PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS

ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 01 October 2023, Sunday
Massacre again
DAY of celebration turned into a bloodbath in Mastung and Hangu, as terrorists attacked an Eid
Miladun Nabi event in the Balochistan town and Friday prayers in the KP city. At the time these lines
were being written, no group had claimed responsibility, while the interim interior minister had
claimed that Indian intelligence was involved. Over 55 victims perished as a suicide bomber struck the
Milad event in Mastung, while five victims were reported dead in the Hangu incident, also believed to
be a suicide attack.

Up till a decade ago, Balochistan, specifically Quetta and Mastung, was in the grip of intense sectarian
militancy carried out by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Mass casualty attacks occurred in the provincial capital,
while buses carrying Shia pilgrims were raided by LJ terrorists in Mastung on multiple occasions.
Earlier, in 2006, LJ militants had bombed a Milad gathering in Karachi`s Nishtar Park, wiping out
much of the Sunni Tehreek leadership. However, where Balochistan is concerned, LJ`s activities have
come down considerably, and there`s a strong possibility of other militant groups, such as the IS-K,
being involved. In fact, many experts believe that many of LJ`s cadres have been absorbed by IS-K,
which is active across the region. It was only last month that the authorities had claimed they had
gunned down an IS-K `commander` in Mastung. This individual had reportedly been involved in
several terrorist acts in Balochistan. As for Hangu, while the area has also witnessed sectarian
bloodshed in the past, this time the mosque that was attacked was inside a police station. Other parts of
KP have also been experiencing militant violence carried out by the TTP which has distanced itself from
the latest attacks and its offshoots, as well as IS-K.

Balochistan`s security situation over the past few decades has ignited apprehension, with the presence
of both separatist and religiously inspired militancy. A return to the bloodletting of old, despite the
massive security footprint in the province, should be a matter of great concern. The state needs to
deploy all the resources at its disposal to neutralise terrorists in Balochistan and, indeed, the rest of the
country. If this monster is not vanquished at this stage, it will create a security nightmare of significant
proportions. KP and the former tribal districts also need to be protected from the blood-soaked assaults
of the TTP and like-minded terrorist groups. Instead of indulging in extracurricular activities, the
security establishment must focus on an effective counterterrorism strategy to uproot militant networks
in the country. Peace is essential for free and fair elections, and militant actors will try to derail a
smooth transition from a caretaker set-up to an elected government. Therefore, the caretaker
administration must devote all its energies to ensuring peaceful polls, and checking the militant menace

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Perished Verb ‫امرےےئگ‬،‫انفوہےئگ‬ died, killed, expired

02 Sectarian Adjective ‫فرہقوراہن‬ separatist, partisan
03 Casualty Noun ‫اجیناصقنن‬ fatality, martyrs
04 Cadres Noun ‫میظنتےکدیلکیولوگںاکرگوہ‬ small groups, corps
05 Offshoots Noun ‫شایخ‬ branches, derivatives
06 Ignite Verb ‫آگاگلنا‬،‫اجالنا‬ catch fire, erupt
07 Apprehension Noun ‫خدش‬ anxiety, uneasiness
08 Massive Adjective ‫تہبزنادہ‬ huge, enormous, big
09 Vanquished Verb ‫حتفنانا‬،‫ولغمبرکنا‬ beaten, defeated
10 Uproot Verb ‫اخہمترکنا‬،‫ااھکڑنا‬ deracinate, displace

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: 01 October 2023, Sunday
A refuge no longer
SEPTEMBER has seen an alarming rise in the rounding up and detention of Afghan refugees.
Pakistani authorities cite illegal immigration and rising crime as the reason behind the crackdown.
However, even those with documentation some 1.4m, according to the UNHCR, the refugee agency
are being taken away by police, community leaders say. Activists, offering a clearer picture, say that
some of those rounded up had Proof of Registration cards and Afghan Citizenship Cards, but that
these had expired. The recent uptick in arrests follows a rise in tensions between Afghanistan and
Pakistan after the banned TTP carried out a cross-border attack on security check-posts in Chitral.
So, are these refugees merely scapegoats, who are paying the price for geopolitical disputes and
terror attacks that they are not responsible for? Are they being targeted simply because they are
Afghan? It is ironic that Pakistan frequently urges other nations to open their doors to refugees.
Yet, the treatment meted out to refugees within its borders often seems incongruous with these
pleas. Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention. Instead, it operates under the
Foreigners Act, which empowers the authorities to arrest, hold, and deport foreigners, including
refugees and asylum seekers, who do not possess valid documentation.

