Chronicles Volume 3-September

CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 3
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Volume 03
September Edition
FACULTY
THAT YOU CAN TRUST
Kamil Mushtaq Saif Khattak

4th in KPK 4th Position PAS, CSS 2021
2
Nearpeer
to be
incubated
by China’s
biggest
incubation
program
Great to be a
part of the Orbit
Startups family
as one of the
biggest
contributors of
edtech in
Pakistan and
MENA region.
#BackedBySOSV
Nearpeer.org
participated in
National Startup
Championship 2022
among the top 100
startups at Expo
Center Lahore.
Nearpeer was
mentioned among
the top 10 amazing
startups of the
event.
Summer is here and the

perfect way to cool off
from the heat
is a dip in the pool
Nearpeer family spent a well day at the pool. We
had a great time, the gathering, the fun, the music,
and the delicious food made our day memorable.
Our pool party was a great break from the hectic
work schedule!!!
LIFE AT NEARPEER AND HIGHLIGHTS OF NEARPEER

Nearpeer’s Team
was invited to
Skillbox
(Edtech Giant in
Russia )
for the possible
International
collaboration
on
skill-based
Creative Director Namra Nasir invited to SkillBox
(Edtech Giant in Russia) for international
learning projects.
collaboration on skills-based learning projects.
This Marks
Css Chronicles
Third Year
CSS chronicles has
completed 2 years
successfully with
more than 200,000
downloads.
Google's
meet & greet
Awesome interaction of
Nearpeer Team with
Google App-Ads Team
at Google Meet and
Greet Event to discuss
Edtech Marketing
Strategies in Global
Economic Doldrum.
LIFE AT NEARPEER AND HIGHLIGHTS OF NEARPEER

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1. Over 120,000+ Students
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3. Access to digital classrooms
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7. Pakistan's first and largest online

learning platform
And Much More!
5
TABLE OF
CONTENT
Monthly Round Up 04
07
International 11
1. Locked horn USA and China – Competition beyond 12

Cooperation.
2. Taliban Government in Afghanistan: What is the Plight 15
of Afghan people?
3. Adapt or perish: Climate Change is ruining the world. 18
4. Tracing the roots of modern-day Islamophobia. 21
National 25
1. Revival of IMF Loan Programme: Will it Help? 26

2. Politics and Floods: Governance Issues of Pakistan. 28
3. How will the Abolishment of the CPEC Authority 31
Impact the Project?
Tracing Folds of History 34
Comprehension Aid 41
Monthly Press Review 43
Our Veterans 67
Screening Test Alert 70
6
MONTHLY
ROUND UP:
JUNE AT A GLANCE
7
Dates Events
1 A landmark constitution amendment bill, seeking to limit the powers of Judicial

Commission of Pakistan (JCP) in the appointment of superior courts` judges and giving
the parliamentary committee a `meaningful` say in the process, landed in the Senate.
2 The National Assembly passed a bill suggesting severe punishment for public office
holders found responsible for death of suspects in custody.
3 The first shipment of grain from Ukraine since the Kremlin`s invasion five months ago
sailed through Istanbul under a landmark deal designed to help alleviate a global food
crisis sparked by the war.
4 The rupee jumped 4.2 per cent in the interbank market against the US dollar, making the
largest single day gain in years after weeks of battering amid political and economic
turmoil.
5 The American drone that eliminated Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri in Kabul was
possibly launched from an airbase in Kyrgyzstan, some US media reports claimed.
6 The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) conducted the country`s first
trial of one-terabit one trillion bits or pieces of binary data transport capacity per
wavelength.
7 A senior Taliban cleric known for his fiery speeches against the militant Islamic State (IS)
group and support for female education, was killed in a suicide blast at his madressah in
the Afghan capital.
8 The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to revamp district headquarters hospitals

in tribal districts from its own resources after the suspension of healthcare funding by the
federal government at the start of the current financial year.
9 President Dr Arif Alvi proposed that mosques, which normally remained vacant between
Fajr and Zuhr prayers, could be used as schools and the prayer leaders could be trained
as teachers to provide free of cost education to out-of-school children.
10 The Parvez Elahi government withdrew former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz decision of
closing business centres, markets, super stores and shops at 9pm made to conserve
electricity and fuel.
11 Nine members of an Indian vessel`s crew were rescued while the body of another was
fished out of the Arabian Sea with Pakistan`s help, the Pakistan Navy (PN) announced.
12 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) convened a meeting of its executive board on
August 29 to approve a bailout package for Pakistan, including disbursement of about
8
Dates Events
$1.18bn, before the close of current month.
13 The structure of economy has drastically changed since Pakistan`s inception in 1947 with
industry and then services sectors dominated the economy, says a finance ministry
report released.
14 The government has given a commitment to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to
approve and commence with effect from January 1, 2022 the implementation of Nation-
al Carbon Pricing Strategy under the country`s overall tax policy to raise tax-to-GDP ratio
to 10pc by FY2025 from 8.5pc now.
15 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman agreed to visit Pakistan on the invitation of
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
16 The federal cabinet has turned down a summary moved by the Ministry of National
Health Services seeking an increase in the prices of at least 35 medicines, which may
force people to `opt for costly alternatives` as the pharmaceutical industry fears the
`hasty decision` will result in the discontinuation of these relatively cheaper drugs.
17 The Punjab government formally notified Gujrat as a 10th division of the province.
18 The Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to go ahead with
the second phase of local government elections in Sindh.
19 The federal government has appointed Jameel Ahmad, a deputy governor of the State
Bank of Pakistan (SBP), as the bank`s governor for a five-year term, the finance ministry
said.
20 Pakistan has moved closer to clinching a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
as all 24 members of the Fund`s executive board have received copies of a staff report
required to complete the process, diplomatic and IMF.
21 Nine Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and another four wounded as their truck
plunged into a ravine in Bagh district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), officials said.
22 While withdrawing the budgetary fixed tax scheme for traders, the government
increased tax rates to collect additional Rs18 billion from tobacco sector to meet lateral
demand of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before it clears Pakistan`s bailout
package on August 29.
23 The political turmoil in Pakistan echoed far away in the United States as well, where the
UN chief urged Islamabad to keep the legal process impartial while the State Depart-
ment underlined the need to follow `democratic, constitutional and legal` principles.
9
Dates Events
24 The state owned investment fund of Qatar is going to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, an
official statement from the office of the energy-rich country`s ruler said.
25 Calling the incessant monsoon rains a `climate-inducted humanitarian crisis of epic

proportions`, the Pakistan government officially declared a `national emergency` in light
of the rain-induced floods which have so far killed 937 people, including 343 children,
and left at least 30 million without shelter.
26 Inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) rose sharply during the week
that ended on Aug 25, climbing to a record 44.6 per cent year-on-year, the Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics data showed. The index rose mainly because of higher prices of
essential food items mainly tomatoes, onions, pulses and cooking oil and fuel.
27 As the death toll from the calamitous floods sweeping the country crossed the 1,000
mark, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the
flood-hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh and vowed to make all-out efforts to compen-
sate and rehabilitate all those affected or displaced by floodwaters.
28 The Taliban`s acting defence minister accused Pakistan of allowing American drones to
use its airspace to access Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan has recently denied following
a US air strike in Kabul.
29 Pakistan is set to host the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards (APICTA) for the first time ever.
This will provide representatives from local companies to meet innovators and entre-
preneurs from the region.
30 The UN launched a $160 million appeal to provide emergency assistance to those

affected by catastrophic floods in Pakistan.
31 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited flood-hit areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
announced Rs10 billion in funds to rehabilitate the calamity-hit areas, even as a report
by the World Health Organisation (WHO) painted a grim picture of the health and
humanitarian crises simmering across the country.
10
INTERNATIONAL
LOCKED HORN USA AND CHINA – COMPETITION BEYOND COOPERATION
TALIBAN GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN: WHAT IS THE PLIGHT OF AFGHAN PEOPLE?
ADAPT OR PERISH: CLIMATE CHANGE IS RUINING THE WORLD
TRACING THE ROOTS OF MODERN-DAY ISLAMOPHOBIA
11
Locked horn USA and China –

Competition beyond Cooperation
Sania Saleem
Rivalry with China has begun to substantial grounds to why As per a Harvard University
consume US foreign policy. China has become pivotal research report, titled “Under-
China appears to be a concern of strategists and poli- standing CCP Resilience:
near-peer challenge whose cymakers in Washington. Under Surviving Chinese Public Opin-
interests and values are sharp- President Xi Jinping, Beijing has ion Through Time” (July 2020),
ly at odds with those of the gone more autocratic at home the Chinese government
United States. U.S. foreign policy and more strong-armed enjoys the highest rate of satis-
is focusing merely on counter- abroad. It’s brutally repressing faction in the past two decades
ing China that they are risking Uyghurs in Xinjiang, crushing and the Chinese people’s over-
their interest and values which democratic freedoms in Hong all satisfaction towards the
should reinforce U.S. strategy. Kong, rapid expansion of its Central Government exceeds
This contemporary course will nuclear arsenals, hostile inter- 93%. This manifests and further
not just deteriorate U.S.-Chi- ception of its military aircrafts solidifies Xi Jinping’s control
nese relationship indefinitely in East and South China Seas, and authority over China’s
giving rise to a catastrophic condoning Russian President population.
conflict, but it also threatens to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of
jeopardize the imperishability Ukraine and working to reshape Nonetheless, strongly justified
of American leadership in the international norms— the list risks are producing a reflexive
world. goes on and is likely to only get fear that is compelling U.S. to
longer, especially if Xi Jinping flex its muscle in counterpro-
Undoubtedly, there exist quite secures a third five- year term. ductive and ultimately harmful
12
ways. Without a clear sense of

what it seeks, U.S. foreign policy
has become reactive, spinning
aimlessly rather than steering
towards the right direction. The
instinct to counter every
Chinese initiative is predomi-
nant, as duly acknowledged by
Biden administration that the
U.S and its alternatives must
provide an attractive alterna-
tive to what China is offering.
The war in Ukraine is claiming
substantial U.S. attention and
resources, the broader effect of
the conflict has been to intensi- –survival of which wasn’t certain then and would be even less
fy emphasis on geopolitical assured now.
competition, stiffened by
Chinese-Russian convergence. Even in the absence of direct confrontation, a range of U.S. policies
driven by reactive approach elaborates that Washington is
Leaders in both Washington frequently falling into the trap of trying to counter Chinese initia-
and Beijing claim to avoid new tives around the globe without looking into its internal factors for
cold war yet, their countries are instance, factors like what local government and population
already engaged in a global wants. By lacking a forward-looking vision, U.S. is frequently seen
struggle, both seeking to compromising its own broader interests. The bigger risk in longer
perpetuate their influence and run is that the United States will not be able to manage a
hegemony over other. On both decades-long competition without being intolerant at home and
sides, there is a growing fatalis- falling into habit of overextension abroad. In an attempt to
tic pessimism that the crisis are out-China, there is quite a possibility that the United States could
inevitable, and mutually undermine the strengths that should be the basis for sustained
accepted rules will come after American leadership.
the eyeball-to-eyeball con-
frontation that characterized A better approach should be the world that the United States
the early years of the Cold-War seeks: what it wants, rather than what it fears. Whether sanctions or
tariffs or military moves, the policies should be based on the
touchstone of how they will further progress and develop the inter-
est of the world at large rather than whether they undermine and
subjugate Chinese interest or not. They should represent U.S. power
as incomparable or unparalleled instead of mirroring the behavior
it aims to preclude. Washington must commit, both with actions
and words, to a positive-sum vision of a reformed international
realm that includes China and meets the pragmatic need to tackle
shared challenges.
Nevertheless, this does not mean giving up calculated efforts to

deter Chinese aggression, improve resilience against Chinese
coercion, and reinforce U.S. alliances. However, these efforts must
be paired with meaningful discussions with Beijing, not only about
crisis communication and risk reduction but also about prudent
13
terms of coexistence and a future of boost its security instigating the other
international world –a future that to take further steps to develop its
Beijing will have a necessary role in own. Protective or punitive actions,
shaping. An inclusive and affirmative whether military, economic, or diplo-
global vision would both discipline matic, should be evaluated not just on
competition and make clear what the basis of whether they counter
Beijing has to lose. Otherwise, as the China but also on how they affect the
relationship deteriorates and the broader system and whether they
sense of threat increased, the logic of reflect loyalty to U.S. principles or not.
zero-sum competition will become
more overwhelming, perpetuating a While explaining growing U.S.-Chinese
malicious cycle eventually bringing rivalry, Graham Allison’s, “the Thucy-
catastrophe, the consequences of dides trap” is relevant to the case in
whom will undermine both American limelight. It is the notion where a rising
interests and values. state challenges an established
power, a war of hegemony results.
The antagonistic and confrontational However, the lesson for U.S is to
approach, from both sides, has pro- reimagine its domestic and interna-
duced a mirroring dynamic. Whereas tional purpose on its own terms, not
Beijing is certain that only through for the sake of undermining China. To
prolonged struggle will Americans be conclude, the United States must do
influenced to coexist with a strong much more to advance in the power
China, Washington believes that it of its example and to guarantee that
must check Chinese control and influ- measures taken to counter China do
ence to protect U.S. primacy. This not subvert that example by falling
mirroring effect is resulting in a down- into the trap of trying to put China out
ward spiral, with each side’s efforts to of the game.
14
Taliban Government in Afghanistan:

What is the Plight of Afghan people?-
Rafia Ramzan
Khalid Hosseini in his book “Kite As the Taliban took control of they had done previously
Runner’ illustrates a fictional much of Afghanistan’s territory, during the Taliban reign back in
picture of what life under the with Kabul among the last cities the 1990s,” said Afghanistan’s
Taliban regime was like for the to fall on August 15, they prominent human rights activ-
Afghani people after the fall of wreaked havoc in their wake. ist Mahbooba Seraj.
the Soviet Union. Fast forward to Even today, an entire year later,
2022, the plight of the Afghani Afghani citizens are living in The war-weary Afghans are
people under Taliban rule eerily fear and uncertainty. “We, reliving 1994, when the Taliban
resembles the situation Afghans would like to say to the assaulted the government of
described in the aforemen- world, that they have left us in then-sitting Afghan leader Dr.
tioned book. How is it that after isolation, to the wolves in our Najeeb, taking control of Kabul
so many years, the situation country. I do not understand by force, and establishing an
remains the same? Girls out of the United States for undoing Islamic reign. The abrupt with-
schools, men punished if not and now redoing the Taliban in drawal of the United States and
sporting a beard, economic Afghanistan whose ruling will failed negotiations in Doha
turmoil and a downtrodden affect women's lives the most, have resulted in more violence
political scenario depict a which will be ruined yet again. I on the ground, reminding
gloomy outcome after the feel immense fear for the Afghans of what they suffered
withdrawal of American forces Afghan artists, singers, busi- 25 years ago: the loss of their
following years of war. ness tycoons who would be entire social structure and
suspending their activities as health infrastructure, the
15
dismissal of women's rights, restrict freedom of the press

