tried to protect
had ASEAN sent a mission that had met with himself from the clutches of International
both the military leadership and NLD leaders Criminal Court (ICC). Just like former military
and only later held a summit. Contrarily, Dr officer and latter president of Sudan-Omar Al
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Bashir, he wanted to escape conviction for

genocide by claiming sovereign immunity as a
Head-of-state.
Moreover, Myanmar was trying to follow the lead of

Indonesia’s transition to democracy. The army’s
involvement in politics was gradually decreased.
This phased and gradual retreat of army was on
the horizon as planned by NLD. The constitutional
amendment would have reduced the number of
seats reserved for the army from the current 25% to
10% after 2025, another 5% after 2030. And
eventually would have got rid of them altogether in
2035. But since the stakes were high for both the
army general and the military-linked party USDP,
they intervened to reclaim their waning power. This
proves how vested interests of some people and
institutions are detrimental to states verging on
state failure.
Human Rights Violation: A Tragedy of Epic

Proportions
With the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world
thought justice will be served to Rohingya and
other minorities and she would be the bastion of
human rights. However, things got worse under her
watch too. Many were so disillusioned that they
wondered Et tu, Brute? Indeed, it is crucial to take
up cudgels against tyranny when one has power to
bring criminals to justice. Otherwise, a time comes
when no one is left to speak for him as confessed Martin Niemöller, German theologian, in "First they
came …”. From time to time, mass exodus of these stateless people to Bangladesh is a proof of the
country’s falling into the category of failed states. The diversity of the country was recognized in the
Citizenship Act of 1982; however, among those 135 recognized ethnic groups Rohingya ethnic minority
was not mentioned. This denial of one’s rights results in alienation and consequently pits the warring
factions against one another. Resultantly, the country is seen constantly in a state of civil war- one
the markers of failed state.
Generation Z: A Silver Lining

Nevertheless, this usurpation of power by junta is facing strong resistance both domestically and
internationally. Times have changed; this Generation Z is not ready to accept any scapegoat for
extended garrison state. They are opening up to the diversity. The 8888 uprising of 1988 were clearly
inspiring. Similarly, awe-inspiring are these protesters who are undeterred by the military might. They
do not want Myanmar to become a pariah state in this globalized world.
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Can the Ice Raies Rameezudin Qasmi
between The strife between Iran and Saudi Arabia exists

even before the commencement of modern
Iran and
history, but it has been a few decades since
when this conflict is exacerbated. The modern
conflict can be traced back to the Iranian
Saudi
Revolution in 1979. Before that, Saudi Arabia had
nominated itself as the champion of Islam.
However, schisms began after the revolution in
Arabia Iran. Now, there are two cynosures of two

broadly categorized sects in Islam, Saudi Arabia
Melt?
represents the Sunni sect and Iran represents
the Shia sect. The two countries are at imbroglio
along with the entanglement of numerous
middle-eastern and South Asian countries in
general. Moreover, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen
are the countries that bear the brunt of the
conflict. Despite the prolonged and harsh
rebuke, the tacit silver lining can be observed
from the assertions of Muhammad Bin Salman.
In a statement, he said that he wants Iran to
push the middle east towards prosperity.
Further, the talks of a ceasefire among Iran,
Russian-backed Houthis, and Saudi Arabia are
being reverberating on the mainstream media.
Though the Houthis seem reluctant to be in
talks, there is still room for further development
towards the amelioration of the
three-decades-old complex dispute.
nearpeer.org 22
Understanding the Fault Lines of the

Vicious Rivalry
Since both of the sides represent different
sects of Islam, the accumulation of power and
dominance is obtained accordingly. In
particular, Iran and Iraq have the majority Shia
population. Resultantly, since the
assassination of Saddam Hussain, the
influence of Iran over Iraq, Lebanon, and
Yemen is conspicuous and substantial. Yet the
fissures are dilated over the large proportion
of the Asian countries.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia patronizes

the GCC countries, along with Egypt at large.
As Saudi Arabia is the spiritual and strategic
center of Islam, it is getting leverage of it in
comparison to other GCC and Middle Eastern
countries.
Reasons behind a Checkmate from

Iran
Implicitly, approach of the Saudi officials to
the Houthi`s leadership for conciliation and
ceasefire is a positive gesture. Although Saudi
Arabia is far ahead in terms of economy and
resources, it lacks military power and the
subtle tactics of proxy wars. Thus, Iran has
been taking the leverage of it for some time
now. Iran has years of experience in handling meetup.” The reason behind the selection of Iraq
and monitoring certain proxy militias, but for the meetup lied behind its cultural
Saudi Arabia depends upon mercenaries. homogeneity and a substantial quantity of both
Further, Iran imparts a spiritual and religious Shia and Sunni population in the country.
pretext among its security forces and militias Though it was anti-Shia in Saddam Hussain`s
and such pretext uploaded by religious era and now largely influenced by Iran, it also
emotions set forth uttermost sincerity and has close ties with Saudi Arabia.
power among its militants. Hence, Iran has the
advantage in both military and diplomacy. Why is the Regional Conflict Supported
Iran is in détente with both China and Russia being by Global Imperials?
which are said to be emerging imperial It is known, far and wide, that there is no friend-
powers. Further, a recent manifold trade deal ship without interest, so every foreign power has
worth 400 million USD is signed between Iran some self-interests. The same is the case here.
and China implies that Iran is going to be a In this quest for the global hegemony, Iran is
strong economic country. A succinct militarily and strategically supported by Russia
comparative analysis of the two military and China. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is backed
powers is given below by the United States of America. The self-inter-
est of the former is to augment the dominancy
Why is Iraq Considered the Land of in the region, and the latter has an interest in
Reconciliation? Arms and Oil trade, along with global support for
It is reported that the top diplomats of Saudi different wicked activities. Similarly, Saudi Arabia
Arabia and Iran had a secret meeting in Iraq. backed the United States of America on the
Nonetheless, when a mainstream media commencement of Afghan Jihad for the sake of
reporter asked them for confirmation about subjugating the USSR in the 1980s.
the meeting, one explicitly denied and the
other one tacitly said, “Anyone can have a
nearpeer.org 23
Outcomes of the Détente

Hypothetically, if the two countries come closer, and diplomatic relations begin to establish, it will
have several positive aspects in the region as a whole. First, it will give rise to stability in the middle
eastern region. The bloody proxy wars would come to an end. The dilapidated countries like Yemen
and Syria would start to make progress. In particular, the humanitarian crisis in the region would
dwindle gradually. Second, it will provide impetus in the changing directions of the imperial powers
from the West. So, if these two countries come closer, the western powers will lose their hegemony.
Third, all of the countries in this region will start to rise economically, and it will provide a potential
momentum to rebuild the annihilated infrastructure of Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and Iraq. At last, it
will strengthen the people of Palestine, and the Palestine issue will be taking a new hype.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be inferred that several factors that could be considered crucial are discussed
above. Though the two countries are at qualms for so long, there are implicit sounds echoing for the
reconciliation as there is nothing gained in this prolonged imbroglio. If the manifestation of ties
between these two took practicality, it will beget a number of benedictions in the region, ranging from
the massive reconstruction to the lingering Palestine Issue. As there should not be any room for void
aggression in the times of pragmatic and empirical approach. Hopefully, subsequent years would set
forth beatitude rather than a lethal paradox.
nearpeer.org 24
NATIONAL
nearpeer.org 25
Time to Syeda Urooj Fatima
Steer Pakistan has been rated as the eighth most

climate vulnerable country in the Global
Towards
Climate Risk Index of 2020. IMF has already
ranked the country on the third place in the list
of countries facing highest threats of acute
Sustainability
water shortage. In the next two decades, the
country would be the most water strained
country in the entire South Asia. Already, almost
30 million Pakistanis are deprived of any access
to clean water. All this despite of the fact, that
country hosts the largest glacial water storage
in the entire world excluding the polar region.
Making the situation even grimmer, a report by
World Bank in 2018 says that almost fifty million
people still have no access to the power grid in
the country. All these facts cry out for a prudent
handling of the country’s resources and a rapid
development and growth in the country’s
energy sector that is sustainable and
environment friendly.
nearpeer.org 26
Its precarious geographic location has

already made Pakistan conscious of the
impacts of global warming and looming
extreme climate changes. Previously, Pakistan
was ranked as the fifth most vulnerable
country to climate change and now the
number is dropped to eighth. The difference
can be attributed to the government’s
passionate following and campaigning of
environment friendly policies and taking
initiatives like Billion tree Tsunami. It is an irony
of the fate that the countries that contribute
least to the global carbon emissions have to
bear the greatest brunt of the climate change.
Pakistan contributes less than one percent of
total carbon emissions. But the country is
already witnessing the horrors of the climate
change in terms of extreme weather
conditions, changed rain patterns, rivers
running dry, glacier melting, and intrusion of
saline water in agricultural land. All this is
posing serious threats to country’s food
security which is already compromised.
Sustainability comprises three pillars:

economic, environmental, and social. So, a
sustainable future for Pakistan means a
prosperous, developed, environment friendly
Pakistan providing equitable resource
distribution to its citizens. Singapore can serve what brought Singapore to this level? It coupled
as a guiding model for Pakistan in this regard. its economic progress with sustainability and
Just some fifty years ago, Singapore was not adopted the most environment friendly policies
much different from today’s Pakistan. It was to preserve the environment for its future.
an underdeveloped country with per capita
GDP of less than $320. But today’s Singapore is But an interesting difference in these two case
one of the fastest growing economies and is studies is that Singapore is a
the most environmentally sustainable country. resource-constrained country, having no viable
A study by Yale University placed the country renewable source of energy. In contrast to this,
in terms of environmental-friendly ranking as Pakistan is blessed with abundant resources to
the first in Asia and another study ranked it as harvest clean, sustainable and renewable
the second most sustainable city globally. But energy. Pakistan’s main source of clean and
renewable energy now is Hydropower.
Hydropower power meets more than a third of
total energy needs of the country. But the
potential we are tapping out of our water
resources is like a grain of sand in front of this
resource’s true potential. According to the World
Bank, Pakistan is harnessing 7.1 gigawatts (GW)
of energy out of its hydro resources, but the
country has the technical and economic
potential of extracting up to 60 GW. As per The
Indus River System Authority (IRSA) observation,
Pakistan annually wastes one million-acre feet
of water which is worth $1 billion, drained away
nearpeer.org 27
every year due to lack of proper infrastructure to

store water efficiently. On the other hand, use of
domestic or imported coal is not only increasing
our carbon footprint but is also no more an
efficient and competitive source of power
generation.
Several reports by the World Bank show the

tremendous potential Pakistan has in terms of
Variable Renewable Energy (VRE). VRE is a type
of fluctuating source of renewable energy like forests which are the best resource to combat,
Solar and Wind energy and is non-dispatchable even reverse, climate change, soil erosion and
unlike the controllable hydropower or biomass intrusion of saline water. Pakistan is aiming to
energy. According to the World Bank, solar and increase its renewable power generation to 30%
wind energy can meet with thirty percent of total by 2030, and by 2040 to have 40% share of
energy demand of the country by 2030. This hydro-generation, while renewables and local
would reduce the power cost generation, reduce coal would contribute 16% and 25% respectively.
greenhouse gas emissions and increase power The plan is to reduce the imported coal and
security of the country. It is equally economical R-LNG from the present figures of 7% and 23%
too, saving country almost up to $5 billion over respectively to 5% and 6%.
the next 20 years.
Future belongs to green, sustainable and
The solar irradiation map of Pakistan shows renewable energy. Steering towards sustainable
what benefits nature is continuously showering development powered by clean and green
upon us. According to the World Bank, utilizing energy is the need of the day for the survival of
just 0.071 percent of the country’s area for solar this planet- " the only home we have ever
photovoltaic (solar PV) power generation would known."
meet Pakistan’s current electricity demand. Our
eastern neighbor India seems to be fully
cognizant of the potential in harnessing this
endless source of energy. A comparison of the
two can be an eye opener for those who still
think that switching to renewable is not an
urgent need of the hour.
Comparison of solar energy generation

between India and Pakistan
The ambitious efforts by the present
government in this field present a rather
optimistic view for the future. Pakistan’s recent
efforts to combat climate change has earned it
praise from reputable platforms like World
Economic Forum, UN and WWF. This includes
efforts on the preservation of dying mangrove
nearpeer.org 28
Civil Service Hooria Ikraam Raja
Reforms For both developing and developed countries,

effective governance is a major challenge.
Monetary and fiscal instability, inner and exterior
clashes, rising communal pressures, opposing
demographic changes, climate change
susceptibilities, inadequate monitoring
governments, and maintaining rule of law are
all challenges that governments are
progressively confronted with today. Security
and international geopolitics, politico-economic
factors, such as the civil-military relationship,
inadequate policy formulation, deteriorating
standard of public administration, ill-planned
and rapidly enforced federalization and
economic devolution, state supremacy in the
market, and weak economic governance are
among the main issues that Pakistan has faced
for more than five decades. In most governance
indices, Pakistan now ranks in the bottom
percentile. Similarly, since the 18th Constitutional
Amendment in 2010, the complexities of public
policy and governance have been significantly
restructured. Articles 90 and 129 of the
Constitution, as edited in 2010, also brought
novel complications to both federal and
provincial public strategy preparation and
management.
nearpeer.org 29
There is an increasing understanding that Civil

