Weekly Dawn Deconstruction April 03 - April 09 by M.Usman.pdf

(ICEP Dawn Deconstruction)
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Best Reading Experience
WEEKLY DAWN EDITORIALS &
OPINIONS DECONSTRUCTION
ICEP POLICY
We don’t own any of the articles included in this volume, every piece of writing is attributed to
the respective writer.
Knowing the current issues of Pakistan_ internal and external is imperative for Civil service
aspirants. Unlike India, in Pakistan no such digital platform or academic work is available for
aspirants' ease of preparation. Here you are given detailed deconstruction of important news and
articles. Read these editorials and Opinions carefully and keenly. These are important for
widening your knowledge base, improving language skills, understanding key issues, etc. This
section (Editorial/ Opinions) is very useful for English Essay, Current Affairs, Pakistan Affairs
– and sometimes Islamiat papers as the Exam emphasize more on analysis than giving facts.
💬 To the Point
✍️Presented By:
Mohammad Usman (WTSP# 03306344749)
▪ Competitive Exams
▪ Essay Writing
▪ Current Affairs
▪ Pakistan Affairs
▪ Global Issues
▪ Geopolitics
▪ International Relations
▪ Foreign Policy
Dated: April 03 to April 09

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TITLE PAGE
Police shake-up 07
Ghani’s proposal 08
Saudi FM on Israel 10
New EAC 12
Reviving The Nuclear Deal 13
Rashakai SEZ on success path 14
Russian FM In Pakistan 15
SBP’s Islamic banking plan 16
Provincial status for GB 18
Dawn Vocabulary 20-29
Domestic Violence 31
Power Games 34
Changing security paradigm? 36
Cries unheard 39
Moeed Yusuf’s civilian coup on national security 42
STEM — the way out of the rut 44
Uplifting the poor 46
Educated girl educated nation 48
Recent profile of SAARC 51
Peace through sectarian harmony 54
The victim who persecutes 57
Choosing a system of government 59
Failures in rural development 62
Resolving the water dispute 65
Biden aims for the impossible in Afghanistan 68
The Death of Neoliberalism Is Greatly Exaggerated 71
The U.S.-China Clash Is About Ideology After All 76
Pakistan’s Geoeconomic Delusions 80
U.S.-Russian Relations Will Only Get Worse 84
The new age of protectionism 90
“Islamo-Leftism” or Islamophobo-Leftism? 95
Pakistan-Russia strategic bonds make pivotal openings 99
American foreign policy and aftermath 102
While power struggle continues technology suffers 104
Amendment in the central bank act 107
Today we commemorate the Holocaust 110
The greenhouse gases we ignore at our peril 112
Indus Water Treaty 114
HEC: draining the swamp 119
There are grounds for concern about solar power’ 121

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This Week at a glance:_______________Major Developments
▪ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected Pakistan’s GDP growth
rate at 1.5 percent for the current fiscal year 2020-21 compared to negative 0.4
percent for the previous fiscal year 2019-20.The PTI led government has
envisaged GDP growth rate target of 2.1 percent for the current fiscal 2020-21
with the expectation that the recovery of economic activities will help achieve
the growth trajectory in the aftermath of overcoming COVID-19 pandemic.The
IMF had projected GDP growth rate at 1 percent but now it revised upward to
1.5 percent for the current fiscal year. The IMF has projected that Pakistan’s
growth rate would be 4 percent of GDP in next fiscal year 2021-22
▪ FIFA on Wednesday suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) due to
"third-party interference which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA
Statutes." In a statement, the global body said the situation was prompted by
the recent "hostile takeover" of the PFF headquarters in the northeastern
Lahore city, and ousting a FIFA representative.The move will lead to the PFF
losing all membership rights, including the participation of national teams or
clubs in international competitions, as well as the right to benefit from FIFA's
financial and development programs.Pakistan's football team ranks 200th in
FIFA World Rankings.
▪ The State Bank of Pakistan on April 5, 2021 announced the third five-year
strategic plan for Islamic banking industry, with the aim of expanding the
share of Islamic banks` assets and deposits to 30 per cent in overall banking
industry. The five-year plan (2021-25) envisages 35pc share of Islamic banks
in the branch network of overall banking industry, 10pc share of small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) and 8pc share in agriculture financing
respectively, in private sector financing. Currently, the Islamic banking
industry has acquired a market share of 17pc and 18.3pc in assets and
deposits, respectively, by the end of December 2020.
▪ Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that could keep him in the
Kremlin until 2036, the government said on April 5, 2021. The legislation
allows him to run for two more six-year terms once his current stint ends in
2024. It follows changes to the constitution last year.Those changes were
backed in a public vote last summer and could allow Putin, 68, to potentially
remain in power until the age of 83. He is currently serving his second
consecutive term as president and his fourth in total.
▪ Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap
for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement
with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document seen by this
news agency shows. Washington is pushing for a conference to be hosted by
Turkey, with UN involvement, this month to finalise a peace deal between the
government and the Taliban as a May 1 deadline looms for the withdrawal of
all foreign troops.
▪ Prime Minister Imran Khan has reconstituted a 25-member Economic
Advisory Council (EAC) with the induction of prominent businessmen,
including former finance minister Shaukat Tarin, to ensure availability of best

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possible professional advice to the government on its economic policies.Unlike
past practices, the new EAC will be headed by the prime minister himself. It
will give recommendations on macro-economic stabilisation measures and
carry forward the reform agenda for robust and sustained economic growth.
▪ Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Arms Control and
Disarmament Division Kamran Akhtar expressed concern over the
international security environment and asked the Conference on
Disarmament, the multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament, to come
out of its “stagnation”.The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which entered into
force in 1970, is considered as the cornerstone of international non-
proliferation regime. However, the ext-r--emely slow disarmament progress
has caused disappointment about it and its future.The next NPT Review
Conference is scheduled for August in New York. It has twice been delayed
because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
▪ Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan had marked the
beginning of 'a new era' with Russia as delegation-level talks with Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov progressed on Wednesday. This the first time
since 2012 that a Russian foreign minister had visited Islamabad.The foreign
minister said During our talks we considered ideas to further promote
#EconomicDiplomacy and discussed progress in the area of energy
cooperation including the Pakistan-Stream Gas Pipeline project. We reviewed
our cooperation in the field of security including counter-terrorism and
defence.
▪ Finance officials from the Group of 20 major economies are poised to back a
$650 billion boost in the IMF's emergency reserves on Wednesday and extend
a freeze on debt payments as part of an effort to help developing countries still
struggling to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.The G20 gathering, taking place
virtually on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary
Fund and World Bank, will also give US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen a
chance to press for a global minimum tax on corporate profits.The IMF on
Tuesday raised its 2021 global growth forecast to 6%, reflecting a rapidly
brightening outlook for the US, but it warned that emerging market economies
were lagging in advanced economies.
▪ Coronavirus-related deaths worldwide crossed 3 million on Tuesday,
according to a Reuters tally, as the latest global resurgence of COVID-19
infections is challenging vaccination efforts across the globe.Worldwide
COVID-19 deaths are rising once again, especially in Brazil and India.
According to a Reuters tally, it took more than a year for the global
coronavirus death toll to reach 2 million. The next 1 million deaths were added
in about three months.
▪ The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior has approved a bill to
make amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal
Procedure 1898 to take action against those who intentionally ridicule armed
forces.The bill says anyone who shall be guilty of said offence could face up to
two years imprisonment or fine that may extend to Rs500,000, or both.

