PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS

ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 22 September 2023, Friday
Delayed elections
Brushing aside criticism that it is about to commit yet another violation of the Constitution, the
ECP on Thursday announced that general elections will be held `in the last week of January` nearly
three months after the constitutional deadline to hold polls expires. After this announcement, it has
become clear that President Arif Alvi`s letter, wherein he recommended to the ECP that the
question of when elections ought to be held should be taken up with the superior judiciary, was
consigned to the dustbin shortly after it was received. With the Supreme Court withdrawing behind
its new chief justice`s apparently strict interpretation of Article 184(3), the legal community
divided, the PPP confused about what it wants, and the PTI in disarray, not much seems to be
standing in the way of those who plotted this delay in the electoral exercise.

One can only hope that this `neutralisation` of the Constitution acquiesced to by most stakeholders
under the ostensible patronage of the establishment will prove temporary. A timeline has been
given, but, as the proverb goes, there`s many a slip between the cup and the lip. Will the ECP really
deliver on this occasion, considering the number of U-turns it has already taken this year? It may
be recalled that the Commission had issued an election schedule for Punjab in March before
withdrawing it later for flimsy reasons. At the heart of this uncertainty is the ECP`s questionable
posture that it is some kind of supra-constitutional authority which can delay elections for however
long it feels necessary. This stance has been validated so far by the state`s refusal or failure to hold
the Commission to account for delaying the Punjab and KP elections. Given that the precedent is
there, there seems to be no good reason to write off further delays.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. If the ECP wishes to affirm that it is serious, it should
start moving on all pending matters so that the possibility of any further delay is minimised. It has
already sent a draft election code of conduct to political parties, seeking their feedback. From what
has been reported about this code, one important `rule` seems missing: building on the increase in
the number of registered women voters, the ECP should seek formal guarantees from political
parties that they will not seek to block women from participating in the electoral process anywhere
in the country and, instead, will encourage them to vote with all possible means at their disposal.
The ECP also needs to take up without delay the complaints regarding the absence of a level playing
field made by two major parties. The country cannot afford another election to be tainted by
accusations of pre-poll rigging.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Consigned Verb ‫رپُسدرکد اای‬،‫جیھبدای‬ put, handed over

02 Disarray Noun ‫مظن‬
‫دب ا‬ disorder, confusion
03 Acquiesced Verb ‫یل‬
‫میلسترک ا‬ accepted, consented
04 Ostensible Adjective ‫اظرہ‬ apparent, supposed
05 Patronage Noun ‫رسرپیتس‬ support, backing
06 Flimsy Adjective ‫زمکو ار‬ fragile, insubstantial
07 Pudding Noun ‫ولحہ‬،‫ریھک‬ sweet, dessert
08 Tainted Adjective ‫آولداہ‬،‫دادغار‬ contaminated, spoiled
09 Accusations Noun ‫ااظلامت‬ allegations, charges
10 Rigging Noun ‫داھدنیل‬ conduct something
fraudulently

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: 22 September 2023, Friday
Another Sharif trip
THE sudden arrival of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in London, a mere 48 hours after he
touched down in Lahore, has raised many eyebrows. His trip adds to the mystery of the Sharif
family`s secretive Lahore-London remote management. It is being justifiably asked what
compelled the younger Sharif to rush back to Nawaz Sharif, and what message is being given in
person that cannot be communicated over a call. Shehbaz Sharif has spent the past month in
London, holding frequent meetings with his older brother. In fact, the duo had meetings with their
lawyers, who, even after the Supreme Court ruling on the amendments to the NAB law, were
hopeful of a satisfactory outcome of Nawaz Sharif`s legal troubles. There has been speculation that
the dash to London is to debate Nawaz Sharif`s legal position upon his return. However, it is
evident that these discussions already took place during the younger brother`s previous visit.