Services Reforms (CSR) is a never-ending phase
with no clear beginning or end. It cannot be
seen in segregation; for successful outcomes, it
must be combined with administrative
supremacy and comprehensive improvements.
The emphasis of governmental supremacy
transformation should be on eradicating the
neo-patrimonialism culture that stymies any
attempt at modernization. Preceding the newly
formed Task Force on Institutional Reform,
Austerity, and Civil Service Reforms, the
government established about 40 Commissions
to reorder and modify the civil service, the
majority of which had flawed compositions and
Terms of Reference. Rather than an
evidence-based review, the meetings'
proceedings are usually based on perceptions
or anecdotes. The recommendations are often
driven by short-term agendas and political
compromises rather than resolving core
problems facing the civil service, such as pay,
which has resulted in Pakistan's government
effectiveness rating consistently declining. For
these purposes, the findings of these
committees were often withheld from the public
eye or deferred without proper agreement or
application. Those that were introduced finished
up by further disintegrating the communal
subdivision and civil service rather than The association amid legislation, strategy, and
improving governance quality. public administration, which is shaped by a
nation's geopolitical status, climate, and wealth,
If the necessary conditions for good governance is often overlooked by task forces.
do not exist, aspirations for good governance Administrative goals are heavily influenced by a
may fail. Improvements must not only country's policy priorities as well as other
concentrate on achieving established goals and resources, such as human capital. Support for
priorities but also on establishing the conditions appropriate policies is determined by political
required to maintain successful governance. dynamics. The redefining of the state's position
Similarly, in a democratic structure that is too results in the reassignment of roles between the
unstable and prone to recurrent gridlock, the private and public sectors, administrative
goal of good governance cannot be realized. arrangements, decision-making levels, and
Since there are enough motivations in a state to assistance needed to execute allocated
undermine respectable supremacy, leading to purposes. This necessitates a thorough practical
attempts at rent-seeking and state arrest, a examination of each stage of administration as
sturdy scheme of checks and balances aids in well as each subdivision. Policy functions,
avoiding state arrest by concerned teams. service delivery functions, regulatory functions,
Instead of isolated subjective decisions, the coordination, oversight, and performance
preliminary point for developing an control functions, and support functions are
“improvement platform” is to redefine the some of the functions that governments
position of the nation and conduct an empirical perform. Functional analysis requires a litmus
evaluation of existing governmental test of each role by keeping in view certain
requirements, competence, and efficiency of the points which include maintaining the purpose,
nation, from which structural and civil service eliminate the function, move the function to
changes must flow. another public agency, executive branch,
private sector, or non-government organization,
justify the job, minimize definite features of
nearpeer.org 30
function efficiency, or devolve the function. At the federal, subnational, and market levels, functional
reassignment and structural transformation by functional analysis would provide a rational
evaluation of personnel which would logically contribute to needed civil service reform and human
resource recruiting. Nevertheless, before considering changes in this region, management must
decide whether to use a consolidated or devolved civil service system.
Civil Service Reform entails deliberate improvements to the systems and processes of public sector
organizations intending to ensure good governance not only in the political sphere but also in the
economic, legislative, judicial, and human realms. In the twenty-first century, the dimensions of
collaboration that the civil service had to deal with have multiplied, especially after the 18th
Constitutional Amendment. Collaborations between government institutions and civil servants, the
judiciary and civil servants, the public and private sectors, and so on are now among the large
categories of collaboration. Establishing competent, politically insulated, completely empowered, and
constitutionally mandated independent Public Service Commissions at the federal and provincial
levels, as well as creating an inter-governmental, federal, provincial, local, and agency civil service,
are among the fourth-generation public sector reforms aimed at building an efficient, accountable
state of Pakistan. It also aims to develop a merit-based, politically neutral, well-structured, right-sized,
well-trained, high-performing, and affordable civil service at national and sub-national levels, a
performance-based annual assessment system linked to tenured postings, a well-articulated
promotion system; and an efficient and fast internal accountability system, among other things.
Once the priorities are established, the guiding principles will drive public sector and civil service
reform in the twenty-first century. It is suggested that the central administration's human assets
structure must be formed by cooperation rather than power, mobility rather than being held captive
by set ideas, outcome-driven rather than process-driven, diverse rather than monolithic, and
apolitical rather than partisan. Before a government embarks on civil service reforms, it must first
choose the way it will take to the improvements. Succeeding a settlement amid the
Governor-General and the Governors of the Provinces, the Civil Service of Pakistan was formed, and
the Civil Service of Pakistan Rules, 1954 were published. The Task Force recently recommended that a
nearpeer.org 31
high-powered Committee should appoint a Federal Secretary for a three-year term. The
appointment of three Ministers to the Committee for the Selection of a Federal Secretary would,
however, further politicize the establishment. Recruitment into the Civil Service necessitates the
presence of a system staffed by people of high intelligence, consistency, honesty, and leadership. At
all levels of government, there is a lack of a Human Resource Plan and Management System. Staffing
is not allocated following the given mandate or objectives. Inefficiency and opacity result from the
absence of core HRM elements, such as work descriptions and performance measures.
Induction into the civil service is about building a long-term commitment in appealing a steady
stream of extremely able people capable of carrying out the assigned task now and in the future, not
only filling existing vacancies, as is commonly assumed. The entire examination system could be
reformed over time to comply with modern procedures in the developing countries. In Pakistan, there
is a need to restructure and improve training institutions, as well as redefine the format and length of
various pieces of training. The training format could be modified from common lectures by
discharged civil servants to domain-specific case studies, association debates, centered community
policy papers, E-governance, dispute resolution, public speaking, and international best practices.
The government must establish a consistent and systematic framework for assessing job output at all
levels, classes, and classifications of the public sector, as well as objective evaluation against certain
observable performance measures. Patronage, political dimension, geographic and gender factors
are all becoming increasingly important in civil service promotion. Partisan biases are more apparent
in countries like ours that have a diverse ethnic population and political polarization.
It can, therefore, be concluded that decentralization, co-production, collective, and participatory

government are all implied by the new constitutional scheme. Autonomous organizations and
departments, as well as pressure-free decision-making, are prerequisites for statutory autonomy. It
must be understood that governmental opposition to reason, discipline, embeddedness, and
sovereignty contributes to patrimonialism, exploitation, and detention, eroding the country's ability to
function. Leadership, honesty, ingenuity, intentional discerning and preparation, capability to devise
communal policy to retort to new problems and their execution, maturity to make judgments, and
continuous learning are some of the core qualities that must sustain the Civil Service to produce
valuable civil servants.
nearpeer.org 32
Reforming Abdul Samad Khan
the Electoral The debate over electoral reforms in Pakistan

has been on the scene over the past few years.
Regime in
There has been a number of issues in the
electoral regime in Pakistan which have
frequently highlighted the dire need for reforms.
Pakistan
Some of them have been in existence for the
past few years stretching on from the structural
issues in the ECP, such as patron-based politics
and absence of intra-party democracy to the
‘Baraderi’ and constituency-based politics
among others. While the rest are the creation of
the time like the installation of EVMs and the
provision of I- voting among others. All the
above-mentioned loopholes need to be
mended.
nearpeer.org 33
Understanding the Procedure of the

Electoral Reforms in Pakistan
The annul of the electoral reforms as per the

direction of Elections Act 2017, in Pakistan unveils
that the procedure of the reforms starting from
the preparation of the report in accordance with
result of the pilot project launched by the
Election Commission of Pakistan which would be
referred to the Parliament for further debate and
final approval. However, the past of the electoral
reforms in Pakistan shows the passive role of the
parliament viz-a-viz the conduct of debate over
the suggested reforms and their approval.
Highlighting the Issues in the Electoral

Regime in Pakistan
The electoral arena in Pakistan has been
struggling to cope with a plethora of challenges
it has been facing for decades. The Election
Commission of Pakistan is a constitutional body
operating its function under the Article 218 of the
constitution of Pakistan 1973. It has to conduct
free and fair elections to the federal parliament,
provincial Assembly and local parliament. While
zooming in the structure of the said
constitutional body, one may frankly find out a
range of structural reforms in the ECP. The ECP
finds per se short of exercising its administrative
authority completely during the elections days pure democratic culture in Pakistan resulting
which widens the gulf between the two into a responsible and merit-based
departments. government. Similarly, it will largely reduce the
malpractices in our political culture: parochial
and personalized politics setting the
It is to be mentioned here that the ECP appoints national-based politics aside.
school teachers as poling officers ushering into
a range of irregularities in elections. The polling Currently, there has been a debate on the
officers are usually appointed politically and are installation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)
vulnerable to the mounting influence of their under the section 103 of the Elections Act, 2017 to
benefactors-politicians. They would hardly be ensure free and fair elections. Pakistan has
able to carry out their duties honestly as the persistently been facing a complaint of rigging
same has been unveiled in “The Governing in its elections which needs to be addressed.
Ungovernable” by Ishrat Hussain. Moreover, the Thus, the suggestion for the installation of EVMs
school teachers are usually less trained polling came on the scene. However, it is not a piece of
officers resulting into the creation of hurdles cake as the EVMs require sufficient financial
which prevent the conduct of free and fair resources to be allocated for their installation
elections. which would not be less than a burden the
struggling economy of Pakistan. Moreover, they
The democratic culture in Pakistan has not been need the personnel to be properly trained in
pure and mature as there seems to a plethora using the EVMs which is again a daunting task.
of loopholes one can easily and unequivocally Similarly, the voters require to be trained how to
locate in it. The political parties in Pakistan lack vote while using the EVMs. These are the issues
in intra-party democracy which is deemed to be in the ongoing reforms which need to be
essential for meritocracy and leaderships. It will properly debated in the Parliament as Bilal
pave the way for the installation of mature and Ahmad Mehboob, PILDAT Pakistan Chairman,
nearpeer.org 34
suggests. un-mature democratic culture must replace per

se with a mature and pure democratic regime in
Similarly, the provision of right to vote to Pakistan. Likewise, fragile reforms must be
overseas Pakistanis has been a debatable issue implanted in the political culture of Pakistan to
over the past few years in the electoral history of make it a merit and national based political
Pakistan. The Elections Act, 2017 under its section culture. Only then Pakistan would be in a better
94 mentions the voting by overseas Pakistanis. position to reap the fruit of the pure democracy.
The overseas Pakistanis are suggested to use
i-voting medium to vote in the elections, but it
again faces a number of hurdles which curtail
the way ahead of this reform. The OP or i-voting
needs trained voters. The system will require
proper protection from being manipulated.
There seems to be the possibility of breaking
down the i- voting system.
Pakistan needs to follow the legally prescribed

way to bring the reforms into being. The ECP
must complete its task of preparing the report of
the suggested reforms and refer it to parliament
for further debate and final nod. The Parliament
must act as a platform of consensus to pave
way for a mutually-agreed reforms. The
suggested reforms must properly be debated in
time and must not be ignored and laid in
abeyance as has been observed in the past. It
would probably resolve the issues the EVMs and
i- voting regimes are facing. For a long term, the
nearpeer.org 35
IMF DAWOOD KHAN
Bailouts Countries around the globe are termed stable if

they are stable economically. For example, the
and the
USA, the United Kingdom, China, Germany,
Japan, France, and many more are considered
stable due to economic stability. In such
Way to Get
countries, people live happily, and the leaders of
these countries manage economic affairs
efficiently. On the contrary, in the developing
Out of the countries, the common man faces different

problems, such as inflation, poverty, crimes, etc.
Crisis
To overcome economic crises, governments
turn to international economic institutions such
as the IMF, World Bank, and the Asian
Development Bank to keep economic wheel
going. In the same context, Pakistan has
approached the IMF many times since 1950. The
incumbent government decided not to go to the
IMF this time. However, Pakistan had to
approach the IMF for the 23rd time due to its
floundering economy.
nearpeer.org 36
It is pertinent to analyze that the IMF does

release loans to the client country but with
defined conditions. Generally, the IMF aims at
applying the conditions to take the country
out of the quagmire in the long run. The condi-
tions, however, do restrict the economy for a
specific period to ensure development in the
long run. Therefore, different conditions in
Pakistan after the 23rd bailout follow this trend
of contracting the economy in the eye of a
layman.
The IMF urges the client country to apply cuts

on the subsidies delivered. Since Pakistan is an
agrarian country, electricity utilized by land-
lords to water the needy land is at a subsi-
dized rate. For instance, the amount paid by
farmers for tube wells is ten thousand rupees
which is a subsidized rate.
Similarly, the loan landing economic institute

(IMF) had the point of increasing tariffs among
the public. The rate of purchasing electricity
and gas had to be increased. This is one of the
conditions affecting the middle-class
adversely. Likewise, the budget for the military
had to be reduced on their account to a larger
segment of the fiscal budget every year.
Now, to contextualize IMF with Pakistan and its
Some other conditions include the implication
adverse efforts, the stories of the citizens advo-
of strict austerity measures. Notably, the news
cate the failures efficiently.
was shocking when it was revealed that
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) possessed
With a high inflation rate, the daily wagers
seventeen pilots per airplane. Furthermore,
cannot afford domestic needs. Amidst the
there was a huge gap between imports and
Pandemic, more than six million people got
exports that affect the country’s GDP. Current-
unemployed which added fuel to fire. The pay-
ly, the contribution of the export sector to the
ment of bills, such as gas and electricity, is
GDP of the country is less than ten percent
getting out of range because of high taxes. Such
which is 15.3% in Bangladesh and 23.1% in Sri
high taxes are responsible for the decrease in
Lanka. Therefore, compression of imports and
the production rate. The industries of cotton and
adoption of austerity measures were being
textile and the agricultural land do not produce
implemented, at least on paper, knowing the
items that can play a handy role in the exports
conditions.
of the country.
One of the primary conditions was structural

