1.

Quotations
 “If 2023 was the year of of big, impressive, generalized AI chatbots, 2024 will be a
year of the narrow and specialized.”- Alex Kantrowitz- an IT journalist
 “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Mark Twain
 “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will
find strength.” Marcus Aurelius
 “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Marcus
Aurelius
 “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius
 “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”- Abraham Lincoln
 “Well begun is half done.”- Aristotle
 “Self-complacency is fatal to progress.”- Margaret Sangster
 “One today is worth two tomorrows.”- Benjamin Franklin
 “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”- Albert Einstein- One of
the founding fathers of America
 “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”- Carl Jung
 “All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within.”- Horace
Friess
 To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have.”- Ken S. Keyes
 “Where law ends, tyranny begins.”- John Locke
2. Poems
 “Don’t go gentle into that good night/ rage rage against the dying of the
light.”- Dylan Thomas
 “Because I couldn’t stop for death/ He kindly stopped for me.”- Emily
Dickinson on the inevitability of death.
 “And all should cry, Beware! Beware! / His flashing eyes, his floating hair!”-
Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the grandeur of Kubla Khan
 “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold/ Mere anarchy is loosed upon the
world”- William Butler Yeats
 “O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done/ The ship has weather’d every
rack, the prize we sought is won,”- Walt Whitman wrote this poem to honor the
memory of Abraham Lincoln when he was assassinated in 1865, can be used in a
point related to leadership.
 “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/ Of that colossal wreck, boundless and
bare/ The lone and level sands stretch far away.”- Percy Bysshe Shelley tries to
capture the idea of the ultimate doom of those in power by describing the state of
the statue of Ozymandias.
 “Some say the world will end in fire/ Some say in ice/ From what I’ve tasted of
desire/ I hold with those who favor fire.”- Robert Frost discusses how the world
might end, either through fire (fire represents the intense human emotions like
greed or for the sake of comparison with ice, compassion etc.) or through ice (ice
represents hatred, coldness or indifference)
 "To be, or not to be, that is the question:”- a line by Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare
play “Hamlet” in which he wonders whether life should be dealt with patiently or
whether one should be done with and end it.
  “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-/ I took the one less traveled by, / And that
has made all the difference”- Robert Frost (The author discusses the dilemma of
choices in life and their consequences. He takes the road which is travelled less
indicating a desire for taking control of his destiny.
 “If I can stop one heart from breaking, / I shall not live in vain;”- Emily Dickinson on
humanity
 “If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;/ If you can think—and not
make thoughts your aim;”- Rudyard Kipling
 “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”- Robert Frost

