PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS

ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 09 October 2023, Monday
Turned away
ON Saturday, as UN agencies pressed Islamabad to consider the risks of forcefully repatriating
Afghan refugees, a major earthquake in western Afghanistan resulted in over 2,000 deaths,
according to the Taliban government, with thousands left injured and homeless. Reports of the
devastation caused by the disaster served as a grim backdrop to the concerns raised by
humanitarian agencies about the difficulties. Pakistani authorities may condemn hundreds of
thousands of Afghans to as they go ahead with a controversial plan to evict all `illegal aliens` by the
end of this month. The drive, which has been criticised for seeking to forcibly push those who had
fled violence, persecution and impoverishment in Afghanistan back into that troubled country, has
been pursued with unseemly eagerness by the caretaker government, with one ministry even
running a countdown on X (formerly Twitter) to remind undocumented migrants about the
number of days they have remaining in this country. Meanwhile, reports abound of refugee
settlements being shuttered, landlords being told to evict Afghan tenants, and Afghans both
documented and undocumented, men, women and children being rounded up by police across the
country. The reaction from rights organisations and more hospitable Pakistanis to Islamabad
suddenly turning its back on Afghan refugees has, understandably, been one of dismay and
concern. While the Pakistani authorities are well within their rights to demand that migrants and
refugee seekers, especially those who are undocumented, return, is this really the right way to go
about doing so?

Uprooting hundreds of thousands of human beings who have scraped together a life in Pakistan
and sending them back to an uncertain future defined by terror and turmoil seems unnecessarily
cold, made all the more so by the short deadline given to them to pack up and leave. The UNHCR
and the International Organisation for Migration have both come forward to advocate for the rights
of Afghan refugees; they must work proactively with the Pakistani government to find a quick
solution to this issue. It appears from reports that the authorities here are unprepared for the task
they have taken on. At the bare minimum, the ongoing effort to deport all foreigners not holding a
valid visa and passport requires international oversight to ensure that those being returned are not
deprived of what little they possess in the process. There have been complaints of unscrupulous
individuals exploiting vulnerable Afghans by demanding bribes to ensure their safety; the Pakistani
authorities have a responsibility to put an immediate end to such reprehensible practices. Ideally,
the entire exercise needs to be reconsidered, but even if the decision is non-negotiable, the
returning Afghans need to be treated with compassion. They are owed that.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Repatriating Verb ‫سپ‬

‫ونطوا ی‬ Deporting, exporting
02 Backdrop Noun ‫ظنم‬
‫سپ ی‬ Background, setting
03 Persecution Noun ‫متس‬
‫ملظو ی‬ Oppression, harassment
04 Impoverishment Noun ‫ب‬
‫رغ ی‬ Destitute, poverty
05 Shuttered Verb ‫یک‬
‫دنب ی‬ Closed, secured
06 Dismay Noun ‫س‬
‫اموی ی‬ Disappointment, panic
07 Turmoil Noun ‫ابتیہ‬ Chaos, disorder, uproar
08 Proactively Adverb ‫س‬
‫ےلہپ ی‬،‫اعفلوطررپ‬ Predictively, in advance
09 Unscrupulous Adjective ‫ن‬
‫ےباامی ی‬ Dishonest, corrupt
10 Reprehensible Adjective ‫م‬
‫اقِلبذم ی‬ Wrong, disgraceful, bad

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: 09 October 2023, Monday

Arrested grow
A STUDY recently published in the Lancer has painted a distressing picture for our future
generations. It finds that Pakistan ranks among the worst nations, with 14.3pc preterm births. The
figure is a bleak testament to the state of our health infrastructure. Preterm babies are at high risk
of death. Those who survive are likely to suffer disability and developmental delays, and even
chronic illnesses. Pakistan has also long reported shockingly high figures for stunting. Latest
figures by the World Bank indicate that over 40pc of children under five in Pakistan are stunted.
The South Asian average stands at 31pc. Stunting not only hampers physical growth but also
impairs cognitive development, leading to reduced educational outcomes and productivity in
adulthood. If left unchecked, it will render vast swathes of our population unable to contribute to
Pakistan`s progress.

Why has Pakistan seemingly abandoned its mothers and children? An unfortunate cocktail of
reasons is to blame. Year after year, health expenditure remains inadequate, sidelined in favour of
more `immediate` concerns. While public health initiatives exist, they lack the reach, consistency
and monitoring necessary to make a lasting impact. The situation is exacerbated by the rural-urban
divide, with remote regions deprived of even basic healthcare. Environmental challenges, such as
flooding and locust attacks, have compounded the problem. Sixty-nine districts reported nearly
48pc stunting in children under five. Such figures should sound warning bells at the highest
echelons of power. A Rs8.5bn plan to combat stunting and malnutrition in some 31 districts was
recently unveiled, offering some hope.