Such vicious cycles have been repeated since
reforms. This condition wins over all other
1950. But now, the country is at a stage where
measures because it shows positive signs of
such cycles cannot be afforded further. The
growth in the long run. Countries like Turkey
internal policies need to be revisited and imple-
and Malaysia transformed the structures that
mented in letter and spirit. Reforms are the need
boosted their economies, and they are travel-
of the hour. The incumbent government does
ing on smooth roads now. It is mandatory to
not have much space. Hence, it must implement
point out that even after more than twenty
the known conditions with a zero-tolerance
bailouts by the government, the country has
policy.
not achieved sustainable growth. The evident
reason is its failure in structural reforms.
nearpeer.org 37
The foremost prerequisite to achieving a healthy economic environment is the documentation of the
economy. So far, the country’s economy is in undocumented form. It plays a key role in pilferages. It
has been observed that thirty-seven out of every hundred rupees get leaked. Thus, this 40 % is a huge
amount. Nonetheless, the institutions, such as the NAB, keep a vigilant eye on illegal uses. However,
the government needs to do more to minimize corruption in the country.
Along with documentation, the whole structure must be replaced. A large chunk of the economy is
stolen because of the loopholes available. The tax base should be broadened. Instead of increasing it,
it should be lowered but applied with a larger base. Likewise, the existing system cannot afford to
increase the prices of the items used daily.
With the cited conditions of the IMF, the country has not been able to get out of the economic crisis
due to poor implementation. Therefore, below are some alternatives to the fund program that Paki-
stan can investigate and consider.
Initially, the political leaders and government officials should break the ice. They need to set practical
examples in front of the public. Such demonstrations will portray a positive image of the leaders in the
eyes of every citizen. Hence, it will lead to the inculcation of the strong beliefs of the people in their
government. For instance, they ought to use local products instead of imported ones. Such policies
would lead to compression of the imports.
To enhance exports, production has to be increased. To elevate production, citizens should have
opportunities and low-rate electricity, particularly for agricultural purposes. So, the government needs
to swallow such bitter pills. Resultantly, growth will fill the empty buckets.
In some regions, people do not have easy access to markets, such as Panjgur. There are more than a
hundred types of dates grown in the region aforementioned. However, such items do not reach
markets. Therefore, the creation of farm-to-market can play a vital in the country’s export rate. Thus,
the government should deeply analyze these alternatives.
The sum and substance of the above analysis is that the country is in a "need for speed" situation in
terms of economic decisions and economic growth. Completely relying on IMF is not a solution. The
country has to follow the conditions of the IMF to get out of the quagmire. Unlike the past, the govern-
ment should focus on the metamorphosis of the structure. By increasing tariffs, the disease cannot be
cured. Pakistan must take big decisions in any case, i.e., sticking to long-term plans or plan systemat-
ic alternative approaches to the IMF, which can do the job for Pakistan because the country is in a “do
or die” situation.
nearpeer.org 38
First, please tell us about yourself.

My name is Michelle Naeem. I got the 41st position in CSS-2017, and I got allocation in the
Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS). I did graduation from Lahore University of Management
Sciences in 2016.
2. How is your life after CSS?

It is amazing. It is brilliant. You enjoy a lot after allocation because the behavior of people chang-
es suddenly. Everyone becomes a good friend of yours. Moreover, if public service anywhere on
your priority list, this is the best job. You get to interact with people at a grass-root level.
3. Who should attempt CSS?

Anyone who has completed 16-year education is eligible for CSS. So, anyone can appear in CSS.
It does not matter if you are a doctor, engineer, pilot, or anything else.
nearpeer.org 39
4. How much time is required to prepare for CSS?

This duration varies from person to person. I took 7 months to prepare for CSS. I am not a very
brilliant and intelligent person; however, I am a hard worker. Some people had taken 5 to 6 years
but end up failing the exam. So, there is no rule of the thumb in this regard. If you think, you can
prepare for CSS in a year, take a whole year. Thus, the time to prepare for CSS solely depends
upon you.
5. How difficult is CSS?

It is very easy. Look, almost every single person has done a 4-year degree. You study a lot in these
4 years. When you compare CSS with those 4 years, CSS is easier. Besides, it is not difficult, but it is
expanded because the syllabus is very much scattered. Other than this issue, it is very easy.
6. How to choose optional subjects?

First, choose the subject in which you have done your bachelor's. For instance, I had Mathematics
as my major in the degree, I chose Mathematics. Second, check out the length of the syllabus. If
the syllabus seems interesting to you, go for it. Otherwise, leave it. Third, if you cannot choose an
optional subject according to the above-given criteria, analyze scoring trends. Although they
change every year, you can use them as the last refuge.
7. How to start preparing for CSS?

Start with compulsory subjects. Consume the first two months on them. Then, start with optional
subjects. Consume two months on the latter. Then, revise them all in the last two months. In this
way, you can prepare for CSS in 6 months. The most important thing is planning and making time
table. This will keep your preparation going.
8. What skill level in English is required to attempt CSS?

Very basic level English is required for CSS. I cannot emphasize this aspect more. Basic sentence
structure must be flawless, and basic spoken must be fluent for the interview. In short, simple
vocabulary along with simple expression is required for CSS.
9. How should one improve one’s English?

Try to read as much as you can. Read Dawn's articles and good readings. Try to write English
daily. Attempt essays from the past papers of CSS and get them evaluated by your instructor.
10. Which books should I get to start preparation?
For every subject, buy two books. One book must contain a complete outline from any local
author. The other book must be by a foreign author so that you can develop your expertise in that
subject. Therefore, two books for every subject can do the job for you.
11. Why is there such a high failing ratio in CSS?

There is a misconception that first attempt will always be a failure. I do not understand why
people think so. It is not a difficult thing. You can easily ace it. Another issue is the English Essay.
Aspirants do not focus on the English Essay. They keep on consuming their time on other subjects,
and they leave the English Essay which becomes a reason for their failure.
12. What are the frequently repeated mistakes aspirants make?

i. No focus on Essay
ii. No analytical approach
iii. No focus on precis
iv. You do no learn Ayats for Islamic Studies
nearpeer.org 40
MONTHLY
PRESS REVIEW
nearpeer.org 41
The new Europe and elsewhere. It raises

two giant questions: why has it
there largely failed to anticipate
the shift towards the intangible
geopolitics of come about? And can it last? economy. Europe has no
global business In themselves, big companies

startups to rival Amazon or
Google. But other countries
are no better than small ones. have struggled, too. A decade
Published in The Economist Japan Inc’s status soared in the ago Brazil, Mexico and India
1980s only to collapse. Big firms were poised to create a large
TWENTY YEARS ago this week can be a sign of success but cohort of global firms. Few have
the share price of a startup run also of sloth. Saudi Aramco, the emerged.
by an obsessive called Jeff world’s second-most-valuable
Bezos had slumped by 71% over firm, is not so much a $2trn Instead, only America and
12 months. Amazon’s symbol of vigour as of a desert China have been able to
near-death experience was kingdom’s dangerous marshal the process of creative
part of the dotcom crash that dependency on fossil fuels. destruction. Of the 19 firms
exposed Silicon Valley’s hubris Even so, the right sort of giant created in the past 25 years
and, along with the $14bn fraud company is a sign of a healthy that are now worth over $100bn,
at Enron, shattered confidence business ecology in which big, nine are in America and eight in
in American business. China, efficient firms are created and China. Europe has none. Even
meanwhile, was struggling to constantly swept away by as mature tech giants like
privatise its creaking competition. It is the secret to Apple and Alibaba try to
state-owned firms, and there raising long-run living entrench their dominance, a
was little sign that it could standards. new set of tech firms including
create a culture of Snap, PayPal, Meituan and
entrepreneurship. Instead the One way of capturing the Pinduoduo are reaching critical
bright hope was in Europe, dominance of America and mass. The pandemic has seen
where a new single currency China is to compare their share a burst of energy in America
promised to catalyse a giant of world output with their share and China and a boom in
business-friendly integrated of business activity (defined as fundraising. Firms from the two
market. the average of their share of countries dominate the frontier
global stockmarket of new technologies such as
Creative destruction often capitalisation, public-offering fintech and electric cars.
makes predictions look silly, but proceeds, venture-capital
even by these standards the funding, “unicorns”—or larger The magic formula has many
post-pandemic business world private startups, and the world’s ingredients. A vast home
is dramatically different from biggest 100 firms). By this market helps firms achieve
what you might have expected yardstick America accounts for scale quickly. Deep capital
two decades ago. Tech firms 24% of global GDP, but 48% of markets, networks of venture
comprise a quarter of the business activity. China capitalists and top universities
global stockmarket and the accounts for 18% of GDP, and keep the startup pipeline full.
geographic mix has become 20% of business. Other
strikingly lopsided. America countries, with 77% of the
and, increasingly, China are world’s people, punch well
ascendant, accounting for 76 of below their weight.
the world’s 100 most valuable
firms. Europe’s tally has fallen Part of the explanation is
from 41 in 2000 to 15 today. Europe’s squandered
opportunity. Political meddling
This imbalance in large part and the debt crisis in 2010-12
reflects American and Chinese have stalled the continent’s
skill, and complacency in economic integration. Firms
nearpeer.org 42
There is a culture that exalts

entrepreneurs. China’s tycoons
technologies, they are also
more likely to protect them
Netanyahu’s
boast of their “996” work ethic: from freewheeling competitors. Netanyahus take
9am to 9pm, six days a week.
Elon Musk sleeps on Tesla’s The more America and China
charge in Israel
factory floor. Above all politics intervene, the more the rest of
supports creative destruction. the world should worry about Published in Al Jazeera
America has long tolerated the lopsided geography of
more disruption than cosy global business. In theory the Israel’s prospective “change
Europe. After 2000, China’s nationality of profit-seeking government” is a coalition of
rulers let entrepreneurs run riot firms does not matter: as long unlikely partners with only one
and laid off 8m workers at state as they sell competitive goal in mind – changing the
firms. products and create jobs, who country’s prime minister. But will
cares? But if firms are swayed ousting Benjamin Netanyahu
The recent erosion of this by governments at home, the from power lead to positive
political consensus in both calculus changes. change in Israel, or for that
countries is one reason this matter Palestine?
dominance could prove As globalisation unwinds, rows
unsustainable. Americans are are already erupting over where The long journey that led to the
worried about national decline, multinational firms produce formation of this motley
as well as low wages and vaccines, set digital rules and coalition, including four national
monopolies (roughly a quarter pay taxes. European hopes of elections and tough protracted
of the S&P 500 index merits being a regulatory superpower negotiations, has demonstrated
antitrust scrutiny, we estimated may become a figleaf for that in a confident and
in 2018). The Economist protectionism. Others with less prosperous Israel, personal
supports the Biden clout may erect barriers. To ambition trumps politics, and
administration’s aim to assert its sovereignty, India has politicking outweighs ideology.
promote competition and banned Chinese social media
expand the social safety-net to and hobbled American In fact, it was Netanyahu who
protect workers hurt by e-commerce firms. That is the first revealed unrestrained
disruption. But the danger is worst of both worlds, depriving willingness to pursue any and
that America continues to drift local consumers of global all paths to further his personal
towards protectionism, innovations and creating ambitions and interests. It was
industrial policy and, on the left, barriers that make it even he, after demonising any
punitive taxes on capital, that harder for local firms to achieve cooperation attempt with
dampen its business vim. scale. Palestinian Arab parties as
un-Zionist, who pursued a
In China President Xi Jinping It’s the acorns, not the oaks coalition agreement with the
sees big private firms as a It would be a tragedy if only two United Arab List to preserve his
threat to the Communist Party’s countries in the world proved premiership. And it was he who
power and social stability. The capable of sustaining a process helped organise and legitimise
cowing of tycoons began last of creative destruction at scale. the most openly racist
year with Jack Ma, the But it would be even worse if elements in the Israeli society,
co-founder of Alibaba, and has they turned away from it, and ensuring they pass the
since spread to the bosses of other places admitted defeat threshold and enter the
three other big tech firms. As and put up barricades. The best Knesset.
party officials seek to “guide” gauge of success will be if in 20
incumbent private firms in years’ time the list of the world’s But Netanyahu “the magician”
order to achieve policy goals, biggest companies looks seems to have lost his magic.
such as national absolutely nothing like today’s.
self-sufficiency in some
nearpeer.org 43
He has gone too far, lied too Expect instead lots of political necessary to have any seats in
much, and stepped over too wrangling on major changes to the Knesset in the April 2019
many associates to stay on top. the welfare state, for example. elections.
Indeed, nothing explains the Lieberman, the prospective Now he is destined to become
formation of this new coalition hardcore secular nationalist prime minister.
of political extremes better than finance minister, may insist on
animosity – the animosity of shifting budgets away from the True to form, the political
political leaders exacting religious parties’ associated establishment spiders and
revenge against the man who schools and institutions. scorpions will soon be at it
once and again deceived or again, if or when Likud decides
outright burned them. Whether Prime Minister Bennett, to depose the criminally
himself a religious orthodox indicted Netanyahu from the
Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Jew, will opt to block any such party leadership, especially now
Lieberman, the prospective moves or encourage them in that he is officially on trial on
prime minister and finance order to weaken his serious charges of corruption
minister, respectively, have both competitors among the other and fraud and could very well
previously served as religious parties, remains to be end up in prison.
Netanyahu’s chiefs of staff. seen.
Gideon Sa’ar, the prospective Such development is sure to
justice minister, was once his But Bennett won’t be able to open the way for different, more
cabinet secretary. Even Yair make any sudden or extreme coherent coalition possibilities
Lapid and Benny Gantz, who are moves on more consequential for the right and far-right
spearheading the coalition issues, such as settlement parties that make up the
effort to oust Netanyahu from expansion or annexation, majority in the Knesset.
office, have both been ministers without risking a coalition
in his cabinet in the past. implosion. The first thing these parties will
do is to throw the “overly
But the apple doesn’t fall far With a majority of no more than pragmatic” United Arab List
from the tree. After years of 61 out of 120 parliament seats, under the bus.
feeding on his minions like a any defection by any
scorpion, Netanyahu’s offspring displeased eccentric could lead The United Arab List hopes that
are out to devour him in a to the undoing of the “change its support for the government,
twisted ritual of political government”. which oppresses its own people
Matriphagy. on the other side of the Green
It is therefore anyone’s guess Line, may win it some financial
Once Netanyahu is neutralised how this evolves or rather crumbs, but once Netanyahu is
and unable to mount a devolves in the coming days gone, the Israeli right is sure to
comeback, the “change and weeks. But if you thought it coalesce once again without it.
government” will, for all couldn’t get any worse than
practical purposes, lose its Netanyahu, think again. Despite its preoccupation with
raison d’etre. personal political vendettas
Bennett, the former leader of a and its media’s preoccupation
The coalition partners have prominent settler group and a with the political circus, Israel
merely agreed to disagree on fanatic whack who prides has in fact been consistently
the big issues, and are unlikely himself on killing Arabs, has moving further to the right for
to agree to any consequential even fewer scruples than years.
policy change, let alone a new Netanyahu.
national agenda, Today, the hardcore right-wing
transformative or even Paradoxically, his party failed Likud party maintains some 30
transitional. even to cross the threshold seats in parliament while the
nearpeer.org 44
presumably “centrist” Labor regime, along with other against the beliefs of their
party, which governed Israel charges. country and is not permitted,
over three decades, is a mere leaving him to continue his
political footnote. Briere had been on the journey with a harsh warning. I
adventure of a lifetime. He fitted agree that ignorance of the law
For the past several decades, out his van and in 2018 began a is no excuse, and one should
both establishment parties long journey across Europe, the respect the laws and customs
have given birth to a variety of Balkans, Turkey, Iraq’s Kurdistan, of any country one visits, but
extremist parties that support and Iran. This adventure came this did not need to go so far.
illegal settlement expansion to a brutal end in May 2020. We have seen similar examples
and annexation, and While he was in a desert area across the world that have
fundamentally oppose the close to the Turkmenistan been solved within months; yet,
establishment of a Palestinian border, the Iranian authorities for Iran, the promotion of
state. arrested him and he has since tourism and good relations is
then been held in a prison in the not a concern.
These parties are indispensable northeastern city of Mashhad.
for any future coalition The court filed the charges The reason it goes so far is
government – without them, no against him this week. because the Iranian regime’s
major political party can strategy is different: It is a
govern. The Frenchman was hostage-taking strategy. This
documenting his journey via includes Briere, UK charity
In short, don’t expect the social media and is accused of executive Nazanin
“change government” to lead filming with a recreational Zaghari-Ratcliffe and US citizen
to much change in an already drone in a restricted area. He Siamak Namazi and his father
dreadful state of affairs. But also questioned on social Baquer, who have been in jail
expect the inevitable changing media the mandatory wearing for years, as well as many
of the “change government” to of a veil for women in Iran. Both others. It has been the same
produce more of the same, but actions reveal clumsiness and ever since the regime’s
worse. a lack of knowledge about the inaugural hostage-taking
region, but certainly do not operation at the US Embassy in
Netanyahu may be finished, but deserve jail time. When I saw Tehran, which lasted from 1979
short of a miracle, Netanyahu’s the videos on a recent news — when President Jimmy Carter
Netanyahus are here to stay. report, my initial reaction was to was in office — until Jan. 20,
remark on what a beautiful 1981: The first day of Ronald
country it was — the greenery Reagan’s presidency. The date
Iran wants to and the landscape were just of the end of this 40-year-old
expand its breathtaking. crisis tells you a lot about how
the regime sees leverage and
ruthless model People who share such sights the messages it sends.
throughout on social media do not mean