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DAWN+ EDITORIALS SECTION

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Police shake-up |Dawn Editorial
AN unprecedented move has been made to weed out corrupt
cops in Punjab. On the provincial IGP’s instructions, 61 SHOs
with ‘tainted records’ have been suspended from service and
removed from their posts. Most of the personnel concerned
were posted in Faisalabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura and Kasur.
Details |
In an official letter to senior police officials across the province, the IG had ordered
that SHOs who had been challaned in criminal cases be removed while those against
whom criminal cases were registered should be suspended. Further, he said, SHOs
who had been awarded three or more major departmental punishments should be
transferred within the next 48 hours and not appointed as SHOs in future.
There has been some opposition from within the police to this course of action. A
report in this paper quoted some cops describing the move as a “gimmick”; they
have questioned why the action was limited to SHOs rather than being applied
across the board from the constable to the IG level.
According to them, many senior officials too have far from pristine service records.
Some cops have complained that police are also falsely implicated in criminal cases
on political grounds or by local pressure groups. These concerns may be valid to a
certain extent, and a departmental inquiry into the affected cops’ alleged criminal
records should be undertaken, but at least a beginning has been made.
Punjab’s notorious thana culture has been sent a message that it is no longer
business as usual where law-abiding citizens often have reason to fear approaching
law-enforcement. Police stations in Punjab — although other provinces, especially
Sindh, are not much better — under the direct command of the SHO concerned,
have an appalling record of torture in custody (sometimes resulting in the detainee’s
death), bribery, fake encounters, etc.
However, until an effective public complaints mechanism is set up, the yawning
trust deficit between citizens and police for reasons mentioned earlier will be
impossible to bridge. People have suffered for too long at the hands of an
unaccountable police drunk on their own power. A few dozen
suspensions/dismissals of SHOs are not enough to stem the rot.
Depoliticisation of the police is another critical requirement for improving its
performance. The fact is, the thana culture does not exist in isolation: it is enabled
by political interference in police transfers and postings. The cops know whom they
are serving — and far too often, it is not the people.

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Vocabulary Description
weed out (phrasal verb) — to remove someone, something from the group.
gimmick (noun) — trick, stunt for getting publicity and approval.
pristine (adjective) — clean, spotless, stainless.
yawning (adjective) — widening, broadening
to stem the rot. (Idiom) — to take action against something bad, before it
spreads and becomes worse: We must try to stop/stem the rot before the
whole school is corrupted.
Explanation: Stem rot is a disease caused by a fungus infection in the
stem. Fungus that causes stem rot are in the Rhizoctonia, Fusarium or
Pythium genera. Stem rot can readily infect crops that are in their vegetative
or flowering stages. The disease can survive up to five years in the soil.

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Ghani’s proposal | Dawn Editorial
AS questions swirl over whether or not the US will honour its
commitment to withdraw foreign troops from Afghanistan by
May 1, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has reportedly readied a
new plan to salvage the peace process.
Details |
The Afghan leader’s three-step process is designed to incrementally bring down
violence and spur the political process. As per details available in the media,
▪ the first step envisages a ceasefire and a political settlement;
▪ a presidential election and “government of peace” are part of step two;
▪ while building a “constitutional framework” for the war-torn country is the
third and final step.
As the Afghan Taliban — the primary foes of the government in Kabul — are wary of
any ‘foreign’ initiatives, this peace plan may have more potential for success. The
US, which backs Afghanistan’s government, is hoping some sort of deal will be
reached by the Taliban and the Kabul administration at a peace conference due to
take place in Turkey later this month. Meanwhile, it appears more and more difficult
that Washington will ensure all foreign forces are out of Afghanistan by the
beginning of May, though some say the Taliban may promise to halt attacks if the
deadline is in fact extended.
Indeed, the sooner the foreign forces leave Afghanistan and let the Afghans decide
their own destiny, the better it will be. However, this must be an orderly process and
the US and its allies cannot just cut and run, much like the Soviets did at the end
of the Afghan ‘jihad’. While the US and the Taliban had signed a peace accord in
Doha last year — under which the May 1 deadline has been set — there has been no
corresponding agreement among the Afghan stakeholders. The Ghani peace plan
and the meeting in Turkey offer a chance for the Afghans themselves to reach an
agreement. The Taliban should take advantage of the situation, and instead of
dismissing the Kabul administration as foreign ‘puppets’ they must engage with it to
forge a way out of the decades-long crisis that has ravaged Afghanistan.
If the Taliban remain obdurate, the cycle of violence will continue, worsening the
misery of the Afghan people. The Afghan government must assure all stakeholders
that the peace process will pave the way for free and fair elections that will empower
all Afghan tribes and ethnic and religious groups. If all sides show flexibility,
Afghanistan’s long nightmare could end soon.

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Swirl (verb) — move quickly in a circular way.
The hurricane was swirling at full speed.
Just cut and run (Idiom) — If someone cuts and runs in a difficult situation,
they try to escape from it quickly and gain an advantage for themselves,
rather than deal with the situation in a responsible way.
A cowardly decision to cut and run from the problems is not the way
forward.
obdurate (adverb) — stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course
of action. stubborn , obstinate , intransigent , inflexible , unyielding ,
unbending

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Saudi FM on Israel | Dawn Editorial
WHEN a number of Arab countries — led by the UAE — established ties with Israel
last year under the so-called Abraham Accords, the million-dollar question was
(and remains) when Riyadh would establish links with Tel Aviv. There has been
speculation in the media regarding secret meetings, with one report saying that
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman in the northern Saudi region of Neom last November. Riyadh flatly
denied the meeting took place, though Saudi officials, including the all-powerful
crown prince, have softened their tone towards the Jewish state.
In the latest indication that attitudes are changing, Saudi Foreign
Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan recently told CNN that
normalisation with Israel would bring “tremendous benefit to the
region”. In the same breath he added that Saudi-Israel ties depended
on the establishment of a Palestinian state — Riyadh’s standard line.
Critical Analysis |
Clearly, efforts are afoot to establish ties, yet the ‘thorny’ question of Palestine and
its people stands in the way. The fact is that there are quite a few common
denominators between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Primarily, they are both members
of the US-led geopolitical bloc, while both states share great animus towards Iran
— a feeling reciprocated by the Islamic Republic. However, while it was relatively
easy for the UAE and Bahrain to make public their ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia
faces a tougher challenge, as it hosts Islam’s holiest sites. Therefore, if it openly
courts Israel, it will be seen as ‘betraying’ the Palestine cause. The fact is that the
Arab states that have rushed to establish ties with Israel had already ditched
Palestine. The peace process is practically dead while the two-state solution is in
intensive care, repeatedly battered by a rapacious and unforgiving Israeli
establishment that is unwilling to see a viable Palestinian state, non-starters like
Donald Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ notwithstanding. In such a scenario, any
Muslim state that establishes relations with Israel has pretty much abandoned
Palestine.