3. Health
 From (Unprepared for Pandemics, Dawn, Dec)
I. The United Nations declared December 27 as the International Day of
Epidemic Preparedness in 2020.
II. The National Security Council unit overseeing pandemic preparedness in the
U.S. was disbanded by then-President Donald Trump, contributing to a lack
of coordination.
III. mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna were developed in the Global North,
leading to disparities in vaccine distribution.
IV. Lack of data sharing and an absence of agreements hindered mass
production and distribution of vaccines in poorer nations
V. National-level assessments of preparedness in public and private institutions
are crucial to mitigate the impact of future epidemics.
VI. The article emphasizes the importance of Pakistan developing and
publicizing epidemic preparedness plans.
 Is this it for human, Dawn
I. According to UN population estimates, humans are projected to reach their
maximum population in 2086 at 10.4 billion.
II. Researchers suggest that in many areas, human beings have reached their
maximum physical capabilities.
III. Some societies, particularly in parts of Africa, are experiencing a decline in
average height, indicating challenges in accessing sufficient nutrition.
IV. concerns are expressed about certain genes getting 'lost' in successive
generations if not actively used, citing examples such as the ability to
produce vitamin C.
V. Medical interventions, such as the widespread use of C-sections for
childbirth, are considered as potential factors impacting human evolution.
 Health Security, dawn, 2024
I. GHSA was adopted in 2014 after the Ebola outbreak and initially involved 40
countries. It has since expanded to include more than 70 countries, aiming
to strengthen the world's ability to address infectious disease threats.
II. Key elements of GHSA include sustainable financing mechanisms,
multisector collaboration, information sharing, and accountability.
 III. Pakistan has signed onto GHSA 2024, with the National Institute of Health
(NIH) taking a leading role in both GHSA and IHR.
IV. Tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance are highlighted as significant health
concerns in Pakistan.
 Intersectoral health, Dawn, Zafar Mirza, Jan 2024
I. Referring to the WHO Constitution and Ottawa Charter for Health
Promotion, the author identifies peace, shelter, education, food, income,
stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice, and equity as
fundamental prerequisites, considered as distal determinants of health.
II. the author points out that education level has a more substantial impact on
health than income level, emphasizing the importance of education in
reducing child and adult mortality.
III. Referring to the Global Burden of Disease Study, the article reveals that over
half of Pakistan's total burden of disease is attributed to behavioural and
environmental risks, with child and maternal malnutrition topping the list.
IV.
4. Energy sector
5. Election or Democracy
 From (A single vote, Dawn)
I. prosperity, development, and sustainability in Sindh are closely linked to the
number of people casting their votes.
II. Discusses the criteria that voters should consider, such as a candidate's plan
for addressing water issues, economic empowerment in coastal areas, and
strategies to combat social issues like the abduction of girls.
III. tresses the pivotal role of social activists in urban and rural settings in
educating people about the importance of a single vote.
IV. Advocates for the active role of NGOs, civil society, schoolteachers, and
influencers in rural areas to create awareness about the importance of
elections and good governance.
 On January 7, 2024, a nationwide disruption of social media networks was
experienced reported by Netblocks. It was argued how the disruptions were
designed to stop the PTI from a telethon fundraising.
 A pattern of using victimhood narrative with a focus on past achievements and a
perceived golden period under his rule than addressing current challenges
 No focus on election manifesto or a concrete plan for future
 The weakening of one of the largest political parties contributes to a less competitive
and reassuring electoral environment.
 Pakistan’s minorities’ struggle to have their voices heard, www.dawn.com, 2024
I. The struggle for separate electorates based on religious identity dates back
to pre-partition India.
II. The Indian Councils Act of 1909 introduced communal representation for
Muslims, leading to a separate electorate system.
III. After Independence, the debate continued on whether minorities should
contest elections alongside Muslim candidates or through a separate
electorate.
IV. The first Constitution of 1956 left the decision to provinces, and joint
electorates were eventually favored in 1958.
 V. Ziaul Haq, in 1978, implemented a separate electorate system, dividing
voters into Muslim and non-Muslim categories.
VI. This move had far-reaching implications, segregating minorities based on
religious identity.
VII. Ziaul Haq's amendments in 1985 introduced a separate electorate system,
reversed by General Musharraf in 2002 under international pressure.
VIII. There is no mechanism for contesting reserved seats, as nominations are
made by parties based on general seat results.
IX. The proportion of minority representation has fallen due to the static
number of seats in national and provincial assemblies since 1985.
X. The passage suggests giving minorities at least 5% representation on
general seats, similar to the quota for women.
6. Artificial Intelligence
 From Economist Article (China is shoring up great farewell for AI age)
China, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, is striving to balance the promotion of
innovation, particularly in advanced technologies like AI, with the need for
authoritarian control.
 The Rise of AI Nationalism, The Economist
I. The emergence of AI nationalism, where countries around the world are
strategically investing in and promoting their own artificial intelligence
capabilities.
II. Several nations are racing to become AI superpowers, with examples
including the launch of ai71 in Abu Dhabi, Mistral in France securing a $400
million funding round, and Indian startups like Krutrim and Sarvam
developing multilingual language models.
III. The U.S. and China each pledged $40-50 billion for AI investments in the
past year, and other nations like Britain, France, Germany, India, Saudi
Arabia, and the UAE have collectively promised around $40 billion for AI
development.
IV. potential risks and challenges associated with AI nationalism, such as the
antagonization of allies, heavy regulation impacting gains, the potential
futility of building local language models, and concerns about data privacy
and public backlash.
 The New York Times sued ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Microsoft in a US court on
Wednesday, alleging that the companies’ powerful AI models used millions of
articles for training without permission.
7. POLITICS
 Only 15 % of Israeli’s want Netanyahu as President.
 In the poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), 56 per cent of those
questioned said continuing the military offensive was the best way to recover the
prisoners, while 24 per cent thought a swap deal including the release of thousands
more Palestinian prisoners from Israel’s jails would be best.
 State backed impunity, Dawn
I. Instances of police officers violating traffic rules, misbehaving with
protesters, and misusing legal provisions like Maintenance of Public Order
(MPO) are widespread.
 II. Political parties, the legislature, judiciary, and media are portrayed as weak,
compromised, or divided, limiting their ability to act as checks on abuse.
III. The current situation in Pakistan is described as a conundrum, with the
abuse of power seemingly hard to prevent in the absence of stronger,
balanced institutions.
 Decaying Politics, Dawn, 2024
I. The political system in Pakistan is characterized as elitist, with power often
concentrated in the hands of a few.
II. Perverse political forms, including patronage, populism, fascism, and
religious politics, have been employed by elites to maintain control.
III. Balochistan and ex-Fata exhibit three main political forms: patronage politics,
militant politics, and mass politics rejecting both.
IV. Stagnant patronage and vacuous populism are identified as the main
political forms, with religious extremist politics and terrorism serving as
spoilers.
V. political energy seen in Baloch protests and movements like PTM could be
harnessed to create durable political forms, potentially leading to positive
change.
 Orphaned Disputes, Jan 2024
I. Gas Tariff Hike Dispute:
II. The finance team's attempt to increase gas tariffs to meet IMF requirements
resulted in a dispute, with conflicting reports on the magnitude of the hike.
This disagreement has implications for reported inflation figures and may
impact monetary policy decisions.
III. FBR Restructuring Conflict:
IV. The finance ministry's efforts to restructure the Federal Board of Revenue
(FBR) by separating the Internal Revenue Service from the Customs unit
faced resistance from the tax bureaucracy. The disagreement escalated to
the point of threats of a strike by FBR officials.
V. Expenditure Devolution Plan:
VI. The finance ministry proposed devolving certain expenditures, including
those for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Higher
Education Commission (HEC), to the provinces. This plan met opposition
from provincial governments, citing a lack of authority for the caretaker
government to undertake such devolution.
VII. Lack of Decision-Making Centers:
VIII. The passage highlights the absence of functioning decision-making centers
such as the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and the National Finance
Commission. The lack of coordination forums leads to disputes escalating
and reaching the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
IX. Role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC):
X. The SIFC is mentioned as the go-to authority to resolve disputes, but the
author questions its political wherewithal to broker productive settlements.
The council is seen as lacking the capacity to replace the federation as a
decision-making body.
XI. Orphaned Disputes and Dysfunction:
XII. Orphaned disputes, described as issues that lack ownership or resolution
within the system, contribute to dysfunction within the government. The
 author suggests that effective leadership involves addressing and resolving
these disputes to ensure smooth functioning.
XIII. Temptation for Strong-Hand Approach:
XIV. The passage warns against the temptation to address governance challenges
with a strong hand, emphasizing that a prolonged state of indeterminacy
could lead to the impression that only authoritarian measures can manage
the situation.
XV. Call for Functional Government:
XVI. The author underscores the need to hand over executive powers to a
functional government with a credible mandate. This, according to the
author, is crucial for addressing the ongoing governance challenges and
avoiding a reliance on a strong-handed approach.
 Crisis in GB, 2024
I. Background of Protests: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is witnessing widespread
protests, primarily triggered by the federal government's decision to
increase the subsidized wheat price. The protests, organized by the Awami
Action Committee, have been ongoing for four weeks.
II. Diverse Demands: While the wheat subsidy increase is a focal point, the
protests encompass a broader range of demands, including the abolishment
of taxes, suspension of the Finance Act 2023, an end to power outages, fair
utilization of mineral resources, a share in the NFC Award, and addressing
long-standing issues.
III. Historical Context: GB had received subsidies in the 1970s, initiated by
Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but over time, most subsidies were
phased out, leaving only wheat subsidies. The recurrence of protests
indicates dissatisfaction with the federal government's handling of the
region's concerns.
IV. Disputed Status and Representation: GB lacks representation in the national
legislature, contributing to the demand for the suspension of the Finance Act
2023. The slogan "no taxation without representation" highlights the locals'
frustration with decisions imposed without their direct involvement.
V. Power Outages and Environmental Impact: Prolonged power outages have
negatively impacted businesses and forced people to rely on firewood,
depleting forests. The environmental consequences are exacerbating the
challenges faced by the population.
VI. Land and Mineral Resource Disputes: Disputes over land and mineral
resources have intensified, with locals asserting their rights against state
claims. Ambiguities in the constitutional status of the region contribute to
this contestation.
VII. Government's Handling and Schedule IV: The federal government's delay in
addressing GB's issues and its treatment of local leaders have escalated
tensions. Placing activists under Schedule IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act is
viewed as an attempt to silence dissenting voices.
VIII. Call for Empowerment and Inclusive Governance: Locals reject unilateral
decision-making by the federal government and seek empowerment of the
GB Assembly and government. Involving the region in decision-making
processes and respecting their rights is seen as crucial.
 IX. Risk of Escalation: The call for protesters to march towards Gilgit on Jan 24
suggests a potential escalation. Delays in addressing grievances could lead to
a hard-line stance, and there are already calls for the dissolution of the
present coalition government.
X. Need for Policy Revisions and Trust Building: The analysis emphasizes the
necessity for the federal government to revise its policies, actively engage in
dialogue, pursue conciliation, and adopt a participatory approach. Building
trust and credibility among the local population is crucial for resolving
chronic issues in GB.

