PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS

ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 11 September 2023, Monday
Vulnerable Chitral
THE Chitral region of KP has been in the headlines of late due to the Sept 6 deadly cross-border incursion in
which a large band of TTP militants reportedly crossed over and attacked Pakistani positions before being
pushed back into Afghanistan. Though the authorities have not given any numbers, the raiders were
reported to be in the `hundreds`. The interim foreign minister insists this was an `isolated incident` and
that the Afghan Taliban rulers did not sanction the attack, while the Foreign Office has repeated the mantra
that Pakistan`s concerns have been communicated to the relevant quarters in Kabul. State functionaries
may be giving the impression that all is well in the region, but more information is needed on the exact
details of the attack, while the local people need to be reassured that their lives and properties will be
protected by the state.

Chitral lies in a strategically sensitive area, bordering Afghanistan and with only the Wakhan Corridor
separating it from Tajikistan. China`s Xinjiang region is also in the vicinity.

This makes it an attractive location for transnational jihadists looking to expand their operations, even
though Chitral itself has largely been shielded from terrorist activity. Moreover, the region is culturally,
linguistically and ethnically distinct from the rest of KP. While Swat and erstwhile Fata suffered the most
during earlier waves of terrorism, Chitral managed to weather the storm. The area where the incursion took
place is close to the traditional lands of the Kalash people, and Chitral also has a significant Ismaili
population. Therefore, the state needs to beef up security in the area, as the banned TTP and sectarian
militants thrive on targeting minority communities. While there have been reports of small-scale infiltration
from Afghanistan, the last major incursion occurred in 2011 when reportedly a very large number of
terrorists staged attacks, leading to several fatalities among security men.

Simply expecting the Afghan Taliban to `do more` may not be enough, especially when there is speculation
that some Taliban factions may actually be encouraging attacks within Pakistan. The best option is for the
military to provide iron-clad security to all vulnerable border regions, and ensure that no groups are again
able to violate Pakistan`s territory. A jirga in Chitral has asked the army chief to visit the area, and called
upon the authorities to fence the border with Afghanistan.

Reports indicate that the Afghan Taliban had started relocating TTP fighters from the border area; the
process must be sped up so that this ever-present threat on the country`s frontiers is neutralised. The
terrorist threat on the borders must be handled proactively. In the past, the country has suffered immensely
by allowing malevolent actors to establish fiefdoms on Pakistani territory. This mistake must never be
repeated.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Vulnerable Adjective ‫زمکور‬/‫ریغوفحمظ‬ susceptible, weak

02 Incursion Noun ‫ڑچاھیئ‬/‫ہلمح‬ invasion, attack

03 Mantra Noun ‫ابرابردرہاایاجےنواالفل‬ repeated word

04 Vicinity Noun ‫رقیبیالعہق‬ neighborhood, nearby

05 Shield Verb ‫رطخےےسوفحمظرکن‬ to protect

06 Beef up Verb ‫وبضمطرکن‬ strengthen, enhance

07 Thrive Verb ‫ڑبانھ‬ proceed

08 Infiltration Noun ‫ےکپچےسدالخوہےناکمع‬ penetration, intrusion

09 Speculation Noun ‫وصتر‬،‫ایخل‬ rumor, gossip

10 Malevolent Adjective ‫دبیمت‬ cruel, hateful

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

21 Babar Block, New Garden Town, Near Barkat Market Lahore
0333-4438610 0300-4469650 0300-1905555 042-35911609
 PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS
ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 11 September 2023, Monday
High gas rates
GAS prices are set to rise again, and consumers should brace themselves for bloated bills in the winter
months.

The government had increased gas tariffs by up to 113pc for different categories of consumers in February
for six months in order to strike a bailout deal with the IMF. This time around, gas prices are projected to go
up by 50pc across the board to meet one of the key conditions of the short-term IMF loan facility approved
in July. The gas price increase is going to be quite painful for consumers who are still grappling with inflated
electricity bills for August. But as the interim ministers told a presser on Friday, the increase in gas rates
ahead of winter was inevitable to contain the gas-sector circular debt that is growing at the rate of Rs350bn
per year. Going up briskly, the gas sector has already piled up a debt, including interest, of Rs2.7tr more
than the Rs2.4tr debt in the power sector chain. The situation is indeed very alarming; there is no way
around raising the tariffs for slowing down the debt build-up and discouraging the use of gas for heating
purposes during winters.