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flatly (adverb) — categorically, in a specific and decisive manner
thorny (adjective) — tough or complex
denominators (noun) — common characteristics
animus (noun) — ) a feeling of strong dislike or hatred (SYN animosity
hostility)
animus against/towards
I have no animus towards Robert.
ditched (verb) — discard, give up, throw away
rapacious (adverb) — always wanting more money, goods etc than you need
or have a right to (SYN greedy)
rapacious landlords destroyed the country.
battered (verb) — to hit someone or something many times, in a way that
hurts or damages them.
He was battered to death.
As a child, she was battered by her father.

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New EAC | Nation Editorial
With the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) reconstituted by
PM Imran Khan, opportunities to improve Pakistan’s overall
economic performance and promote cohesion between private
and public sectors could increase tremendously.
Details |
As long as the authorities tread (walk) carefully and avoid repeating the mistakes of
previous versions of the EAC, the advisory body can actually have a positive impact
on the economy and people.
The new EAC consists of 25 new members—13 business men from the private sector
and 12 members of official government bodies. Compared to its 2018 version which
incorporated the expertise of 18 individuals, the strength of the new EAC might be
an advantage. It stands to extend a platform for additional members to voice their
concerns and suggestions with regards to policies that can be adopted by the
government. However, this slight moderation might only bring about marginal
potential at best.
Instead, it would bode well for the government to ensure that the patterns of the
past are not repeated yet again. The previous EAC failed to schedule regular
meetings and often, members would meet once in eight to 14 months. Furthermore,
the council was unable to retain its members for a longer duration, something that
is vital if any worthy change was to be made. It was due to such circumstances that
the PM embarked upon the mission to reconstruct the EAC and thus, it is
instrumental to craft a better path on this occasion for actual gains to be made.
The job of the EAC to provide informed opinions and suggestions to policymakers,
encourage collaboration between both sectors of the economy and enhance the
overall standing of the masses in the end is not a simple task.
Way forward |
Immense focus, dedication and effort is needed to ensure that this EAC succeeds in
what it has set out to achieve.

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Reviving The Nuclear Deal | Dawn Editorial
Many experts and analysts believe that the planned talks in
Vienna will be a breakthrough for the revival of the 2015 nuclear
deal between Iran and the United States (US). However,
Tehran’s rejection of “step-by-step” easing of restrictions
indicates that the talks might fail to achieve the desired goals.
Analysis |
To be fair to Iran, it was not Tehran that violated the deal. Yet, the attitude of the
Biden administration towards Tehran is not healthy; it will not help it to return to
the 2015 deal.
Instead of admitting the faults in the policies of the previous government, America’s
demand from Iran to show compliance to the agreement’s terms when their
compliance went long after the original deal was broken is unjust. The allies of the
US, instead of asking Iran to show a positive attitude, should recommend the US to
acknowledge past mistakes. Showing inflexibility will take this situation nowhere.
The Biden administration must attend the meeting without demanding anything
from Iran to give life to the dead deal.
Similarly, China and Russia must persuade Tehran that sticking to an extreme
position is not the best tactic to win itself concessions. The two powers enjoy good
ties with Tehran and they can persuade the Iranian government to be “constructive”.
Holding one’s ground in the current scenario is going to benefit neither the US nor
Iran. Both need to learn to compromise. Otherwise, the matter may be left
unresolved entirely.
Nevertheless, the success of the upcoming meeting is dependent on finding common
ground. If the US cuts back on some of the harshest sanctions, Biden’s
administration will show a practical demonstration of its commitment to upholding
the nuclear deal. Even if then, the remaining sanctions are contingent on certain
nuclear cutbacks, it is still a reasonable step forward that Iran might be more willing
to accept. But before anything else, giving some breathing space to Iran is essential
to make the Vienna talks fruitful.
Cuts back (verb) — to reduce the amount, decrease in something.
Contingent on (phrasal verb) dependent upon

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Rashakai SEZ on success path | Observer Editorial
MULTI billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered a very
important phase which entails immense economic benefits for Pakistan.
Sunday saw the arrival of equipment and machinery for the
setting up of a Steel Mill in Rashakai Special Economic Zone
(SEZ).This steel mill will be set up by a Chinese company called
Century Steel with an investment of $240 million. The mill
would produce about 1.5 million tonnes of steel per year.
Details|
During the construction phase of the project over 600 Pakistanis would get jobs
while in the second phase more than 1,000 people would be provided
employment.This indeed is the beginning of industrialization in the country and
Rashakai is all set to become a success story as reportedly more than two thousand
investors have already shown their interest in establishing industrial units there.
In addition, the CRBC, a Chinese firm, has entered into an agreement with Pakistan
for attracting foreign investment for development and marketing of the Rashakai
economic zone. This implies that more investment in the SEZ is in the offing.
Now it is the responsibility of the authorities concerned especially the CPEC
Authority to fully facilitate the investors in early realization of these industrial units
which, on the one hand, will provide job opportunities in abundance to the youth
whilst, on the other, will enhance the country’s exports and revenues.
Rashakai SEZ alone is expected to generate more than two hundred thousand jobs
and it would contribute 2.30 per cent to the provincial GDP.
It is also important that the government accelerates work on other SEZs by
removing all the hurdles in their way.
We will rather suggest that Prime Minister Imran Khan personally monitor the
progress on the SEZs by holding weekly meetings just like he is currently doing on
Ravi city and Naya Pakistan Housing Program.
One project that is facing long delays under the CPEC is the upgradation of the ML-
1.The CPEC Authority and Ministry of Railways should immediately sit with the
Chinese friends to get the project started.Simultaneous progress on all the CPEC
projects will indeed change the whole economic landscape of the country and take it
towards self-reliance.

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Russian FM In Pakistan | Nation Editorial
Due to FM Qureshi’s interaction on the sidelines of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in 2019 and
the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in 2020,
Russian Federation’s Foreign Minister (FM) Mr Sergey Lavrov
has paid an official visit to Pakistan.
Analysis |
The importance of Mr Lavrov’s visit to Pakistan can be gauged from the coverage it
is receiving in the media of our eastern neighbour. In the past few years,
engagements between Islamabad and Moscow witnessed a thaw owing to rapidly
changing geostrategic realities. The two sides will be holding delegation-level talks
to review the bilateral relationship.
The two FMs will share ideas on regional and international issues, as the press
release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) states. The new developments in
Afghanistan reveal that western influence in the region is waning. China and Russia,
along with Pakistan, have emerged as the real brokers of any deal that will ensure
peace and stability not only for Afghanistan but also for the whole Eurasian region.
The dawn of this new era—which both China and Russia want—primarily depends
on peace in Afghanistan without any foreign presence.
As the integration of Europe and Asia will change the fate of both Russia and China,
Pakistan will also be affected by the newly emerging geopolitical landscape. After all,
Islamabad stands to be in the centre of those rare moments in history when the
political and economic axis of the world is shifting.
Way forward |
▪ Given all these developments, Islamabad and Moscow need to collaborate in
all regional initiatives to reap the dividends. All regional cooperative efforts
can benefit immensely if Russia becomes a party to them.
▪ Therefore, Pakistan needs to sign some tangible memorandums of
understanding (MoUs) with Russia regarding its participation in development
and infrastructural projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) pipeline.