 Far right terrorism in United States, CFR

 Far-right terrorism refers to acts of terrorism carried out by individuals or groups who
espouse far-right ideologies. These ideologies often involve extreme nationalist,
xenophobic, racist, or anti-government beliefs. Far-right terrorists may target various
groups, including racial or ethnic minorities, religious communities, immigrants, or
perceived political adversaries. The motivations behind far-right terrorism can vary, but they
often include a desire to preserve a particular cultural or racial identity, opposition to
globalization, and resistance to perceived changes in societal norms.
 In America, the timeline of far-right terrorism starts with the foundation of Ku Klux Klan in
1865.
 The KKK’s declared goal is “to maintain the supremacy of the White Race in the Republic.”
 In 2008, A resurgence of racism and anti-government extremism surfaces with the November
election of Barack Obama, the country’s first African American president. Some political
opponents and conspiracy theorists allege that Obama is Muslim and foreign-born,
falsehoods that they hoped would undermine his presidency and disqualify him from office.
 On January 6, 2021, a mob storms the U.S. Capitol, driven by Trump-fueled conspiracy
theories about the 2020 presidential election. It the first such attack on the institution since
British invaders set fire to the Capitol in 1814.
8. Education
 Forgotten Schools, Dawn
I. In 2022, Sindh faced severe flood devastation with breached embankments,
collapsed houses, and damaged infrastructure.
II. The flood caused extensive damage to the already frail education system in
Sindh, affecting 20,000 schools and depriving 2.3 million students of
schooling for several months.
III. Sindh lost half of its school infrastructure built over 75 years, with 34% of
government schools for girls being damaged.
IV. Reconstruction of flood-damaged schools is estimated to cost Rs224 billion,
but the allocated budget in the current fiscal year is only Rs16.5 billion
V. The current construction model using reinforced cement concrete (RCC)
structures is deemed neither climatically appropriate nor cost-effective.
9. Economy
 Pakistan ranks fifth in outstanding debt with the IMF, standing at $7.4 billion. This
debt follows Argentina, Egypt, Ukraine, and Ecuador
 Pakistan has sought IMF bailouts 23 times in 75 years since joining the IMF in 1950.
  PSDP funds: A tool for political gains, Dawn, 2024
I. Distributive politics is at the core of Pakistan’s electoral system, where the
‘electability’ of an individual politician is believed to largely depend on their
ability to secure resources to fund ‘development schemes’ or public services
in their respective constituencies once the voters return them to the
assemblies.
II. Study in the Journal of the European Economic Association suggests that
distributive politics in Pakistan may come at the cost of lower welfare.
III. public expenditures are often allocated across regions by politicians who
compete for re-election, and this competition can create political incentives
that distort how public funds are spent relative to the social optimum.”
IV. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition, particularly PML-N,
increased discretionary spending on the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) Achievement Programme (SAP) by 59% during the last fiscal year.
V. PDM government authorized almost 70% (Rs61.3bn) of the total SAP
allocation for the entire year within the first three weeks of the fiscal year.
VI. IMF report suggests Pakistan's Public Sector Development Programme
(PSDP) is unaffordable, with a total cost of Rs10.7 trillion, more than 14
times the budget allocation of Rs727bn in 2022-23.
VII. Public debt, including publicly guaranteed debt, is projected to potentially
increase to Rs81.8tr, or 77.3% of GDP, by the end of the current fiscal year.
VIII.

