PUNJAB JUDICIAL OFFICERS

ACADEMY
(A Project of Al-Bahria CSS Institute)
DAWN Editorials: 10 November 2023, Friday
Afghan failures
CARETAKER PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar`s no-holdsbarred criticism of the Afghan Taliban during a presser
on Wednesday reflects the state`s disappointment with Kabul`s current rulers. The PM basically held the
Afghan Taliban responsible for the banned TTP`s murderous assaults inside Pakistan, as according to him
the former had failed to stop the latter`s terrorist attacks originating in Afghanistan directed at this country.
What makes this realisation even more agonising is that there was a time when those who call the shots in
Pakistan considered the Taliban `our boys` in Kabul. Mr Kakar laid out a damning charge sheet, pointing out
that after the Taliban took Kabul in 2021, there was a `60pc` increase in terrorism and a `500pc` spike in
suicide attacks, resulting in 2,867 fatalities. This, Mr Kakar observed, was so despite the fact that `we` had
high hopes that anti-Pakistan groups would be handled by the Taliban after their victory. But that was not to
be. The Afghan conundrum in fact represents the repeated failures of Pakistan`s security and foreign policies,
specifically of seeking `strategic depth` in our western neighbour. Pakistan helped the US and the Saudis
bring down Kabul`s communist regime during the Afghan jihad, while ties with the US-backed regimes post-
9/11 were lukewarm, if not outright hostile. True, Pakistan alone is not to blame, but the state should realise
the mistakes made by previous administrations, and not repeat them.

When the Taliban took over, Pakistan was supposed to have reliable friends in Kabul. But perhaps the state
has failed to properly understand the Taliban psyche. After all, during the US occupation, much of the
Afghan Taliban leadership took refuge in Pakistan, as `guests` of the forces that would later coalesce into the
TTP. Bound by Pakhtunwali and religious codes, did our planners really expect the Taliban to expel their
former comrades-in-arms once they took Kabul? It should be remembered that the previous Taliban regime
let their administration fall rather than give up Osama bin Laden to the West. Moreover, aside from the
differing perspectives on militancy, the hasty decision to expel Afghan nationals has also rubbed the Taliban
the wrong way. The Afghan Taliban may be difficult customers to work with, but Pakistan has little choice
as there is no one else to call in Kabul. Instead of ratcheting up the rhetoric, Pakistan should keep the
channels of communication open. The message mustn`t be antagonistic but should be firm: stop the TTP and
other anti-Pakistan terrorists from attacking this country. There can be no compromise on this. Pakistan
should also continue to work with other regional states so that this antimilitancy messaging is clearly
communicated to Kabul. If relations worsen with Afghanistan, only the TTP, IS-K and other bloodthirsty
outfits will benefit.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

‫ن‬
01 No-holdsbarred Adjective ‫ےباقوب‬،‫َاپبدویںےسآزاد‬ Unrestricted, unrestrained

02 Presser Noun ‫اابخریاالجس‬ Press conference

03 Agonizing Adjective ‫ فیلکتدہ‬،‫اذتیانک‬ Torturous, painful
04 Conundrum Noun ‫ہلئسم‬،‫رَپاشیین‬ Problem, challenge
05 Lukewarm Adjective ‫الرپواےس‬ Tepid, apathetic
06 Outright Adjective ‫واحض‬ Direct, absolute
07 Coalesce Verb ‫اےھٹکوہان‬،‫انلم‬ Merge, unite
08 Ratcheting up Verb ‫ڑباھان‬ Escalating, increasing
‫ن ن‬
09 Antagonistic Adjective ‫ُم ِالاہن‬ Hostile, opposing
10 Outfits Noun ‫اِاہتندنسپوںےکرگوہ‬ Militant or extremist groups

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: 10 November 2023, Friday
Gas tariff increase
THE recent sharp increase in the price of natural gas for different consumers has sparked a debate
over its adverse impact on lower to moderate-income households grappling with the soaring cost of
living and shrinking incomes for over two years. The increase is going to especially hurt 57pc of
household consumers categorised as `protected residential consumers`, whose fixed charges have
been jacked up by a whopping 3,900pc from Rs10 to Rs400 a month, as well as small industry
owners. The justification for gas price `rationalisation` to slow down further expansion in the gas
sector debt of over Rs2.5tr notwithstanding, the new tariffs threaten to push up the winter bills of
financially weaker segments manifold, exacerbate the near-term spike in consumer inflation, and
lead to job losses as small business owners cut costs to protect their profits. How households will
cope with their high heating costs in an inflationary environment is anyone`s guess. While it is hard
to not feel sorry for the weaker segments of society, criticism of wealthy exporters against the hike
in gas price holds little merit. The decision to raise the price for the exporting industry by 86.5pc and
apply the new tariffs uniformly across the country is a welcome step.