and a complete shutdown of and encourage the persecu-
the educational system. To tion and intimidation of media
escape the future under Taliban and journalists. Attacks against
rule, many Afghani citizens are human rights defenders, jour-
leaving the country and adding nalists, and media workers
to the refugee exodus around have had a chilling effect on
the world. media freedom and civic
activism. In its latest report, RSF
One of the groups most affect- report reads, “According to a
ed by the decades-long war is Reporters Without Borders
Afghan women, who are now (RSF) survey, in the year since
facing a harsh and new reality. the Taliban took power on 15
They can see their fears slowly August 2021, Afghanistan has
unfold, including but not limited lost 39.59 pc of its media
to, the loss of their jobs, inac- outlets and 59.86 pc of its jour-
cessible education, and a total nalists, especially women jour-
violation of fundamental rights nalists, three quarters of whom
under the Taliban rule. Accord- are now unemployed and no
ing to Aljazeera news, on 13 longer exist in 11 provinces. All
August 2022, days before the this has happened amid a
Taliban could mark the group's deep economic crisis and
first anniversary since their take crackdown on press freedom.”
over, about 40 women marched
on the education ministry in The plight of the Afghan people
Kabul, chanting “bread, work, is further worsened by the eco-
and freedom”. Taliban fighters nomic situation in Afghanistan
beat these female protesters under the Taliban regime. One
and fired into the air to disperse year later, the Taliban are still
this rare rally in the Afghan cap- not able to reverse Afghani-
ital. A study by the International stan’s economic decline while
Labor Organization (ILO) docu- most Afghans are struggling to
mented a disproportionate make the most basic ends
drop in women’s employment in meet. Afghanistan’s economy
Afghanistan – 16 percent in the which was already suffering
months immediately following due to severe drought, the
the Taliban takeover. Covid-19 pandemic, and
human and capital drain had
Under Taliban rule, not only to further absorb the enormous
women's rights but also journal- economic shock of the abrupt
ism is bleeding to death. cutoff from civilian and security
Numerous media outlets have aid, worth more than $8 Billion
ceased their work and hun- per year. The economy was
dreds of journalists have lost further crippled due to the
their jobs in the last year, freezing of Afghanistan’s
according to Reporters Without foreign assets, sanctions, and
Borders (RSF). The Taliban have the reluctance of foreign banks
enacted numerous laws, to do business with the country.
namely “11 journalism rules” that The economy has shrunk by
16
20% to 30% since August 2021 enhance productivity and pave steps can be taken to over-
as many people have lost jobs the road to a progressive come one of the worst humani-
and livelihoods, social services Afghanistan. Furthermore, tarian crises in the world.
have been decimated and steps should be taken to over-
poverty along with the human- come the prevailing stereo-
itarian crisis has greatly wors- types about the Taliban as
ened under the Taliban rule. brutal, non-negotiable, and
primitive. Only when these
The Way Forward labels are reversed can it lead
Continuing humanitarian aid is to a fruitful discussion of the
essential to avoid or mitigate a Taliban leaders with the world
humanitarian catastrophe. But and ensure the protection of
this is not a long-term solution human rights, especially for
and would leave the country women. Negotiations in Doha
permanently dependent on demonstrated the fact that a
such aid and vulnerable to any consensus among regional
interference, which as history powers—including China,
has shown has only caused Russia, Pakistan, and Iran and
immense problems for backed by the United
Afghanistan. Therefore, States—can convince the Tali-
humanitarian and other aid ban to move toward an inclu-
must be well coordinated and sive political system that will
cost-effective to not render the provide a sustainable political
government even more inef- settlement for the competing
fective. Aid should be used for forces in Afghanistan. Hence,
development projects to these small but necessary
17
Adapt or perish:
Climate Change is ruining the world
Bakhtawar Narejo
Extreme weather occurrences The habitats of our oceans are also in danger. Due to warmer
are becoming increasingly oceans brought on by climate change, the Great Barrier Reef in
severe and endangering lives Australia, for instance, has already lost half of its corals since 1995.
and way of life. As cropland
transforms into desert, some As the probability of hot, dry weather rises due to climate change,
areas may become uninhabit- wildfires are occurring more frequently.
able as global temperatures
rise. As of late, China, Germany, Additionally, greenhouse gases held for centuries will be released
Belgium, and the Netherlands into the sky as frozen earth melts in locations like Siberia, acceler-
have all seen record floods as a ating climate change.
result of excessive rainfall in
other areas. Animals will have a tougher time locating the food and water they
require in a warmer planet. For instance, elephants will have diffi-
Poorer nations' citizens will culty finding the 150-300 litres of water they require each day,
suffer the most since they lack while polar bears may go extinct when their habitat's ice sheet
the resources to adapt to melts.
climate change. The already
oppressively hot conditions Climate Change a disaster for the world?
that many crops in developing In different parts of the world, climate change has varied affects.
nations must endure will only Some regions will experience greater warming than others, while
get worse. others may experience more rainfall and droughts. If the tem-
18
perature increase cannot be

contained at 1.5C, Flooding
brought on by excessive rains
will be a concern for the UK and
Europe. Extreme heatwaves are
expected in the Middle East,
and agriculture may become
desert. Island nations in the
Pacific could vanish as a result
of rising sea levels. The likeli-
hood of droughts and food
shortages is high in many
African countries. The western
US is likely to experience
drought, but storms in other
regions will be more intense.
Extreme heat and drought are
set to hit Australia. Flooding has
caused massive destruction in
Pakistan.
The amount of greenhouse

gases is at its highest point in
two million years
And emissions keep increasing. Impacts of Climate Change on the World

The finding is that the Earth has These effects of climate change have already been identified
warmed by around 1.1°C since by scientists:
the late 1800s. The most recent
ten years (2011–2020) were the - All around the world, but notably at the Earth's poles, ice is
warmest ever. melting.
Many believe that rising tem- - Mountain glaciers, the ice sheets that blanket West Antarctica
peratures are the main effect of and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice all fall under this category.
climate change. But the story From more than 150 in 1910, the number of glaciers in Montana's
doesn't start with the tempera- Glacier National Park has decreased to less than 30 now.
ture increase. Changes in one
place might have an impact on - The melting of most of this ice raises the sea level. Sea levels
changes in all other areas since are increasing by 3.2 millimetres (0.13 inches) year. In recent
the Earth is a system in which years, the rise has accelerated and is expected to do so even
everything is interconnected. more so in the decades to come.
Intense droughts, water scarci- - Wildlife and their habitats are being impacted by rising tem-
ty, destructive fires, rising sea peratures. In Antarctica, where some populations on the west-
levels, flooding, melting polar ern peninsula have fallen by 90 percent due to melting ice, spe-
ice, catastrophic storms, and a cies like the Adélie penguin have faced challenges.
decline in biodiversity are
currently some of the effects of - The sea levels are anticipated to increase by at least 10 inches
climate change. (26 cm) by the end of the century.
19
thing that will happen in the far

future. The heat is changing
precipitation patterns, melting
glaciers and sea ice, and
moving species.
Though many people equate

global warming with climate
change, scientists prefer to
refer to the complicated
changes currently influencing
our planet's weather and
climate systems as "climate
change." In addition to increas-
ing average temperatures,
-Storms like hurricanes and Celsius) since 1906; in the extreme weather, shifting wild-
others are probably going to vulnerable polar areas, the rise life populations and habitats,
get worse. Droughts and floods has been substantially greater. rising oceans, and a variety of
will happen more frequently. By And the repercussions of rising other factors also fall under the
2100, large portions of the U.S., temperatures are already umbrella of climate change.
for instance, will be more sus- being felt; they are not some-
ceptible to "megadroughts"
that last for many decades.
-Since glaciers hold nearly

three-quarters of the world's
freshwater, there will be less of it
available.
-Some infections, like malaria

transmitted by mosquitoes, will
spread (and the 2016 resur-
gence of the Zika virus).
-Ecosystems will continue to

change: Some species, like
polar bears, won't be able to
adapt and may go extinct while
others, like those in the north,
will move further north or grow
more successful.
From the every pile of world,

either north or south, the earth
is warming. Globally, the aver-
age surface temperature has
risen by more than 1.6 degrees
Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees
20
Tracing the roots of

modern-day Islamophobia
Rafia Ramzan
Islam was thrust into the West- Muslims, the claim of it being at dice against all colonised peo-
ern public imagination nearly the root of Islamophobia is ples.
fifty years ago starting with the quite myopic – both meta-
OPEC oil embargo, and Islam- phorically and literally. This However, with the rise of auton-
ophobia has grown since in event merely initiated a new omous Muslim-majority states
three distinct phases. phase of Islamophobic hatred, in the post-colonial period,
built upon a previous phase of Muslims – and through them,
When searching for the origin of propaganda and malevolence. Islam – gained an identity
modern-day Islamophobia, distinct from other nations. It
one comes across countless Other claims regarding the was during this period that the
articles portraying the 9/11 origin of Islamophobia refer to first seeds of present-day
attacks as the root cause of the early 20th century, when Islamophobia were sown.
present hatred against Mus- the term – or its French variant Starting in the early post-colo-
lims. They hold that it was this Islamophobie – was coined. In nial era, Islamophobia has
event that led to a negative this case, it is difficult to distin- grown through three distinct
projection of Islam as a radical, guish Islamophobia from other phases, each with its own
anti-modern and anti-Western xenophobic and supremacist defining events, drivers, and
ideology. tendencies of colonialism in impacts.
general – the prejudice against
While the 9/11 attacks did esca- Muslims could have emerged Oil embargo and the Iranian
late retaliatory persecution of as part of widespread preju- Revolution
21
The first phase of Islamophobia

began in the 1970s, when the commented on it, familiarising
Arab members of OPEC audiences with Islam as an Pictures of ‘Islamic’ mobs with
imposed an oil embargo on the ideology linked to the oil crisis. anti-American placards were
US, and became entrenched frequently displayed on Ameri-
after the Iranian Revolution. While the events of 1973 - 1974 can media alongside words like
made Islam a topic of discus- 'radicalisation' and 'fundamen-
According to the renowned sion in the Western world, it was talism', presenting Islam as a
scholar Edward Said, “It is not the Iranian Revolution that threat to Western ideals.
too much of an exaggeration to prompted opinion formation
say that before the sudden regarding it. The perceived In April 1979, the cover of Times
OPEC price rises in early 1974, ‘loss’ of a modernised Iran magazine depicted a cleric
Islam as such scarcely figured under Shah Reza Pahlavi to an performing the call for prayer
either in the culture or in the Islamic regime led by Ayatollah next to the words, ‘Islam: The
media [of the United States]. Khomeini had dealt a strong Militant Revival’. Two years
One saw and heard of Arabs blow to Western interests in the later, the blockbuster Raiders of
and Iranians, of Pakistanis and region. the Lost Ark depicted an Arab
Turks, rarely of Muslims.” swordsman getting shot by a
The subsequent hostage crisis gun-wielding Indiana Jones,
Given that a sense of Muslim provided Western powers – creating a perception of an
solidarity motivated the particularly the US – with an anti-modern Middle Eastern
embargo, Islam was put in the opportunity to make the revo- culture.
American media spotlight. lution and its Islamic creden-
News headlines started featur- tials relevant to Western audi- Similarly, the 1986 film Delta
ing it and Orientalists regularly ences. Force based its plot on a plane
22
hijacking conducted by Muslim driven by security concerns. It with religious extremism, which
villains, with the voiceover in its was used by states – to justify in turn became synonymous
trailer declaring, “The enemy their actions – against with violence and terrorism.
doesn’t care who they hurt, not non-state actors and individu-
how young, how innocent, how als. Iran was replaced by Migration policy crisis
helpless.” groups like Al Qaeda, the Tali- The third phase of Islamopho-
ban, and later, Daesh, who were bia began with the European
In the period following the presented as the new face of political crisis triggered by a
Iranian revolution, experts like ‘Islamic’ radicalisation and wave of migration in 2014 and
Bernard Lewis and Samuel fundamentalism. still continues today.
Huntington wrote extensively
about the ‘clashing’ ideals of Muslim minorities were profiled Unlike the second phase, which
Islam and the West. While and harassed by state authori- was rooted in security, anti-Is-
many today believe Huntington ties. Mosques came under lam sentiments in this phase
prophesised the rise of militant scrutiny. This atmosphere of are driven by social concerns
groups like Al Qaeda in his fear cultivated support for and domestic politics. The
Clash of Civilizations thesis, a invasions of Afghanistan and perpetrators and victims of
renewed focus on the 1970s Iraq under the so-called global Islamophobia occurring today
shows that he merely extrapo- “War on Terror”. are non-state groups and indi-
lated from the past. viduals.
The situation in the invaded
The anti-Islam hysteria created countries was far worse. Prisons On a social level, fears of
during the first phase was like Abu Ghraib became cen- demographic invasion have
driven by global politics and ters of dehumanisation and resulted in a localised backlash
directed by some states torture of local Muslim popula- against Muslim immigrants
against other states – first, tions. Others were shipped to and refugees, who are, by
against Arab nations embar- Guantanamo Bay where they default, perceived as a threat.
going the US, and later, Iran. In were systematically deprived In recent years, there has been
hindsight, it was this global of their basic human rights. a notable increase in the
politics-based nature that number of attacks against
inspired ideas like Huntington's The role played by Western Muslim minorities in developed
“Clash of Civilizations” in the media worsened the plight of countries. Many perpetrators
first place. Muslims. Terror attacks involv- today are “lone-wolf” actors
ing Muslim perpetrators were like Brenton Tarrant who were
While the first phase of Islam- given significantly higher cov- radicalised during the previous
ophobia established Islam as erage than those conducted by two phases and motivated by
an Other that existed thou- non-Muslims. Numerous Islam- an online network of Islam-
sands of miles away, the 9/11 ophobic articles were pub- ophobic groups.
attacks confirmed fears asso- lished by leading media outlets
ciated with it, initiating the during this period, encouraging On the political front, prejudice
second phase of Islamophobia the formation of negative opin- against Muslims has been
in response. Built on the nuance ions against Islam. propagated by political leaders
of the first phase, the second to serve their own agendas. In
phase was drastic in its effects. By the end of it, the second France, President Macron’s
phase had stigmatised Mus- negative comments about
The securitisation of Islam lims as a security threat. Islam- Islam demonstrate an attempt
The eruption of hatred among ic practices like beard and to attract far-right voting
the masses was primarily hijab started being associated groups in the upcoming elec-
23
tions. Populist leaders like the

US’ Donald Trump and India’s
Narendra Modi have also casti-
gated Muslims to please their
respective voter bases.
With the rise of such leaders,

political exploitation of anti-Is-
lam sentiment is gradually
becoming systemic. European
capitals are enacting laws that
encroach on the freedoms of
Muslim minorities. The
Anti-Separatism Bill in France
seeks to restrict Muslim con-
gregations and oppose the
display of Islamic symbols in
public. Systematic persecution
of Muslims has also become
prevalent in countries like India
and Myanmar.
The Islamophobic narrative

that emerged in the 1970s has
evolved into a more wide-
spread, systemic and violent
phenomenon. Ironically, the
propaganda churned out by
Western media, blaming Islam
for radicalising Muslims, has
resulted in the radicalisation of
its audience against Islam.
Today, Islamophobia has

become a menace that
torments Muslims around the
world. The first step towards
countering it is to understand
where its roots lie: not in the
turbulent 2000s but in the
neglected 1970s.
24
NATIONAL
REVIVAL OF IMF LOAN PROGRAMME: WILL IT HELP?
POLITICS AND FLOODS: GOVERNANCE ISSUES OF PAKISTAN
HOW WILL THE ABOLISHMENT OF THE CPEC AUTHORITY IMPACT THE PROJECT?
25
Revival of IMF Loan Programme:

Will it Help?
QAISER RIZWAN ABBASI
The IMF loan programme has ative to note that Pakistan agencies in the form of the
finally been revived, paving the effectively entered the IMF pro- World Bank, Asian Develop-
way for the release of gramme in 2019—during the ment Bank and some friendly
much-needed $1.17 billion PTI-led government—but owing nations.
which may have minimised the to the failure of the previous PTI
risk of default but the challeng- government to comply with the In an attempt to address the
es are far too many. The nego- conditionalities attached, only concerns and conditionalities
tiations between the lending half the funds had been of the IMF, the coalition govern-
agency and Pakistan’s eco- disbursed. ment at the Centre had to with-
nomic team led by Finance draw subsidies on petroleum
Minister Miftah Ismail had been With the resumption of the IMF products, which ended up
quite tough which eventually loan programme, there has increasing the economic mis-
provided a major relief to the been a slight improvement in eries of the general public at
weakening economy of the the rupee and overall business large. The incumbent govern-
country. sentiments across the country. ment has been asked to gener-
What is equally pertinent to ate an additional Rs436 billion
This $1.17 billion tranche is part mention is the fact that the in taxes in order to enhance its
of the $6 billion loan facility, formal approval on the part of fiscal space which has been
which was considered to be the IMF is likely to help Pakistan facing immense pressure over
critical for the purpose of stabi- secure highly significant finan- the years.
lising the economy. It is imper- cial aid from the multilateral
26
While the government has been Hundreds of thousands of hands together to ensure that
seeking to improve its tax acres of crops have been people get much-needed relief
collections and comply effec- destroyed, increasing food and basic necessities.
tively with the conditionalities to insecurity in the country.
put the economy on a sustain- According to the government As the major part of the country
able track, what has exacerbat- estimates, the food shortage is underwater, the government
ed the woes is the devastating has already been felt in the at the centre is considering
floods and torrential rains that different parts of the country renegotiating with the IMF to
have wreaked havoc across the with inflation reaching over provide the free-of-conditions
major part of the country. More 40pc. loan facility. It is said that gov-
than 33m people—15 per cent of ernment will get flood-relief
the entire population—have Many economic policymakers financing from the World Bank,
been affected. The manifesta- argue that it is quite too early to the Asian Development Bank
tion and the intensity of the make the exact calculation and other International Finan-
catastrophe is unprecedented, pertaining to the post-flood job cial Institutions (IFIs). This will
aggravating the economic losses, but one thing is sure the provide Pakistan with the criti-
crisis in an unparalleled GDP of the country is likely to cal financial resources needed
manner. It has been observed fall to just 2 per cent against the to work on providing relief to
that the country will find it target of 5pc. Considering this, the people in need and ensur-
extremely difficult to achieve it is safe to assume that the ing the rebuilding of the roads,
the economic stabilisation number of jobless people in the bridges and dams among
goals in the face of the devas- country will expectedly others.
tation caused by the floods and increase by 3 million. This
rains. shows that the crisis is far from In a positive move, the United
over. What has worsened the Nations has appealed to the
Millions of people have lost their predicament is the political world for $160 in emergency
lives and livelihood along with polarisation and political insta- funding. The federal govern-
huge damage caused to the bility which has been hindering ment is also working with the
physical infrastructure. the process of economic World Bank to arrange $300 as
Although the economic loss to recovery. In these challenging early as possible so that gov-
the country cannot be effec- times where economic crises ernment can ensure the provi-
tively calculated, for now, it is and torrential floods have sion of food, shelter and tends
expected that the country will plagued the country, the politi- to the people. Things seem
need $10 billion to rebuild and cal leadership needs to join difficult with crisis multiplying.
rehabilitate the infrastructure.
27
Politics and Floods:

Governance Issues of Pakistan
Umme Abeeha
Pakistan indeed is one of the big is the issue? to import raw materials for
most at-risk countries for Floods have affected about textile energy.
climate change and the one-third of Pakistan. The
current floods are a glaring country’s south has seen the The food costs have also
example of that. But Pakistan’s most flooding. The ensuing surged. Inflation is also at an
current floods are also a failure economic loss is far greater all-time high. Apart from that,
of governance in the country. than $10 Billion. People have transportation has also been
An absence of local govern- lost their homes and liveli- affected as key roads and
ment mechanisms is a key hoods. Sewage water fills bridges have collapsed due to
failure that has led to such dev- homes. Roofs and walls of heavy flooding.
astation. Political polarization is houses have collapsed. Elec-
also to blame for the intensity tricity is cut off for hours and A health crisis is also on the
of the crisis. even days. way as floods have given birth
to infectious and waterborne
Key Facts About the Current About 50% of the cotton output diseases. Also, WHO has report-
Floods has also been destroyed. ed that around 900 health
Before discussing the major Cotton is the white gold of Paki- facilities have also been dam-
underlying causes of floods stan as it is exported. It is aged.
and resulting destruction, it is crucial for the economy.
important to talk about some According to some estimates, From the transportation sector
key facts related to floods. How we will have to spend $3 Billion to the health sector, everything
28
has suffered. These floods are Unfortunately, the current flood floods. However, more than
the worst in the history of Paki- disasters will worsen Pakistan’s that, bad governance and lack
stan. According to the Climate political and economic crisis. of political will are also key
Change Minister, Pakistan has issues that have made the
seen 780% higher rainfall in this Floods are More than A Natural country vulnerable to climate
monsoon season. The resulting Calamity: A Case for Bad Gov- shocks. So, Pakistan’s floods are
destruction is worst. ernance also constructed. Bad policies,
Everyone is talking about how lack of infrastructure, inade-
Who is responsible? Pakistan contributed less than quate pre-disaster planning,
1% to climate change yet it is and slow post-disaster man-
The Relationship Between one of the most vulnerable agement are just a few reasons
Politics and Flooding in countries due to climate why the floods have left
Pakistan change. Why is that? Why is unprecedented destruction in
During the beginning of August, Pakistan so vulnerable to their wake. Thus, bad gover-
as floods raged in Balochistan climate change and flooding? nance has severely exacerbat-
and Sindh, the leaders were ed the flood issue.
caught up in politics. Political The main reason is Pakistan’s
polarization in Pakistan is a geography. The highest The absence of a local govern-
major reason for misplaced number of glaciers and cities ment system in districts, tehsils,
priorities. Political battles were close to sea level are the main and union councils, has slowed
making headlines while the reasons why there is a change down resource allocation and
country was being destroyed. in weather patterns in Pakistan. disaster management. As a
The leaders did not take action result, the PM or CMs have to
right away. But while Pakistan is one of the personally visit the affected
most vulnerable countries to areas and keep an eye on the
Also, the political tensions climate change, it is also relief activities.
between the center and the regarded as one of the least
flooded provinces have under- prepared countries. There is a direct correlation
mined proper coordination. The between an effective local
case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Climate change has indeed governance system and flood
a clear example of this. contributed to the scale of the management.
29
On the other hand, if there was a proper local What is the Way Forward for Pakistan?
government system, emergency relief services To avoid such a disaster in the future, Pakistan
would have been much swifter. So, there is a must improve its climate adaptability and gov-
direct correlation between the local governance ernance. The government needs to learn from
systems and disaster response. When gover- the 2010 and 2022 floods.
nance is weak at the community level, the deci-
sion-making process is also weak. The disastrous impacts of the floods do provide
us an opportunity to learn from them and fix the
Here is a list of governance-related issues that governance-related issues to become climate
have made flooding more disastrous for resilient. Climate is a local issue and needs
Pakistan. proper management from the local institutions.
1. Illegal and uncontrolled construction in Here is a short list of steps that need to be taken.
vulnerable areas
2. Bad physical infrastructure 1. Provision of emergency supplies to climate
3. Old drainage systems refugees
4. Slow disaster management and poor 2. Conducted a detailed study on the changing
preparedness climate patterns
5. Ineffective communication strategy 3. Identify illegal embankments
6. Lack of coordination between policy-making 4. Identify no-construction zones
and scientific research 5. Rehabilitation of flood-affected areas
7. The disconnect between disaster 6. Study the performance of existing waterways
management authorities and the 7. Improve the drainage system
meteorological office 8. Improve storage infrastructure and dams
8. Unregulated urban development 9. Improve the local government system for
9. Lack of Local Government Institutions and better coordination
Floods 10. Support of technocrats in redevelopment
Conclusion
The times are difficult for Pakistan as we face multiple crises this year. From the political instability to
the economic slowdown, the country was already in a difficult situation. Add a natural disaster into the
mix and we are in a bad situation.
The effects of these floods will be seen for a long time in Pakistan. The infrastructure, homes and shel-
ters, livelihoods, crops, food security, and health system all have seen the devastating impact of
floods. The only thing that can get the country out of this predicament is good governance. If the gov-
ernance crisis is not fixed, the future does not seem very bright.
30
3
How will the Abolishment of the CPEC

Authority Impact the Project?
Hamza Tanvir
Establishment of the CPEC nues of growth, and discover- Asim Saleem Bajwa who was
Authority ing new prospects of intercon- given the charge for four years
China Pakistan Economic Corri- nected global value chains and but resigned prematurely.
dor (CPEC) Authority was production networks through Khalid Mansoor was appointed
established through an ordi- regional and global connectivi- by the then Prime Minister
nance promulgated on Octo- ty. The establishment of the Imran Khan as his Special
ber 5, 2019. President passed authority was opposed by the Assistant on CPEC Affairs but
this ordinance exercising his then opposition and was not the post of Chairman was
powers under Article 89(1) of approved by the parliamentary never filled after Lt. General
the constitution of Pakistan. The committee. Therefore, the Asim Bajwa’s resignation.
CPEC authority was given spe- previous government estab-
cial powers to deal with the lished the CPEC authority Abolishment of the CPEC
affairs related to the $62 billion through an ordinance. The Authority
CPEC project, a flagship project opposition, at that time, held The PML(N) government, within
of China’s Belt and Road Initia- that the establishment of a few weeks after taking the
tive (BRI). The main objective of authority would be detrimental power, announced that it would
the establishment of the CPEC to the pace of the CPEC project abolish the CPEC authority. The
Authority was to expedite the as it will contradict the line government held that it would
pace of the projects related to ministries. Its former Chairman the CPEC project to the Ministry
CPEC, unleashing novel ave- was Lieutenant General (retd) of Planning and Development
31
ministry would act as a facilita-

tor in the speedy implementa-
tion of the decisions related to
the project. While presiding
over a high-level meeting in
Islamabad, he stated that there
had been zero progress in the
industrial zones of Mirpur,
Islamabad, and Port Qasim. As
per many reports, China has
some serious concerns over
Pakistan's policies toward
CPEC. In May 2022, more than
two dozen Chinese Indepen-
dent Power Producers warned
of the closure of their firms if
their dues were not paid. Paki-
stan has to pay Rs 300 billion to
under Federal Minister Ahsan tained that the cooperation Chinese IPPs. China also has
Iqbal. In the mid of August 2022, between the two countries will many other major concerns
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif be closer and smoother, and related to CPEC.
also agreed to abolish the CPEC will deliver massive results.
Authority in response to the Local newspapers have also Impacts of Abolishing CPEC
summary moved by the Plan- published reports saying that Authority
ning and Development Ministry. China did not interfere in Paki- After the extermination of the
He also instructed that China stan's internal decision-making CPEC Authority, the Ministry of
should first be taken into confi- related to the CPEC project. This Planning and Development
dence before implementing shows that China is also would be responsible for the
this decision so that China does agreed to the abolishment of implementation of CPEC. It
not get the impression that the CPEC Authority. Federal would be a critical and chal-
Pakistan is stepping back from Minister for Planning and lenging task for the Ministry as
this project. Hence, the Authori- Development, Ahsan Iqbal, said China has multiple concerns
ty Act's removal is subject to that CPEC Authority had over the policies and their
the consent of China. In a report become a hindrance in the implementations. China's most
published by The Business expeditious implementation of significant concern is about the
Standard, the spokesperson of the CPEC projects due to the security of its labor force in
the Chinese Foreign Ministry, breakdown of the deci- Pakistan. There have been mul-
Wang Wenbin, is cited as stat- sion-making structure. He tiple terrorist attacks on the
ing that the two countries, further stated the CPEC Author- Chinese engineers working on
China and Pakistan, have been ity had been dysfunctional and the CPEC project. All CPEC
in close, full, and friendly com- was in a clash with the line problems are not related to
munication over the project. He ministries. He maintained that administration and gover-
further stated that China the Authority had become a nance alone. Multiple geopolit-
understands the concerns of parallel organization to line ical factors are also involved
Pakistan, and considers the ministries which caused the among the stumbling blocks of
efforts of the latter state in the duplication of work and insti- the project. The USA and India
integration of resources, raising gated a lack of ownership of are highly infuriated over the
efficiency, and making institu- the projects. He holds that the CPEC project. They have and
tional adjustments. He main- planning and development will try their best to destabilize
32
the project to counter the rise environment can lead to a the CPEC otherwise it could
of China as a superpower. The fast-paced implementation become a liability for the coun-
CPEC project would save China and completion of the CPEC try. As the CPEC will now be
from the US and Indian threat in project as claimed by Ahsan under the Ministry of Planning
the Indian ocean. Considering Iqbal. However, merely abolish- and Development, enormous
the economic and political ing an allegedly dysfunctional challenges to deal with. It
plight of Pakistan, it can neither and dormant Authority would would also have to consider
afford to antagonize China nor take the country nowhere, geopolitics while framing poli-
the US. Thus, it is a big chal- unless the insecurities and cies related to CPEC. However, it
lenge for the country to adopt concerns of the Chinese gov- can deal with all the challenges
and maintain a pragmatic ernment are not eliminated if it succeeds in making all the
approach in dealing with both properly. The security of the related sectors and ministers
countries. CPEC could be a Chinese officials and labor work in collaboration.
game changer for Pakistan. should be ensured. It is also
This project includes a host of important for Pakistan's inter-
energy-related projects which national image and its soft
can resolve the energy crisis in power. Otherwise, Foreign
the country. CPEC also includes Investors would hesitate to
scores of infrastructural proj- invest in Pakistan. The abolish-
ects which could not only help ment of the Authority would
the country in developing in prove to be a test for Ahsan
terms of infrastructural projects Iqbal and his ministry as ame-
but could also resolve its liorating the situation would
unemployment conundrum. require innovative means and
The abolishment of the CPEC policies. Gwadar and areas
Authority could result in unity of from Baluchistan must be
direction and command over given seminal priority. Gwadar,
the project. It can also result in which is the center of the CPEC
cooperation among ministries, project, has neither sufficient
resolving the conflict over water supply nor does it have
powers and authorities, related adequate electricity provision.
to different projects including
railways, infrastructure, and the If all the ministries work hand in
energy sector. A cooperative hand Pakistan can benefit from
33
TRACING FOLDS OF HISTORY