10. Religious extremism/intolerance

 During a twenty-minute rampage in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, gunman
Brenton Tarrant murders fifty-one worshippers in two mosques. Seeking to inspire
emulation of this violence, Tarrant livestreams most of the carnage on the internet,
where it is viewed more than a million times—thus redefining far-right terrorism in
the twenty-first century.
1. Government offices in the EU can ban employees wearing religious symbols such as Islamic
headscarves, even when they do not have contact with the public, the Court of Justice of the
EU ruled
2. FROM Norwegian Recipe, www.dawn.com, Dec 2023 (Tackling extremism)
 Norway’s Action Plan and Radicalization and Violent Extremism
 Norway's strategy involves a broad coalition, including representatives from various
sectors such as the prime minister's office, ministries, research institutions, local
governments, and voluntary organizations.
 The text mentions the meticulous definition of terms like 'radicalisation,' 'violent
extremism,' and hate crime to facilitate effective action and avoid misinterpretation.
 Radicalization is described as a process where individuals increasingly endorse
violence to achieve political, ideological, or religious goals.
 he action plan, introduced in 2014 and revised in 2020, encompasses 30 measures
across five priority areas, emphasizing expertise, cooperation, and coordination.
 These areas include police and municipal collaboration, research, addressing
foreign fighters' challenges, competency development in the health sector, and
organizing youth dialogues.
  Norway, along with Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, established a Nordic network for
VE prevention in 2014, focusing on information-sharing and collective action.
(International Cooperation)
 The text acknowledges Norway's approach to internet recruitment of radical
elements, calling for increased cyber policing involving six ministries.
 Norway's recognition of the importance of involving local communities and
stakeholders in preventive efforts, adopting a bottom-up approach that ensures
cultural sensitivity and local relevance.
3. Article 20 (Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions):
Subject to law, public order and morality:-

(a) every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion; and

(b) every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish,
maintain and manage its religious institutions.
 MODERN India’s founding father M.K. Gandhi was shot on Jan 30, 1948, by
Nathuram Godse, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru’s secular India died on Jan 22, 2024, in Ayodhya, the
janambhumi or birthplace of Lord Rama- says F.S Aijazuddin in his article “A Saffron
Rebirth”
11. The Nuclear world
 The case study of three nuclear reactors at Indian Point on the shore of Hudson River
80 km from the nearest settlement in New York City. Several concerning incidents:
Transformer breakdown leading to leakage of radioactive water into ground water. In
2009, a leak in colling system allowed 100,000 gallons of radioactive water to water
to escape.
12. Media
 One of a kind, Dawn 2024- JOHN PILGER
I. ACROSS almost six decades of investigative journalism, John Pilger
unsparingly torchlit many of what George W. Bush described as “the darkest
corners of the world”, relentlessly exposing the realities edited out of the
mainstream Western media’s distorted narrative.
II. Pilger, who enjoyed a cult following among his admirers for his revolutionary
journalism and steadfast stances against corporate power, imperialism and
all forms of authoritarianism.
III. Pilger explored the Israeli-occupied territories in the early 1970s, producing
documentaries titled "Palestine is Still the Issue" that illuminated ongoing
issues. His interviews with Israeli officials showcased his incisive questioning.
13. Governance
 Social Welfare for GB, Dawn
I. Gilgit-Baltistan's undefined legal status and denial of constitutional rights are
major concerns.
II. Despite possessing mineral resources and hydropower potential, the region
faces energy deprivation due to central control.
III. NGOs, particularly the Aga Khan Foundation's Rural Support Programme and
the Marafiq family-funded NGO, have played pivotal roles in education,
healthcare, and grassroots development.
 IV. The SPF is designed to provide a sustainable financial base for social
protection programs, with the GB government committing Rs100 million.
(IPO Model)
 Graveyards of coal, Dawn, 2024
I. The author points out the lack of accurate data on coal mines, worker
statistics, accidents, and related information. The absence of reliable data
makes it challenging to address the issues faced by coal miners effectively.
II. Pakistan is reported to have 186 registered and over 1,500 unregistered,
unregulated, and unsafe coal mines. The unregistered mines operate
without adherence to safety standards and often exploit workers with low
wages and no social security benefits.
III. The Mines Act, 1923, is mentioned as the primary regulation governing coal
mines, reflecting outdated legislation
IV. Over 90% of coal miners are reported not to be registered with the
Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), leading to a lack of social
security benefits.
V.
14. Women Rights
 A Pioneer, Dawn
I. the discussion around female sexuality has been notably absent due to the
sensitivity of the issue in Pakistan's conservative environment.
II. The societal conservatism in Pakistan is illustrated by instances where even
addressing breast cancer in an article prompted moral outrage.
III. Dr. Tahira Kazmi blogs cover childbirth, labor pain, menstruation,
menopause, incontinence, and prejudice against the girl child, addressing
these issues frankly in Urdu.
 Honor or Dishonor, Dawn
I. Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy won an Oscar for her documentary on
honour killings, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness. She was lauded
by the international community for being courageous enough to highlight a
problem that has plagued this part of the world for aeons
II. women in feudal setups are expected to relinquish their share of the
property voluntarily and those who resist are ostracised and vilified by the
community. This mindset is particularly entrenched in southern Punjab
where females are sometimes wedded to the Quran in order to keep
property within the family.
III. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, over 470 cases of
honour killings were reported in Pakistan in 2021.
 She knew better
I. Farida Akbar, after obtaining her Montessori diploma in 1975, became a key
figure in sustaining Montessori pedagogy in Pakistan. She played a crucial
role in training teachers and served as the chief executive and director of
training of the Montessori Teachers’ Training Centre until her retirement in
2020.
II. The Montessori school system is an educational approach developed by Dr.
Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, in the early 20th
century. The Montessori method is based on the idea that children are
 naturally curious, self-motivated learners who learn best through hands-on,
sensory experiences.
1. Financial Inclusivity,(Increasing margins, www.dawn.com, Nov 2023)
 With low levels of saving and investment, the primary focus of the majority of the
population in Pakistan remains centred on seeking employment rather than creating
job opportunities.
 policymakers have failed to effectively address the issue of gender disparity and
financial inclusion, limiting the entrepreneurial potential of women in Pakistan.
 According to the Labour Force Survey for 2020-21, only two per cent of employers
in Pakistan are women, representing a mere 0.1pc of the total working female
population.
 A staggering majority of working women, around 60pc, are contributing family
workers.
 70.5pc of these working women have never attended school and only 6.25pc have
graduated with formal degrees
 Lack of access to credit and/or initial capital prevents women from pursuing and
creating decent work opportunities.
 Additionally, the lack of options for safe and affordable transportation inhibits the
capacity of women to engage in entrepreneurial activities
 What better way is there to increase the tax base than to productively engage more
than half the population confined at homes due to fear of harassment, burden of
household responsibilities, lack of mobility, cultural norms, or lack of knowledge
 digitalisation presents an optimum solution to the problem. With the advent of e-
commerce forums, it is becoming increasingly crucial to provide digital access to
women so they can engage in economic activities from the safety of their homes
 To improve digital access for females, measures need to be taken to expand device
ownership, internet access, as well as digital literacy.
 In 2022, only 8pc of bank account holders were female, with very few women
familiar with digital payment methods