Indeed, the rationalisation and application of new uniform but increased gas tariffs will eat into the
profits of the exporters and industries based in Karachi and other parts of Sindh who were getting the
fuel at much cheaper rates than their counterparts in Punjab who had to use significantly more
expensive imported gas during winters due to ever-rising domestic supply gaps. Hence, the
opposition to the new prices emanating mostly from Karachi is not surprising. That said their
argument that the decision to supply gas to fertiliser manufacturers and the extremely inefficient
captive power plants of rich yarn exporters from Punjab and elsewhere does have merit. The
country`s fast-depleting domestic gas reserves and our increasing dependence on expensive gas
imports demands a revision in this policy. It is advisable for the government to hike the rate of gas
being supplied to fertiliser companies in order to bring them at par with the rest of industry.
Simultaneously, it must rethink its policy of subsidising fuel for the wasteful and inefficient captive
power in clear breach of a previous policy decision made in 2021.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

‫ن ن‬
01 Adverse Adjective ‫ُم ِ ف‬
‫ انوماقف‬،‫ال‬ Hostile, opposing

02 Grappling Verb ‫اسانمرکرےہںیہ‬ Dealing, struggling

03 Jacked up Verb ‫ڑبھےئگ‬ Elevated, increased
04 Whopping Adjective ‫تہبڑبا‬ Gigantic, massive
05 Manifold Adverb ‫طح َ َ ر‬
‫طحاک‬ ‫َ َر‬ Multiple, diverse
06 Emanating Verb ‫ یتلکےہ‬،‫ُشروعوہ یتےہ‬ Originating, coming
‫ن‬
07 Inefficient Adjective ‫َی ر‬
‫غزَ رزیخ‬ Wasteful, unproductive

08 Depleting Verb ‫مکوہاتوہا‬ Shrinking, decreasing

09 Par Noun ‫رباربی‬ Equality, balance
10 Breach Noun ‫الخفورزی‬ Break, violation

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: 10 November 2023, Friday
Lifesaving robots
IN Sindh, a tiff within the caretaker government over the procurement of advanced medical
equipment seems to have imperilled the upgradation plans of several major hospitals.
According to a recent news report, caretaker Health Minister Saad Khalid Niaz has developed
differences with interim Chief Minister Maqbool Bagar over the fate of a multibillion-rupee
tender for the purchase of four robotic units meant for three major hospitals in the province.
Dr Niaz has opposed the decision on the grounds that the cost to the public exchequer of
surgeries being conducted with these robots does not seem justified given the present state of
the province`s finances. However, the chief minister, who has made some personal inquiries
to determine the utility of the machinery, remains unsatisfied with the health minister`s
reasoning. Some observers have also pointed out that the decision to purchase the machines
was taken by the elected PPP government, and the caretaker health minister should not
interfere.

That said, there are also concerns that some influential parties were involved in the purchase
and there are reports they are pressuring Dr Niaz to change his mind. It is commendable that
both the chief minister and health minister are of one mind regarding the need to optimise the
use of Sindh`s health budget, even if they differ strongly over the right way to do so. Dr Niaz
has raised a very valid point regarding the burning of public funds on expensive surgeries
when much cheaper alternatives are available, but he must still consider whether it is
appropriate for him to make a decision on this matter. If there have been any misdoings in the
process of purchasing the robots, they must definitely be looked into; but if it`s simply a
question of whether or not they are needed, perhaps it is best to leave it to the judgement of a
government elected by and answerable to the people.

Sr.# Word Part of Speech Meaning in Urdu Synonyms

01 Tiff Noun ‫انتزہع‬ Quarrel, dispute, spat
02 Procurement Noun ‫وصحل‬ Obtaining, gaining
03 Imperiled Verb ‫رطخہںیمڈالدای‬ Jeopardized, endangered
04 Tender Noun ‫شکشیپ‬ Offer, proposal
05 Exchequer Noun ‫زخاہن‬ Funds
06 Utility Noun ‫افدئہدنمی‬ Usefulness
07 Influential Adjective ‫ابارَث‬ Powerful, prominent
َ
08 Commendable Adjective ‫اقلِبِ َترفی‬ Admirable, praiseworthy
09 Optimize Verb ‫رتہبانبان‬ Enhance, improve
10 Appropriate Adjective ‫انمبس‬،‫ومزوں‬ Suitable, fitting

Arranged by: Prof Naveed Sabri

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