harm. In fact, it is quite the Iran has been good at holding
region opposite: Briere was sharing Western citizens like Briere as
beautiful scenery from a bargaining chips. For each
country people know little hostage’s country, one can
Published in Arab News
about. This should, in theory, not think of many reasons and files
be banned but rather for negotiation. When it comes
A French tourist by the name of
encouraged, especially for the to the UK, for example, there is
Benjamin Briere, who has been
tourism economy. Regarding the $530 million debt owed to
held in an Iranian prison for the
the post about the veil, the Iran by London, which was a
past year, is set to be
authorities could have reached payment made for military
prosecuted for espionage and
out to inform him that this goes equipment by the late shah,
propaganda against the
nearpeer.org 45
prior to him abandoning the mandate to run and control the understand this new dynamic
throne, and which was never entire region. Nothing else. And and are willing to face both
delivered. As the nuclear deal is so today the only difference options. Yet, this time around,
about to be revived, Tehran will between Briere being held by the second option, which would
likely need these bargaining wardens in a jail in Mashhad mean a continuous need to
chips to negotiate an and Lebanon being held contain Iran’s malign activities,
advantageous agreement. hostage by Hezbollah is the will lead to the unknown. The
price. French President early signs of what happens to
It is interesting to see the Emmanuel Macron tries to help, all Iran’s hostages will reveal
humiliation Western countries but goes back to pragmatism. this.
are willing to go through to
push ahead with the nuclear The same applies to the Washington Has
deal. I cannot help but see the regime’s interference in Syria,
fact that Europe is expecting a Iraq and Yemen. Tehran has Yemen Policy
sharp increase in trade with been extremely efficient at Backward
Iran as one of the reasons. In an benefiting from others’
age of pragmatism over mistakes to push for these
principles, this leaves many of hostage-taking and bargaining Published in Foreign Policy
the prisoners in a tough situations. Hence, the Iranian
situation. In 2016, less than a regime sees JCPOA 2.0 not as In a recent interview with CNN’s
year after the Joint pallets of cash but as power Fareed Zakaria discussing the
Comprehensive Plan of Action over these countries. It also war in Yemen, U.S. Secretary of
(JCPOA) nuclear deal came understands the West’s State Antony Blinken asserted
into effect, the Wall Street eagerness to negotiate. that “the Saudis have been
Journal revealed that the engaged productively in trying
Obama administration had This is unfortunate, as the to bring this war to an end.” He
secretly organized an airlift of international community is criticized the Houthi rebels,
$400 million-worth of cash on rewarding misconduct and known formally as Ansar Allah,
wooden pallets to Iran to malign activities. The Iranian who “continue to hold out” by
coincide with the release of four regime is not acting this way to not agreeing to negotiate. His
Americans. Now, as Tehran is protect itself, as it might have statements reflect the official
suffering from a sclerotic and done in the 1980s. Today, it is U.S. stance, yet they betray
corrupt economy, the only fresh attempting to gain control and either a lack of information or a
money its leaders can find expand its ruthless model refusal to accept the reality on
relates to a deal negotiated by throughout the region. The the ground: The Houthis have
the shah they toppled more coming years will determine defeated the Saudis.
than 40 years ago. Talk about how the region will move
irony. forward. The ball, as so often, is When Saudi Arabia’s
in the hands of the Iranian then-Defense Minister
But this shows how long this regime. Will it choose Mohammed bin Salman
strategy has been working for appeasement and enhanced launched Operation Decisive
the regime. It has worked so bilateral relations as the JCPOA Storm against the Houthis in
well that it has even moved 2.0 sponsors imagine, or will it March 2015, he assumed the
from taking people hostage to continue on its path of violent military operation would bring
entire countries. Indeed, if the expansionism? an easy victory that would help
West is willing to trade confirm his eventual promotion
hundreds of millions of dollars This is all taking place amid the to crown prince and future king.
for their citizens, what would backdrop of the current US
they be willing to offer for administration re-examining Instead, it became a public
stability in a key region? The historical pacts, especially with relations debacle, as Saudi
Iranian regime expects a full Israel. Regional powers Arabia not only publicly
nearpeer.org 46
brutalized a desperate and to review imports to Yemen in Dialogue Conference from

impoverished population but order to prevent Iran from March 2013 to January 2014. The
also proved incapable of smuggling weapons to the National Dialogue intended to
defeating a “ragtag” group of Houthis, which Saudi Arabia establish the framework for a
rebels despite billions of dollars uses to justify its ongoing new constitution, and its
of U.S. military hardware. The blockade. Most significantly, inclusion of women and young
Saudis’ recent willingness to Resolution 2216 demands that people received international
negotiate a cease-fire reflects the Houthis relinquish their praise.
their weakened position. weapons and territorial gains.
But, given the present situation Yet the outcome of the National
Yet the reason the Saudis feel on the battlefield, the Houthis Dialogue did not satisfy the
ready to engage and the will reject any negotiation Houthis nor southern
Houthis do not lies in the terms based on these outdated terms. separatists, groups that had
of the negotiation. Blinken failed been marginalized under
to acknowledge that the Saudis’ Imposing maximalist Saleh’s rule. Saleh had defeated
cease-fire proposal, as well as demands on the victors is southern separatists in 1994
the terms offered by U.S. Special futile: They will simply when the former South Yemen
Envoy for Yemen Tim continue fighting.. tried to secede, and he largely
Lenderking in March, impose excluded them from power.
harsh terms on the Houthis. The Resolution 2216 reflects Likewise, between 2004 and
U.S. and Saudi claim that they conditions in Yemen six years 2010, Saleh fought a series of
are pursuing peace is less than ago, when it still seemed wars with the Houthis to crush
honest, because the plans possible for Yemen to return to their growing movement. After
they’ve offered the Houthis a U.N.-supported political he was ousted from power,
could encourage them to keep transition process that the Saleh aligned with the Houthis
fighting rather than accept a Houthis disrupted by seizing to try to reclaim control. The
truce. Sanaa in late 2014. It does not Houthis accepted Saleh
reflect today’s balance of because he bolstered their
To end a war, the victors usually power. forces with units of the Yemeni
dictate terms to the losers. military still loyal to him,
Imposing maximalist demands The U.N. and the Gulf although they assassinated
on the victors is futile: They will Cooperation Council became him in 2017 after he tried to
simply continue fighting. involved in Yemen’s political betray them.
transition following months of
To understand today’s impasse, Arab Spring protests With Saleh’s support, the
some diplomatic history is throughout 2011. At their urging Houthis took control of Sanaa
essential. The framework for all and in exchange for amnesty, and forced Hadi to resign. After
international negotiations on Ali Abdullah Saleh eventually fleeing to the Yemeni city of
Yemen remains United Nations relinquished Yemen’s Aden and later to Riyadh, Saudi
Security Council Resolution 2216. presidency in February 2012. Arabia, Hadi rescinded his
The Security Council passed Saleh’s political party backed
Resolution 2216 in April 2015, just his vice president, Abed Rabbo
after the Saudis led a military Mansour Hadi, who ran
coalition to try to expel the unopposed in a presidential
Houthis from territories they election that the Houthis and
had seized. southern separatist groups
boycotted.
The resolution defines the
Houthis as the primary Hadi was to serve as interim
belligerent in Yemen’s conflict. It president for two years and
established a U.N. mechanism oversee Yemen’s democratic
transition, including its National
nearpeer.org 47
resignation, but since 2015 he splinters, and peace grows The current 2216 framework
has been president in name more elusive. justifies the ongoing
only. He requested that the involvement of foreign actors in
Saudis intervene, an action that Why, then, is Resolution 2216 still Yemen; the new resolution must
the U.N. Security Council in place? Under the previous emphasize Yemeni sovereignty.
affirmed with its subsequent U.S. administration, President It should affirm Yemen’s control
resolution. The Saudis justify Donald Trump’s antipathy over its own ports and borders.
their actions in Yemen as toward Iran translated into The resolution should require
intended to reinstate Hadi, as unconditional support for the the withdrawal of all foreign
Resolution 2216 stipulates. Saudis. His successor, President militaries from Yemen, including
Joe Biden, has an opportunity the illegitimate military
The groups that felt Yemen’s to use U.S. influence on the presence of Saudi Arabia in
National Dialogue did not Security Council to push for a Mahrah governorate, as well as
sufficiently address their new resolution. Opposition is that of the UAE on the islands of
concerns—the Houthis and the not likely to come from Russia Mayun and of Socotra, a
southern separatists—resorted or China: Russia abstained from UNESCO World Heritage site. Yet
to violence to advance their the Security Council’s vote on in confirming Yemen’s oversight
own agenda; these groups are Resolution 2216 and would over its territory, the resolution
now positioned to dictate welcome a new resolution. should also emphasize Yemen’s
Yemen’s political future. For China has cultivated relations responsibility toward its
many Yemenis, especially those with all parties to the conflict neighbors, such as condemning
who strived to implement their and is unlikely to oppose an the Houthis’ missile attacks on
country’s nonviolent and update. Saudi Arabia.
relatively inclusive political
transition, giving in to the Instead, opposition may arise Unless Biden uses U.S. influence
Houthis is unacceptable. from U.S. allies: The United at the U.N. to push for a new
Kingdom is the penholder for Security Council resolution, the
Yet because Resolution 2216 Yemen at the Security Council, United States is upholding
reflects unrealistic and meaning that it initiates all U.N. conditions that perpetuate
outdated demands, it merely actions pertaining to Yemen. conflict.
prolongs the conflict and Last year, the British
prevents effective negotiation. government drastically cut The resolution should have
The Houthis are winning in the humanitarian aid for Yemen, mechanisms to prevent future
north, while southern separatist raising questions about the instances of foreign meddling
groups such as the Southern U.K.’s fitness to decide Yemen’s in Yemen’s affairs. An arms
Transitional Council hold sway fate. embargo on providing
in the south, with significant weapons to any Yemeni faction
help from the United Arab As long as Resolution 2216 would target the involvement of
Emirates. Meanwhile, remains the framework for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.
competing militias continue to negotiations, it will continue to To help incentivize foreign
multiply, because violence impede progress by allowing actors to foster peace in
offers the only means of the Saudis to justify their Yemen, the resolution should
accessing resources and a actions as condoned by the stipulate that the arms
possible seat at a future U.N., while dissuading the embargo be lifted once a
negotiating table. The National Houthis from negotiating. A new cease-fire has been upheld for
Dialogue Conference had resolution is necessary and a year. The United States, the
agreed to a federal system for should be guided by three U.K., and France—all of which
Yemen, yet federalism may give principles: restore sovereignty, profit from the sale of weapons
way to complete prevent meddling, and laying waste to Yemen—must
fragmentation. The longer the encourage inclusivity. reckon with the damage they
war lasts, the more the country caused, such as by helping to
nearpeer.org 48
reconstruct decimated The pandemic developing world seemed to