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SBP’s Islamic banking plan | Pak Observer Editorial
IN a welcome development, State Bank of Pakistan has
launched a third five-year plan (2021-25) to support Islamic
banks in expanding their outreach nationwide, advising them to
increase online banking and capitalize on fintech to sustain the
growth momentum.
Detailed Analysis |
The plan is aimed at making Islamic banking one-third of the overall banking
industry by 2025. Islamic banking is not new in Pakistan as already there are five
full-fledged Islamic banks and 17 conventional banks have standalone Islamic
banking branches offering Shariah-compliant products and services.
There are 3,456 branches of Islamic banks and 1,638 Islamic banking windows at
conventional branches successfully doing business to the satisfaction of the
management as well as their customers in 124 districts of the country.
However, it is also a fact that there is enormous potential to expand Islamic banking
as there is growing realization among the predominant Muslim population of the
country to get rid of ‘Riba’ based economy as per injunctions of the Holy Quran and
Sunnah.
Article-227 of the Constitution provides that all existing laws shall be brought in
conformity with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and
Sunnah while Article 37 dealing with Principles of Policy enjoins upon the State to
eliminate Riba as early as possible.
It is regrettable that 47 long years have elapsed since adoption of the Constitution
but these important provisions could not be implemented in letter and spirit mainly
because of lack of political commitment.
The Council of Islamic Ideology and several other institutions have done
commendable research work on the subject of Islamic banking and substantial
progress can be made towards Islamization of the economy if this work is given
practical shape under the guidance of experts.
Though the targets given in the third plan are not aggressive, one has to realize that
only a gradual approach can work in a system that is dominated by Riba-based
operations.

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What is Islamic Banking, how it is different from Conventional banking:

18
Provincial status for GB | Observer Editorial
ACCORDING to reports, internal processes have almost been
completed to grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit-
Baltistan to meet long standing demand of the people of the
otherwise neglected region.
Detailed Analysis |
The move would afford an opportunity to the local population to get similar rights as
are enjoyed by people living in other provinces of the country and help secure vital
geo-strategic route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) besides vital
economic and energy interests of Pakistan.
There is no doubt that successive governments in Pakistan tried to meet aspirations
of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan through several legal and constitutional packages
but all of them remained short of expectations of the people of GB, who wanted their
representation in the National Assembly and the Senate at par with other provinces,
legal, administrative and judicial systems as exist in rest of the four provinces and
fuller autonomy free from the control of the Federal Ministry of Gilgit-Baltistan and
Kashmir Affairs.
The sentiments of the local population were reflected by a unanimous resolution
adopted by the Legislative Assembly of GB on March 9, 2021 urging the
Government to make the region an interim province of Pakistan and to adopt a
constitutional amendment to declare GB as a province keeping in view Pakistan’s
principled stand on Kashmir issue.
Luckily, there is unanimity of views in Pakistan for grant of provincial status to GB
as the opposition too is on board but moves aimed at realization of that objective
could not fruition due to estranged relationship between the Government and the
Opposition.
There is a misnomer that declaration of the region as a province of Pakistan would
harm the country’s stand on Kashmir dispute as the decision would be ‘provisional’
subject to final settlement of the Kashmir issue on which Pakistan has a principled
position.It is believed that joint resistance on Kashmir has also been taken into
confidence and they already understand that India relies on twisting of facts and
fake news.They have been told that the new arrangement will have a provision to
cater for plebiscite as per the United Nation Security Council resolutions for final
settlement of the issue.
Hopefully, the Government would come out with a consensus constitutional
amendment bill for the purpose and necessary steps would be taken to meet
demands of people of GB so that their sense of deprivation comes to an end.

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Misnomer (noun) — A misnomer is a name that is incorrectly or
unsuitably applied. Misnomers often arise because something was named
long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of
something has been replaced by something to which the name no longer
applies.
Any book title that is not matched with the internal content can be called a
misnomer.
Example:
Jellyfish and starfish are not even distantly related to fish (although jellyfish do
have a gelatinous structure similar to gelatin dessert).
A peanut is not a nut in the botanical sense, but rather a legume. Similarly, a
coconut is not a botanical nut but a drupe.
Several fruit that are not berries include strawberries, bayberries, raspberries, and
blackberries.
French horns originated in Germany, not France.
Chinese checkers did not originate in China or in any other part of Asia.
Although dry cleaning does not involve water, it does involve the use of liquid
solvents.
The "funny bone" is not a bone—the phrase refers to the ulnar nerve.

20
DAWN VOCABULARY SECTION

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Important Dawn vocabulary
1. ascent (noun) — the act of climbing upward , the height, acclivity
2. mountaineering (verb) — the activity/sports of climbing mountains
3. benchmark (noun) — point of reference, standard, criterion
4. ambush (verb) — surprise attack, attack unexpectedly,
5. slam/slammed (verb) — criticise severely
6. single out (phrase) — choose, take, select, pick out
7. denounce (verb) — publicly declare to be wrong or evil, condemn, censure
8. brazen (adjective) — bold and without shame, blatant
9. hard-line (noun) — firm and uncompromising; "a hard-line policy"
10. thrive on (something) (phrase) — to prosper, to become more successful
11. contender (noun) — contestant, challenger, competitor,
12. invective (adjective) — insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
13. heap on somebody (verb) — give someone a great deal of criticism/praise
14. procure (verb) — obtain (something), especially with effort, acquire,
15. strike a deal (idiom) — sign a business deal, make an agreement
16. evict (verb) — expel (someone) from a property, especially with the support of
the law.
17. Frown on (phrase) — not approve of something, disapprove, opposed
Personal phone calls are frowned at work.
18. squatter (verb) — a person who unlawfully occupies an uninhabited building
or unused land.
19. discretion (noun) — the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular
situation, choice, option
20. pervasive (adjective) — prevalent widely , pervading , permeating ageism
is pervasive and entrenched in our society
21. swamp(ed) (verb) — overwhelm or flood with water, inundate
22. impinge (verb) — encroach or infringe upon; "This impinges on my rights as
an individual"; (synonym) encroach, entrench, trespass
23. fanfare (noun) — A fanfare has also been defined as "a musical announcement
played on brass instruments before the arrival of an important person",
24. sans (verb) — without my love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw— William
Shakespeare
1. Spell out (phrase) — make clear, explain in detail; figure out through careful
study.

22
2. shoddy (adjective) — badly made or done: we're not paying good money for
shoddy goods.
3. cut a sorry figure (idiom) — to have a bad impression, be ashamed.
You'll cut a sorry figure at the job interview if you wear jeans
4. expediency (noun) — action that is quickest or most effective in a particular
situation, even if it is morally wrong : the ethics of political expediency
5. lace(d) with (phrase) — copuled with, something added with. Each document
is laced with misinformation
6. loss of face (phrase) — having lost the respect of other people, as due to having
done something improper or unacceptable.
After my terrible loss of face in front of the in-laws, I knew I couldn't return to
their home in my entire life
7. a skeleton in the cupboard (idiom) — An embarrassing or shameful secret
happened in the past, that one wants to keep hidden at all cost.
If you've got a skeleton in the cupboard, it will probably be exposed during this
campaign
8. (bring smth) out in the open (phrase) — Exposed and visible to public in an
open manner.
Until facts are not brought out into the open, we will not go quiet
9. cost (someone) dearly (idiom) — To cause dire, harmful, or problematic
consequences for someone, especially regarding a foolish action or a mistake.
Drinking all night before his final exams is going to cost him dearly
10.vicissitudes (noun) — the continuous changes and problems that affect a
situation or someone’s life | the vicissitudes of married life
11. intact (adjective) — unbroken, undamaged; unscathed, inviolate;
12.strike a chord (idiom) — cause someone to feel sympathy, emotion, or
enthusiasm.
"the issue of food safety strikes a chord with almost everyone”
13. affront (verb) — an action or remark that causes outrage or offence | the
sackings were an affront to justice.