Socioeconomic factors must also be considered. There is limited awareness about maternal
nutrition, poor antenatal care, deep-rooted beliefs that prevent the consumption of a varied diet by
expecting mothers, early marriages, and the practice of feeding boys more than girls. All these
contribute to both preterm births and stunting. Ignorance, sadly, isn`t always bliss. Pakistan needs
a multipronged approach. A sizable increase in health expenditure is non-negotiable. Awareness
campaigns must be ramped up, as well as collaboration with global health agencies. The health of
our children is the health of our nation. It is high time we invest in our future by prioritising the
well-being of our youngest citizens. If not now, then when?

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Distressing Adjective ‫ک‬

‫رپاشین ی‬ Upsetting, worrying
02 Preterm Adjective ‫ق‬
‫لبقازو ی‬ Immature, untimely

03 Bleak Adjective ‫اترکی‬

‫ی‬ Miserable, austere
04 Testament Noun ‫ہم‬
‫دہعان ی‬،‫وتیصانہم‬ Evidence, proof, witness

05 Stunting Adjective ‫راکوٹوا یل‬،‫ریتکوہیئ‬ Inhibiting, restricting

06 Impairs Verb ‫ہ‬
‫رخابرکات ی‬ Damages, spoils, harms
07 Swathes Noun ‫ق‬
‫یسکزیچاکوعیسڈیہایالع ی‬ Sections, areas, parts
08 Exacerbated Verb ‫ڑبھایگ‬ Aggravated, worsened

09 Echelons Noun ‫ےقبطایاایتخراکدرہج‬،‫یسکرمےبت‬ Levels, stratums

10 Antenatal Adjective ‫ئ‬
‫لبقازدیپا ی‬ Gynecological

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: 09 October 2023, Monday

Pulpit concerns
THE pulpit should echo the message of unity. But these megaphones have delivered some
triumphalist views of religion, triggering social rejection and persecution of minorities. On Friday,
HRCP released a fact-finding report on blasphemy incidents in Sargodha, which gives prominence
to the `misuse of mosque loudspeakers and pulpits to press for FIRs against Christians and
instigate violence against them`. The report, Mob Violence and the Social Ostracisation of the
Christian Community in Sargodha, stresses that culprits of mob carnage and those who bypass due
process be held to account. In Pakistan, evidence is not central to a blasphemy charge. Therefore, it
must be pointed out, pulpits, especially in Punjab, have been weaponised over time to serve a lethal
mix of bias and misinterpreted religious opinion, resulting in gory `justice`.

Unsurprisingly, the reasons are often worldly: property, revenge and control. This culture of
impunity also seems to suit a shameless power elite that confines itself to customary
condemnations. We have long maintained that hate speeches from microphones aimed at stirring
up perverse zeal towards weaker sections, cannot be condoned. In the age of social media, it takes
minutes for news and accusations to spread, making a disturbed situation more tenuous. Hence,
the state and clerics have little choice but to uphold their responsibility to counter social apartheid
by ensuring that a community is not demonised from the pulpit.

The power of spiritual podiums should not be taken lightly; with the right ulema in place, these can
be vital voices of harmony and acceptance. That said, separating ideas on faith from political
rhetoric is the path to reversing the tide of prejudice. Unfortunately, the last two decades have been
far from promising, so such a shift is a pipe dream. Meanwhile, authorities can use the power of
Friday sermons to erase majoritarian canard and oppressive traditions, or else the plague of
militancy and bigotry will annihilate our own.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Pulpit Noun ‫ربمم‬ Podium, dais, platform
02 Triumphalist Adjective ‫ارتاےنویا یل‬ Rejoicing, elated

03 Blasphemy Noun ‫ےبرحیتم‬ Profanity, irreverence

04 Ostracisation Noun ‫نط‬
‫الجو ی‬،‫ارخاج‬ Avoidance, boycott
05 Carnage Noun ‫لتقِاعم‬ Killing, bloodshed
06 Impunity Noun ‫ینثتس‬
‫ا ی‬ Freedom, liberty
07 Perverse Adjective ‫رمگاہ‬ Obstinate, stubborn
08 Condoned Verb ‫اعمفیکی‬ Overlooked, forgiven

09 Demonize Verb ‫یسکزیچوکداب یان‬ Criticize, deprecate

10 Podiums Noun ‫ہبطخاگںیہ‬،‫ربمم‬ Daises, platforms

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

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