get off lightly.
infrastructure.
Ten million
Finally, the resolution must
prioritize inclusivity by
reasons to Our modelling tells another
story. When you count all the
encouraging the participation vaccinate the bodies, you see that the
of all relevant groups in
negotiations over Yemen’s
world pandemic has spread
remorselessly from the rich,
future. It should acknowledge connected world to poorer,
the grievances of the many Published in The Economist more isolated places. As it has
people brutalized by Yemen’s done so, the global daily death
previous dysfunction and THIS WEEK we publish our rate has climbed steeply.
present violence. Yet the U.N. estimate of the true death toll
must not dictate the terms to from covid-19. It tells the real Death rates have been very
resolve all outstanding issues in story of the pandemic. But it high in some rich countries, but
Yemen’s civil war: These should also contains an urgent the overwhelming majority of
be left to the Yemenis, lowering warning. Unless vaccine the 6.7m or so deaths that
the bar for all sides to start supplies reach poorer countries, nobody counted were in poor
negotiations. the tragic scenes now unfolding and middle-income ones. In
in India risk being repeated Romania and Iran excess
Speaking about Yemen, Biden elsewhere. Millions more will die. deaths are more than double
said on Feb. 4, “This war must the number officially put down
end.” Yet unless he uses U.S. Using known data on 121 to covid-19. In Egypt they are 13
influence at the U.N. to push for variables, from recorded deaths times as big. In America the
a new Security Council to demography, we have built a difference is 7.1%.
resolution, the United States is pattern of correlations that lets
upholding conditions that us fill in gaps where numbers India, where about 20,000 are
perpetuate conflict. are lacking. Our model dying every day, is not an
suggests that covid-19 has outlier. Our figures suggest that,
Continuing to use Resolution already claimed 7.1m-12.7m in terms of deaths as a share of
2216 as the basis for lives. Our central estimate is population, Peru’s pandemic
international negotiation that 10m people have died who has been 2.5 times worse than
reflects a tacit willingness to would otherwise be living. This India’s. The disease is working
prolong the conflict, in the vain tally of “excess deaths” is over its way through Nepal and
hope that the Houthis might three times the official count, Pakistan. Infectious variants
eventually concede to which nevertheless is the basis spread faster and, because of
negotiations. In the meantime, for most statistics on the the tyranny of exponential
the World Food Program disease, including fatality rates growth, overwhelm health-care
estimates that 400,000 Yemeni and cross-country systems and fill mortuaries
children under 5 are likely to die comparisons. even if the virus is no more
of starvation in lethal.
2021—approximately one child The most important insight
every 80 seconds. from our work is that covid-19 Ultimately the way to stop this is
has been harder on the poor vaccination. As an example of
than anyone knew. Official collaboration and pioneering
figures suggest that the science, covid-19 vaccines rank
pandemic has struck in waves, with the Apollo space
and that the United States and programme. Within just a year
Europe have been hit hard. of the virus being discovered,
Although South America has people could be protected from
been ravaged, the rest of the severe disease and death.
nearpeer.org 49
Hundreds of millions of them predict a global surplus in 2022.

have benefited. In any case, vaccine-makers do
And yet the world is right to not appear to be hoarding their
However, in the short run strive to get more doses in technology—otherwise output
vaccines will fuel the divide more arms sooner. Hence would not be increasing so fast.
between rich and poor. Soon, President Joe Biden has They have struck 214
the only people to die from proposed waiving technology-transfer
covid-19 in rich countries will be intellectual-property claims on agreements, an unprecedented
exceptionally frail or covid-19 vaccines. Many number. They are not
exceptionally unlucky, as well as experts argue that, because price-gouging: money is not
those who have spurned the some manufacturing capacity the constraint on vaccination.
chance to be vaccinated. In is going begging, millions more Poor countries are not being
poorer countries, by contrast, doses might become available priced out of the market: their
most people will have no if patent-owners shared their vaccines are coming through
choice. They will remain secrets, including in countries COVAX, a global distribution
unprotected for many months that today are at the back of scheme funded by donors.
or years. the queue. World-trade rules
allow for a waiver. When invoke In the longer term, the effect of
The world cannot rest while them if not in the throes of a a waiver is unpredictable.
people perish for want of a jab pandemic? Perhaps it will indeed lead to
costing as little as $4 for a technology being transferred to
two-dose course. It is hard to We believe that Mr Biden is poor countries; more likely,
think of a better use of wrong. A waiver may signal that though, it will cause harm by
resources than vaccination. his administration cares about disrupting supply chains,
Economists’ central estimate for the world, but it is at best an wasting resources and,
the direct value of a course is empty gesture and at worst a ultimately, deterring innovation.
$2,900—if you include factors cynical one. Whatever the case, if vaccines
like long covid and the effect of are nearing a surplus in 2022,
impaired education, the total is A waiver will do nothing to fill the cavalry will arrive too late.
much bigger. The benefit from the urgent shortfall of doses in
an extra 1bn doses supplied by 2021. The head of the World A needle in time
July would be worth hundreds Trade Organisation, the forum
of billions of dollars. Less where it will be thrashed out, If Mr Biden really wants to make
circulating virus means less warns there may be no vote a difference, he can donate
mutation, and so a lower until December. Technology vaccine right now through
chance of a new variant that transfer would take six months COVAX. Rich countries
reinfects the vaccinated. or so to complete even if it over-ordered because they did
started today. With the new not know which vaccines would
Supplies of vaccines are mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer work. Britain has ordered more
already growing. By the end of and Moderna, it may take
April, according to Airfinity, an longer. Supposing the tech
analytics firm, vaccine-makers transfer was faster than that,
produced 1.7bn doses, 700m experienced vaccine-makers
more than the end of March would be unavailable for hire
and ten times more than and makers could not obtain
January. Before the pandemic, inputs from suppliers whose
annual global vaccine capacity order books are already
was roughly 3.5bn doses. The bursting. Pfizer’s vaccine
latest estimates are that total requires 280 inputs from
output in 2021 will be almost suppliers in 19 countries. No firm
11bn. Some in the industry can recreate that in a hurry.
nearpeer.org 50
than nine doses for each adult,

Canada more than 13. These will
Islamophobia comments about black people
or Jews. The outcry would be
be urgently needed elsewhere. too readily huge. The double standard very
It is wrong to put teenagers,
who have a minuscule risk of
overlooked in much remains that Muslims,
and indeed Arabs, are often fair
dying from covid-19, before the West game and those who indulge in
elderly and health-care workers Islamophobia are held to a
in poor countries. The rich world different standard than those
Published in Arab News
should not stockpile boosters to who utter anti-Semitic or racist
cover the population many comments.
An inquiry into Islamophobia
times over on the off-chance
within the British Conservative
that they may be needed. In the Few commented that, at the
Party returned its verdict last
next six months, this could yield same time the report was
week. While it did not find the
billions of doses of vaccine. published, Johnson was
party guilty of institutional
preparing to welcome the
racism, it certainly highlighted
Countries can also improve anti-Muslim Hungarian Prime
disturbing trends. What it did
supply chains. The Serum Minister Viktor Orban to
not do, however, is end the
Institute, an Indian Downing Street. Orban’s record
debate — one that is ever more
vaccine-maker, has struggled of anti-Semitic comments was
relevant, as anti-Muslim hatred
to get parts such as filters from also overlooked, even by many
remains so pervasive not just in
America because exports were of those who had been so vocal
the UK but in many
gummed up by the Defence on the issue in recent weeks. He
non-Muslim-majority countries.
Production Act (DPA), which is accepted by some because
puts suppliers on a war-footing. he is a paid-up member of the
Without delving into every
Mr Biden authorised a one-off anti-Semites for Israel club and
finding, what is clear is that
release, but he should be a warm friend of Benjamin
Conservative Party members
focusing the DPA on supplying Netanyahu.
have, over recent years, uttered
the world instead. And better
a large number of anti-Muslim
use needs to be made of Prominent Tory Muslims like
comments. The party’s
finished vaccine. In some poor Baroness Warsi, the former
leadership is at fault, not least
countries, vaccine languishes party chairman, believe that a
Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
unused because of hesitancy fully independent investigation
Back in 2018, before he became
and chaotic organisation. It is required — not one appointed
PM, Johnson described, in a
makes sense to prioritise by the party. This is what
newspaper article, Muslim
getting one shot into every happened when the Labour
women who wear the burqa as
vulnerable arm, before setting Party stood accused of
looking like “letterboxes” and
about the second. institutional anti-Semitism.
“bank robbers.” He last week
Islamophobia in the
again refused to apologize,
Our model is not predictive. Conservative Party should be
while admitting he “would not
However, it does suggest that treated just as seriously.
make such remarks now that
some parts of the world are
he was prime minister.” This is
particularly vulnerable—one Once again, Islamophobia does
as close to confessing he was
example is South-East Asia, not get the attention it deserves
wrong as he will go.
home to over 650m people, or the acknowledgement of
which has so far been spared how widespread this issue has
Remarkably, the panel
mass fatalities for no obvious become. Similarly, anti-Arab
determined that “in a
reason. Covid-19 has not yet racism rarely gets a mention in
democratic society, it should be
run its course. But vaccines mainstream discourse, even
careful not to be overzealous in
have created the chance to though it too is frequent and
its scrutiny or censure of
save millions of lives. The world vicious, if often subsumed in the
language.” Imagine if this had
must not squander it. Islamophobia debate. Imagine
been stated about disparaging
nearpeer.org 51
the outrage if one of the most as anti-Semitic and being in a refugees fleeing an
revered synagogues in the pro-Hamas march, as opposed extraordinarily brutal regime
world was invaded by the to one devoted to Palestinian and the uber-extremists of
armed forces of a foreign state rights. High-profile football stars Daesh, many EU states put up
using stun grenades, tear gas like Paul Pogba and Mo Salah barriers. Denmark is even trying
and bullets, as happened at were slammed for showing to send Syrians back to their
Al-Aqsa Mosque. solidarity with Palestinians, as if country, declaring it to be safe.
supporting Palestinian freedom Donald Trump in 2015 called for
Conflict fuels hatred. The and rights was a crime. The a “total and complete
escalations in the Occupied New York Times ran a front shutdown” of Muslims entering
Territories and Israel over the page filled with the images of the US and he attempted to
last two months have seen the 67 Palestinian children make this a reality when he
tensions triggered elsewhere. recently killed in Gaza, but this became president. The
Once again, outbreaks of was too great a humanization Republican Party has yet to
Islamophobia and of Palestinians for some, who properly distance itself from this
anti-Semitism have soiled the made a grand show of policy.
streets of Europe, the US and canceling their subscriptions.
elsewhere. The bigots feel Such positions do not cost
entitled and empowered to For all the myriad examples of politicians their jobs. Muslims
release their pent-up fury on Islamophobia and anti-Arab see that, on the contrary, more
those who have nothing to do attitudes one can pick out in often than not, Muslim-bashing
with events in the Middle East, the Western media and in is extremely electorally
as if somehow it is justified in political discourse, what really profitable. This is particularly
their foul little universe. One highlights the scale of the noticeable in France, where
incident in London, where six challenge are the policies of President Emmanuel Macron
cars drove through a largely various Western governments has upped his rhetoric,
Jewish neighborhood with the toward the Arab and Islamic describing Islam as a faith “in
odious passengers screaming worlds and the overall reaction crisis all over the world.” His
unprintable obscenities against to events in the Middle East. If likely opponent in next year’s
Jews, was one of the worst an Arab is executed on camera presidential election, Marine Le
examples. by Daesh, hardly anyone bats Pen, was not to be outdone and
an eyelid, but if it is a Westerner recently proclaimed that
It seems these extremists feel then hold the front page. If France was at risk of “civil war.”
empowered by conflicts to vent Americans were being killed in
their hatred. Jewish their thousands, do you think US Holding members of a single
communities in Europe are not leaders would be seen to say, political party accountable for
responsible for Israeli crimes, “We don’t do body counts?” But their racism is admirable.
just as Muslims worldwide are when 2 million Palestinians in However, this is just a minor
not responsible for the crimes Gaza are stuck in an open-air step when true and
of Al-Qaeda or Daesh. prison under blockade for 14 long-lasting change also has to
years in subhuman conditions be driven from the top. It
Sadly, such hatred is not and the world does nothing, requires leadership to
confined to the streets, but is what message does that send challenge a host of inherited
also found in newspapers, the about American and European attitudes and prejudices
broadcast media and, perhaps attitudes toward Arabs and against Muslims and Arabs, as
most notably of all, online. Muslims? well as others, that still inform
Collective demonization is policies. At present, it is hard to
frequent. The presence of a few American and European racist see where this leadership is
overtly anti-Semitic banners at attitudes are most clearly on coming from.
a protest in London led some to show in terms of immigration.
demonize all 180,000 protesters Rather than welcoming Syrian
nearpeer.org 52
Generation Z will Sanders, meanwhile, has