23
14.in every sense of the word (idiom) — It means that the word or the sentence
literally means everything it states, seriously.
“I’m a loyal Pakistan's drama fan and I mean ‘fan’ in every sense of the word.
15. demeanor (noun) — outward behaviour or bearing| his happy demeanor.
16.paints a bleak picture (Idiom) — shows depressing scenario
17. Herculean task (adjectives) — difficult task
18.Chilling (adjective) — frightening
19.to think on one’s feet (Idiom) — to be able to think quickly, to respond
immediately, or to come to a good solution without a long period of
deliberation.
The education authorities must be prepared to think on their feet to ensure that
schools, colleges and universities do not contribute to the infection rate in the
country.
▪ Explanation:
The idea behind think on one’s feet may come from the image of someone
speaking before an audience, especially if one is fielding questions or
debating an opposing viewpoint. Today, think on one’s feet may refer to
public speaking, or it may refer to someone who can respond quickly to
changing circumstances. Think on one’s feet came into use sometime
around 1900.
20.sulking (verb) — express anger or resentment by refusing to speak or interact.
Example:
Trump spent the last days of his presidency sulking in the residential part of the
White House. According to the White House press corps, he had isolated himself
from nearly everyone and busied himself in making a list of his enemies, which
included his own vice president.

24
1. tumultuous (adjective) — confused and disordered
 Wednesday, a sense of normality returned to Washington as
Joe Biden took his oath of office as US president, bringing to an
end four tumultuous years of Trumpism.
 The tumultuous four years of their love-relationship ended at
last. ‫۔‬ ‫ہوئی‬ ‫ختم‬ ‫تو‬ ‫لئے‬ ‫اس‬ ،‫تھی‬ (‫)ٹومولچواس‬ ‫داستان‬ ‫بھری‬ ‫محبت‬ ‫کی‬ ‫دونوں‬ ‫ان‬
2. roller-coaster (noun) — a situation that changes often; behavior,
events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes.
 Donald Trump’s time in the White House was a veritable (truly)
roller-coaster ride, with the former president throwing convention
to the wind and
creating a number
of crises
domestically and
in foreign affairs.
3. to go extra mile (idiom)—to make more effort than is expected.
 Mr Biden has a major task ahead of him, and it will require the
veteran American politician to go the extra mile to put out the
many fires his unorthodox predecessor has lit.

25
4. floundering (adjective) — to struggle in water clumsily, sinking deeply,
to be in a very difficult situation.
 Mr Biden has to deal with a
raging coronavirus pandemic,
a floundering economy and a
nation deeply divided along racial
and ideological lines.
5. coax (out) (verb) — To get something out with persistent efforts, to
persuade
 He will also have to coax America out of isolation mode and steer
it towards reintegration into the global mainstream.
6. a spent force (phrase) — someone or something that does not have the
influence that they had in the past.
 Meanwhile, the attack on the US Capitol earlier this month by
Trump supporters showed that the far right in the US is hardly a
spent force, and has literally shaken the corridors of power.
Synonyms:
 a lost cause, a lame duck, here in the context the above phrase is
used in negation.
7. rip off (phrase) — an act of stealing or cheating, exploitation especially
financial.
 These include the confrontation with China, whom Mr Trump
accused of “ripping off” the US, setting in motion a steady decline
in Sino-American relations.
8. mollycoddling (verb) — treat someone with excessive care, which can
ultimately spoil its habits or personality.
 Further, Mr Trump’s mollycoddling of Israel destroyed any
illusion of American neutrality in the Arab-Israeli dispute.
 Let’s not not pamper or mollycoddle our children, for their future'
sake.

26
9. rule out (phrase) — dismiss from consideration, reject (smth) as an
option.
 While the PPP and PML-N have indicated they would accept Mr
Khan’s challenge, the ECP has ruled out the option of a public
hearing and has asked that “unnecessary comments” be avoided in
this case.
10.a tad hallow (adjective) — “a tad” literally means “a little”, it is
sometimes used in a sarcastic way. A “little” here = very much.
Hallow is separate word, “a tad” is actually not an Idiom but a combined
adjective.
 However, Mr Khan’s demand that the scrutiny be applied to other
parties too is a tad hollow.
11. reek of (smth) (phrase) — give indication of, smells of, shows
something.
 In this context, where his party has fought tooth and nail against
disclosure, his demand for across-the-board accountability reeks of
double standards.
Difference between reek and wreak:
As a verb, reek means a few things. Most often, it refers to a bad smell. You can either
say, “The pile of dirty laundry reeks” or “The pile of dirty laundry is reeking.” Both of
these sentences describe the laundry’s bad odor. Here’s an example of reek as
a noun: The reek from the dirty laundry was so strong, she could smell it from the
hallway.
Reek may also mean “to emit” or “to have an air of.” This sense is usually used with
negative qualities, while exude tends to be matched with positive ones. This can apply
to both actual smells and abstract qualities (like emotions). For example, The bride
exuded happiness while her ex-boyfriend reeked of jealousy.
Wreak is a verb that means “to inflict” or “to carry out.” It’s most commonly used with
havoc. However, it can also be used with other words, like rage, revenge, or
destruction. Someone who wreaks vengeance inflicts punishment on those who hurt
them.
Wreak can be applied to anything that causes damage. A powerful storm could
wreak destruction on a neighborhood. Wreak doesn’t have to refer to physical
damage. For example, a friend who cancels plans, apologizes, and then cancels
again might wreak havoc on your emotions.

27
12.fight tooth and nail (idiom) — to fight to the end, fight fiercely
13. in the dock (idiom) — a place in the court where accused stands, to be
in a trial, under tight scrutiny and investigation.
 For him (Imran Khan) to call for an expanded inquiry at a time
when his party is in the dock will be seen as an attempt to deflect
attention from the case.

28
14. The white elephant (idiom) — something, such as a new building, plan,
or project that is a waste of money and completely useless.
 There is only one way to reform this white elephant (referring to
PTV). It must be taken away from the clutches of the information
ministry and the governing board beholden to the government, and
handed over to an independent and professional management that
can run it without any official pressure. There are various examples
in the world where countries have converted their decaying state
media organisations into vibrant public broadcasters.
Origin:
 The term derives from the sacred white elephants kept by Southeast Asian
monarchs in Burma, Thailand. To possess a white elephant was regarded
(and is still regarded in Thailand and Burma) as a sign that the monarch
reigned with justice and power, and that the kingdom was blessed with peace
and prosperity.
Because the animals were considered sacred and laws protected them from
labor, receiving a gift of a white elephant from a monarch was simultaneously
a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because the animal was sacred and a
sign of the monarch's favour, and a curse because the recipient now had an
expensive-to maintain animal he could not give away and could not put to
much practical use.
In modern usage, the term now often refers in addition to an extremely
expensive building project that fails to deliver on its function or becomes very
costly to maintain.Examples include prestigious but uneconomic
infrastructure projects such as airports, dams, bridges, shopping malls.