15. Social Issues

1. (Pakistan’s youth and Economic Prosperity, www.dawn.com, Nov, 2023)
 Mass emigration: One of the most concerning trends in Pakistan is the mass
emigration of highly skilled professionals. In the first half of 2023 alone, an
unprecedented 800,000 Pakistanis left the country, with a significant portion
comprising doctors, nurses, engineers, IT experts, and accountants. This
exodus of talent not only represents a brain drain but also raises questions
about the underlying factors driving this phenomenon.
 Burgeoning youth population: Currently, 64pc of Pakistan’s population is
under 30 years old, and by 2030, our total population is projected to reach
around 280 million, with 100 million being young individuals. The
demographic composition of Pakistan, often referred to as a “youth bulge,”
carries both potential promise and peril for our economy. The youth bulge’s
 positive impact is contingent upon the strength of the economy to absorb
these new entrants into productive jobs. The demographic dividend can easily
turn into a demographic nightmare if there are insufficient job opportunities
and a lack of economic stability.
 Technical Training: The latest Labour Force Survey by the Pakistan Board of
Statistics indicates that the youth population represents a significant portion
of our nation. Their absolute numbers are growing faster than the overall
population, emphasising the urgency of investing in their skills and
employability. Pakistan can model its training system on Switzerland’s
Vocational Education and Training, thus bridging the gap between education
and industry
2. (Social Media Addiction, www.dawn.com, Nov, 2023)
 Health issues: Meta’s own research revealed, for instance, that 13.5 per cent
of teenage girls said that Instagram “makes thoughts of suicide worse”. And
17pc of teenage girls had reported that it made eating disorders worse as
well.
 Lack of parental intervention: Few Pakistani parents pay enough attention to
the amount of time that their children are spending on these platforms, and
are not asking whether that amount of time is negatively affecting the
mental health of their offspring.
 Feelings of alienation: If unchecked these feelings of alienation or exclusion
can create lifelong problems with self-esteem, mood regulation and a general
sense of well-being being affected.
 Exploitation of the teen age: The need to be accepted and to be popular in
their friend groups is far more acute among teenagers than it is perhaps for
any other age group. It is the exploitation of this need, coupled with the envy
or depression that comes from not having many friends or being left out of
social events, that pose a threat to the well-being of these young people.
3. Deprived and Hateful, www.dawn.com, Nov 2023)
 Ethnic and Religious tensions: The British Raj pitted the subcontinent’s
ethnic-national and religious communities against one another. Most
historical accounts of the colonial ‘divide and rule’ policy tend to focus on
elite segments. But the lowest ranks of the civil and military services, for
example, were strategically staffed in ways that stoked ethnic-national and
religious tensions in various parts of British India. This has continued in the
postcolonial era.
 Politicisation of ethnic-national identity: Even more divisive has been the
state’s imposition of a unitary model of assimilation around the ideological
pillars of ‘official’ Islam and Urdu as the exclusive national language. The
result has been politicisation of ethnic-national identity, precipitating
progressive forms of resistance politics, especially in the 1960s and 1970s
when a broadly anti-imperialist and class political front — the National Awami
Party — brought together most ethnic-national communities.
  Divide and Conquer: Blaming working-class individuals from non-indigenous
backgrounds for economic issues distracts from the larger responsibility of
the government and big businesses in taking away resources, jobs, and
dignity from local communities. Instead, a more progressive approach would
unite working people of all ethnic backgrounds against the joint actions of
powerful corporations and the government in exploiting land and natural
resources. The emphasis is on collective action against a common problem
rather than pointing fingers at specific ethnic or national groups.
4. (Facing the Abyss, www.dawn.com, nov 2023)
 Forty per cent of our children are malnourished.
 We are one of only two countries, the other being Afghanistan, that has not
been able to eliminate polio
 Hepatitis and tuberculosis are uncontrolled and many health officials feel we
are on the verge of an AIDS epidemic
 One in four adults in Pakistan might be diabetic.
 Twenty-three million, possibly more, of our five-to-16-year-olds are not in
schools.
 living in Pakistan, almost in any big city, means losing four to five years of life
expectancy.
 We have private schools that charge up to Rs70,000 per child per month.
Even mainstream high-fee schools would be around Rs30,000 per child per
month.
 In other cases, significant groups of people have created their own separate
and dedicated streams for the provision of these services
5. Sach’s on Pakistan’s economy, www.dawn.com
 Dr. Jeffery sach’s suggests that Pakistan should invest in six areas to improve
its economy and to get out of the failing state syndrome: education,
healthcare, energy (decarbonised), sustainable land care use (land reforms),
urban renewal (where half the population now resides), and digital
transformation (5G is indispensable.) To even begin this odyssey, Pakistan
would need to raise its revenue collection to 25 or 30pc of its GDP —
essentially doubling its current rate.
6. Environmental, Social and Governance Framework (ESG) By Dr. Aneel Ahmed of
IPRI
  Government in coordination with corporate sector should create a legal
framework to propel sustainable development and also employment
 As the renewable sector grows, traditional energy sector roles related to fossil
fuel use might wane. It is therefore necessary to foster skill development for
the workforce to remain relevant
 Use digital tools to improve ESG reporting, transparency and stakeholder
engagement.