PAKISTAN AT 75: WHAT HAS IT GAINED AND LOST?
34
Pakistan At 75:
What has it Gained and Lost?
Abdul Samad
The seventy_five years period disasters to the challenges on nation of Liaqat Ali khan. It
is agreed to be enough for the foreign front posed by the unleashed a long-existing
gauging the rise and fall of a hostile Eastern neighbor and leadership dilemma that
thing. Pakistan has recently the destabilized Western suffered Pakistan severely and
celebrated its 75th Anniversary, neighbor and the changing has lasted until now. It also
however, it would not be odd regional and global power turned into another political
instead a pertinent thing to dynamics. turmoil where the political par-
shed a light on its past to know ties started strengthening
about what it has achieved and The emergence of Pakistan parochial, power, and region-
what it has lost over its past was a result of the partition of al-based politics instead of
seventy_five years. Though the info Pak sub-continent national cause-based politics
Pakistan has successfully which the colonizer formally as the Muslim League was
sailed through the traumatic ensured the extension of Inde- divided into small sections
fallouts of the partition accom- pendence to the colony to have largely dominated by feudal
panied by several overburdens self-rule as desired for and landlords. This trait was
chocking it off narrowly, it has decades by the people of also shared by the rest of the
passed through several thorns Indo_ the Pak sub_continent. political parties. Thus, it laid the
to have had some flowers in its Though the partition was foundation of a political party
life bucket. Democratically, it expected of healing the system that set aside national_
has had a very strange anec- wounds caused by the com- cause_ based politics for
dote to tell showing its pseud munal polarization, it put the personal, parochial, and
democratic nature largely two newly born countries into a regional-based politics. Such a
overwhelmed by the hidden tested time wherein Pakistan political paralysis gave birth to
and a third party. Politically, the was hit hard by the fallouts of an agile civil_military bureau-
country has inherited a disor- the partition. Pakistan narrowly cratic nexus that kept govern-
dered regime often resulting in and hardly dealt with initial ing the country until a strong
a crisis mode. Economically, problems facing in almost all political leadership had
though the 1960s was a pro- the sectors of governmental emerged which has yet to
gressed era, Pakistan has been machinery ranging from come.
facing structural problems. setting up the administrative
Good governance has become framework, settling a huge This resulted in the creation of a
a daydream for Pakistan exac- number of immigrants, Kash- deleterious political and harm-
erbated by the downtrodden mir issue to the protection of its ful constitutional crisis that
institutional framework. Today’s territory, sovereignty, and Inde- overtook the country for the
Pakistan, which is struggling pendence against its hostile upcoming nine years until the
with many problems mostly and belligerent Eastern neigh- date which greeted the prom-
inherited from the predecessor bor and the dangling sword of ulgation of the country’s first
governments, has survived a Damocles of the cold war. constitution which took Paki-
plethora of troubles ranging stan out of the Dominion status.
from the threats to national Pakistan lost soon after its Before reaching here to enforce
integration, down sliding econ- establishment its founder the the first constitution, Pakistan
omy, and catastrophic natural Jinnah followed by the assassi- had to come across a harsh
35
debate over the role religion Notwithstanding the above anti_Ayub agitation accompa-
plays in the state and the criticism, Ayub’s era sent Paki- nied by the popularly sounded
status of provincial autonomy stan’s economic growth to a economic concentration
especially triggered by East maximum height. His Green mantra into 22 families and the
Pakistan. Objective Resolutions Revolution caused a mounting strike by students all descend-
were passed to define the Con- increase in agricultural pro- ed into March 25th, 1969, when
stitutionality of religion and one duction as the reforms Ayub abrogated his constitu-
unit, though a controversial revamped the agri_sector via tion and handed over the
one, was introduced to address providing chemical fertilizer, authority to a military chief
the issue of provincial autono- machining the farming, settling Yahya Khan. Thus, Pakistan
my and representation. None- down the water availability once again fell into a political
theless, the first constitution problem, and providing differ- and constitutional crisis and
worked till its abrogation by ent incentive packages to the this time something serious
then President Iskandar Mirza in farmers. He also opened the and injurious events were
October 1958. Ayub Khan as the market while boosting the about to unfold.
president of Pakistan gave an private sector. M.R. Kezmi in his
end to the post-martial law write-up, A Concise History of General Yahya Khan was
imposition constitutional crisis Pakistan, argues that Ayub forced to take steps towards
by introducing his own made used to open an entity in the the constitutionalization of the
constitution which proposed a public sector and then would country. Hence he introduced
strong federation in the coun- sell it to a private owner which his Legal Framework Order
try. The constitution commis- would revolutionize not only its which announced the forma-
sion set by Ayub to look into the infrastructure and perfor- tion of a unicameral legislature
failure of the parliamentary mance but would enable it also with equal representation for
system and the abrogation of to prove an efficient source of both wings. The Assembly
the 1956 constitution, proposed earning for Pakistan. It was later would frame a new constitution
a strong presidency along with on followed by many Asian for the country. However, the
strong parliament, but Ayub countries even China under 1970s general elections opened
decided to choose the former Deng Xiaoping adopted a up a long chain of political
at the cost of the latter as the massive privatization drive stalemates between Sheikh
latter would challenge his which helped the country in Mujeeb's Awami League, the
authoritarianism. taking more than 90 percent winner in East Pakistan with 167
out of extreme poverty which is out of 169 seats, and the Buhtto'
Democratically, the country known to be a Chinese Miracle. s PPP which emerged as a ma-
experienced a backslide as the It was just for these reasons jority party in West Pakistan.
BDs system was just introduced that the economy of Pakistan The prevailing deadlock over
to support Ayub's illegitimate progressed well in this era and power-sharing transformed
rule. The local government almost achieved all the targets into a military skirmish. India
system in Ayub’s era experi- as the second five-year plan is extended its support to the
enced elections twice ( 1960 reported to have been a suc- party combating Pakistan.
and 1964). The 1965 presidential cessful one among all. Internationally, The erstwhile
elections in which Ayub had USSR threw a diplomatic weight
won against Fatima Jinnah, the However, despite all the posi- behind Sheikh Mujeeb’s cause.
joint opposition candidate, left tive trends, the country was The result was the disintegra-
many things bare regarding caught in a costly war with tion and separation of East
the immaturity of the Pakistani India in 1965 which put a halt to Pakistan which emerged as
version of politics and the way its economic growth. The Tash- Bangladesh. For Pakistan's
religion was highly politicized. kent Declaration was played future, some pertinent ques-
upon to boost up the tions arise in the aftermath of
36
the debacle of Dhaka: what has been turned down, but later on, which despite all the celebrat-
caused the dismemberment? the need for the redressal of ed advantages politicised
What can Pakistan learn from such demands was felt. Thus, religion to legitimise his rule.
this tragic episode? How much the Bangladesh episode
has Pakistan learned so far? teaches Pakistan a bitter lesson The 1990s is the most politically
to pay heed to the concerns unstable era where the rule
The East Pakistan dismember- and grievances of the units passed through like a passing
ment though immediately which will prevent them from bucket between Bibi and
erupted as a result of the limbo ceding the federation. The 18th Nawaz Sharif twice each. Such
status of power-sharing Amendment has played an a politically chaotic and turbu-
between Bhutto and Sheikh important role in strengthening lent era left far-reaching
Mujeeb, was triggered by the federation in a real sense imprints on the country’s politi-
long-standing issues mostly as it abolished the concurrent cal and economic history. The
structural in nature. Bhutto list and all the subjects, nearly prevailing Political instability
objected to the confederate 17 subjects, have been triggered the economic back-
nature of Sheikh's Six Points. dissolved into the provinces. slide and paralyzed democrat-
However, the six points were ic growth. Though the main
largely contributed to by the In Bhutto's era, the nationalism sword used there was Article
Bengali nationalism for politi- policy which nationalised 58(b)(2), the country’s
co_economic and ethno_lin- nearly thirty-two public entities long-standing legacy of power
guistic inclusivity which the reported to have halted their and parochial politics, which
Bangalis complained to have growth and thus reversed the had also caused serious gov-
been marginalised at the cost economic boom of his prede- ernance crisis, throw a heavy
of the Western wing. The then cessor’s rule. His civil services weight behind the tumultuous
federation might have reforms added a feather to his political episode of the 90s.
addressed the legitimate con- cap which ended the monopo-
cerns of the Eastern wing which ly of CSP and provided an equal Thus, Pakistan once again
failed despite taking some opportunity to all cadres for descended into military rule
tangible steps towards main- promotion. His hallmark was when Musharraf brought the
streaming the grieved ones. the formation of the 1973 con- country into military rule for the
Though the 1973 constitution stitution followed by the initia- fourth time in its almost fifty_-
installed bicameralism to tion of the nuclear program to year life. His power devolution
represent the federating units deter India's nuclear capability plan was an appreciated one
and the concurrent list subjects which had been tested its that tried to ensure a far more
remained open for legislation nuclear capacity in 1974. The vibrant local government
by the provinces while the PNA opposition and agitation system in a real sense which in
residuary powers vested with against the allegedly rigged turn had left the bureaucracy
the units, the pre_Eighteenth 1977 general elections turned inactive and powerless. Here
Amendment nature of the con- into nearly a decade-long too, the country failed in adopt-
stitution didn’t provide for a nightmare of democratic ing this system in letter and
strong federation. Pakistan absence. Zia imposed martial spirit since it would have to
soon faced the nationalist law and then enforced a Provi- handicap both the politicians
uprise in Baluchistan demand- sional Constitutional Order and bureaucrats from real
ing mainstreaming in the whereby he introduced his power. Musharaf's most criti-
country’s economic and politi- version of democracy. He won cised and controversial mea-
cal spheres. The Baluch repre- the presidential referendum sure seems to be his decision
sentative demanded a proper though largely manipulated to join GWOT which had
share in their natural resources one. The bad experience in his received both positive and
and minerals which initially had era was his narrow Islamization negative responses. Whatso-
37
ever may be the case, one not only showed the overt polit- gling with its existence, the
thing might be made clear ical instability but also a tacit devastating flood flooded hun-
here that notwithstanding the break-up with the establish- dreds of thousands of people
fact of prevailing conditions ment. Here a new political leaving millions of them affect-
and compulsions ground reali- actor, though he had started ed and causing millions of
ties, one must properly work out his politics back in 1996, damage to the economy and
how to avoid a costly foreign entered formally the country’s property as per the early esti-
assignment of any foreign political stage with massive mates. As per an estimate, the
power. Because going into a public support mostly from the recent flood has caused nearly
war with somebody else will middle class which was why, $10bn in damage to Pakistan.
timely heal the bleeding Imran Khan, emerged as the Days ago, the IMF deal had
wounds but would leave one leader of the third largest party been reported to have been
lifetime or long time injurious in the Parliament between resumed after a months-long
and even paralysed. One must 2013-2018. He also introduced struggle for its restoration. But
ponder over how much Paki- dharna politics and intensified the country is still struggling
stan suffered economically, street politics when he gave the with the acute energy shortage
politically, socially, and psy- 126_days long dharna proba- having its roots in the past,
chologically along with the loss bly the country’s longest one. especially since the 2000s
of more than 70000 innocent when Pakistan started shifting
lives as a result of its participa- The PTI_led coalition govern- to thermal from hydel power
tion in GWOT. Similarly, ment fought on multiple fronts generation thereby making the
Musharaf’s wrangling with the from internal to external ones. country’s energy contours
judiciary over the activeness of The most devastating one was vulnerable both to the internal
the then Chief Justice Iftikhar the coivd_19 pandemic which and external shocks as the
M.Chaudhary court which had had shaken the whole world to recent global energy crisis has
taken suo motto over the the core. It had also been hit shaken it to the core. All this
privatization of Pakistan Still hard by the initial days of Rus- teaches many valuable lessons
Mills, declared null and void the sia_ the Ukraine standoff which ranging from revamping
NRO given to Bibi and had has as of now affected the democracy to reforming insti-
taken up the missing person global energy, economic and tutional framework and from
case. The imposition of emer- agricultural contours badly. strengthening federation to an
gency and sacking of Chief The most detrimental episode inclusive ruling setup.
Justice Iftikher M. Chaudhary of the political crisis in the past
triggered a harsh response few months has shaken the Unfortunately, Pakistan has not
which turned into a lawyer country. Its economic cost is learned from its history the
movement. The movement much huge. Some of the skep- case to ensure a responsible,
finally led to the restoration of tics bring Imran Khan under participative, and mature polit-
the Iftikher Chudhary. storm for exacerbating the ical culture where the politics is
political polarization. Some driven by the national cause
The following PPP and PMLN others thumb him for bringing instead of a personal one.
administrations though faced massive mass_mobilization Pathetically, almost all elec-
multiple challenges, the most which is being perceived to be tions in Pakistan have been
serious one being terrorism, a positive trend in a democrati- labeled as rigged ones. Politics
both of those administrations cally deteriorated country like is a tool to get into power and
failed in taken some tangible Pakistan. thus enhance personal power
steps toward a good gover- and ensure as much security
nance crisis. Rather they got The current PDM_led coalition as possible to personal influ-
stuck in changing their government is facing a lot of ence and interests. This is what
premiers multiple times which challenges. While it is strug- has caused the absence of
38
political will which had and has excuse that the country is racy as the well-known
been the main cause of all passing through a tough time. write-up How Democracy dies
issues. The country’s politics One might raise a question opines so. Pakistan, though has
has yet to mature. Today’s about who has led Pakistan to taken some steps in this regard,
picture is being added by new such a traumatic position has failed in ensuring Article
negative trends like narrow where each time it is going 19(A) regarding transparency
polarization, mutual intoler- through some tough times. which is also a good gover-
ance, name-calling, horse Pakistan has not learned from nance indicator. The rule of law
trading and mud-slinging, and other countries like the Philip- as propagated by Article 10(A)
repeating the Machiavellian pines among others how to and Article 25, Article 199,
tactics purely power oriented. utilize the foreign debts for the 184(3), is still waiting for being
This has caused a democratic country’s economic revival. implemented properly. In short,
backslide since the whole polit- Thus, the IMF bailouts and the criminal justice system of
ical system from getting elect- foreign debts which encom- Pakistan needs to be
ed to the legislation and the pass a major chunk of the revamped. Pakistan needs to
execution of those legislation country's GDP, have proved to bring sweeping and revolution-
has been tarnished. be a curse. If Pakistan contin- ary reforms in its key institu-
ues to walk on the same track tions to ensure good gover-
Pakistan has yet to learn from and fails in setting durable and nance.
the debacle of Dhaka not to constructive priorities, the
repeat it. Some grieved ones same cycle of going to IMF and Notwithstanding the above,
are heard crying from different other international lenders, Pakistan has shown its resis-
peripheries of the federation for getting some loans under tance and robustness through-
their interests. Pakistan needs some tough conditions and out its life. Pakistan has suc-
to accelerate all the efforts for then wasting them on valueless cessfully withstood the differ-
mainstreaming them as soon projects, and finally again ent attempts at its territorial
as possible. It must be men- asking for being bailed out and, integration, sovereignty and
tioned here that using force is thus, will keep moving in the Independence be those at its
not the ultimate solution to any same direction continuously. Eastern border or Western fron-
issue rather the durable one Moreover, the domestic eco- tier. It has also resisted interna-
has been negotiation and nomic situation affects the tional pressure during different
dialogue. Though the 18th country’s foreign policy. Paki- phases e.g., the attempts to
Amendment has worked as a stan has been struggling with diplomatically isolate it and
hallmark in this regard, Paki- the challenge of striking a bring under unbearable pun-
stan needs a more active balanced approach toward the ishment like the sanctions and
approach to all the concerns of KSA-Iran rivalry and standing cut off of aid and assistance.
the federating units. neutral amidst the global
power competition. Internally, Pakistan has gone
Economically, Pakistan has through successfully different
failed to address the structural For seventy _five years old attempts on its unity, cohesion,
issues e.g., fiscal and trade Pakistan has faced an acute and integration by the seces-
deficits and depleting forex, governance crisis. Hardly any sionists. Pakistan has struggled
mounting current account of the World Bank-given indi- with the unbearable economic
deficits, and devaluing national cators of good governance has burden, bad governance, and
currency among others. Paki- been accomplished in Paki- devastating natural calamities
stan has entered probably the stan. Pakistan has yet to ensure like the recent damages of the
22nd IMF program, but all have a participatory rule and mutual flood. Pakistan has borne the
gone in vain and each time it tolerance the absence of which brunt of the costly political
keeps harping on the outdated causes the downfall of democ- instability often accompanied
26
by the constitutional dilemma.

The democratic backsliding is
being dealt with to get
repaired.
Squeezing the discussion in a

bottle, the long seventy-five
years trajectory of Pakistan has
gone many ups and downs
and has left many footprints on
its map. Pakistan has missed
many lessons and is doing
blunder repeating them and
not learning from them. Many
steps have been taken towards
exterminating a number of
menaces it had faced once or
is facing now. Despite all this, it
has withstood a plethora of
challenges and has success-
fully shown its resistance and
robustness. But, this is not
enough rather it must revisit its
past and go through it thor-
oughly for the sake of its future.
It must make sure to learn from
them and not repeat them.
Rather, it must set correct
priorities and must sincerely
and wholeheartedly follow
them, and thus Pakistan in the
coming days will be a pro-
gressed and prosperous one.
40
COMPREHENSION AID
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE
Civil society refers to all of the they all share in common, and they try to make sure that
places where individuals they eventually have to this public interest is safe and
gather together to have con- develop productive strategies secured. For example, the
versations, pursue common for dealing with conflicts and group that gets together for a
interests and occasionally, try differences that emerge weekly football game begins
to influence public opinion or within the association. Team to talk about the park as an
public policy. In many mates in a bowling league important community
respects, civil society is where discover, on certain issues, resource; if feel that the park
people spend their time when significant differences of is being mistreated or mis-
they are not at work or at opinion. And yet, because managed, will organize a
home. For example, a group of they value the association "save the park' campaign to
people gather at a local park and look forward to partici- try to influence their local
every Thursday afternoon for pating in its activities, they do politicians and the other resi-
a game of football. Most of not respond to these differ- dents of the community.
them arrive well before the ences by exiting the scene. Recently, there has been
game begins and stay for Instead, they search for the growing concern that civil
some time after it ends. Some ways of interacting that will society is weaker than it used
of them go out for dinner or a not threaten the solidarity of to be, because people are
drink after the game. In the the group. In the process, they losing interest in joining asso-
course of their meetings they learn to appreciate and to ciations. As citizens become
talk about a wide range of tolerate social differences, a increasingly disconnected
topics, including football but valuable skill to have in an from voluntary associations,
also extending to include increasingly multicultural they will experience less trust
issues such as work, family, nation. They also develop a and less social connection,
relationships, community general sense of social trust and as a result political insti-
events, racial issues and poli- and which makes mutual tutions will function less
tics. This kind of solidarity can obligation, society function efficiently. However, some
be found in a variety of other more efficiently (this is what scholars opine that many
places in civil society-where political scientists and sociol- people are simply choosing to
individuals get together to ogists are talking about when participate in different kinds
associate on the basis of they refer to the importance of associations with fewer
some shared interest foster- of social capital). Gathering face-to-face meetings 'virtu-
ing more effective forms of together in an association, al' but supplemented interac-
citizenship. Even though people begin to think about tions facilitated with by
people may come together their shared private interest resources.
on the basis of an interest as a collective public interest,
41
COMPREHENSION AID
SOLUTION
1. How does the author characterize differences. It increases the social,

the concept of civil society? political and economic effectiveness
The author calls all those places of society and that is what the term
where people gather together to ‘social capital’ means in this pas-
have conversations, pursue sage.
common interests and try to influ-
ence public opinion or public policy. 4. Why does a civil society assume
He means that civil society is where the role of a public stakeholder?
people spend their time when they When citizens get increasingly con-
are not at work or at home. nected with voluntary associations,
they feel more trust in the civil soci-
2. Why does civil society strive ety which makes the political institu-
towards better civilization driven tions function effectively and
by tolerance? efficiently. In case there arises a
It does so because the people of a problem, they will, through cam-
society want to pursue and promote paigns and protests, compel the
their shared private interests as a local politicians and authorities to
collective public interest, and to resolve that issue.
make sure that this public interest is
safe and secured. 5. What impact is feared by the
weakening state of civil society?
3. What do you understand by the If civil society gets weaker, there will
term ‘Social Capital’ used in this be no sense of esprit de corps
passage? among the people and it will curtail
When people of a society develop a their say in running of their affairs by
general sense of social trust and the government. This disunity will
mutual obligation, they learn to lead to oppression and suppression.
appreciate and to tolerate social
42
MONTHLY
PRESS REVIEW
43
Violence Against that left over 800,000 dead There is credible evidence to
Indian Muslims Must in Rwanda in 1994, some of suggest that serious viola-
the hate speech that incited tions of human rights
Be Urgently that genocide is familiar to against Muslims in Uttar
Investigated the messages delivered at Pradesh and Jammu and
the highest levels of Indian Kashmir – murder, torture,
Published in The Diplomat politics and society today. In sexual violence, unlawful
some cases, it is as explicit. imprisonment, and persecu-
As India celebrates the 75th tion – were committed in a
anniversary of its indepen- In the northern state of systemic manner, consistent
dence on August 15, it is far Uttarakhand, Hindu religious with state policy to suppress
from the equal society envi- leaders allied to the ruling the rights of Muslims. Some
sioned by its founding father, BJP party, recently called for acts may amount to crimes
Mohandas Gandhi. Evidence a “cleanliness drive” against against humanity. It’s high
is mounting that the Bhara- Muslims. Sadhvi Annapurna, time for the international
tiya Janata Party (BJP) gov- national president of the community to act, and for
ernment is encouraging Akhil Bharat Hindu Ma- an independent inquiry to be
some of the most flagrant hasabha, called for the launched.
anti-Muslim discrimination complete annihilation of
seen in any democracy. India’s Muslims, saying: “If My colleagues Sonja Biserko
you want to eliminate their and Marzuki Darusman and I
Credible reports suggest population then be ready to have just compiled a com-
that a growing number of kill them…. If only a hundred prehensive 494-page report
the country’s 200 million of us become soldiers and on alleged violations against
Muslims are subject to each kills 20 lakhs (2 million) India’s Muslims since 2019,
planned and targeted we will be victorious.” building on documentation
threats, assault, sexual by reputable media, aca-
violence, and killings. Another leader called upon demic institutions, civil soci-
Despite a grave deteriora- Hindus to “rape and impreg- ety groups, and United
tion in the protection of the nate Muslim women.” Far Nations organs.
human rights of India’s larg- from being expressed in
est minority, the reaction secret, these comments The situation is compound-
from the international com- were made in front of large ed by a lack of judicial
munity so far is notable for audiences and widely redress for victims and an
its silence. This must change. broadcast on mainstream absence of international
and social media. reaction. We suggest that
Two decades ago, at the there is sufficient credible
International Criminal Tribu- Unfortunately, these inci- evidence of massive viola-
nal for Rwanda, I led the dents are not simply the tions taking place to move
team that successfully pros- behavior of a few bad toward a formal investiga-
ecuted media leaders for apples. They appear to be tive commission to establish
direct and public incitement the product of prejudice the facts. We are concerned
to genocide. Though there is filtering down into all institu- that Muslims in India are
no comparison between the tions and then expressed as becoming a persecuted
current situation in India and discriminatory legislation. minority and that authorities
the 100 days of mass murder appear to have failed to
44
adequately address serious lims as illegal immigrants formal HRC-mandated