29
15. Go the way of dinosaurs (idiom) — To become extinct, obsolete, old-
fashioned, or no longer in common use.
 PTV in its present form is a burden that the Pakistani taxpayer must
not have to carry. If it is not reformed it will go the way of the
dinosaurs.
Other Examples:
 If we don't get climate change under control, we're going to see a
number of animal species go the way of the dinosaurs.
 With the sudden ubiquity of smartphones, it seemed like
wristwatches might be going the way of the dinosaur.
 Thankfully, such ignorant views about interracial relationships have
largely gone the way of the dinosaurs.

30
DAWN+ OPINIONS SECTION

31
Domestic violence | Dawn Opinion
Sharmeela Rassool | Riffat Sardar
Sharmeela Rassool is serving as the country representative of UN Women Pakistan.
Riffat Sardar is the chairperson of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of
Women.
WITH the enactment of the Domestic Violence against Women (Prevention and
Protection) Act in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in January 2021, all four provinces of
Pakistan are now equipped with legislation that is instrumental for addressing
domestic violence. The new law is a landmark one for the province, and a
comprehensive piece of legislation that is expected to play a pivotal role in
protecting women, and equipping the duty bearers to dispense justice more
effectively and efficiently.
The law has devised effective reporting, gender-sensitive, survivor-centric, quality
services and preventive strategies for transformative change in society. The
enactment of this act negates the belief that domestic violence is a private matter of
any household; it has now become the state’s responsibility to protect women from
violence.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the most common forms
of domestic abuse are
▪ shouting or yelling (76 per cent),
▪ slapping (52pc),
▪ threatening (49pc),
▪ pushing (47pc),
▪ punching (40pc)
▪ kicking (40pc).
According to a media report, “KP police data shows an increase in the number of
domestic violence cases registered in 2019, especially in murder.

32
In 2018, 180 women were murdered in their households — in 2019, the figure rose
to 217. Thirty-six women reported physical abuse at home in 2019, three times more
than in 2018.”
The new KP law is a significant step towards
women’s empowerment.
According to a report published in the Daily Mashriq, a local newspaper, in 2020,
5,515 women were brought to only five government-run shelter homes as
survivors of gender-based violence including domestic violence.
In the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, data and reports from those on the front
lines, have revealed that “all types of violence against women and girls, particularly
domestic violence, has intensified”. According to the Director of Bolo helpline
(managed by the Social Welfare Women Empowerment Department, KP) during
periods of lockdowns, from March 2020 to December 2020, the ratio of violence
increased by 45pc in KP, when the reported cases were analysed.
Benefits of the Act |
In the backdrop of the increased cases of domestic violence, this Act will ensure
timely efforts are put in place to strengthen prevention and protection measures for
the survivors. The Act has enabled a standard legal definition of ‘child’ at the
provincial level which was not clear in the previous laws and the addition would be
helpful in discouraging child marriages.
In addition, this Act substantiates the state’s commitment to the establishment of
women shelters in every district, thus responding to the need for protection of
survivors of domestic violence in a timely manner. The government of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa operates seven shelters (in Abbottabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Mardan,
Swat, Haripur and Kohat) for women who experience domestic abuse. Each of the
shelters hosts 70 women, according to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Social Welfare
Department data. The province’s population is estimated to be over 35.5 million.
12-member district protection committees |
The Act provides for the setting up of 12-member district protection committees that
would include members from different government departments as well as civil
society, with 33pc of the quorum consisting of female members. The committee
would be responsible for raising awareness among women at the community level
about their rights under the law in addition to keeping a record of complaints,
petitions and court orders. The secretary of the district protection committee will be
the chairperson of the district committee on the status of women established under
Section 8-e of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women Act,
2016. But the formation and notification of these committees have been pending for
years which would be a hurdle in the way of implementation of this newly enacted
legislation. Now that this important piece of legislation has been passed, its effective
implementation is vital
Challenges ahead |
Further challenges are foreseen in terms of enforcement to make it trickle down and
benefit the survivors of violence as the response mechanisms still require

33
strengthening. Like other laws of the land, it could be complicated to draft and
approve the rules of business which are essential for implementation, and the
notification of district committees on the status of women will also be required, as
stipulated in the Act. It is now crucial for the government of KP to efficiently plan,
budget and take practical steps for all essential services and response mechanisms
for effective implementation of this significant legislation.

34
Power games | Dawn Opinion
Owen Bennett-Jones
The writer is author of The Bhutto Dynasty: The Struggle for Power in Pakistan.
COMPARED to other Pakistani civilian leaders Imran Khan has had it easy.
Although there may have been tension between him and the army, he has never had
reason to fear that his government was about to be overthrown.
That is something others have not enjoyed. Right from the start of his time in power,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was on a path of confrontation with the military. He always
believed the most significant threat to his holding on to power was a military coup
and he devoted considerable amounts of his political capital to trying to avoid that
outcome. One of his last prison cell requests was for books by the German wartime
dictator Adolf Hitler. He said he wanted to understand how Hitler, unlike himself,
had been able to control his generals.
Given what happened to her father, it is unsurprising that Benazir Bhutto was, if
anything, even more paranoid about the military. Before she was able to translate
her election victory into power, she knew she was up against a bureaucratic and
military elite that neither trusted her nor wanted her in power. As her
administration progressed, she uncovered sophisticated, determined plots to
overthrow her and increasingly her efforts focused not so much on governing
Pakistan but rather on how to hold on to power.
Given that Nawaz Sharif started his ascent to power with Gen Zia’s blessing, it is
perhaps more surprising that he now argues that the most significant problem faced
by any civilian leader in Pakistan is being undermined by the army. But then again,
he has not been able to complete even a single one of his three terms in office.
The only man not to have his government overthrown — Asif Zardari — achieved
that outcome by deploying very deliberate tactics aimed at preventing any challenge
to his presidency. Having little interest in policy issues, he simply gave any power
centre he knocked into whatever it wanted. But that’s not to say he wasn’t always
looking over his shoulder. When he became ill as president, he refused treatment by
military doctors because he thought they might harm him. Indeed, he once
remarked that of all the objectives he had during his time in government, the one at
the top of his list was still being alive when he left office.