7. According to UN report released in Oct 2022, 7.6 million people in Pakistan are
addicted to drugs
8. Peace Education, The News, Nov 2023
 Certain strategies are mostly used in conflict resolution processes including
collaboration, compromise, accommodating, competition, and avoidance of
conflict.
 For long-lasting peace in society, we need to work on the grassroots level
first. But before we start work on peace education, we need proper
sustainable planning, high skills, and peaceful schooling for a harmonious
world.
 Inculcation of the subject ‘peace education’ is crucial as it is a sustainable
solution that aims to educate people to build non-violent conflict resolution
skills.
 We need openness to study diverse cultures, comparative religions, and
minorities, and need to accept and respect diversity.
Faculty screening is important, and every institution requires a psychologist to
understand student behaviour as well as provide them with specific guidance
and counselling.
9. Human Capital Crisis, The News, Nov 2023
 Pakistan’s most valuable resource for building a better future is its people,
but human resources have been neglected and underdeveloped.
 The World Bank's Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, points out a
"silent human capital crisis" in Pakistan. This crisis is characterized by issues
 such as 40% of children suffering from stunted growth and over 78% being
unable to read or understand a simple text by the age of 10.
 even a slight effort, such as an additional one percent of GDP per year spent
on water and sanitation, combined with better local-level coordination, could
significantly improve human development outcomes. It mentions that such
efforts could cut stunting by 50% over a decade.
 Pakistan's Human Capital Index (HCI) value is highlighted, standing at 0.41,
which is lower than the South Asia average of 0.48 and barely above the Sub-
Saharan Africa average of 0.40.
 The article mentions that the overall HCI value masks inequalities between
rich and poor, men and women, and urban and rural areas. These inequalities
have either persisted or widened, indicating a need for more inclusive human
capital development.
10. Labor Inspection- Dawn 2023
 Issue of non-compliance of labor laws in Sindh
 About 200 labor laws and rules
 An outdated recordkeeping requirement
 Obsolete administrative requirement related to recordkeeping. Examples
include rules on the distance between a well for drinking water and a latrine.
11. Dump all degrees, www.dawn.com, Dec 2023
 Pervaiz Hoodboy emphasizes how Pakistani degree will soon loose its worth
due to lack of real world application and poor teaching quality
 The demand for degrees in Pakistan is attributed to familial connections,
religious and ethnic affiliations, rather than competence.
 for a brighter future, children should focus on independent thinking, active
listening, critical thinking, and relating classroom learning to real-world
problems.
 The Single National Curriculum in Pakistan is criticized for promoting an
ideology that discourages independent thinking, potentially dimming the
future for the youth.
12. Human Smuggling, www.dawn.com, 2024
 Human smuggling is considered consensual, unlike human trafficking which
involves coercive practices.
 Over one million irregular migrants cross international borders annually
globally.
 In Pakistan, the annual figure varies between 80,000 to 100,000.
 The Balochistan-Iran-Turkiye route, leading to Europe via the Mediterranean
Sea, is the most popular due to its low cost and ease of movement.
 Pressures of traditional masculinity, desire for higher earnings, and the
perception of better opportunities in other countries contribute to migration
 Migration costs vary from Rs100,000 to Rs1,500,000 per migrant, depending
on factors like mode of travel, comfort, attempts, and documentation
  Corruption among law enforcement officials is common, with officials
allegedly ignoring smugglers' actions for kickbacks.
13. FROM HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT 2023, PUBLISHED
2022
14. General Overview:
a. Pakistani authorities intensified crackdown on media, civil society
groups, and opposition activists in 2022.
b. Failure to protect minorities and at-risk groups, exacerbated by
devastating floods affecting one-third of the country.
15. Media and Civil Society Suppression:
a. Rapid shrinking of space for free expression and dissent in Pakistan.
b. Harassment and prosecution of human rights defenders and journalists
critical of government policies.
c. Increased violent attacks on media members.
16. Abuse of Laws and Arrests:
a. Use of blasphemy accusations and colonial-era sedition law against
political opponents and journalists.
b. Arrest of Shahbaz Gill (PTI) on sedition charges for criticizing the
military.
c. Rape threats made by PTI activists against journalist Gharida Farooqi.
d. Journalist Waqar Satti faced blasphemy charges for posting a video
with quotes from Imran Khan.
17. Blasphemy Law and Religious Minorities:
a. Failure to amend or repeal blasphemy law provisions leading to
violence against religious minorities.
b. Ahmadiyya religious community targeted under blasphemy and anti-
Ahmadi laws.
c. Anti-cybercrime court sentenced Aneeqa Atiq to death for sharing
"blasphemous content."
d. Mob stoned to death Mushtaq Ahmed, diagnosed with a mental
disorder, for alleged Quran desecration.
18. Impact of Floods in 2022:
a. Over 1,500 killed, 33 million displaced, and billions in damages due to
floods.
b. Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change, facing warming rates above
global average.
c. Successful urging for a compensation fund at COP27, but inadequate
preparation for underlying vulnerabilities.
19. Health Inequities and Humanitarian Crisis:
a. Floods exacerbated health inequities for women and children.
b. 73,000 pregnant women and girls gave birth in unsafe conditions.
 c. 400+ children killed, 3.4 million children needing urgent humanitarian
assistance.
d. Approximately 16 million affected children lacked housing and access
to safe drinking water.