and pervasive claims of from Bangladesh. There are Commission of Inquiry could
ill-treatment. The violence is persistent reports that investigate all alleged viola-
recurring in part because of Rohingya Muslims fleeing tions. India would be expect-
the lack of an even-handed genocide in Myanmar are ed to provide access for
accountability framework. being pushed back to the interviewing witnesses and
borders they crossed to gathering information, and
A pattern appears to be escape their tormentors. U.N. the authorities would in turn
emerging where aggrieved Secretary General Antonio be able to present evidence
Muslims are provoked into Guterres recently warned of its compliance with inter-
protesting, the protesters that India’s policies risk national law.
are punished, and the per- making people stateless.
petrators are rarely rebuked. Activists, journalists, and It may not cooperate but
human rights defenders then, as we have seen with
In June, two ruling party offi- report state-sponsored Syria, Myanmar, and North
cials made derogatory harassment and arrests on Korea, the commission
comments about the Proph- false charges. could rely on abundant
et Mohammed during a TV evidence collected through
debate that sparked not This corrosive atmosphere remote witness testimony
only unrest in several cities must end. Indian authorities and open-source investiga-
but a diplomatic storm in should conduct vigorous tion.
several Middle Eastern and credible investigations
nations. The officials in into rising crimes against As India approaches a
question were suspended, minorities. But if the govern- historic anniversary of its
but authorities in Uttar ment is unwilling or incapa- emergence from the
Pradesh targeted members ble of doing so, then these shadow of colonial rule, a
of the Muslim community by issues must be addressed founding constitution that
charging them with having within the United Nations proudly promised a pluralis-
“incited” the rioting. Mass framework, preferably the tic state should not be tram-
arbitrary arrests followed, Human Rights Council pled by rampaging sectari-
along with the shocking (HRC).
demolition of activists’
homes by bulldozers. The evidence our report pro-
vides is the equivalent of a
Prime Minister Narendra preliminary examination at
Modi has said that Muslims the International Criminal CSS 2023
are “part of our nation” with Court before the start of DISCOUNT
“equal rights and duties as formal investigations. India GRAB ANY
others.” Recent legislation has ratified international CSS COURSE AT
suggests otherwise. human rights treaties such
as the Universal Covenant of 60% OFF
The National Register of Citi- Civil and Political Rights.
zens in the northeastern
state of Assam risks effec- Human rights are not an
tively reclassifying up to 2 internal issue for India but a
million ethnic Bengali Mus- concern of everyone. A Click Here
45
anism. Violations must be vative, and because it fits a clude that his best shot at
investigated and the pattern. Not all the candi- the White House is as Mr
responsible held to account. dates endorsed by Mr Trump Trump’s running-mate.
Not to do so is to invite have won their primaries.
further atrocities. But most of them have done A lot could change between
so. Perhaps a greater sign of now and the first Republican
We have been given more his influence is that many of primary, but unless Mr
than enough evidence to the losing candidates Trump either decides he
act. It cannot be said that we sought his endorsement, does not want to run, or
did not know. too. These contests have not something prevents him
been over different flavours from doing so, it looks as if
Will Donald Trump of conservatism, but over he would win the Republican
which contender is the most nomination. That leads to
run again?
maga. Of the ten House the second question: could
Republicans who voted to he be stopped?
Published in The Economist
impeach the president for
what he did on January 6th One obstacle is the law. The
They are the questions
2021, eight are either retiring most recent of the many
hanging over America and,
or have been retired by investigations Mr Trump
thus, the West. Will the man
primary voters. At the same faces was revealed when
who tried to overturn the
time, the party’s nominees the fbi came knocking at
results of the presidential
for key positions in some Mar-a-Lago earlier this
election in 2020, threatened
states’ administration of month. A lot remains
to disband the world’s most
elections are people who unknown. The unsealed
powerful military alliance
support Mr Trump’s danger- warrant says that the
and played footsie with
ous claim that the vote in Department of Justice
Vladimir Putin, decide that
2020 was stolen. sought classified docu-
he wants to run again? If so,
can he be stopped? It may ments that Mr Trump took
Early polling on whom from the White House. Once
seem premature to ask. But
Republican voters want as his investigation is com-
the first primary of 2024 is
their champion in 2024 sug- plete, the attorney-general,
closer in time than the last
gests that about 50% of Merrick Garland, may decide
general election, 94 weeks
them say Mr Trump. In a that the documents are safe
ago. And, despite his poor
system where a candidate and his work is done. Wheth-
record in office and his
can knock out most rivals er a prosecution follows may
unconscionable behaviour
with a solid 30% of support in depend on how sensitive the
after America’s voters
the early states, it is a formi- documents were.
kicked him out, Donald
dable starting position. A
Trump’s grip on the Republi-
few months ago Republican Many Republicans, including
can Party has strengthened.
voters, tiring of Mr Trump, Mr DeSantis, have rallied
looked as if they might behind Mr Trump. The most
The thumping defeat of Liz
switch to Florida’s governor, vocal are calling for the
Cheney in her Wyoming
Ron DeSantis, or anyone else impeachment of Mr Garland
primary this week matters,
offering maga without the and demanding the
because it robs Congress of
drama. Today Mr DeSantis defunding of the fbi—a
a brave, principled conser-
would be more likely to con- double standard consider-
46
ing that they wanted Hillary unenviable choice: either Trump’s takeover, but lack-
Clinton to be locked up for put a presidential candidate ing the means to reverse it.
her use of a private email on trial or choose not to
server. However, Democrats uphold the rule of law. Being More crosses than ticks
should remember that the on trial and even being con- If neither his party nor the
precedent cuts both ways: in victed could fuel Mr Trump’s law will stop Mr Trump, what
2016 the Justice Department return. A revenge tour, in can? Poetic justice recom-
declined to prosecute Mrs which he campaigned on mends a do-or-die run for
Clinton. retribution for his persecu- the Oval Office by Ms
tion by the legal system, Cheney, in a bid to siphon off
Three other investiga- would play to Mr Trump’s Republican voters who
tions—into whether Mr worst instincts and further cannot bear to put a cross
Trump lied on his tax returns, exhaust America’s institu- next to the name of a Demo-
whether he broke the law on tions. crat. If enough of them
January 6th, and whether he switched in red states in a
took part in a criminal con- In another era, the influence close race, it could deny Mr
spiracy to overturn the elec- of corporate America might Trump victory in the elector-
tion in Fulton County, Geor- have helped sideline Mr al college.
gia, in November 2020—are Trump. Yet the political clout
equally uncertain. Like of big companies is waning, Better would be to depend
anyone else, Mr Trump as the Republican Party on the good sense of the
deserves the presumption of becomes a movement of American people. It is easy
innocence. And his oppo- working-class whites and an to forget that Mr Trump loses
nents should be wary of increasing number of con- elections. In the four years of
repeating old mistakes: at servative Hispanics. That his presidency he lost his
each turn they have hoped movement protests against party both houses of Con-
that something, anything not just foreign entangle- gress as well as the White
(the Mueller investigation, ments, illegal immigration House. Many voters under-
the first impeachment trial, and cuts to Medicare and stand that he is dangerous
the second impeachment Social Security, but also and undemocratic and
trial) would take him out of trade and left-wing identity most do not want him back
the picture. And yet here he politics advanced by the in office. The reason Mr
is. global, managerial elite. Trump campaigns so hard
Many Republicans think the against the trustworthiness
In fact, these legal troubles party has for too long put the of the ballot box is that he
increase the incentive for Mr interests of the s&p 500 knows the ballot box can
Trump to run. Out of politics, ahead of American workers. defeat him.
he is just a private citizen Little wonder that big com-
facing some prosecutions. panies now regard the pros- Afghanistan’s crisis
For as long as he is a poten- pect of a Republican started well before
tial president, he is the head triumph in November with
of a movement that won trepidation. What remains of
August 2021
74m votes last time round. At the Republican establish-
Published in Al Jazeera
that point Mr Garland and ment acts like a government
others running the investi- in exile, muttering about Mr
On the morning of August 15,
gations would face an
2021, I boarded a 9am flight
47
from Kabul to Istanbul, think- of connecting Asia with the would get upset with our
ing I would be back at work world, Afghanistan — which commercial team when
in a few days’ time at the sits at the heart of the conti- they would list Paktika as
Afghan state-owned nent — is now isolated. Its having zero revenues. There
national utility company I people are without money, was no grid, I would argue,
called the office. jobs and increasingly food, a so why did we even need to
year after the Taliban came list it in our collection
When we landed in Istanbul back to power. When I reports?
late afternoon, the beeps returned in March to a very
and dings of cellphone noti- different Kabul from the city Now I saw things differently.
fications from people’s that I had left last August, it Billions of dollars of foreign
devices were soon replaced was as a humanitarian aid had poured into the
by gasps and cries. Within worker no longer focused on country, and national strate-
seconds, I saw grown men long-term strategies but on gies for development had
and women fall to the programmes aimed at been created year after
airport floor in tears. While ensuring basic survival. year, some of which I had
we were in the air, Afghani- directly worked on. Yet,
stan’s elected leadership A country that has seen so regions like Paktika have
had fled and the Taliban had many political upheavals seen little progress and
arrived in Kabul. I would over the last five decades is remain disconnected from
eventually see images of in a more dire situation than the rest of Afghanistan, let
Taliban fighters walking on it has ever been. Still, the alone the world.
the grounds of my old offic- cessation of active warfare
es in the presidential palace. allowed me to travel to Governments have come
some of the most remote and gone, regimes have
Everything I had spent the areas of the country that changed, and the lives of
past seven years working were difficult to access much of Afghanistan’s pop-
towards unravelled in the under the democratic gov- ulation remain the same,
time we were in the air. In the ernments before the return stuck in cycles of basic sur-
weeks and months prior, my of the Taliban. vival with little to no access
colleagues and I were nego- to any public services vital to
tiating long-term pow- From the earthquake zones uplift their human and eco-
er-purchase agreements deep in the mountains of nomic conditions.
and investments in Afghani- Paktika province to Sangin
stan’s energy sector. We district in Helmand province, I sat with women in make-
were discussing 10 and I drove through riverbeds shift tents in Barmal, Paktika,
25-year plans. We were and dirt trails. After the after their mud homes were
developing strategies to turn earthquake in June, when I destroyed in the earthquake.
Afghanistan into a regional travelled to affected areas, They asked me what I was
hub for connectivity. I we lost network coverage holding in my hand. How do
believed in a vision of a sus- halfway there, with no cell- you explain what a smart-
tainable, self-reliant country phone or electricity tower in phone is to people who have
if only the latest war would sight. never had electricity?
end.
I thought back to my days in In Kamaa, a district of Nan-
The war did end, but instead the energy sector, and how I garhar province, I spoke with
48
a woman who said the only several decades. opponents risk triggering
way she can feed her chil- Only then will we realise that civil war. It is difficult to
dren is by picking food from the way to move forward is disagree with this conclu-
the garbage: If she can get through acknowledging the sion when the Coordination
enough of the hair and dirt needs of ordinary Afghan Framework has deluged
off, she brings it home. This citizens. The status quo Baghdad with count-
was in a district only 40 min- cannot continue: Every er-demonstrations by para-
utes from the provincial single Afghan deserves to military thugs. Al-Sadr
capital, Jalalabad. Kamaa have access to basic ser- called off his planned “mil-
was largely spared from the vices and an opportunity to lion-man protest” last week
violence of the last 20 years, build a life on their terms. after reports that the Frame-
but this woman came from work had colluded with
a community that suffered Civil war looms as tribesmen to flood Baghdad
from endemic poverty. with armed hoodlums
Iraqis call time on
tasked with attacking pro-
This is not to say that there
power-grabbing testers.
hasn’t been progress in militants
Afghanistan. Incredible Al-Sadr boycotted the dia-
gains have been made, par- Published in Arab News logue called by Prime Minis-
ticularly in the areas of ter Mustafa Kadhimi, point-
public services, education, These are days of reckoning ing out that the secretive
economic growth, and most in Baghdad. Cleric Muqtada format of these meetings
critically, women’s partici- Al-Sadr and a growing perpetuated the worst
pation across all sectors. swath of Iraqis are finally aspects of the current sec-
Many of these advances are taking a stand against the tarian system — in which a
now under threat and must Coordination Framework — group of unrepresentative
be protected. a flimsy political front for men carve up the adminis-
Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, the vast tration among themselves in
However, my recent visits Iran-backed paramilitary preparation for looting the
have revealed to me that coalition with the blood of country and thwarting the
while the Taliban introduce tens of thousands of Iraqis aspirations of the Iraqi
policies that cause trepida- on its hands. people. “I will not sit with cor-
tion, previous authorities rupt people, and those who
and the international com- This Hashd movement has want to kill me,” he not
munity also bear responsi- no claim to popular accep- unreasonably declared.
bility for the multiple crises tance by Iraqis. It brutally
Afghanistan faces. Whether levered its way to the pre- One of his close allies told
it was from shortsighted eminent position it wields Kadhimi: “The revolution
Western technocratic today through lies, cheating, does not need anything
models or the violence violence, threats and a from you, except to step
targeting infrastructure and refusal to compromise in down.” He added that the
development, we must pursuit of its partisan and dialogue process should be
come to grips with the idea anti-Iraqi aims. televised “so that the people
that we have collectively can be aware of the plots,
failed the Afghan people Al-Sadr warns that the intrigues and leaks occur-
repeatedly over the past provocative actions of his ring behind the scenes.”
49
However, Al-Sadr’s call for a inate the economy and bru- movement in 2019, Al-Sadr
UN-brokered public dia- tally displace all those who must demonstrate that he
logue will certainly be reject- constitute a threat. can be trusted with their
ed by the other parties. The support, as well as motivat-
corrupt demands they Compromising with the ing them to participate in
intend to make are certainly Coordination Framework future elections. Al-Sadr’s
not for public consumption. would mean ceding Iraq’s career is littered with U-turns
government to thieves and and false starts; let’s hope
Coordination Framework murderers, halting any pre- that this time he sticks to his
hard-liners such as Nouri tence of democracy and principles.
Al-Maliki and Qais Al-Khaza- dragging Iraq irretrievably
li, two truly evil figures who within Iran’s embrace. Elections laws must be
have already wreaked Hashd factions reject early reformed away from the
tremendous damage upon elections because they ben- sectarian system that
Iraq, meanwhile appear efited immeasurably from enshrines corruption and
hellbent on further provoca- the Sadrist resignations from divisions. Secretive and ma-
tion and escalation. parliament. All that awaits nipulative electoral lists that
them in a new vote is utter obscure who Iraqis are
Al-Maliki is the godfather of defeat. actually voting for should be
these current intractable abolished.
divisions, the Franken- As well as uncompromising-
stein-like figure who welded ly enforcing his demands for Broad-based anti-sectarian
the Hashd colossus together early elections, Al-Sadr and coalitions must reach
in the first place from a other nationalist figures across political divides,
rag-tag bunch of criminal must ensure that new elec- ending the fragmentation
militia factions. By adding tions don’t merely replicate and partisanship that treats
the Hashd to the govern- another cycle of the hell that the Iraqi state as a cake to
ment payroll in 2014, he per- Iraqi politics has long been be carved up. With about 85
versely rendered the Iraqi straitjacketed into. percent of government
state responsible for spend- funding coming from oil
ing billions of dollars bank- Al-Sadr has been accused income, revenues of each
rolling entities laboring to of using his supporters to ministry have habitually
destroy Iraqi statehood. stage a coup d’état, and he been drained dry by klepto-
is indeed seeking to revolu- cratic factions with zero
Pro-Iran elements at each tionize the governing concept of public service.
stage of the game blocked system. If he desires nation-
all progress toward forming al-level legitimacy he must Last week’s visit to Riyadh by
a representative govern- go further in reaching out Ammar Al-Hakim, head of
ment, in order to impose beyond his own support the Wisdom Movement, was
themselves on the elector- base to the vast numbers of a welcome initiative for
ate. The paramilitary fac- non-Shiite Iraqis who nomi- drawing moderate Shiite
tions behind the Framework nally support his vision for politicians away from the
use military muscle to wield radical change. pro-Iran extremists who
power throughout Iraq’s build coalitions only by
provinces, with gang- After facing accusations terrorising or bribing other
ster-like networks that dom- that he betrayed the protest factions into doing their bid-
50
ding. A greater role for Arab tribes and faiths makes the inflation and a chronic
states can only be a positive potential for conflict particu- period of slow growth. At the
thing in empowering nation- larly perilous. same time, politics has
alist progressives and coun- become unstable as old
terbalancing Iran’s malign Iraqis who desire to salvage alignments have broken
influence. their nation as a sovereign down. One or more of these
state must act decisively phenomena is roiling most
Iraq’s crisis is reminiscent of before Iraq as we know it of the rich world. It is hard to
Lebanon, where pro-Iran disintegrates in its entirety, think of a country that has
factions who lost the last and its massive oil wealth is such a severe case of all
elections have sought to squandered on self-de- three.
impose their political choic- struction.
es, threatening to plunge the Neither Mr Sunak nor Ms
country into violence if their Truss is especially inspiring.
demands aren’t met. The What kind of prime On the campaign one child
common denominator in in Peterborough said they
minister will Britain
both cases is Tehran’s would have preferred the
determination to impose its get? next prime minister to be
proxies on populations who Larry the Cat, No 10’s chief
for the most part reject Published in The Economist
mouser. The good news is
foreign domination and the that both would be better
loss of their sovereignty. In these tumultuous times,
than the man who resigned
running the Conservative
in July. Characteristically,
With negotiations over Iran’s Party is as hard as running
Boris Johnson has so far
nuclear program at a critical the country. On September
lacked the follow-through
juncture, Tehran is likely to 5th Britain will get its fourth
even to turn up to his own
play hardball in an attempt prime minister in six years.
farewell tour. By contrast,
to maximise its international Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will be
both contenders can master
position. Any breakthrough handed the keys to 10 Down-
a brief and see it through
in these talks would shower ing Street by the grace of
without losing interest. They
Iran with billions of dollars of roughly 160,000 Tory party
appear to want to be in
unfrozen funds with which to members as everyone else
office to get things done
further reinforce its overseas looks on. Whoever wins—and
more than because they
allies. just now it seems likely to be
crave attention. And, though
Ms Truss—will inherit a coun-
it sounds quaint, they stretch
The two Shiite factions cur- try that is in a mess and a
the truth like politicians
rently facing off in Baghdad, party that forced out its
rather than rip it in two like a
with long histories of enmi- three previous leaders while
con man.
ties and divisions, can both they were still in office. It is
easily mobilise tens of thou- not a record that breeds
The bad news is that the next
sands of armed fighters in confidence.
prime minister is walking
support of their cause, into a tempest. Inflation is
meaning that the current This is a cause for worry.
expected to pass 13%, worse
spat could be dialled up to After 12 years of Conserva-
than any other country in the
horrific levels. Iraq’s complex tive-led government, Britain
g7. Real wages next year are
melting pot of ethnicities, is suffering from a bout of
forecast to fall more rapidly
51
than they have in decades. The hope is that events will and will remain Britain’s big-
The typical annual house- not stop the next prime min- gest trading partner. But he,
hold energy bill may reach ister getting to Britain’s too, has his foibles, pledging
£4,300 ($5,200) in January, second, deeper problem—its to restrict planning even
triple what it was in 2021. long-term economic weak- though Britain’s most suc-
Strikes are spreading, across ness. To their credit, both cessful cities cannot expand,
the railways, into the courts, candidates have made this holding back the economy.
the ports, logistics and local the heart of their campaign.
councils. They could reach Both embrace supply-side That contradiction reflects
the nhs in England, where reform. Mr Sunak’s clumsy efforts to
waiting lists already contain cope with the changing alle-
one in eight of the popula- Ms Truss has put forward a giances upending British
tion. This cost-of-living crisis warmed-up Reaganite politics. Just as the Labour
could trip up Mr Sunak or Ms agenda of deficit-funded Party struggles to please
Truss before their feet are tax-cuts and deregulation. both its traditional and met-
under the cabinet table. She is right that Britain, an ropolitan voters, so Conser-
Labour this week put down a early privatiser, needs to vative Party members and
marker, promising to cap overhaul its regulated mps are a rabble of social
average annual energy industries. Today’s rules lock conservatives, big-govern-
prices for households at an up capital that pension ment populists, red-trou-
annualised £1,971 for an extra funds and insurers could use sered country folk and
six months (see Bagehot). to back innovative British bomb-throwers. Mr Johnson
firms. In that spirit, there’s no always told everyone what
Both candidates have been harm in looking at the man- they wanted to hear, and
left looking flat-footed. Per- date of the Bank of England, even he could not unite
haps because most Tory though talk of targeting the them for long.
party members are not money supply is, frankly,
much affected and because odd.
Mr Sunak and Ms Truss want
to emphasise their Mr Sunak’s plans are more
long-term goal of a smaller coherent. Rather than cut-
state, they are loth to say ting overall corporate taxes,
how much money they which does little to boost
would hand out. Mr Sunak is
more plausible, having
investment or growth, he CSS 2023
would target relief on capital DISCOUNT
offered a mix of tax cuts, spending and r&d. He is
GRAB ANY
rebates and targeted bene- more likely to preserve fiscal
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fits. Ms Truss’s claim that her space for an emergency,
payroll-tax cut would help such as another pandemic,
makes no sense for the and for the demands of
poorest, who do not contrib- climate change and an
ute. But she is cutting green ageing population. He is less
levies and has kept open the likely to ruin relations with
option to give away money if the European Union which,
she wins office. by a fact of geography, is
Click Here
52
next prime minister: he or India has brought little free-