35
If Imran Khan faced the same problems as his civilian predecessors, he would, by
now, be on full-time power-protection mode, devoting all his energy into hanging
on. The fact that he has not had these concerns means he should have been able to
devote himself to delivering his many ambitious policy objectives. And there is
another factor to consider. The best-resourced and best-run organisation in the
country, the army, has been willing to support the Khan government with technical
expertise in a way that it may have been reluctant to do for the other civilian
governments.
So, what were Imran Khan’s objectives on which, by now, we should be seeing some
signs of progress? He vowed to repatriate all the corrupt money being hidden away
abroad. And he said that having the common man’s interest at heart he would make
sure that basic foodstuffs and other household essentials were affordable. What’s
more, PIA would finally be fixed. He must be disappointed then to see not only that
many of the elite’s foreign bank accounts remain stuffed with proceeds of corruption
but also that many of his ministers are suspected of financial wrongdoing. On top of
that inflation is high and PIA remains a basket case.
And what of the security establishment? What is it thinking? For once it has backed
a civilian government — albeit a highly amenable and compliant one — but it turns
out that it is just as unable to deliver as it predecessors. Imran Khan and his allies
blame the legacy of Nawaz Sharif but as each month passes that excuse becomes
ever less sustainable and the time is approaching when the current government has
to take responsibility for its own failings
Even if the establishment is frustrated by the incompetence of the Khan
government, it remains committed to allowing the prime minister to see out his
term. And then will come the question of whether it will continue to back him or
oversee a transfer of power. With so many historical resentments about the other
main political figures and their parties, it may well be that it will once again want to
ensure an Imran Khan victory.If so, they may experience more frustration.
Ultimately, the only way civilian governments in Pakistan will improve is when they
are allowed to fail and then be punished for it at the ballot box. Because when
winning power depends on performance and not back-room deals, then the civilian
politicians might start performing better.
A basket case (phrase)
someone who is extremely nervous or anxious and
is therefore unable to organize their life:
By the end of the course I was a complete basket
case.
Origin: The term originated in America after the
First World War, indicating a soldier missing both
his arms and legs, who needed to be literally carried
around in a litter or “basket” though there are no
records of any soldiers being carried in baskets.

36
Changing security paradigm? | Dawn Opinion
Muhammad Amir Rana
The writer is a security analyst.
A SERIES of recent events has led many to speculate that winds of change
pertaining to the national security paradigm may be blowing in Islamabad’s policy
corridors. From the Pakistan army chief’s calling on India and Pakistan to bury the
past and move on, and the exchange of letters between the two countries’ prime
ministers, to the renewed discourse on bilateral trade — despite the subsequent
backtracking — it reflects Pakistan’s apparently changing and intertwined national
security and economic diplomacy outlooks. And this is happening at a time when an
initial draft of the long-awaited national security policy is expected to be soon
submitted to the prime minister.
Successive governments in Pakistan, since 2008 to be precise, have struggled to
craft a brand new, comprehensive national security policy. They assigned the task to
diplomats, bureaucrats, and retired generals, who submitted the drafts to their
respective governments. While the governments, for reasons unknown, preferred
not to announce or make public those policy drafts, portions of these made their way
into the media. They indicated a shift from geostrategic to geo-economic
considerations, and the insertion of non-traditional and human security dimensions
into the orbit of national security.
▪ The last policy document had gone a step further by adding a component of
regional connectivity to supplement the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative while
conceiving Pakistan as a transit state. Although previous versions have already
covered most essential elements of national security, both internal and
external, the incumbent government claims that the policy draft it intends to
put forth would be the outcome of a more inclusive process.
Some flaws when it comes to formation of National Security Policy |
However, it is difficult to understand these ‘mysterious’ inclusive processes in
Pakistan, in particular on national security, which evade parliament and are usually
considered the exclusive domain of powerful institutions.
▪ Lack of parliamentary debate on the issue was also a major flaw in the
previous drafts of the national security policy.

37
On the whole, in Pakistan, democracy or democratic processes are hardly
considered a factor in nurturing national cohesion, building trust among
communities and bringing economic prosperity to the country. There is no harm in
getting input from academic institutions and think tanks, despite their sorry state of
affairs in the country. At least the standing and special committees of the lower and
upper houses can be taken on board. In the end, these committees can ensure
implementation and transparency in policy discourse. But the establishment is not a
big fan of these committees and often ridicules the ‘quality’ of the people’s
representatives.
The fate of the policy framework, which has yet to materialise, cannot be predicted.
The role of bureaucracy:
▪ The bureaucracy has also developed some security frameworks,including
▪ the National Internal Security Policy,
▪ Counter Violent Extremism Policy,
▪ and National Dialogue Policy.
However, these policies have never been taken seriously enough to be implemented.
The existing power structure is not capable of conceiving new ideas nor can it
implement even what it devises on its own. The National Action Plan is another
example of this failure, with a little exception in that parliament was taken on board,
at least for its endorsement. This is the reason NAP is still alive in memory and we
recall it whenever any critical extremism challenge arises.
A shift in our security approach needs open discussion on
public forums, media, and in parliament.
Developing a discourse on critical security challenges does not require rocket
science. The collective memory of a nation guides its provisions, which are largely
related to our lives, society and nation. Drafting may require skill and for this
purpose, the bureaucracy is brought in. If shorn of (be free from) clichés and
jargon, the national security discourse can be described in a simple way.
Guiding principles of National Security |
To handle its internal and external challenges, Pakistan needs a strong economy and
good relations with the world, especially with its neighbours. Among the
neighbours, India is the most critical challenge, mainly because of the Kashmir
issue. To deal with India, there are several courses of action possible, including
direct talks, mediation or complete disengagement. To defuse tensions, there are
few better examples in both countries than the efforts made by Vajpayee, Musharraf,
and Mian Nawaz Sharif. If required, these can be used as a template or they can be
reinvented, but the most important consideration is leadership.
The relationship between India and Pakistan has passed through many ups and
downs. During the good patches it has triggered enormous optimism on both sides,
but its fundamentally conventional framework has remained intact. It is interesting
that whenever a change in national security is conceived in Islamabad, it starts from
the eastern border. This is natural as our political universe revolves around the
threat from the eastern side, and this is deeply rooted in our psyche.

38
In that context, does there need to be a shift in Pakistan’s security approach? Does
the conventional security paradigm not serve the purpose? If so, why, and what kind
of shift does the power elite have in mind? These questions need an open discussion
on public forums, media, and most importantly, in parliament.
Pakistan’s political and strategic position has been subject to an international
coercive process, where its relationship with traditional allies including the US and
the Middle East has gone through a transformative phase, and India has exploited it
very well.
Economic Perspective |
Since its inception, Pakistan’s economy has remained dependent on its political and
strategic relationship with the world, mainly the West, China, and the Middle East.
Whenever global and regional political dynamics change, Pakistan’s economy
suffers. The power elites have been successful in so far as realignment and adjusting
according to their strategic needs are concerned, but they have never seriously
addressed the economic issue.
Pakistan has to focus more on transforming its economy, which may require good
relations with India, Afghanistan and Iran. Conceiving everything in the security
perspective and putting everything in the basket of human security will further
empower the elites, which are least interested in reforming the economy, state, and
society, and more concerned about maximising the advantages to themselves. The
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has become a victim of this mindset. CPEC has
great potential to transform the economy and challenge the existing means of
production, but the idea has been confined to a narrow strategic and political
context.