introduced a resolution to block
Big tech companies like
Facebook and Google are
free Palestine a $735m weapons sale to Israel working overtime to erase
in response to Israel’s 11-day criticisms of Israel and Zionism
bombardment of Gaza, which from their influential platforms.
Published in Al Jazeera
killed 253 Palestinians, including Since the beginning of the
66 children. Even a latest escalation in violence in
This time it is different – the
correspondent for staunchly the Occupied Palestinian
Palestinian struggle for equality
pro-Israel Fox News, Geraldo Territories and Gaza, these
and freedom has reached a
Rivera, condemned on air the companies have been
new and radical stage.
US complicity in Israel’s war censoring posts and videos by
crimes and voiced his support activists, campaigners and
In the face of Israel’s most
for ending arms sales to Israel. other Palestinian allies aiming
recent assault on their rights
to raise awareness and share
and lives in occupied East
Public figures and celebrities information about Israel’s war
Jerusalem and Gaza, the
including John Oliver, Bella crimes and human rights
Palestinians not only
Hadid, Susan Sarandon, Malala violations. YouTube has even
demonstrated unprecedented
Yousafzai, Paul Pogba, Kyrie added age restrictions to Al
courage and unity, but also
Irving and many others have Jazeera Arabic’s live stream
embarked on a landmark
condemned Israel’s apartheid amid the channel’s continuing
general strike, the first in
practices and used their coverage of the
decades, with the full support of
platforms to raise awareness Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The
both Fatah and Hamas.
about the Palestinian struggle restriction was removed only
for justice and peace. after widespread criticism of
Moreover, there has been an
the move.
equally new outburst of
And this global outburst of
solidarity with the Palestinians
support for Palestine is unlikely Gaming platforms and blogs
in the international arena.
to be temporary: As that are popular among
demonstrated by the growing Generation Z, such as IGN,
On social media, thousands of
influence of social justice Gamespot, Kotaku, and Game
people from around the globe
movements like MeToo and Informer all published
condemned Israel’s latest
Black Lives Matter, young statements of support for
deadly attacks on the
people around the world are Palestinians and compiled links
Palestinians under hashtags like
more eager to confront to Palestinian charities after the
#SaveSheikhJarrah and
injustices at home and abroad beginning of Israel’s latest
#Gazaunderattack. Despite
than ever before. They are more bombardment of Gaza.
relentless attempts by Israel
supportive of the Palestinian Nevertheless, several of these
and social media companies to
struggle than any generation companies later removed these
silence them, they raised
before them and are not afraid statements and articles, raising
awareness about Israel’s illegal
to scrutinise and criticise concerns that they, too, are
occupation as well as its
Israel’s propaganda about its being pressured to silence any
repeated violations of
occupation and other criticism of Israel on their
Palestinian human rights and
inhumane and unlawful actions. platforms.
international law.
This, of course, does not mean And the censoring of criticism

Also, for the first time, many
this new generation – dubbed of Israel is not limited to social
members of the United States
Generation Z – is not facing any media and blogs. Leading
House of Representatives,
obstacles in their efforts to Western media organisations
including Rashida Tlaib and
show solidarity with the are still covering
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have
Palestinians. Israel-Palestine with an
publicly called Israel an
undeniable pro-Israel bias, and
apartheid state. Senator Bernie
nearpeer.org 53
refusing to acknowledge Israel’s of Palestine are going to

apartheid, war crimes and Sure, we have already been become louder and more
crimes against humanity. reading reports, studies and influential over the coming
news stories about the growing years.
Moreover, despite the growing support for Palestine among
calls for social justice at home young people back when Israel’s latest assault on the
and abroad by young members of Generation Z were Palestinian people may have
Americans, the current US much younger – but ended in a ceasefire, but the
administration is showing no Generation Z’s activism is Palestinian struggle is far from
desire to change Washington’s different from those who came over. Yet today, I am more
Israel policies and cease its before them. hopeful than ever before,
support for Israel’s routine thanks to a new generation who
deadly assaults on the Unlike Millennials whose limited sees fighting injustice and
Palestinian people. support for Palestine often oppression as their duty and
remained cosmetic and never privilege, that freedom and
And perhaps most crucially, translated into concrete action, justice are no longer out of
Generation Z’s social justice Generation Z is doing a lot more reach for the Palestinian
activism and radical support for than issuing hollow statements people.
Palestinian human and land of solidarity. They are
rights are being countered with organising campaigns and
a narrative that seeks to pressuring universities and Electoral reforms
infantilise and pathologise other public institutions to take
them. action. They are not only Published in Dawn
relentlessly confronting
In media, members of anti-Semitic rhetoric but also THE month of May found this
Generation Z are often labelled taking those spreading Israeli rational, focused nation locked
as anxious, depressed and propaganda and trying to in technical debates on election
mentally disturbed individuals dehumanise Palestinians to reforms. The outcomes were
who waste their time-sharing task. They are actively calling oddly and unluckily iffy. The Free
meaningless videos on the on their governments to stop and Fair Election Network
popular app TikTok. As a result, selling bombs to Israel that they (Fafen) made an impassioned
their political activism is know will be used to kill plea for us to debate the
ridiculed and dismissed as a Palestinian civilians. They are proportional representation
form of intellectual dysphoria. not afraid to call Israel what it is: (PR) system in place of the
This method of delegitimising A settler-colonial apartheid constituency-based
resistance and activism by state. first-past-the-post (FPTP) one.
depicting as irrational and
emotional is of course nothing This cultural shift on Palestine It says PR is fairer in giving seats
new – racial, sexual and came on the back of the highly to parties in proportion to their
political minorities have long influential BLM and MeToo national vote tallies. In FPTP, a
been suffering from such movements which highlighted party may win seats with less
attacks. the intersectionality of social than 50 per cent of votes cast
justice issues from racism and for each seat and gain overall
Despite these myriad obstacles, gender discrimination to majority with less than 50pc of
however, generation TikTok colonial oppression. Now that national votes. The PTI-led
already triggered a new and young people overwhelmingly alliance represents only 37pc of
radical wave of solidarity for the see the Palestinian struggle as voting, 22pc of registered and
Palestinians and successfully a crucial part of their efforts to 12pc of the total population.
brought their decades-old achieve justice, equality and Globally too, many say PR
struggle for justice under the freedom for all, it is logical to better represents all societal
spotlight. assume that voices in support sections and allows smaller
nearpeer.org 54
parties to win. But the more politics is dynastic too. Nor is Economics held a seminar
critical issue is if PR gives there proof that PR gave good where speakers pushed some
political stability and good governance. If Fafen wants a iffy ideas like PR, term durations
governance. Fafen gives no serious debate on PR, it must go of three to four years and
proof of that. So, let’s first review beyond short press releases staggered national and
for stability. If seats were given and produce a detailed policy provincial elections so we have
in 2018 along national vote paper with weighty proof to one each year. The issue with
tallies as under PR, PTI and its remove doubts that PR may not such ideas is there is no proof
allies would have won 128 seats give fairer representation, let globally that they give political
as against their 175-plus seats alone political stability or good stability or good governance.
via FPTP. They would’ve lacked a governance. Until then, we must
majority without allying with avoid PR given the risk of further India and Bangladesh are
another party/parties. That political fragmentation and doing much better with an
would have meant even more weakening of political forces electoral system like ours and
instability, this being true for all and strengthening of the are not constantly chasing
recent polls. already overly powerful wonky political ideas. Our
non-political forces. It also problems of misrule can’t be
There is no proof that the PR strengthens top party leaders tackled via electoral tinkering
system gives good governance. vis-à-vis other leaders and cuts but via non-controlled
the links between MPs and democracy with no role for
To curb such trends, states constituencies. unelected institutions. Thus, our
using PR require parties to get, key institutions often focus on
say, at least 5pc of national A neater solution for FPTP trivial rather than priority issues.
votes to get seats. If we apply unfairness due to people
that rule to recent polls, the winning with less than 50pc of What really are the priority
results are stunning. In 2018, constituency-level votes is to issues? A look at the EU 2018
only the PTI, PML-N and PPP (in have all voters assign second election report is helpful. It
2013 the MQM too) would have choices (ranked choice makes blunt charges of pre-
won seats. Others with 30pc of method) too. Then in case the and post-poll rigging against
the votes would have been top candidate wins less than powerful unelected forces. But
excluded. The big three would 50pc votes, there could be an one rarely finds Fafen and
have won more seats than their instant virtual run-off between others focusing on this
national vote tallies, thus nixing the top two candidates (rather pervasive and pernicious
PR’s claims on fairness and than expensive, time-delaying source of rigging. This problem
giving space to small parties. actual run-offs later) by can’t be overcome via
Even so, none of the three may counting the second choices of technical electoral reforms but
have obtained a majority voters of other candidates. This via political mobilisation by
without allying with an will ensure the majority party political parties to challenge
arch-rival. So PR may result in has at least 50pc of votes cast these forces, as the PDM briefly
fragmentation or in avoiding based on ranked choices did. With its failure, the onus is
that, unfairness like the FPTP. nationally. on civil society to engage jointly
Once PR is really used, actual in social mobilisation against
vote tallies may differ. But this Frustratingly, Fafen is not the this problem. Failing even that
still highlights the risks. only key entity pushing lonely op-ed writers will be left
unproven ideas. PTI is pushing to keep raising the issue by
Some say PR reduces the role of for electronic voting machines themselves.
electables and curbs dynastic for the next polls, ignoring
politics. Sri Lanka uses PR and transition issues and the
yet has one brother as problems other states using
president and the other as them have had. The Pakistan
prime minister while overall Institute of Development
nearpeer.org 55
CPEC — where do The project is in advanced

stages of planning; feasibility is
Hospital, Pak-China Technical
and Vocational Institute and
we stand? complete and loan is being Gwadar Smart City. These are in
negotiated. It would be various stages of development
completed in the third phase and completion.
Published in Express Tribune
(by 2025) as planned. Second
project is Havelian There are six infrastructure
In the previous two columns, we
containerised dry port; projects under the much
laid out the agreed framework
feasibility is complete and publicised ‘Western Route’ in
of China-Pakistan Economic
project is put on fast track. different stages of
Corridor (CPEC), trying to clear
development. The project
perceptual fog around this vital
Inner-city mass transit includes: a) Hakla-DI Khan
project, and recalling its
schemes include the metro bus Motorway (completion this
immense scope and expanse.
system in Rawalpindi and BRT year); b) high priority DI Khan
This column discusses the
Peshawar, both in operation; (Yarik)-Zhob Road (N-50); c)
on-ground progress, vis-à-vis
the Lahore Orange Metro Train, Road Zhob-Quetta (N-50); d)
the ‘eight core areas’ of CPEC.
almost complete; Karachi Khuzdar-Quetta-Chaman
CCircular Railway and Quetta Section of N-25; e) N-85,
First, the integrated
Mass Transit, past the feasibility Sorab-Hoshab (completed)
transportation system. There
stage. and; f) Road
are five road projects and two
Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab (M-8)
rail projects under this core
The four provincial projects which is already operational.
area. The roads are: a) The
under CPEC comprise: a) The
118-km Thakot-Havelian (an
Keti Bunder seaport The second core area is the
early harvest project) almost
development; b) Road information network
complete and operational; b)
Naukundi-Mashkhel-Panjgur infrastructure. This comprises
The remaining portion of
connecting highways M-8 and the 820-km cross-border
136-km stretch of KKH between
N-85; c) Chitral CPEC link road optical fibre cable connecting
Thakot-Raikot (N-35), awaiting
from Gilgit-Shandur and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and K-P,
completion of feasibility study
Chitral-Chakdara and; d) Road commissioned already in 2018.
for project alignment; c) The
Mirpur-Muzaffarabad-Mansehr The pilot project for Digital
392-km Peshawar-Karachi
a connecting with CPEC route. Terrestrial Multimedia
Motorway (Multan-Sukkur
All projects are in PC-1 stage. Broadcast (DTMB) is complete.
Section), almost complete and
Additionally, there are 32 The DTMB standard (adopted
operational; d) N-30,
projects across Pakistan with a by China, Hong Kong, and
Khuzdar-Basima Road (110 km),
whooping outlay of Rs1,394 Cuba) would upgrade the PTV
physical work underway; e)
billion under CPEC and Public terrestrial network from
Phase-I of high priority, 210-km,
Sector Development Program analogue to digital
N-50 connecting DI Khan
(PSDP) 2018-19. transmission. The Rebroadcast
(Yarik)-Zhob, land acquisition
Station (RBS) at Murree is
for upgradation in
In the Gwadar Master Plan
implementation phase.
(financed mostly through
Chinese grant and interest-free
In railways, the 1,830-km
loans), the eight projects
strategic existing Main Line-1
include construction of Gwadar
(ML-1) would be expanded and
East-Bay Expressway, New
reconstructed. It includes
Gwadar International Airport,
doubling the track, improving
construction of breakwaters,
rail speeds, computerised
dredging of berthing areas and
signaling, added safety, and
channels, development of free
freight trains speed
zone, Pak-China Friendship
enhancement upto 120 km/h.
nearpeer.org 56
complete. systemic weakness has also halal food industry. This