Mr Sunak’s tin ear has been she will be imposed by the dom for Dalits.
exposed by the campaign. Conservative Party’s fac-
Having won the vote among tious members. They are Formerly known as “Un-
mps by 39% to 32%, he facing a choice between an touchables,” Dalits are in the
defined himself to party urbane technocrat, with a lowest rung of India’s millen-
members as a sound-mon- sounder grasp of what nia-old caste hierarchy. So
ey Thatcherite. But then he needs doing, and a tested impure are they regarded by
started offering up gim- politician, with a cannier the four main castes – the
micks. When news broke in instinct for how to do it. As Brahmins, Kshatriyas,
April that his wealthy wife prime minister, Mr Sunak Vaishyas, and Shudras –
had saved millions thanks to would be unlikely to act fool- that Dalits are in fact looked
her special tax status, it ishly, but the job is inherently upon as “outcastes,” those
undermined the authority of political. Ms Truss would be a who fall outside the caste
a minister then responsible riskier bet, but may also be categories. They have been
for hm Revenue & Customs. more likely to succeed. traditionally tasked with
Believing that it was Whatever their reasons, it menial jobs like leather work
nobody’s business, he looks as if the Tories have and manual scavenging
turned out not to have a opted to be risk-takers. They and are perceived to be so
ready-made defence. may be proved right. “unclean” that even their
presence or touch is seen to
Seven Decades After be polluting.
By contrast, Ms Truss has It Was Abolished,
repeatedly been underesti- India’s constitution abol-
mated. Despite a reputation
‘Untouchability’ ished “Untouchability.” The
for oddity, she has rubbed Continues to be practice — i.e. subjecting a
along in the cabinets of Practiced in India Dalit to any form of social,
three very different prime physical, and political exclu-
ministers. She sat out the exit Published in The Diplomat sion or violence — is, there-
of Mr Johnson which, given fore, a crime in India, which
that unruly Tory members A nine-year-old boy from is defined as an atrocity.
already want him to stay, the lower caste Dalit com-
now looks tactically astute munity died after being Yet caste atrocities are a
(if morally dubious). During beaten by his teacher for daily occurrence with as
the campaign she has been drinking water from a pot many as five atrocities being
hungrier and more convinc- meant for upper caste committed against Dalits
ing. The question is whether teachers. The death per hour. Despite attempts
she would have the ruthless- occurred on the eve of the at social reform, the Brah-
ness to distance herself from 75th anniversary of India’s manical elite and upper
the baleful influence of her independence from British caste Hindus have ensured
toxic early supporters, such colonial rule. that this ancient hierarchical
as Nadine Dorries and David structure continues to hold
Frost. The violence unleashed on sway in India even today.
the Dalit child and the
The choices they make resulting death serves as a The Dalit boy who was killed
Britons will not choose the reminder that independent on the eve of Independence
53
Day this year was Indra er meant for upper caste this writer that people from
Meghwal from Jalore district Hindus in school. “It was a lower castes always have to
in Rajasthan in the western miracle his life was saved,” use separate drinking glass-
part of India. He had been so she said. Highlighting the es. She was made to sweep
severely assaulted by his death of the nine-year-old the classroom and was
upper-caste teacher that he Dalit boy “for the same forced to sit separately from
was hospitalized for several reason,” she went on to other students.
weeks, after which he suc- stress that “75 long years
cumbed to his injuries. after Independence, caste It does not matter whether a
Indra’s father, Devaram system remains our greatest Dalit is in school, at work, or
Meghwal said the drinking enemy.” at play, they are constantly
water pot the child had reminded of their impurity
touched was used only by Chhail Singh, the teacher and caste.
teachers. The distraught who beat young Indra, has
father alleged that the been arrested and booked Several Dalit rights groups
teacher had beaten his son for murder and violation of have pointed out that atroc-
so brutally that he became the Scheduled Caste and ities against Dalits have
unconscious. Scheduled Tribe Prevention increased with the rise to
of Atrocities Act. Unsurpris- power of the Hindu
This, however, is not an ingly, upper caste Hindus right-wing Bharatiya Janata
isolated incident. According have come out in support of Party (BJP) in 2014. The BJP
to National Crime Records the teacher. and its mentor the Rashtriya
Bureau (NCRB) data, over Swayamsewak Sangh are
130,000 anti-Dalit crimes Police authorities insist that unabashed champions of
were registered between there was “no caste angle to Hindutva and have promot-
2018 and 2020. The highest the crime,” a claim that has ed Brahmanism.
number of anti-Dalit crimes been refuted by Indra’s
was reported from Uttar family. This isn’t surprising as The rising frequency of
Pradesh (36,467), followed India’s police and judicial crimes against Dalits is a
by Bihar (20,973), Rajasthan institutions are predomi- reflection of the increasing
(18,418), and Madhya nantly upper caste. exploitation of Dalits by
Pradesh (16,952). upper-caste Hindus.
Discrimination against Dalits
The incident in Jalore is endemic in Indian society, The brazen act of violence in
evoked anguished memo- especially with regard to Jalore has brought back
ries among many Dalits. notions of “impurity” and horrific memories of the
Former speaker of India’s “contamination.” Even Dalit gang rape and murder of a
lower house of Parliament, children bear the brunt of Dalit girl by four upper caste
Meira Kumar, recalled the such discrimination in men in Hathras, Uttar
violence her father Jagjivan school, not just from teach- Pradesh. The BJP govern-
Ram, a towering Dalit leader ers but from upper caste ment in the state did every-
who served as deputy prime fellow students. thing in its power to hush up
minister in India, suffered as the incident. The Uttar
a child a hundred years ago. A child laborer in Bihar who Pradesh police even forcibly
He was prevented from dropped out of school due to burned the body of the rape
drinking water from a pitch- caste discrimination told victim in the middle of the
54
night to destroy evidence. “Choothachoot roz kisi as low as 17 cents on the

The widespread public out- masoom ki jaan leti hai…. dollar.
rage led to the Allahabad #STOPKILLINGUS #DAL-
High Court taking suo motu ITLIVESMATTER.” Untouch- Recognising that Ukraine’s
cognizance of the case. ability kills some innocent debt load is unsustainable,
every day. holders of Ukraine’s sover-
Incidentally, in Jalore too, eign bonds on August 10
upper caste Rajputs, the backed a two-year morato-
community to which the Why Ukraine needs a rium interest and principal
accused teacher belongs, repayments.
‘jubilee’
have tried to pressure the
Dalit family not to register a That is welcome but
Published in Al Jazeera
case. The Congress-led nowhere near enough.
government in the state has
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
received a lot of flak for the Even if Kyiv is able to push its
has brought death, destruc-
incident, with several coun- debt burden further down
tion, and countless other
cilors and a legislator the road, the government’s
unspeakable horrors upon
resigning in protest from the budget will not balance. Kyiv
the people of Ukraine. Even
government. cannot bear on its own the
those Ukrainians far from the
cost of defending itself from
battlefield are affected, with
Caste segregation is so Russia’s brutal invasion,
loved ones in the fight and
deep-rooted in Indian soci- never mind the long-term
their cities under threat of
ety that Indians carry their rebuilding cost. It is currently
Russian rocket attacks. The
caste biases even when running deficits of some-
war also has an economic
working and living abroad. where between $4 to $5bn
component, with the Kremlin
Several tech companies in each month. Its international
seeking to impoverish Ukrai-
the United States have taken reserves stand at just
nians by stealing their ports
note of discrimination on the $22.3bn, down some 25 per-
and rich farmland, and
basis of caste and put in cent since the invasion
imposing an ever-growing
place policies to ensure zero began.
reconstruction bill upon Kyiv
tolerance for caste preju-
and its allies.
dice. Companies such as Meanwhile, the West has not
Apple have revamped their been as committed to offer-
Ukraine’s government – and
training, recruitment, and ing financial support as it
its people – now stand on
employee conduct policies has been to delivering
the verge of bankruptcy. The
to prohibit discrimination or defence aid. Over the last
national currency, the
harassment on the basis of few months, small amounts
hryvnia, was devalued by
caste. of military hardware have
the central bank in July. Now
begun to trickle in even from
$1 buys 37 hryvnia, up from
Back home in India, promi- reticent Berlin. But the gov-
26.50 a year ago. The state’s
nent Dalit activist Bezwada ernment of Chancellor Olaf
key energy company, Naft-
Wilson hit out at the hypocri- Scholz – which is never
gaz, has already fallen into
sy of India’s claims of being going to be able to supply
default. The country’s sover-
a free and developed nation. sufficient defensive aid to
eign debts are trading at a
Tweeting about the Indra turn the tide of the war, even
fraction of their face value,
Meghwal incident, he said if it could find the political
55
will, given the derelict state Ukraine’s external debts