Interestingly, there are rumours that the latest trip is linked to Nawaz Sharif`s remarks about
holding retired generals and judges accountable. These statements must have come as nasty shock
to Shehbaz Sharif as he generally refrains from criticising the military establishment, despite his
older brother`s different take on the subject. However, even the senior Sharif, apart from criticising
the security establishment from the PDM platform on occasion, has been largely silent on issues
related to the military leadership. For his part, while in the opposition, Shehbaz Sharif endorsed
Gen Bajwa`s extension and, later, was head of a government that endorsed the military trials of
civilians. When he returns to Pakistan next month, will Nawaz Sharif`s critical views of the military
leadership be intact? Or will his opinions be limited to only those he believes had a hand in his
ouster? With the current military leadership`s ire focused on his political rivals, it is convenient for
Mr Sharif to restrict his criticism to the previous army leadership. But it is still not known how the
institution will respond to his talk of accountability. If Mr Sharif indeed returns next month, the
brothers will need to decide what the party`s narrative will be, given how vastly different their
views are on the establishment`s role in politics. The PML-N leadership must realise that it cannot
continue to play games with the public, especially as people are drowning in economic misery.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Mystery Noun ‫وُپدیشہ‬،‫رُپارسارابت‬ anonymous, secret

02 Remote Adjective ‫دور‬ distant, far-off
03 Compelled Verb ‫یک‬
‫وبجمر ا‬ forced, bound
04 Outcome Noun ‫ہجیتن‬ result, consequence

05 Speculation Noun ‫وسچ‬،‫وصتر‬،‫ایخل‬ rumor, assumption

06 Evident Adjective ‫واحض‬ obvious, apparent

07 Nasty Adjective ‫انوگارا‬ offensive, horrible
08 Refrain Verb ‫نہ‬
‫ابزر ا‬ abstain, avoid
09 Endorsed Verb ‫دصتقییک‬،‫وظنمریک‬ permitted, recognized
10 Intact Adjective ‫ں‬
‫وجںاکوت ا‬،‫سجوکاہھتہناگلوہ‬ undamaged, unbroken

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: 22 September 2023, Friday
Lawless city
A grim milestone has just been passed in Karachi. The recent death of a teenage robbery
victim brings the number of people killed in street crime incidents in the city between
January and September 2023 to 100. To put things in perspective, the total number of
people to have died in incidents of terrorism across Sindh during the first six months of
the current year is 19. This once again underscores the unsettling fact that Karachi is a
deadly city for its people, where armed killers have complete freedom to take citizens`
lives. From posh neighbourhoods to teeming slums, no area of this forsaken metropolis
is safe. Muggers strike whenever they can and are ready to kill their victims at the
slightest resistance. Figures compiled by the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee
illustrate just how large the epidemic of street crime is.

According to the CPLC, over the past nine months, some 60,000 incidents of street crime
have taken place in Karachi. The figure for all of 2022 was 85,000. Police say between 50
to 60 gangs are active in this deadly business, while mobile-snatching and motorbike-
lifting top the list of crimes. Various factors are fuelling high street crime rates,
including inflation, joblessness, and the lure of easy money. People often resist parting
with their hard-earned cash or valuables, with the result that they end up paying with
their lives. However, addressing the underlying factors behind crime is a long-term
project; the immediate need is to quell the deadly wave of killings. Here, the Sindh
government has failed miserably. The PPP, which has been ruling the province since
2008, has much to answer for where law and order goes. The caretaker government can
only do so much, and it is hoped that the next elected government that takes power in
Sindh has solid proposals to beat crime. Otherwise, precious lives will continue to be
snuffed out by trigger-happy criminals.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Grim Adjective ‫نیگنس‬ ugly, unattractive
02 Robbery Noun ‫ڈیتیک‬ burglary, mugging
03 Underscores Verb ‫واحضرکاتےہ‬ highlights, emphasizes

04 Teeming Adjective ‫رھبیوہیئ‬ crowded, swarming

05 Slums Noun ‫ں‬
‫یچکآابدای ا‬ shantytowns

06 Forsaken Adjective ‫رتکیکوہا‬ abandoned, ditched

07 Muggers Noun ‫ڈا اوک‬ robbers, assailers

08 Lure Noun ‫ل‬

‫ال ا‬ trap, decoy, entice
09 Quell Verb ‫روانک‬ suppress, repress
10 Snuffed Verb ‫امرا‬،‫متخیک‬ extinguished, doused

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

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