been agreed to be fixed under sampling reflects the diversity
Third is the energy sector, the CPEC Long-Term Plan (LTP), if and span of the SEZs.
most significant core area. Its Pakistan stays the course.
portfolio included 17 ‘priority Moreover, internally we have to The fifth and sixth core areas,
projects’ cumulatively mull over options like either ‘agricultural cooperation’ and
generating around 11,000 MW of privatising the DICSCOs ‘tourism’, are planned in the last
electricity; four ‘actively (electricity distribution two phases of CPEC
promoted projects’ (upto 2,000 companies) or hand these over construction and development,
MW); and two ‘potential to WAPDA, making the power upto 2025 and 2030.
projects’ (180 MW). In the 17 distribution sector more
priority projects, the last efficient and control circular Seventh is social development.
completion date (Thar-Coal debt. The completion of the Western
Gassification) is 2022. Route (Hakla-DIK-Zhob linking
The fourth area is trade and Basima-Gwadar) in particular
Around 11,000 MW has already industrial parks… to be would open up the backward
been added to the national grid completion by 2030. In line with districts of Balochistan and
in a span of four years. It has the industrialisation and southern K-P, integrating them
eased load shedding and urbanisation objectives of CPEC, with national markets. This
power outages besides a total of nine would improve the lot of
providing added benefits like economic/industrial Zones communities along this route,
altering fuel mix, reducing (E/IZ) and special economic enabling them to sell their
import bill and boosting zones (SEZ) are planned across mining, livestock, poultry,
industrial production etc. CPEC Pakistan. These comprise a) horticulture and fisheries
power plants have substituted Rashakai EZ (REZ) at Nowshera; output; reduce transportation
older plants operating at a b) Dhabeji SEZ near Karachi; c) costs and offer employment in
minimal (28%) Bostan IZ near Quetta; d) related industries and services.
energy-efficiency-factor (EEF) Allama Iqbal Industrial City, Fiber optic connectivity would
with those having a higher Faisalabad; e) ICT Model enhance cellphone and internet
(61%) EEF. Industrial Zone, Islamabad; f) coverage and broadband
Industrial Park Pakistan Steel usage, ushering national
Electricity outages were costing Mills Port Qasim; g) Mirpur integration and development.
the economy 1.5-2 percentage Industrial Zone, AJK; h)
points of GDP resulting in Mohmand Marble City; i) and Planners are sensitive to the
diminished export and buyers Moqpondass SEZ G-B. potential sense of deprivation in
walking out of Pakistan. Today, areas adjoining the CPEC
in a pleasant surprise — Rashakai EZ is comparatively command areas for lack of
notwithstanding the media fast-paced and its industrial comparative educational,
negativity and the pandemic — potential includes garment and health, drinking water and
industrial units in Faisalabad, textile products, home building vocational training facilities, etc.
Karachi and elsewhere are materials, general Various CPEC projects, like
operating at full capacity. merchandise, electronics and Engro Thar Coal Mining, have
electrical appliances, built-in community-related
If load shedding persists automobile and mechanical projects, such as
especially in summers, this is equipment. Bostan IZ would employment/contractual
mainly due to the antiquated include fruit processing, services, construction of rural
transmission and distribution agriculture machinery, roads, transport services,
network, which cannot pharmaceutical, motor bikes agriculture development,
efficiently transmit the assembly, chromite, cooking oil, vocational and on-job training
generated electricity to the end ceramic industries, ice and cold for locals.
user without interruptions. This storage, electric appliance and
nearpeer.org 57
This core area also covers loss of its eastern wing due to KSA’s relations with Iran have
people-to-people exchanges, interference and subsequent been turbulent since the Islamic
transfer of knowledge in aggression by a hostile Revolution and Pakistan has
different sectors, the neighbour. A unique feature of been doing a tightrope
establishment of Pakistan this relationship is that Pakistan balancing act for years. While
Academy of Social Sciences has no political motive either KSA is a strategic ally, Pakistan
and transfer of knowledge in and its sole resolve is to provide shares a 1000-kilometre border
education sector through unstinted support for protection with Iran and is home to the
consortium of business schools. of the two holiest sites in Islam. second largest Shia population
People-to-people and in the world. Successive
business-to-business visits are However, as the monarchy in governments in Pakistan have
underway, besides training KSA transitioned from old guard made attempts to bring down
workshops on industrial zones. to new generation and global political temperatures between
politics took a turn, the bilateral these two important Muslim
Eighth is financial cooperation. relationship between KSA and countries but with little success.
The Joint Cooperation Pakistan came under stress.
Committee (JCC), meeting The first hiccup came in 2015 Iran-Saudi relations reached a
regularly, has worked on when Pakistan’s parliament new low in 2016 when Iran
speedy custom clearance, voted down the Pakistan Armed snapped diplomatic ties with
reducing dollar-dependency Forces’ participation in the KSA after it executed Shiite
through the currency swap Yemen war, where KSA was cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. After
agreement and direct facing difficulties. This was a the attack on ARAMCO, which
investments to lift the Pakistani well-considered decision since KSA had blamed on Iran, Prince
economy. the country had suffered Muhammad Bin Sultan had
enormously by participating in said, ‘There is no dialogue with
In sum, with so much achieved, other countries’ wars and, in the Iran, they know only war and we
a real and or perceived slowing end, it proved to be the right are up to it.’ Only a few weeks
down is not in line with Sino-Pak step as later events proved. ago, in an interview, the Crown
national interests Prince said, ‘At the end of the
Next came KSA’s opposition to day, Iran is a neighbouring
Malaysia’s Mahathir country, all we ask is to have a
Pak-Saudi Mohammad’s proposal to bring good dignified relationship with
relations—a five Muslim nations together to

achieve socioeconomic
Iran.’ This stance has come a
long way since 2016 and it is
timely reset development and stand up obvious that as understanding
against Islamophobia in the of global realpolitiks improves
west. KSA considered it a in the new generation of KSA’s
Published in The Nation challenge to its leadership of monarchs, its approach is
the Organisation of Islamic becoming more pragmatic.
Pakistan and the Kingdom of Countries (OIC) and pressured
Saudi Arabia (KSA) have Pakistan to back off or be
enjoyed very close and cordial prepared for the repatriation of
relations with each other since its labour, which would have
the creation of Pakistan. Both affected foreign remittances
countries have strongly and added to joblessness. The
supported each other in times threat worked, but not without a
of need. KSA’s support to strong realisation in Pakistan
Pakistan during the 1965 and that its foreign policy cannot
1971 wars with India deserves forever be yoked to KSA’s
special mention, as the interest.
country’s morale was low after
nearpeer.org 58
There were other regional and receiving Prime Minister Imran Development (SFD) for
global developments which Khan at the airport worked well financing projects in energy
brought about a change in towards the intended outcome (hydropower generation),
Riyadh’s thinking. Its ill-advised of this effort. In the interim when infrastructure, transport and
war in Yemen, the Jamal Pak-Saudi relations were communication and water
Khashoogi incident resulting in lukewarm, India had tried to resource development, a
a damaging US intelligence exploit the situation given the cooperation agreement in the
report, the institution of a two countries convergence of field of combating crime, and
Democratic government in economic interests. The Indian an agreement on the transfer of
Washington after elections army chief also paid a first-ever convicted prisoners. KSA again
which adopted a totally visit to the Kingdom which was expressed interest in setting up
different approach towards quite odd in many ways. It was an oil refinery and
KSA, Joe Biden’s stiff line on in Pakistan’s interest to petrochemical complex in
human rights abuses by Saudi neutralise these overtures and Gwadar, which had been
regime and the Biden re-establish its strategic and discussed off and on in the
administration’s praise for historic relationship with KSA. past.
Pakistan in promoting peaceful
resolution of Afghan conflict; it After considerable diplomatic As Chanakya, the author of the
all hints at renegotiating a activity in the two capitals, KSA ancient Indian political treatise
nuclear deal with Iran and now better understands said, ‘There is self-interest
easing down sanctions, China’s Pakistan’s apprehensions not to behind every friendship. There is
deal worth US $400 billions with get dragged into the Yemen no friendship without
Iran and insufficient US support war, and its position to act self-interest. This is the bitter
after deadly attack on ARAMCO neutral in the Iran-Saudi rivalry. truth.’ So it is natural that there
oil refinery, are all factors which Unlike the final months of is considerable public
synergised the catalysis in KSA Trump’s presidency, when speculation as to what KSA
towards re-setting its relations Pakistan declined to recognise expects from Pakistan in this
with old and trusted friends like Israel under Saudi pressure and new era of relationship. Yemen?
Pakistan. in retaliation, KSA abruptly Unlikely, as Pakistan has clearly
asked for the return of its loan, stated its principled stand and
The recent visit of both General this time around it didn’t ask for is a closed chapter. Kashmir?
Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime the final tranche of three billion Again, unlikely as Pakistan has
Minister Imran Khan to KSA dollars loan to Pakistan. KSA’s taken a clear stance against
paved the way for a previous action was construed India’s actions of August 5, 2019
transformative nature of as an arm-twisting tactic and in Kashmir. It is well-nigh
relationship between the two had antagonised Pakistanis at impossible to climb down,
countries. Earlier, Pakistan had all levels. although KSA would much
expressed its support for the desire Pakistan to tone down its
Saudi leadership in the wake of The bilateral agreements which diplomatic and moral support
a US intelligence report on the were signed during the recent for Kashmiris, just as it used to
assassination of Saudi visit of Prime Minister Imran be during previous regimes. If
journalist Jamal Khashoogi in Khan and COAS General Qamar anything, Pakistan would like
Istanbul. General Bajwa’s Javed Bajwa, included the the OIC to show its solidarity
six-day visit to the Kingdom in establishment of a with Kashmiris, just Like Pakistan
advance of the Prime Minister’s Saudi-Pakistan Supreme did during the recent Israeli
three-day visit, reflected Coordination Council, an MoU attack on Gaza.
Pakistan’s seriousness in on combating illicit traffic in
bringing bilateral ties back on narcotics, drugs, psychotropic Military cooperation with KSA?
keel. Crown Prince Muhammad substances and precursor There is nothing new here as
Bin Salman’s gesture of chemicals, a framework MoU the two countries have a
reciprocity in personally with the Saudi Fund for time-honoured understanding
nearpeer.org 59
on this. Pakistani people have a the Khashoggi affair? Not likely, taper down its voice so that
huge emotional attachment as KSA is aware that Pakistan other countries like Turkey,
with the cradle of Islam and the doesn’t have that kind of clout Malaysia and Indonesia are not
two holiest places in Makkah in Washington and has its own encouraged to follow an
and Madina and safeguarding issues with the US after its alternate and independent
the sovereignty of KSA is as strategic tilt to Pacific region. path.
close to their heart as their own OIC? For decades now, there is
country. Pakistan’s security a perception that this important Both countries are clearly vying
detachments have been Islamic bloc makes a distinction for some degree of strategic
stationed in KSA in the past and between issues concerning autonomy. As they bury their
regular military exercises take Arab and non-Arab Muslims. In past misunderstandings and
place between the armed recent years, the organisation embark on a new era of
forces of the two countries. has fallen well short of mutually beneficial relationship,
expectations to counter in both geo-startegic and
China? KSA has its own sound Islamophobia in the west and geo-economics domains, there
diplomatic channels with blasphemous actions against are strong indicators that they
Beijing and doesn’t need Prophet Muhammad (Peace be now better understand each
Pakistan’s good offices. Iran? upon him) under the garb of other’s constraints and
Would the KSA want Pakistan to freedom of expression. KSA compulsions. One can expect
act as a bridge between Tehran might have its own reasons that future actions of both
and Riyadh? Perhaps yes, since because it follows stringent countries will increasingly be
both countries have complete Sharia code and is viewed with tempered with pragmatism,
confidence in Pakistan’s suspicion for sponsoring which would not only be in their
sincerity to bring about extremism, but the rest of the own best interest but would
rapprochement between them. Muslim world, most notably also be welcomed by
USA? Does KSA want Pakistan to Pakistan, is getting increasingly neighbouring Iran and
act, to an extent that it can, to agitated and wants the OIC to Afghanistan.
influence President Joe Biden to lead more effectively. It is likely
go soft on Crown Prince MBS in that KSA wants Pakistan to
nearpeer.org 60
ESSAY
OUTLINES
nearpeer.org 61
Democracy and War divides, Economy