of Germany’s own armed stood at some $129bn. Since A 2020 landmark paper by
forces – has been not only the beginning of the war, the sovereign debt researcher
unhelpful but also obstruc- United States has sent Simon Hinrichsen provided a
tive when it comes to Ukraine significant amounts comprehensive telling of
addressing Kyiv’s financial of financial aid and it is due how the US-led invasion of
woes. In May, the European to send a further $4.5bn later Iraq played out regarding
Union agreed to provide Kyiv this month. But even that will Iraq’s government debts.
with up to nine billion euros only be enough to tide Kyiv
($9.3bn) in financial assis- over for a month. More loans When the Bush Administra-
tance but has so far and a debt standstill are, put tion launched its invasion,
dispersed just a one billion bluntly, woefully insufficient Baghdad was the most
euro ($1.03bn) conditional to address the fundamental indebted government in the
loan, with Berlin reportedly problem. Direct budgetary world. Although the justifica-
blocking further support. support is helping, but more tion for the invasion was, like
in the sense of a band-aid Vladimir Putin’s invasion of
Anger over the delays – than actually cauterising Ukraine, built on a pile of lies
including direct criticism Ukraine’s finances. – as ex-president George W
from Ukrainian President Bush recently appeared to
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – has This is why Ukraine urgently admit in a Freudian slip for
raised the pressure on Brus- needs debt cancellation. the ages – the fact that his
sels and Berlin to act. The administration saw
former has highlighted its There is ample precedent for Saddam Hussein as illegiti-
own one billion euro grant such a move in the face of a
($1.03bn), approved last national crisis, and even to
month and called for three overcome the challenges of
of the remaining eight an invasion. So-called “jubi-
billion euros to be distribut- lees” in which debts are
ed similarly, with the other forgiven date back to
five billion euros ($5.2bn) in ancient Mesopotamia and
the form of EU-guaranteed advocating for their renewal
bonds. Such loan guaran- has recently gained favour
tees would keep future inter- in certain policy circles, par- CSS 2023
est payments for Kyiv down, ticularly amongst those DISCOUNT
but the reality is that Ukraine concerned with trying to GRAB ANY
does not have any money narrow the gap between the CSS COURSE AT
available to service more
debt, and is unlikely to for the
developing world and the
developed. While these
60% OFF
foreseeable future – cer- arguments have failed to
tainly not as long as the Rus- shift international mac-
sian military’s deadly foot- ro-economic orthodoxy or
slog across the former policy-makers thus far,
industrial heartlands of the Ukraine can look to the
Donbas continues. experience of another
war-torn country for recent
At the beginning of the war, precedent. Click Here
56
mate led it to corral interna- better way to celebrate and Americans engage in out-
tional creditors to accept honour Kyiv’s valiant resis- rage — particularly online
significant haircuts. There tance to Putin’s neo-fascist but increasingly in real life
may be no argument to imperialism than with a jubi- too.
treat the majority of lee.
Ukraine’s debt as “odious” – Much of this is silly. As US pop
referring to a long-standing, How little things can star Taylor Swift wrote, “You
but thus far unsuccessful, feed outrage among need to calm down.” Many
series of legal arguments polarized Americans people — not just Americans
aimed at absolving nations’ — have become far too
of loans taken out for the Published in Arab News wrapped up in the emotion-
benefit of autocrats rather al manipulation of social
than the population – but New fuel was recently added media combat.
Hinrichsen’s history shows to the fire of American online
how pressure can be outrage when the restaurant At the same time, some of
brought to bear on govern- chain Cracker Barrel put a the controversies over
mental and private creditors vegan sausage option on its apparently petty things
to forgive their loans to frag- menu. symbolize much deeper and
ile countries. more serious trends in US
Known for its southern cook- politics. Many people on the
Iraq’s debt write-offs and ing and gift shops, the com- right and left ends of the
haircuts of course did not pany has long been associ- political spectrum feel that
guarantee stability for the ated with a traditional ambi- their anger is triggered by
country in the aftermath of ence and convenient loca-
the US invasion. But they did tions. However, some cus-
help facilitate the return of tomers viewed the vegan
international investment, offering as too woke and
long frozen out by the catering to liberal interests,
Saddam regime and US and others even vowed to
sanctions. Nor should one boycott the restaurant.
hope that cancelling much
or all of Ukraine’s debt stock The uproar — which mostly
will provide a “magic bullet” played out on social media CSS 2023
to free up funding for the — has rightly been lam- DISCOUNT
fight against the Kremlin or pooned as ridiculous. Crack- GRAB ANY
for restructuring the er Barrel continues to offer CSS COURSE AT
Ukrainian economy. plenty of regular meat
options, and no one is forced
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But if there is to be any hope to partake of the vegan sau-
that Ukraine can be rebuilt, sage.
let alone that it can “build
back better” as a range of The reaction highlighted the
Western voices has advo- reputational risks for busi-
cated of late, debt cancella- nesses in a polarized politi-
tion should move to the top cal environment as well as
of the agenda. There is no the ease with which many Click Here
57
something that leaves mod- last year to remove Mr. from cal spectrum, liberals like
erates looking on in the Mr. Potato Head brand many of the social changes
bemusement. name. The company was that conservatives dislike.
not removing the Mr. Potato Liberals are aware of the
Conservatives on the right Head toy; it was only broad- conservative backlash,
end of the political spectrum ening its brand, as it makes which also feels fundamen-
are particularly primed to female and tot toys too. tally threatening to liberal
react with outrage. There are However, conservative com- values, ideals, and lifestyles.
multiple reasons for this, mentators — often not both-
including the nature of ering to check the facts — Liberals and conservatives
right-wing media. portrayed the move as an vehemently oppose each
example of liberal attacks on other over some things that
Fundamentally, American traditional gender identities. many more moderate
conservatives believe that Americans see as minor.
liberals are stealing their Conservatives have
country. As US sociologist expressed fury over enter- For example, conservatives
Theda Skocpol recently tainment and school poli- bemoan the so-called war
noted to The Atlantic, Stop cies that embrace non-tra- on Christmas. Many Ameri-
the Steal — the movement ditional gender identities. For cans happily celebrate
that claims that former many Americans, this feels Christmas as a religious or
American President Donald like much ado about noth- cultural holiday and do not
Trump won the last presi- ing. However, conservatives perceive there to be a war
dential election — “is a met- view traditional gender roles against it. The American
aphor for the country being as a fundamental building conception of a separation
taken away from the people block of society, so anything of church and state means
who think they should right- that undermines those roles that there are limitations on
fully be setting the tone.” is treated as an existential government agencies cele-
threat. brating the holiday, which
Conservatives deeply many Americans readily
believe that traditional cul- More broadly, conservatives accept but which conserva-
tural values, rituals, tradi- often react with derision or tives see as threatening
tions, symbols, and norms anger toward anything that traditional culture and
are under siege by a vaguely they see as belonging to Christianity.
defined group of liberal liberal culture. Conservative
elites. This lens shapes their commentators have deni- A small group of people on
reaction to things that many grated electric vehicles, the far left see a cultural em-
other Americans consider paper straws, face masks, phasis on Christmas as
unimportant. and more as signs of woke- undermining inclusion of all
ness taking over the culture. faiths or the separation of
Conservatives are especially It feels personal to them, religion and state; some of
sensitive to anything that because they see liberals as them attempt to tamp down
appears to roll back tradi- snidely judging conserva- public recognition of the
tional culture. For example, tives’ personal, political, and holiday.
some conservative com- cultural preferences.
mentators picked up on toy The debate about Christmas
company Hasbro’s decision On the left end of the politi- is a good example of how
58
people on the left and right Politics in times of destruction across Sindh,
of the political spectrum calamity southern Punjab and the
perceive a threat to their northern areas. Karachi,
cherished values, while most Published in Dawn Pakistan’s biggest city and
Americans are left to shrug the financial heartland, has
their shoulders and move on NOTHING could be more sur- not been spared either and
with however they want to real than watching political presents a picture of ruin
spend the time around leaders engaged in a sordid with sinkholes, and streets
Christmas. game of thrones while a submerged in water. Broken
large part of the country is infrastructure has worsened
Issues related to race and devastated by torrential the plight of the people.
gender are very activating rains. Villages have been
to Americans on the right wiped out by flash floods. Unfortunately, it is not over
and left of the political spec- Hundreds of people includ- yet, with forecasts of a fresh
trum, so anything that ing young children have spell of rain about to wreak
relates to those two areas been swept away by the havoc in the coming days.
can very quickly feed into a raging waters. There are Pakistan is facing extraordi-
political outrage machine. horrific scenes; the destruc- nary amounts of rain this
More moderate Americans tion across the country has year — almost three times
have a range of opinions left thousands of people the average. While accord-
and often take issues about homeless and without sus- ing to official figures, almost
gender and race seriously tenance. 800 people have died across
but also are less likely to take the country and hundreds of
uncompromising positions. The heart-wrenching image thousands have been
of folk singer Wahab Bugti displaced since the start of
People who engage in out- holding his young child and the early monsoon in July,
rage politics should pause, standing over the wreckage the real cost of the damage
breathe, think, and question of his mudhouse in the midst is estimated to be much
before reacting — whether of a submerged field gives a higher. People have lost their
online, on TV, or in person. glimpse of the miseries that livelihoods with thousands
When people pause to calm the people of Balochistan — of acres of crops destroyed.
down and consider a situa- the province worst-hit by the
tion, they can respond in a calamity — must endure. But most of the affected
wiser way. The numbers of children lost people have yet to receive
in the torrential waters and help from the state. While
People will disagree about the homes destroyed have the political parties are
what really matters. Some- been reduced to statistics. engaged in a bitter power
thing that appears petty and The larger devastation — in struggle in Islamabad,
silly to one person might terms of both human lives Wahab Bugti and hundreds
symbolize deeply held and property — is incalcula- of thousands of other
beliefs to another person. ble. victims like him are left to the
Stopping to consider why an mercy of the harsh weather.
issue provokes emotions This catastrophe is not limit- The callousness of our ruling
can help everyone navigate ed to the country’s most elite towards the suffering of
the modern interaction of impoverished region. There ordinary mortals is criminal.
media, feelings, and politics. are similar stories of
59
Indeed, it is not for the first in extreme temperatures shifting to renewable energy
time that the country is has significantly altered sources. We lag far behind
facing a natural calamity climate patterns affecting many countries in using
but the enormity of the cur- the timing and strength of solar and other sources of
rent crisis is far more serious. the monsoon rainfall as energy.
It needs a coherent and witnessed this year.
coordinated national The economic cost of
response to cope with the More concerning is the pro- climate change for Pakistan
challenge. Regrettably, that jected temperature increase is higher than in many other
effort is missing with no in the northern areas than countries. Being an agricul-
coordination between the other parts of the country. ture-dependent country
federal and provincial gov- That has caused the faster significantly increases Paki-
ernments. Their focus is melting of glaciers impact- stan’s vulnerability to
largely on settling political ing the natural environment. climate change. Predictably,
scores. The prevailing politi- It also causes the flooding of this heavy rainfall has
cal uncertainty and instabil- rivers with devastating con- caused agriculture to suffer
ity have aggravated the sequences. most.
situation.
While Pakistan’s contribution It is very early at the moment
While we have been fore- to air pollution and green- to assess the cumulative
warned of unusually heavy house emissions may be economic losses in the
rains, the administration has lower than most countries, ongoing calamity but with
been sorely lacking in pre- we lag far behind when it thousands of acres of crop
paredness. It is apparent comes to taking measures destroyed, agricultural pro-
that the authorities have to reduce air pollution that duction is bound to fall and
never considered the effects still affects us. Almost com- thus negatively impact an
of climate change on Paki- plete reliance on fossil fuel economy already on the
stan seriously. The country is for energy has made it brink. According to official
near the top of the list of extremely difficult to bring estimates, some 700,000
countries most prone to the down the level of pollution. acres of crops have already
effects of extreme weather More worrisome is that not been lost in Balochistan
conditions caused by a only are we still using alone. The losses may be
changing climate. coal-fired power stations higher in the agricultural
but that we are constructing heartland of Sindh and parts
Over the past few years, we new ones too. of Punjab.
have witnessed extreme
weather patterns — from While Pakistan has commit- The destruction of infra-
increasingly high tempera- ted to cutting its projected structure will make econom-
tures in summer to heavy emissions by half by 2030, ic recovery much harder.
rains in some parts of the the country has yet to Heavy rains and flooding
country, and drought in declare a net-zero goal. have damaged highways
others. The projected tem- There is an urgent need for and dams. It would require
perature increase in Paki- stricter measures to reduce billions of rupees to restore
stan is higher than the air pollution, which includes damaged road networks
global average. An increase accelerating the process of and other facilities. All this
60
will be a huge burden on the normal birth (some doctors My other serious problem is
economy. But more import- had even warned of a mis- dementia. It is the loss of
ant is the rehabilitation of carriage) and so I suffered cognitive functioning —
hundreds of thousands of many health-related prob- thinking, remembering and
people who have been lems including malnutrition, reasoning — which has now
uprooted by the floods. It low weight and heart become so severe that it
requires a focused effort defects. Miraculously, how- interferes with my daily life
from all the stakeholders. ever, I not only survived but and activities. I cannot make
also showed tremendous sense of history — my previ-
Unfortunately, this human progress in the ensuing ous experiences — and
catastrophe is lost in the years thanks mostly to some make erroneous judge-
ongoing political hullabaloo. favourable changes in the ments on the basis of most
Such an attitude manifests ecosystem. But this progress vivid but selective events
the hollowness of our power happened to be short lived. popping up in my mind with
politics. Some critical mat- Now at the age of 75, irregular pattern. Biased
ters of existential impor- although not very old, I have judgment, in turn, creates
tance, such as climate severe health problems that, problems of faulty decisions
change and population if not cured, might prove with grave implications for
explosion, two interlinked fatal! my personal development,
issues, have, unfortunately, career and social relations.
never been part of our politi- Most of my problems today
cal discourse. are psychological. Top of the Because of some perception
list is schizophrenia —a of grandiosity, jealousy or
In the past, we have seen the long-term mental disorder geographical distance, I
nation standing united in the of a type involving a break- developed bad relations
time of a natural calamity as down in the relation with my twin brother at a
happened during the 2005 between thought, emotion very early age. Not knowing
earthquake in Kashmir and and behaviour, leading to that small problems could
the 2010 countrywide floods. faulty perception. One part have ripple effects and dev-
But unfortunately, today’s of this disorder is delusion astating consequences, I
power politics has com- that I have been suffering looked the other way when-
pletely divided the country. from for so long. What hap- ever he approached me with
While people are suffering, pens to me on a daily basis some grievance about
the leaders continue with is my inability to give up resource distribution and
their senseless wrangling. beliefs or back off from opin- participation in strategic
ion even if there is over- decisions. Instead of acting
At the age of 75 whelming evidence to the responsibly, I would give him
contrary. I spend too much shut-up calls, call him
Published in Express Tribune of my time and energy names, and do other mis-
thinking that everyone is chievous things to establish
I was born as a twin on the conspiring against me to the boss-subordinate relation-
27th of Ramadan (August 14, extent that I do not trust ship. This state of ugly affairs
1947) to my jubilant parents even my own kids and continued until 1971 when my
living in an otherwise hostile siblings. brother decided to split in a
neighbourhood. It was not a way that caused irreparable
61
damage to our relationship. I wars with my elder son landmines were left by the
did not learn a lesson from always sitting in the driving previous government and
this tragedy and instead seat and enjoying all sourc- that the current knee-jerk
attributed it to clandestine es of power. Besides internal economic measures by our
shenanigans of a hostile divisions, my family does not managers are simply to
neighbour. have a permanent source of avoid them, meaning
income. I have depended on unavoidable. Perhaps yes,
What happened in 1971 was friends and financial institu- but still some policies bely
partially a blessing in tions for sustenance. The logic or are rather counter-
disguise. I thought to myself debt burden accumulated productive and foolhardy,
that the only way to deter over the years has broken and frankly quite baffling.
my neighbour from aggres- my back and now it poses
sion was to acquire a strate- existential threat. Getting For example, if exports are
gic weapon. Since the more loans, besides having indeed essential to our
weapon was not available in many strings attached, has needs, then why choke or
the open market, I had to become a challenge. stifle the export sector for
develop it through stealth want of raw materials and
means putting in a huge There has been and contin- equipment? No brainer here
amount of money and man- ues to be an atmosphere of that to export value-added
power into it. It was a long confrontation all around. It goods, you need to import
and difficult journey but the has weakened my family key production raw materi-
culmination in 1998 gave me and does not have the als and components that
a sense of achievement and capacity to deal with daunt- are ultimately re-exported,
impregnability. Now the ing challenges. Who creates and to grow exports, your
enemy would think ten times this whirlwind and who ben- industry will need continu-
before firing a shot! This efits from the resulting ous balancing, modernising
weapon has, however, cre- chaos is difficult to deter- and capacity expan-
ated some apprehensions mine. I need some expert sions—now one can say on
among far-off foes and they psychiatrist to help me over- good account that the
express their displeasure in come my paranoia, delu-
many different ways but I sions and other psychologi-
have stood firm vis-à-vis cal problems that, I hope, will
this lethal weapon. address all other problems
(financial and social) to ulti-
Now I have my own com-
plete family — four sons and
mately enable me to live a
normal life. May Allah help
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brought up as biological
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never invested in their emo-
Published in The Nation
tional/spiritual development
and physical wellbeing. They
We are being advised on
are mostly engaged in turf
how numerous economic
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62
exporters have been facing opportunities. One is not that facilitate rather than be
grave difficulties in all these saying that it is his fault, but an impediment. Make no
three areas. then as a finance minister, mistake, the economic res-
he has a moral responsibility urrection can only come
Needless to say that this, if to acknowledge the missed from the private sector and
not immediately corrected opportunities during this the sooner the managers
can have long-term reper- period, so that we all know allow the private sector the
cussions. The trouble is that the cost that we have had to freedom of space to flourish
on an overall economic level pay due to continuous poor and for its entrepreneurial
as well, even if extreme economic management by juices to flow freely, the
measures like general our successive economic sooner the results will follow.
import compaction, indis- managers.
criminate taxation, wage More importantly, the time to
and utility increases, finan- These missed opportunities significantly change direc-
cial mobility squeeze, exor- are in the shape of industrial tion is now, because other-
bitant lending rates, etc output per se (production wise, it will be a case of too
were essential in the short once lost cannot be covered little too late. Today even the
run, such a policy direction is again), retail sales both most robust and structured
not sustainable beyond a domestic and exports, and a global economies are realis-
certain point. And this point dip in fixed-asset investing that these are unusual
could be arriving much ment, which is bound to times and for them to meet
quicker than what the gov- transform our very the emerging global chal-
ernment may have antici- long-term ability to grow, lenges their responding
pated. the erosion of home con- policy measures also need
sumption thereby further to be quicker and more flexi-
So, really it will be prudent at placing an enhanced ble.
this stage for Mr Miftah dependency on exports, and
Ismail to start taking the last but not least, massive For example, with the moot
markets in confidence by youth unemployment, espe- on succession due to take
candidly advising on his cially amongst degree hold- place towards the end of the
economic strategy—hope- ers, which in-turn risks year, the present Chinese
fully he has one—on how he further undermining the leadership is suddenly wor-
plans to return things to national confidence in edu- ried about its prospects due
normal by the next sched- cation per se—no rocket to a similar sort to the above
uled elections. Not only will science in nations that fail to mentioned missed opportu-
this lend confidence both to educate themselves fail to nities. It’s all of a sudden
the investors and the mar- develop meaningfully. abrupt and quite significant
kets, but it will also help the policy rate cut shows the
economy so that the next Once we are confident that panic that can set in even
incoming government does the government has cogni- amongst the best of us.
not have to grapple with the zance of the losses the However, again it could be a
same situation. people and the country have case of too little too late for
had to suffer, it will automat- China. The government’s
So, essentially what should ically be in a better frame of obsession with its unrealistic
he do? Well, to start with, tell- mind to undertake policies zero-covid policy combined
ing the truth about missed that help rather than hinder, with a general global slow-
63
down where most central Just as China is now realis- market.