1. War and Peace

 In the Israel-Hamas War, Between 7 October 2023 and 14 January 2024, at
least 23,968 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 60,582 Palestinians were injured.
 Southern Promises, Dawn, 2024
I. Articles discusses the close relations the two apartheid states had
namely South Africa and Israel. Apartheid in South Africa and the
creation of "Bantustans" (Cordoned off settlements of Africans from
the white population) paralleled the cutting off of Palestinian
population centers.
II. Despite Israeli efforts to demonize Mandela and the ANC, Mandela remained
a lifelong supporter of the Palestinian cause, emphasizing the support
received from the PLO during the struggle against apartheid.
III. The article notes the malign role of the U.S., Israel's ally, suggesting CIA
involvement in tracking Mandela's movements during his anti-apartheid
activities. The historical parallels lead to the present, where descendants of
those who fought against injustice in South Africa seek to support the
Palestinian cause against what they perceive as a murderous regime in
Israel.
 Studies conducted by the European Parliament indicate a massive displacement of the
country's population across the European Union (EU). One of the main areas the study
examined was the movement of students. The number of students leaving Ukraine doubled
from 25,000 to 50,000 between 2007 and 2014. That number jumped to about 78,000 by
2019. The majority of these students were enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Poland.
 At least 569 Rohingya reportedly died or went missing (The Diplomat) while trying to flee
Myanmar or Bangladesh by sea last year, the UN refugee agency spokesperson said
yesterday, the highest in nearly a decade. The agency called on coastal authorities from
countries in the region to prevent such deaths.- CFR
 Israel seeks to recruit between ten and twenty thousand Indian migrant workers in the
coming months to address a labor shortage exacerbated by the war against Palestinian
militant group Hamas
 The Next Global War, www.foreignaffairs.com, Jan 2024
I. The author identifies ongoing conflicts, such as the devastating military conflict in
Europe, the Israel-Hamas struggle causing instability in the Middle East, and China's
coercive actions in East Asia, signalling a departure from the initial hopes of a
peaceful world.
II. Drawing parallels with the onset of World War II, the article discusses how the last
global war evolved from regional contests for primacy into a single, all-encompassing
struggle on a global scale.
III. It emphasizes that World War II began as three loosely connected regional contests:
Japan's actions in Asia-Pacific, Italy's ambitions in Africa and the Mediterranean, and
Germany's push for hegemony in Europe.
 IV. The author identifies three contemporary regional challenges: China's military
buildup in the western Pacific, Russia's war in Ukraine, and Iran's proxy conflicts in
the Middle East, all driven by autocratic governance and geopolitical grievances.
2. Climate Crisis
 Building Trust, Dawn.com, 2024
I. the World Economic Forum's risk report for 2024, highlighting that the first four
global risks in terms of severity are related to climate change.
II. potential loss of $12.5 trillion to the world economy and an additional 14.5 million
deaths by 2050.
III. COP28's call for doubling adaptation finance by 2025 is mentioned, emphasizing the
need for increased funding for adaptation in the Global South.

Social science theories

 Interactionist Perspective by George Mead
The interactionist perspective is a sociological theory that focuses on how
individuals actively shape and are shaped by their social environment through
interactions with others. This perspective emphasizes the significance of face-
to-face interactions, symbols, and shared meanings in the construction of
social reality. In simpler terms, interactionists believe that our understanding
of the world and ourselves is not predetermined but rather emerges through
our day-to-day interactions with people and our interpretation of symbols
and gestures. They argue that meaning is not inherent in objects or actions
but is created through social interactions. For example, consider the concept
of a "smile." Interactionists would argue that the meaning of a smile isn't
universal; it's constructed through social interactions. A smile might convey
happiness in one culture but could mean nervousness or politeness in
another. The interpretation of a smile depends on the shared meanings
within a specific social context.
 Functionalist perspective by Emile Durkheim
the functionalist perspective sees society as a system where each part has a
purpose, and the smooth functioning of these parts contributes to the overall
stability of the social order. It focuses on the positive functions that different
aspects of society serve in maintaining harmony and balance. For example, in
the functionalist view, the family serves the function of socializing and
educating children, providing emotional support, and ensuring the
continuation of the society by producing the next generation. Similarly,
education is seen to transmit societal values, skills, and knowledge to
individuals, preparing them for their future roles in society.
 Conflict Perspective by Karl Marx
While functionalism shows us a cooperative picture of society, the conflict
perspective looks at society as being composed of groups with their own
 distinct interests. This theory originates from Karl Marx, who viewed human
society as undergoing a series of different stages of economic
development. conflict theory is not limited to ideas of class. You can define
groups in various different ways, along religious, racial, gender, or political
lines. In each case, the members of those groups will tend to pursue what is
in the interests of their group. And in each case, conflict theory asks us to
look at which groups have power presently, and who is benefiting from
currently-existing social arrangements.
 Labelling perspective by Howard Becker
focuses on how individuals and groups are labeled and how these labels can
influence their behavior and societal reactions.