While the authorities must root out criminal elements and prevent illegal immigration, this
broadbrush approach is problematic on two counts: first, it tarnishes Pakistan`s global image, and
second, it alienates a community that has sought shelter on our land for decades. There are a
number of ways to deal with this. The authorities must ensure transparency regarding their
operations; these must be based on evidence, not prejudice. Secondly, the Foreigners Act must be
re-evaluated to include a more humanitarian approach to dealing with refugees, in line with
international norms. Thirdly, Islamabad and Kabul would do well to engage in constructive
dialogue and arrive at solutions that address the root cause behind continued tensions so that the
refugees can be spared unjust scrutiny. And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the basic human
rights of the Afghans should be respected, regardless of documentation status. While national
security is paramount, it must not come at the cost of human lives, and a tarnished international
reputation. A balanced, compassionate and evidence-based approach is the need of the hour.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Rounding up Verb ‫ااھٹکرکنا‬،‫ڑکپدڑکھرکنا‬ gather, accumulate

02 Detention Noun ‫ت‬ custody, imprisonment
‫رگاتفری‬،‫رحاس‬
‫ت‬
03 Scapegoat Noun (idiom) ‫ےبوصقرزساناےنواال‬،‫فرنایناکرکبا‬ victim
04 Incongruous Adjective ‫ریغاطمقب‬،‫اضتمد‬ incompatible, strange
05 Asylum Noun ‫انپہ‬ refuge, shelter

06 Tarnish Verb ‫الیمرکنا‬،‫دادغاررکنا‬ discolor, rust, stain

07 Alienate Verb ‫ارحنافرکنا‬،‫ایبنجرکدانی‬ estrange, isolate
08 Prejudice Noun ‫رطفداری‬،‫بصعت‬ discrimination, bigotry
09 Scrutiny Noun ‫ت‬ inspection, inquiry
‫اجچنڑپنال‬
10 Paramount Noun ‫ااہتیئامہ‬ supreme, dominant

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: 01 October 2023, Sunday
Whither justice?
THE challenge is to ensure bestial tragedies are remembered. Two cases of femicide,
involving men from Pakistan`s privileged elite, had sent shockwaves through the
country Noor Mukadam in 2021 and Sarah Inam in 2022 became high-profile proof of
gender-based violence being endemic in Pakistan. Burnt in memory as symbols of
patriarchal atrocity, their killing forced multitudes to seek societal and legal reform. But
Pakistan`s slain daughters still await justice. This was seen recently when their fathers
held a press conference to appeal for justice. Noor Mukadam`s killer was sentenced to
death twice last year after the Islamabad High Court sentenced him to capital
punishment and upheld his punishment; the case is now in the apex court. Sarah
Inam`s father said the `state should become a party against the murderer`. On
Wednesday, the investigation officer of the Sarah Inam case testified that the accused
had confessed to his crime. While this paper does not support the death penalty, delayed
justice in the former of life sentence for murder equals exploitation.

Pakistan is not just one of the most dangerous countries for women, it is positively anti-
women. It has failed to implement numerous international conventions. Earlier this
year, UNFP reported 32pc of women in Pakistan have suffered cruelty. A UN Women
report states that globally 45,000 women are killed by intimate partners and kin: over
five murders per hour. But compiling a realistic account of incidents is difficult as the
issue is underreported. Clearly, the horrors of Pakistan`s femicides exist on mass
impunity and dismal conviction rates. Fast-tracking investigations and serving life
imprisonment to convicts is the least the country can do to keep women alive. Aside
from recruiting more women in senior cadres of police and the judiciary, laws must be
used to strengthen protection. Until the men in the system and society join the battle to
transform mindsets, there can be no justice for Noor and Sarah and others like them.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Bestial Adjective ‫وشح‬،‫بہینمااہن‬ foul, inhumane, cruel
02 Tragedies Noun ‫اانملکوااعقت‬،‫اساحنت‬ disasters, calamities
03 Femicide Noun ‫وعروتںرپلمح‬،‫وعروتںاکلتق‬ attack on women

04 Endemic Noun ‫العاقیئرمض‬،‫اقمیم‬ widespread, common

05 Atrocity Noun ‫ملظگنسدل‬ act of violence, crime
06 Exploitation Noun ‫ااصحتسل‬ mistreatment, abuse
‫ت‬
07 Intimate Adjective ‫فریبی‬ close, near and dear
‫ت‬
08 Impunity Noun ‫استینی‬ without punishment
09 Dismal Adjective ‫امویسنک‬ miserable, depressing

10 Conviction Noun ‫زساناب‬ confidence, certainty

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

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