bankers seem to be busy ing that policies of simply
fighting inflation using the finding a way out of reces- Prime Minister Shehbaz
monetary tool and with a sion by investing blindly in Sharif has, in an essay writ-
general global deleveraging infrastructure and stoking ten for The Economist, called
of the property sector, it the rural-urban migration the IMF programme the
appears that for China it is are no longer workable “path to safety”. But political
now a case of too little too options, we too here have to turmoil continues to cast a
late. understand that such days shadow over the economy.
are over, because over the The nexus between eco-
By all analysis, the traditional longer term the imbalances nomic recovery and political
Chinese trade surplus will that get created are much uncertainty is not to be
require a serious climbing more damaging than any underestimated.
down and growth is likely to short-term benefits. Fortu-
be revised down to as low as nately, the good thing about Under attack by both his
low as 4 percent. A lesson a democratic dispensation own party and his govern-
here also for Pakistan that is that, unlike an autocratic ment’s principal coalition
unless we start unshackling one, it is always ready to partner, Finance Minister
the economy now, the slow- admit its mistakes and back Miftah Ismail has stood his
down could have disastrous off where and when neces- ground by taking painful but
effects, further crippling the sary! necessary decisions to close
propensity of our economy the deal with the IMF and
to pay back its indebted- Economic cost of thus avert the possibility of
ness, in-turn getting default by the country. The
uncertainty
entrapped in a vicious cycle. acting governor of the State
Bank, Murtaza Syed, also
Published in Dawn
So, what are the solutions? played a key role by skillfully
Not very many, but one feels managing a difficult situa-
ANTICIPATION of the
that there are still quite a few tion. Under his stewardship,
resumption of an IMF bailout
sectors in Pakistan that the central bank issued
package has helped
present opportunity. The thoughtful statements,
improve market sentiment.
important thing is to recog- ensured the exchange rate
But given the turbulent state
nise them and then harness remained market-driven
of politics, there is little
their potential to garner the and made the right, though
reason to be sanguine
next growth mix that one politically unpopular, deci-
about the country’s political
should be looking for. The sions on interest rate policy.
and economic future.
buoyancy in the stock
market should reflect this The finance minister contin-
Confirmation that the Fund’s
new and innovative mix to ues to face criticism from his
executive board will meet
create excitement on not party colleagues. But he has
next week to approve the
only the development of been straightforward about
loan programme has helped
new avenues, but also the the austerity measures the
to strengthen the rupee and
confidence that the govern- government has had to take
revive market confidence. It
ment is serious about facili- to prevent a meltdown of a
also resulted in a largely
tating its winners. precarious economy.
buoyant week at the stock
64
The political situation, how- allegations of malfeasance bilisation, much less of dura-
ever, is not proving to be an by his opponents, Khan is in ble economic recovery. The
ally of the government’s no mood to dial down politi- programme itself is not just
goal to stabilise the econo- cal tensions. Neither is the about fulfilling prior actions
my. Sharif government. but staying on track, imple-
menting measures over
The confrontation between Even though the prime min- time and rebuilding trust
the coalition government ister has stressed the need with international financial
and opposition leader Imran for a “national dialogue” to institutions. The Fund has
Khan has assumed an omi- evolve consensus on an already cautioned the gov-
nous shape after PTI secured economic charter, his government it might have to
control of Punjab. The centre ernment has done little to take additional measures
and the provincial govern- further this objective, per- “given the elevated uncer-
ment are now locked in a haps because it sees this as tainty in the global economy
stand-off and tit-for-tat an exercise in futility in the and financial markets”.
actions that are creating present fraught environ-
more political disarray. The ment. Pakistan has faced many
tussle between the two over balance-of-payments and
the custody of Shahbaz Gill This means tempestuous liquidity crises in the past.
is a case in point. As are the politics will continue to But never before has it con-
arrest orders issued by the heighten economic risk, fronted a financial crisis in
Punjab government and keep markets edgy and such an adverse external
police raids on the homes of investors in a hesitant state. environment, in which the
PML-N leaders, who then fled Moreover, rifts within the aftershocks of the Covid
the province. PML-N and divisions on eco- pandemic and the fallout of
nomic policy among coali- the Ukraine conflict have left
The federal government, for tion partners have raised supply chains and global
its part, has been stepping doubts about whether the commodity and financial
up its drive against Khan government will stay the markets in such a volatile
over the foreign funding policy course agreed with state. Energy and food
case, ordering the FIA to the IMF. prices have soared and
launch an investigation into fuelled worldwide inflation,
PTI’s ‘prohibited funds’. Dis- The burden of history rests exacerbating Pakistan’s
cord continues over the heavy in this regard, given economic difficulties. This at
transfer of civil servants. The Pakistan’s stop-start record a time when global interest
centre-province wrangle of previous Fund pro- rates are rising, leaving
and the politics of settling grammes, which earned it indebted countries particu-
scores has plunged the the reputation of being a larly vulnerable.
country into a vortex of one-tranche country. There-
turmoil and uncertainty. fore, questions continue to Political uncertainty has
be raised about the longevi- many damaging effects on
More seems to be in the ty of the IMF programme. a struggling economy. The
offing. Encouraged by the exchange rate in particular
large crowds he has drawn, The IMF deal in any case is a is a barometer of such
and his support base necessary but not sufficient uncertainty as it is deter-
remaining unaffected by guarantor of economic sta- mined both by economic
65
fundamentals and senti- chances of a sustainable

ment. Uncertainty affects economic rebound that
the exchange rate as both clearly depends on new
inflows (foreign investment, investment.
remittances, export earn-
ings) and outflows (imports The irony is that all major
and portfolio flows) are political parties actually
impacted by sentiment. This agree on the fundamental
leads to weakening of the elements of economic
rupee, as the experience of policy — export-driven
recent months testifies. growth, curbing the fiscal
Depreciation of the rupee in deficit, instituting an equita-
turn fuels higher debt-fi- ble and simplified tax
nancing costs and inflation. system, ensuring tax com-
pliance, creating a busi-
Moreover, the most import- ness-friendly environment,
ant indicator of the country’s adhering to a market-deter-
growth path — and of sus- mined exchange rate, priva-
tained recovery — is the level tising bankrupt state-owned
of private investment. Even enterprises, bringing down
with the most robust policy inflation, reducing the debt
actions, political uncertainty level and restraining gov-
can vitiate the investment ernment expenditure.
climate and dampen inves- Despite this convergence,
tor sentiment. their efforts to seek political
mileage drives them in the
Political polarisation has opposite direction, which
another deleterious eco- puts the accent on their
nomic impact in Pakistan’s divergences at the cost of
federal system. The central the country’s economic sta-
and provincial governments bility.
regulate different aspects of
the investment environment.
The federal government
provides tax stability, the
central bank external stabili-
ty, while provinces have to
foster a secure and condu-
cive climate for investment
to take place. But when poli-
tics is so divided and the
centre and provinces at log-
gerheads, this acts as a
disincentive for the private
sector, which then prefers to
sit it out. This diminishes
66
OUR VETERANS
APPLE’S CO-FOUNDER SET TO CLEAN SPACE
67
Apple’s Co-Founder
Set to Clean Space
Usman Ali Awan
Recent Events descent during an earlier enters our atmosphere with

On the 31st of July 2022, the press conference. relative ease; many are
booster from a 25-ton Long When China launched its burning up before they can
March 5B rocket crashed first Tiangong module in do any damage.
back to Earth. April 2021, there was an With countries and private
intense frenzy around the companies increasing their
The Long March 5B rocket possibility that it might be space exploration, orbital
carrying one of the heaviest damaged by unpredictable missions have unleashed
payloads in recent years booster reentry. thousands of pieces of
took off from China on July debris into orbit. The junk
24 expected to bring provi- Though we may never know consists primarily of rocket
sions and equipment for for certain what happened boosters but can also con-
building Tiangong—China's to the booster after it sky- tain defunct satellites or
upcoming space station. rocketed into outer space, shrapnel from objects that
reports indicate that some were launched up there in
The debris from China’s parts of this rocket survived the first place because it is
launched rocket caught fire and crashed near populat- at risk of crashing down to
while entering earth's ed areas in Borneo. Earth.
airspace, and the move-
ment of these burning The Space Debris Problem In recent months, we've seen
pieces also crossed Malay- The Aerospace Corporation an increase in the number of
sian airspaces. NASA reports that up to 40% of the accidents that could have
administrator Bill Nelson mass of an object fallen major consequences for
criticized Beijing for being from orbit will reach Earth's space exploration. Experts
irresponsible and not shar- surface. Every week, one ton warn these events will
ing information about its or more like space debris become more common with
68
time and hope to learn how satellites in space and

they can be avoided or therefore have good useful
repaired before it becomes information for those of us
too late. on earth and we want to
share it.”
Privateer Space
In a world where space junk Conclusion
is becoming an increasing The problem of cleaning up
problem, Apple co-founder space junk isn't just about
Steve Wozniak along with one nation or company
Alex Fielding and Dr. Moriba taking on this responsibility.
Jah has created Privateer Instead, it will require many
with the mission statement nations to come together in
to tackle the increasingly order to establish norms
urgent problem: space junk. and rules which aggressive-
This will be done by incorpo- ly target the removal/miti-
rating data from satellites gation of debris from our
and other sources in hopes planet's surface perma-
that we can make better nently. This is a daunting
decisions about what orbit- task, but it is one that we
als should go into and avoid must take on if we want to
sending anything up there preserve our ability to use
at all costs. Privateer is on a outer space for generations
mission to map and catalog to come.
all objects in Earth's orbit, like
an advanced version of About The Author:
Google Maps for space. The writer is a Space
Generation Advisory Council
Steve Wozniak in a recent member and a space
interview stated that“You sustainability writer.
gotta know what’s in space
before you deal with it.” He
further added: “We want to
be a good mapping organi-
zation but we want more
than that, we want to form
standards and interoperate
with other people who have
69
SCREENING
TEST ALERT
70
English
1. ADULATION 6. AGILITY
(A) youth (A) awkwardness
(B) purity (B) solidity
(C) brightness (C) temper
(D) criticism (D) harmony
2. ADVOCATE 7. ALACRITY
(A) define (A) slowness
(B) oppose (B) plenty
(C) remove (C) filth
(D) inspect (D) courtesy
3. AFFABLE 8. ALLEVIATE
(A) rude (A) endure
(B) ruddy (B) worsen
(C) needy (C) enlighten
(D) useless (D) maneuver
4. AFFECTED 9. ALLURE
(A) weary (A) hinder
(B) unfriendly (B) repel
(C) divine (C) ignore
(D) unfeigned (D) leave
5. AFFLUENCE 10. ALOOF

(A) poverty (A) triangular
(B) fear (B) gregarious
(C) persuasion (C) comparable
(D) consideration (D) honorable
Basic Mathematics
1. The average runs scored by a batsman 2. The average age of seven persons
in 20 matches is 40. In the next 10 match- sitting in a row facing east is 28 years. If
es the batsman scored an average of 13 the average age of the first three persons
runs. Find his average in all the 30 match- is 21 years and the average age of the last
es? three persons is 34 years, then find the
A. 31 age of the person sitting in the middle of
B. 29 the row?
C. 28 A. 30 Years
D. 30 B. 31 years
C. 26 years
D. 33 years
71
3. The average height of 35 boys in a class B. 86

was calculated as 180cm. It has later C. 49
found that the height of one of the boys in D. None of these
the class was wrongly written as 166 cm
whereas his actual height was 106 cm. 7. A student scored an average of 80
Find the actual average height of the boys marks in 3 subjects: Physics, Chemistry
in the class (Round off your answer to two and Mathematics. If the average marks in
decimal places)? Physics and Mathematics is 90 and that in
A. 179.29 cm Physics and Chemistry is 70, what are the
B. 178.29 cm marks in Physics?
C. 179.38 cm A. 60
D. 178.39 cm B. 64
C. 72
4. The total marks obtained by a student D. 80
in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is
150 more than the marks obtained by him 8. The average mark of the students of a
in Physics. What is the average mark class in a particular exam is 80. If 5 stu-
obtained by him in Chemistry and Mathe- dents whose average mark in that exam is
matics? 40 are excluded, the average mark of the
A. 75 remaining will be 90. Find the number of
B. 150 students who wrote the exam?
C. 50 A. 20
D. None of these B. 15
C. 25
5. The present average age of a family of D. 35
five members is 26 years. If the present
age of the youngest member in the family 9. In an exam, Amir scored 64 percent,
is ten years, then what was the average Masood scored 36 percent and Asif 44
age of the family at the time of the birth of percent. The maximum score awarded in
the youngest member? (Assume no death the exam is 800. Find the average mark
occurred in the family since the birth of scored by all the three boys?
the youngest)? A. 384
A. 18 years B. 364
B. 14 years C. 324
C. 20 years D. 404
D. 16 years
10. The average marks of a class of 30
6. The average of four positive integers is students is 40 and that of another class of
69. The highest integer is 93 and the least 50 students is 60. Find the average marks
integer is 39. The difference between the of all the students?
remaining two integers is 28. Which of the A. 50
following integers is the higher of the B. 47.5
remaining two integers? C. 59
A. 58 D. 52.5
72
Islamic Studies
1.How much Surah the Quran contains: 6. Makka was conquered in:
a.124 a. 5 A.H
b.109 b.10 A.H
c. 114 c. 2 A.H
d. 220 d. 8 A.H
2. The Nisab of Zakat in gold is: 7. Qurbani (Holy Slaughtering)is made

a.18 Tolas during Hajj at:
b. 24 Tolas a. Arafat
c. 7 ½ Tolas b. Mina
d. 35 Tolas c. Muzdalifa
d. Safa
3. A Verse of the Holy Quran indicates the
name of: 8. Jami-i-Quran is taken for:
a. Hazrat Usman a. Hazrat Ali (R.A)
b. Hazrat Muaaz b. Hazrat Saad (R.A)
c. Hazrat Saad c. Hazrat Usman (R.A)
d. Hazrat Zaid d. Hazrat Masood (R.A)
4. A Muslim female is coffined in: 9. Pious-Caliphate lasted for about:

a. Eight Sheets a. Eighteen Years
b. Five Sheets b. Twenty Years
c. One Sheet c. Thirty Years
d. Ten Sheets d. Five Years
5. The original name of Imam Bukhari is: 10. Gathering on Arafat during Hajj is
a. Saeed bin Hatem made on:
b. Ali a. 9th Zil Hajjah
b. Zaid b. 3rd Ramazan
c. Ismail c. 2nd Safar
d. Muhammad bin Ismail d. 18 Shawal
73
Basic Islamic
MCQ English
Mathematic Studies
1 D A C
2 B B C
3 A B D
4 D A B
5 A C D
6 A B D
7 A D B
8 B C C
9 B A C
10 B D A
74

Chronicles Volume 3-September

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Chronicles Volume 3-September

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CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 3

Monthly Press Pack

Kamil Mushtaq Saif Khattak

Summer is here and the

LIFE AT NEARPEER AND HIGHLIGHTS OF NEARPEER

LIFE AT NEARPEER AND HIGHLIGHTS OF NEARPEER

1. Over 120,000+ Students

2. Quality Video Lectures

3. Access to digital classrooms

7. Pakistan's first and largest online

1. Locked horn USA and China – Competition beyond 12

1. Revival of IMF Loan Programme: Will it Help? 26

Tracing Folds of History 34

Monthly Press Review 43

Screening Test Alert 70

1 A landmark constitution amendment bill, seeking to limit the powers of Judicial

8 The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to revamp district headquarters hospitals

$1.18bn, before the close of current month.

25 Calling the incessant monsoon rains a `climate-inducted humanitarian crisis of epic

30 The UN launched a $160 million appeal to provide emergency assistance to those

Locked horn USA and China –

ways. Without a clear sense of

Nevertheless, this does not mean giving up calculated efforts to

Taliban Government in Afghanistan:

dismissal of women's rights, restrict freedom of the press

perature increase cannot be

The amount of greenhouse

And emissions keep increasing. Impacts of Climate Change on the World

thing that will happen in the far

Though many people equate

-Since glaciers hold nearly

-Some infections, like malaria

-Ecosystems will continue to

From the every pile of world,

Tracing the roots of

The first phase of Islamophobia

tions. Populist leaders like the

With the rise of such leaders,

The Islamophobic narrative

Today, Islamophobia has

Revival of IMF Loan Programme:

Politics and Floods:

How will the Abolishment of the CPEC

ministry would act as a facilita-

TRACING FOLDS OF HISTORY

by the constitutional dilemma.

Squeezing the discussion in a

1. How does the author characterize differences. It increases the social,

adequately address serious lims as illegal immigrants formal HRC-mandated

next prime minister: he or India has brought little free-

night to destroy evidence. “Choothachoot roz kisi as low as 17 cents on the

will, given the derelict state Ukraine’s external debts

down where most central Just as China is now realis- market.

fundamentals and senti- chances of a sustainable

Recent Events descent during an earlier enters our atmosphere with

time and hope to learn how satellites in space and

5. AFFLUENCE 10. ALOOF

3. The average height of 35 boys in a class B. 86

2. The Nisab of Zakat in gold is: 7. Qurbani (Holy Slaughtering)is made

4. A Muslim female is coffined in: 9. Pious-Caliphate lasted for about:

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