 Social contract theory by Thomas Hobbs, John Locke

 Pluralism by Robert A. Dahl
Pluralism posits that power in society is distributed among various interest
groups, each representing different perspectives and advocating for their
interests
 Post-colonialism by Edward Said
Postcolonial theory examines the effects of colonialism on societies and the
ongoing impact of colonial legacies. It analyzes power dynamics, cultural
imperialism, and the struggles for decolonization
 Speech Act Theory by JL. Austin
explores the idea that language is not just a means of conveying information
but also a way of performing actions. According to this theory, utterances can
have illocutionary force. Illocutionary acts refer to the speaker's intention or
the force behind the utterance. These acts can include making promises,
giving orders, asking questions, expressing wishes, and more. The
illocutionary force is what the speaker aims to accomplish with their speech.

Criminology Theories
1. Artificial Intelligence
1. Nonconsensual use of intellectual property to train AI.
 The Atlantic reported that 183,000 books were used without permission of the
authors to train artificial intelligence systems. (Dawn, Oct, move over writers, AI is
here.)
 The Writers Guild of America went on strikes to protect their intellectual property
rights from Artificial Intelligence (www.reuters.com, What caused the Hollywood
strikes, Sep 2023)
2. Disinformation
 Studies suggest in the months leading up to the American elections, 20 top-
performing hoax election stories generated more engagement on Facebook than the
20 top-performing credible stories from the top news outlets combined, including
the New York Times and Washington Post. Many came from Veles. (dawn.com,
Combating Disinformation, Oct)
 The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that “influencers” are
overtaking credible journalists as news sources, and fewer people trust traditional
media, whereas more people are turning to TikTok for news.
3. Environmental impact
  the International Energy Agency, a global body, estimated that nearly 50% of the
emissions reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 would come from
technologies that were not yet commercially available. (International Energy Agency,
2021)
 According to CAMS, LLMs result in significant amount of emissions. Particularly, chat-
gpt consumed 500 tons of carbon emissions when it was trained
4. Weaponry
5. Cyber Security (PIIA, AI for Cyber Security)
 awareness of cybersecurity must be spread through educational institutions,
particularly universities, and webinars and seminars should be conducted to make
the public aware of the challenges.
 Pakistan has been working on reactive cybersecurity up till now, but it’s time we start
looking into predictive cybersecurity, which needs to be infused with AI, where
possible attacks are predicted, and the results are also accurate up to 90 per cent
 In a cyber attack, networks are compromised and you lose connection with
everyone. Then the electronic media is stopped so you can’t see what’s happening
on the ground. Utilities and public infrastructure are destroyed. The idea is to either
steal, sabotage or compromise.
 modern weapons could be altered and manipulated through AI, which was why it
was important to have indigenous weaponry so the risks of manipulations could be
minimised.
6. Economic impacts
 Forbes also says that According to an MIT and Boston University report, AI will
replace as many as two million manufacturing workers by 2025.
7. Using AI for good
 A system of 1038 cameras capable of 360 degree movement that uses AI to
identify fire outbreaks. System called ALERTCalifornia AI
 According to Quantilus.com, AI can assist in electricity generation by finding
suitable locations for solar panels and wind turbines placement
 McKinsey estimates in its simulation models how AI has the profound impact
to deliver additional global economic activity of around $13 trillion in the
foreseeable future and by 2030
2. Misinformation and disinformation
1. Israel Gaza Misinformation, www.dawn.com, Nov 2023)
 Truth is the first casualty in war. While the nature of conflicts keeps evolving, the
accuracy of this military maxim has stood the test of time
 the alleged beheading of babies by Hamas attackers, the use of “crisis actors” to
show casualties, the publication of AI-generated images to show explosions and air
strikes and the posting of visuals from past conflicts — all of which has been posted
repeatedly despite multiple fact-checks.
 The study dubbed these accounts the “new elites” as they “exercise
disproportionate power and influence” over what audiences on X read and watch. In
three days, the news accounts published 298 posts, which got 112 million views. By
contrast, the “new elites” published 1,834 posts, raking in a staggering 1.6 billion
views
  Take the example of the strike on Gaza’s Ahli Arab Hospital on Oct 17. Within hours
of the strike, social media platforms, particularly X, were flooded with contradictory
claims on what caused the strike.
2. Digital Genocide, www.dawn.com, Nov 2023
 In this new world order, social media platforms have not only become sites where
genocides are justified, but also vividly depicted for the world to frightfully behold.
 Gaza is the world’s first digital genocide. A genocide where the images of intimate
suffering and death are instantly transmitted onto our screens
 This is — particularly because of the corporate media’s shameful bias — vital for the
truth and transparency that undergirds journalistic ethics. But from an existential
angle, curating a dangerous new (ab)normal where viewers on all sides are becoming
numb to the images of Palestinian death and suffering.
 Desensitised to a scale of human tragedy that should shake us all.
 Entrapped in a vile world order where scrolling past death is a routine part of our
absurd new life.
economy
agri
health
Edu
Environment
Law and Governance
Industry
IT
Politics
Women empowerment
Social issue
Human rights
Major intl issues and Pak's foreign policy
aspects of religious intolerance
major theories of 4 fields of knowledge (Psychology, Sociology, Pol. Sc, Philosphy)