However, just as we have seen in the case of electricity, periodic price hikes are not an answer to the
country`s gas woes.

The government needs to move beyond intermittent revisions of prices of the fuel for longer-term
sustainability of the gas sector, given that we are fast exhausting the domestic resource through its wasteful
and inefficient use. Gas pricing should be linked to the global market. Even though it would be quite difficult
for low-income residential and small industrial consumers, they will accept it, provided the two gas
companies also take effective measures to reduce their large system losses and control widespread gas theft
to mitigate the burden on consumers who pay their bills. Gas utilities have launched a crackdown against
gas theft in Punjab and KP under the orders of the army chief, and have arrested several people for stealing
the fuel. The scale of the theft shows that such action will not yield the desired result without the help of the
staff of the utilities. The question is: will the gas authorities continue the drive against gas thieves once the
pressure on them is lifted after a few weeks?

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Brace Verb ‫ایتررکن‬ prepare

02 Bloated Adjective ‫ڑبھاجےنواال‬ inflated
03 Tariffs Noun ‫ںیتمیق‬ prices
04 Grapple Verb ‫نٹمن‬ combat
05 Inevitable Adjective ‫رقبییہوہےنواال‬ predictable, expected

06 Briskly Adverb ‫وفری‬ quickly, rapidly

07 Pile up Verb ‫ڑباھدانی‬ increase, escalate
08 Intermittent Adjective ‫وےفقوےفقےسآےنواال‬ alternating, irregular
09 Exhausting Adjective ‫اکھتدےنیواال‬ draining
10 Yield Verb ‫احلصوہن‬ produce

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

21 Babar Block, New Garden Town, Near Barkat Market Lahore
0333-4438610 0300-4469650 0300-1905555 042-35911609
 PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS
ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 11 September 2023, Monday
Abaya ban
THE recent announcement by the French government to ban the abaya in state schools has sparked a
contentious debate about secularism and religious freedom in a country that is of ten in the news for
policing Muslim women`s attire. Many are recalling the ban on `conspicuous` religious symbols in 2004,
which led to the banning of headscarves and large Christian crosses. The abaya ban follows a similar pattern.

Where there may have been some logic to arguing that an abaya worn by a student would cover the school
uniform, this is not the rationale the French government has used to outlaw abayas at schools. The roots of
the abaya ban lie in the 2004 legislation.

The idea stems from a strong belief in protecting children from `undue influence` of political or religious
beliefs. The government`s announcement has been criticised by feminist activists and other rights groups,
but defended by scores of others who say this law is to protect laïcitésecularism a pillar of the French school
system.

Muslim rights groups argue that there is no legal definition of an abaya in the law, therefore a ban is
unlawful. But the apex French court does not agree, and has rejected an appeal by Muslim organisations
who hoped to successfully challenge the ban. As a result, Muslim girls going to school in France are being
sent home. Some of these young women were allowed to attend school after they removed their abaya
though it may be that this removal of the garment happened under pressure. Those who refuse to do so are
denied entry. However, at the heart of the matter is the rationale underlying the abaya ban. The core issue
that deserves our attention is not what these young girls wear but rather the policies implemented by the
French state to control racial minorities. True secularism should protect the freedom of individuals to
express their religious or cultural identities without discrimination.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Spark Verb ‫دیپارکن‬ arouse
02 Contentious Adjective ‫انتمزع‬ quarrelsome

03 Secularism Noun ‫الدتینی‬ indifference to religion

04 Attire Noun ‫ابلس‬ dress,

05 Conspicuous Adjective ‫اظرہ‬ visible, obvious
06 Rationale Noun ‫یقطنم‬ reason, basis
07 Outlaw Verb ‫امحتیاقوننےسابرہرکن‬ ban, prohibit

08 Stem Verb ‫نلکن‬ originate

09 Apex Adjective ‫ایلع‬ top, peak

10 Core Adjective ‫امہ‬،‫اینبدی‬ major

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

21 Babar Block, New Garden Town, Near Barkat Market Lahore
0333-4438610 0300-4469650 0300-1905555 042-35911609