Illiteracy Do Not Move Unites
Together Outline
1. Introduction
Thesis: War divides and economy unites
Outline because both are two different dimensions. As
1. Introduction war brings wastage of human lives, artillery and
Thesis: Democracy and illiteracy do not move rivalry, it leads to division of countries.
together because uneducated people cannot Conversely, economy unites nations by
develop democratic culture in their conscience promoting friendship, as great nations win
which disrupts democratic process. without fighting.
2. Why is illiteracy anti-thesis to democrat- 2. How war divides nations internally and
ic culture? externally
i. Persistent want of Political will i. Aggressive behavior creates differences
ii. Inadequate budgetary allocations among internal structure of a nation which
iii. Regressive cultural norms results in division of nation.
iv. The ghost of Gender inequality a. In 1971, East Pakistan, now recognized as
v. Persistently prevailing poverty Bangladesh was separated from Pakistan, due
to political and cultural conflicts.
3. How does illiteracy disrupt democracy? b. Disturbed borders in esp. the form of disputed
i. lliterate population cannot choose visionary Kashmir issue still remains a nuclear flash point
and capable leaders between Pakistan and India (deteriorating with
ii. Illiterate populace cannot hold leaders the recent wave of border conflicts in 2016).
accountable for their failure to perform c. CPEC, on the contrary, is the manifestation of,
iii. Illiteracy entrenches feudal norms and how economy has united China and Pakistan
suppresses liberties
iv. Illiterate population provides a fertile ground
for dictatorship 3. Internal conflicts can lead towards war
v. Illiteracy blurs awareness of fundamental and division, if not overpowered within
rights leading to poor governance time.
vi. Illiterate population cannot make rulers adopt i. Civil war in Korea led them towards conflicts
people friendly policies and contravene, and in 1950 Korea was
vii. Illiterate masses do not demand separated into North and South Korea.
transparency in Govt affairs
viii. Illiteracy maintains gender gap, resulting in 4. Economy unites nations and leads them
inequality and inequity towards prosperity
i. Nations who used to prefer national interests
4. Recommendations for proliferation of over personal rivalry and take effective
literacy leading to stronger democracy initiatives, are achieving peace and prosperity.
i. Enhancement of GDP spending on Education
ii. Devising of scrupulously designed and a. Germany and France were major rivals but
thoroughly implemented educational policies their pragmatic decision making to promote
iii. Prioritization of Education as the most pressing trade and economy over rivalry has led them to
challenge be among the most successful nations.
iv. Encouragement of women participation and ii. Economic uplift helps overcome the barriers
removal of peculiar barriers to girl’s education between countries
5. Conclusion a. China & India were engaged in war in 1962
over Sino-India border area dispute, but due to
nearpeer.org 62
their efficient decisions they are looking towards iii. In strategic domain
1 Bn US$ of bilateral trade. a. Warfare technology; no regard for human
iii. War drives nations towards backward but suffering
economy pushes them towards success and b. Nuclear bombs and weapons of mass
helps them in achieving their goals. destruction
a. Japan and China were consisting c. Military and intelligence surveillance;
unpleasant relations and fought two wars encroachment of privacy
against each other, but due to their positive d. Space surveillance and drone attacks; an
initiatives, their bilateral trade has reached to onslaught on state sovereignty
334 billion US$. e. Guided missiles and misguided souls
5. Conclusion
3. How can technology be made to aug-
ment humanity
i. By keeping technology subservient to man
ii. By utilizing technology for alleviation of human
suffering
iii. Moral and ethical checks on technological
It has become
advancement
appallingly obvious
4. Conclusion
that our technology

has superseded our
humanity
Truth is a Rare
Outline Commodity Despite
1. Introduction
Thesis: Technology has superseded our humani- the Freedom Enjoyed
ty because it has surpassed humans at different
levels: intelligence level, socio-economic level, by The Print and
and strategic level
Electronic Media
How technology has superseded humanity
at various levels Outline
i. At intelligence level: 1. Introduction
a. Machine’s computational power has Thesis: Truth is a rare commodity despite the
surpassed human intelligence freedom enjoyed by the print and electronic
b. Human being’s growing dependence on media because of ideological orientation, thirst
machines erodes its intellectual capabilities of high-rating, commercial use of media, and
c. Future is “robotic”; rise of ‘artificial intelligence’ dearth of investigative journalism.
ii. At socio-economic level 2. Reasons that make truth a rare

a. Technology replacing manpower; a case of commodity although the print and
growing unemployment electronic media enjoy freedom and
b. Artificial intelligence’ machines; moral fallouts independence:
c. In medical field; ignoring emotional aspect of i. The print and electronic media is
healing ideologically-oriented that hinders truth.
d. Advancement in communication technology; ii. The print and electronic media is commercial
limiting real life interactions entity. It has to cater its commercial inters first,
and social responsibility, second.
nearpeer.org 63
iii. To get high-rating and increase circulation, stories without distorting facts and figures.
the print and electronic media add b. Instead of riding the spree of sensationalism
sensationalism and twist the facts. media should focus on investigative journalism
iv. The print and electronic media is working in to seek fact from fiction
the environment of fear, threat and suspicion c. Media owners should focus on professional
(from state and non-state elements) and practical training of journalism to equip
v. There is a dearth of investigative journalism themselves with techniques of professionalism.
around the globe (including Pakistan)
vi. Although, the landscape of media has ii. External Measure:
widened, yet there is a shortage of experienced a. Governments and civil society should provide
and trained journalists. safe and sound environment to the media
vii. In many developing countries, the print and personnel to perform their journalist work without
electronic media is immature and nascent any hindrance
stages of evolution. b. There should be liaison committees among
stake holder to mitigate the issues of
independent reporting on the matters of
3. Measures to resurrect truth in the print national security and interest
and electronic media:
Internal measures: 4. Conclusion
a. Media should report and present the news
nearpeer.org 64
HISTORY
IN COLORS
nearpeer.org 65
Introduction
The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between
northern and southern states over slavery, states’ rights and westward expansion. The election of
Abraham Lincoln in 1860 caused seven southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of
America; four more states soon joined them. The War Between the States, as the Civil War was also
known, ended in Confederate surrender in 1865. The conflict was the costliest and deadliest war ever
fought on American soil, with some 620,000 of 2.4 million soldiers killed, millions more injured and
much of the South left in ruin.
nearpeer.org 66
It began primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over

the enslavement of black people.War broke out in April 1861 when
secessionist forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Northern
States proclaimed support for the Constitution of the United States of
America.
Of the 34 US states, seven Southern slave-holding States were

declared by their state governments to have seceded from the
country in February 1861. Thus, the confederate states of America
were organised in rebellion against the US constitutional
government.
The Confederacy grew to control at least a majority of territory in

eleven states, and it claimed the additional states of Kentucky and
Missouri by assertions from native secessionists fleeing union
authority.
These states were given full representation in the Confederate

Congress throughout the civil war.The two-remaining slave-holding
states, Delaware and Maryland, were invited to join thé confederacy.
However, nothing substantial developed due to intervention by
federal troops.
The confederate states were never diplomatically recognised as a

joint entity by the government of the US, nor by that of any foreign
country.The Union and the Confederacy quickly raised volunteer and
conscription armies that fought mostly in the South for four
years.Intense combat left between 620,000 to 750,000 people dead.
End Of War
The war effectively ended on April 9, 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee
surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the Battle of Appomattox Court
House.
Confederate generals throughout the Southern states followed suit, the last surrender
on land occurring on June 23
nearpeer.org 67
CSSLorem ipsum
Magazine dolor
edition 11 sit amet, con-
sectetuer adipiscing elit, sed
diam nonummy nibh euis
MCQS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer

adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh
euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna
aliquam
COMPILATION Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer
nearpeer.org 68
Current Affairs
(A) Andy Murray
1. Who is considered one of the great inves- (B) Novak Djokovic
tors in the world? (C) Rafael Nadal
(A) Bill Gates (D) Roger Federer
(B) Elon Musk
(C) Warren Buffet 9. Which country on 24 June 2020 suspended
(D) Mark Zuckerberg visas including High-skilled tech workers visas
for foreign workers?
2. After United States, which country has (A) Sweden
successfully landed a robot on the surface (B) Germany
of Mars on 15 May 2021? (C) United States
(A) China (D) United Kingdom
(B) Russia
(C) Germany 10. After two years with 2280 deaths, Ebola was
(D) France finally declared “Over” on 25 June 2020 in
(A) Kenya
3. Which famous couple has divorced (B) Niger
recently? (C) Nigeria
(A) Donald and Melania Trump (D) DR Congo
(B) Bill and Melinda Gates
(C) Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds Pakistan Affairs
(D) Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
1. How many countries participated in the
4. According to Forbes Magazine, currently seventh edition of the multinational maritime
the world’s most powerful person is exercise Aman-2021?
(A) Joe Biden (A) 35
(B) Vladimir Putin (B) 45
(C) Xi Jinping (C) 25
(D) Angela Merkel (D) 55
5. Joe Biden on 20 January 2021 became the 2. After how many years Pakistan defeated the
_____ president of the United States. South African Cricket team in Test Series?
(A) 45th (A) 13 Years
(B) 46th (B) 19 Years
(C) 47th (C) 10 Years
(D) 48th (D) 17 Years
6. Who is the current US Secretary of State? 3. _________ has become the first US state
(A) Antony Blinken to proclaim February 5 as “Kashmir-American
(B) Mike Pompeo Day” after adopting a resolution on Feb 3
(C) Daniel Bennett Smith (A) Chicago
(D) David Cohen (B) Washington D.C
(C) New York
7. Currently, about how much world’s goods (D) Los Angeles
trade (by volume) is carried on ships?
(A) 50% 4. Pakistan will receive half-a-million free
(B) 60% doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine from:
(C) 70% (A) China
(D) 80% (B) USA
(C) UK
8. Australian Open 2021 is won by (Final on (D) UAE
21 February 2021)
nearpeer.org 69
5. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan 10. After Taftan, _________ is the second
(Drap) authorized the Oxford University international border crossing point between
_________ Covid-19 shot for emergency use Iran and Pakistan:
in Pakistan, making it the first vaccine to get (A) Rimdan-Gabd
local approval (B) Rimdan-Chahbhar
(A) Pfizer-BioNTech (C) Chabhar-Pakistan
(B) AstraZeneca (D) Chahbhar-Gawadar
(C) Moderna’s
(D) Sinopharm
General Science & Ability
6. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday
launched the country’s first instant payment 1. Which component of the body works as an
system ________ to enable end-to-end energy storage device?
digital payments among individuals, busi- (A) Fats
nesses and government entities instanta- (B) Proteins
neously (C) Liver
(A) Pak (D) Skin
(B) Saaf-Shafaaf
(C) Shafaaf
(D) Raast 2. What divides the Earth into the Northern and
the Southern Hemispheres?
(A) Axis of rotation
7. The __________ cricket team arrived in (B) Equator
Karachi to play two Tests and three Twenty20 (C) North Pole
internationals on their first tour of Pakistan in (D) South Pole
14 years
(A) South African 3. Ozone protects the Earth from harmful
(B) England ultraviolet radiations from the Sun. The chemi-
(C) Australian cal formula of ozone is
(D) Newzealand (A) O
(B) O2
(C) O3
8. Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was (D) O4
honoured with ______ order(first class)
award by crown prince: 4. Human body is about _____ water by
(A) UAE weight.
(B) Qatar ((A) 50%
(C) Bahrain (B) 60%
(D) Kuwait (C) 70%
(D) 80%
9. Govt. of Pakistan appointed ______ as the
new ambassador to Saudi Arabia 5. Who won the Nobel prize in physics for the
(A) Lt. Gen(Retd) Bilal Akbar discovery of the “Law of photoelectric effect”?
(B) Gen(Retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa (A) Wilhelm Rontgen
(C) Gen (Retd) Rahil Sharif (B) Ernest Rutherford
(D) Asad Majeed Khan (C) Albert Einstein
(D) Isaac Newton
6. For a fixed mass of gas at constant tempera-

ture, if we decrease volume, the pressure will
nearpeer.org 70
(A) also decrease

(B) increase
(C) remains constant
(D) none of these
7. The lifespan of Red Blood Cells is

__________ days.
(A) 60
(B) 120
(C) 180
(D) 240
8. The density of water is

(A) 1 g/cm3
(B) 1.5 g/cm3
(C) 2 g/cm3
(D) none of these
9. Radioactivity was discovered by

(A) Lord Kelvin
(B) J. J. Thomson
(C) Ernest Rutherford
(D) Henri Becquerel
10. The Sun’s mass is mainly consist of hydro-

gen (about 73%). The second main constituent
(about 25%) is
(A) hydrogen
(B) helium
(C) carbon dioxide
(D) nitrogen
Answers
MCQ Current Pakistan General
Affairs Affairs Science and
Ability
1 (C) (B) (A)
2 (A) (D) (B)
3 (B) (C) (C)
4 (C) (A) (B)
5 (B) (B) (C)
6 (A) (D) (B)
7 (D) (A) (B)
8 (B) (C) (A)
9 (C) (A) (D)
10 (D) (A) (B)
nearpeer.org 71

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CSS Magazine Edition 11

Past Paper MCQs Compilation

Recommended Books’ Review & much more!

*Fair Use Disclaimer

Monthly round up: May at a glance 6

Meet our CSP 39

Monthly Press Review 41

MONTHLY ROUND UP:

9 Pakistan urged the international community to develop a post-pandemic framework

19 Pakistan urged the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to deploy an international protection

21 Pakistan`s economy performed beyond expectations with all major macroeconomic

26 Four suspected members of a banned extremist outfit, including a commander, were

CSS Magazine edition 11

The Murky Syeda Urooj Fatima

World of This May the cyber-attack on Colonial Pipeline’s

Today, cyber-crimes have become the worst

campaign against Al-Jazeera’s media

Debating the Abdul Samad Khan

OIC: A The world-leading organizations originated

Unfortunately, the OIC seems to be falling short

Above all, the curtailment of the decades-long

Understanding the Organization of

It further aimed at enhancing the

Finding durable solutions to a number of

While zooming in the geographical features of

The Fragile Nature of the OIC

Prioritizing the Interests of Ummah

A Need for Unity

Myanmar: Atika Khalid Abro

The Next A failed state is unceasingly entangled in

The Historical Baggage of the Region:

Regional Players’ Lackluster

Bashir, he wanted to escape conviction for

Moreover, Myanmar was trying to follow the lead of

Human Rights Violation: A Tragedy of Epic

Generation Z: A Silver Lining

Can the Ice Raies Rameezudin Qasmi

between The strife between Iran and Saudi Arabia exists

Arabia Iran. Now, there are two cynosures of two

Understanding the Fault Lines of the

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia patronizes

Reasons behind a Checkmate from

Outcomes of the Détente

CSS Magazine edition 11

Time to Syeda Urooj Fatima

Steer Pakistan has been rated as the eighth most

Its precarious geographic location has

Sustainability comprises three pillars:

every year due to lack of proper infrastructure to

Several reports by the World Bank show the

Comparison of solar energy generation

Civil Service Hooria Ikraam Raja

Reforms For both developing and developed countries,

There is an increasing understanding that Civil

It can, therefore, be concluded that decentralization, co-production, collective, and participatory

Reforming Abdul Samad Khan

the Electoral The debate over electoral reforms in Pakistan

Understanding the Procedure of the

The annul of the electoral reforms as per the

Highlighting the Issues in the Electoral

suggests. un-mature democratic culture must replace per

Pakistan needs to follow the legally prescribed

IMF DAWOOD KHAN

Bailouts Countries around the globe are termed stable if