39
Cries unheard | Dawn Opinion
Mohammad Ali Babakhel
The writer is author of Pakistan: In Between Extremism and Peace.
This article will help you understand what are the problems that
needs to be solved in order to curtail domestic violence and CAW.
Pakistan approval of CEDAW’S led to initiatives such as women police stations and
women protection laws. But crimes against women did not stop, exposing the failure
of society and the criminal justice system (CJS). Despite defined
responsibilities, why did individuals, families, society and media fail to prevent
CAW (crime against women)? Despite the state’s legal jurisdiction why is violence
against women perceived as a family affair here? Prompt response to and reporting
of CAW can move CJS wheels but because CAW is seen as a family affair, countless
incidents go unreported.
Failure in curtailing CAW: Factors responsible
Owing to a discrepancy in statistics, it’s hard to quantify CAW.
▪ For suicide, rape, murder and injury, medico-legal opinion has decisive weight
but resource constraints, operational problems, social taboos and poor coor-
dination hamper justice. MLOs (Medico-legal officers) delay reports and write
them in isolation. Better coordination between investigators and MLOs will
(CEDAW’S) Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women New York, 18
December 1979
On 18 December 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the
United Nations General Assembly. It entered into force as an
international treaty on 3 September 1981 after the twentieth
country had ratified it. By the tenth anniversary of the
Convention in 1989, almost one hundred nations have agreed to
be bound by its provisions.
The Convention was the culmination of more than thirty years of
work by the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women, a body established in 1946 to monitor the situation of
women and to promote women's rights.

40
improve report quality. Completing medico-legal reports within a specific per-
iod reduces chances of manipulation; to improve coordination every district
should have software accessible to authorised judges, prosecutors, doctors and
SP investigation. Medical evidence is irrefutable. Timely medical examination
helps justice. Availability of medical reports ensures that during investigation
an FIR is not cancelled nor a compromise effected.
▪ Honour killing is seen as an intra-family cultural practice; registered cases
don’t depict real numbers. In rural areas cultural norms hinder FIR
registration. Even if cases are registered, these are weak as circumstantial
evidence is tampered with by families, while witnesses do not record their
statements. Non-observance of medico-legal formalities and biased attitudes
aids the accused. Often families portray honour killings as suicide or accidents.
▪ Autopsy (post mortem) refusal creates complications. Delayed receipt of
reports results in forwarding the case progress to courts without medico-legal
opinion. Determining the age of the accused and victim, distinguishing
between murder, suicide, and honour killing require better coordination
between doctors and investigators.
Where the victim’s parents are complainants, they depend on fabricated evidence
provided by the husband or in-laws. Upon learning the facts, they may change their
statement which is to the accused’s advantage. Cultural biases and CJS loopholes
help the accused. Inexperienced investigators handle such cases casually and often
actors within the CJS treat the accused with respect. Sensitising the actors is
necessary.
▪ Cultural barriers hinder male responders’ and investigators’ access to the
crime scene. Witnesses and accused in the family do not cooperate and destroy
evidence. Drafting FIRs in a casual language and not applying the law’s correct
sections benefit the accused. Where the accused and complainant are from the
same family, investigators face difficulties in attaching property under CrPc
Section 88. Non-recovery of the weapon of offence and non-preservation of
circumstantial evidence mars investigations. Communities must learn CAW is
a criminal offence requiring instant reporting. Communication gaps between
operations and investigation officers deprive investigators of access to the
actual scene of occurrence. Hence, circumstantial evidence is usually tampered
with.
▪ A woman victim pays the price of CJS flaws. Out-of-court settlements
negatively influence investigations. Since junior police officers are primarily
from the rural areas, most have a stereotypical thinking about women. Though
harassment has been elaborated on, its essence is yet to trickle down. For such
minds, harassment may not be a crime. Understanding women protection laws
isn’t possible without incorporating them in the police curriculum. There is a
Gender Crimes Cell in the National Police Bureau but its effectiveness
warrants a third-party audit. Plugging gaps between cases reported to the
police and reported by media and NGOs is not possible without legal backup
and institutional collaboration.

41
To advise the government on gender issues and standardisation, Article 160 of PO
2020 provides guidelines for a Police Management Board. But adoption of the
Police Act, 1861, in Balochistan, KP Police Act, 2017, and the amended Sindh Police
Order, 2019, omit the federal part in the police laws.
Dysfunctional public safety commissions and police complaint authorities
compromise women’s interests.
Way forward |
To improve prevention and conviction, in district criminal justice committees
representatives from the health and social welfare departments must be co-opted.
To cater to the needs of women, public safety funds must be used to improve police
stations.
Improved prevention, response, simplification of reporting procedures, access to
helplines, better linkages between police and shelters, quality of investigation, police
training, allocation of resources and community empowerment will reduce CAW.

42
Moeed Yusuf’s civilian coup on national
security | Tribune Opinion
M Bilal Lakhani
The writer is security analyst.
A strange and seismic (considerable) shift is underway in Pakistan’s national
security apparatus and it’s not happening under the cover of darkness. The audacity
of a think tank guy, an academic, an intellectual versus a retired military general re-
defining Pakistan’s national security paradigm for the next 50 years, to include
human, food and climate security is a coup. As a cherry on top, Moeed Yusuf, as
National Security Adviser, has also developed an institutional mechanism for
academia and think tanks (read civilians) to input into our national security policy.
But is this new or is this old wine in a new, bloody civilian, bottle?
The answer to this question depends on who frames the terms of the debate. For
example, if you’re America, or a Pakistani based in an American think tank, you can
easily boil down a messy country of more than 200 million people into three simple
national security narratives:
1) nuclear security,
2) terrorism,
3) civil-military relations.
It’s impossible to change this hardcore orientalist view of Pakistan (rightly earned or
wrongly wronged) overnight. So, what do you do if you can’t counter narratives
because of your history? You create new narratives. Enter the Islamabad Dialogue.
The Islamabad Dialogue is a masterclass in strategic communications which was
designed to make headlines like ‘let’s bury the past’ and ‘human security is national
security’. Media coverage was generated, at home and abroad, including in India,
where Pakistan got to set the terms of the debate. There was criticism and cynicism,
from friends, frenemies and enemies but it was on a pitch manufactured by
Pakistan. That’s the beauty of having the convening power of a platform. And this

43
was year one. You can imagine what happens when the best minds in the world,
including Pakistan, have a platform to air views that begin to crack the hardcore
orientalist view of this country.
So, the Islamabad Dialogue might be a leap forward on how the Pakistani state
orchestrates its strategic communications prowess, but does it signal a genuine
change, within the powers that be, on how we view our national security? And will
that translate into how resources are allocated, and policy is made or is it simply a
smokescreen to buy more time or deflect criticism? “Words should be matched
by action,” shares Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, the
UK and the UN, who is a perceptive observer with experience within and outside the
system. “I’d like to see this being operationalised and actions being taken in line
with the strategy, if this is a really serious move.”
Those are the words of the wise. Only action can help us determine whether the
titanic is shifting course. But I’m also a young, optimistic man and I anchor my
bullishness (stubbornness/consistency) on two proof points of substance.
The first is breaking the ice with India. Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen a
flurry of activity, albeit tentative, indicating that the ice is melting, including
murmurs of a potential cricket series between the two arch rivals. The jury is still
out on whether Pakistan is being wise or desperate — only time can tell but it’s clear
that a paradigm shift is taking place. And it predates the current thaw. Opening the
Kartarpur corridor after Kashmir’s annexation shows Pakistan means business and
can take difficult decisions.
The realisation might not be benign, it may be selfish; the idea that Pakistan cannot
grow the defence budget until it grows the economic pie. But the realisation exists.
That the status quo doesn’t work. Another example is not linking Pakistan’s support
in the Afghan peace process to the resolution of Kashmir. Yet another example is not
loaning out our troops for a war in Yemen. Slowly but surely, our titanic is shifting
course away from a straight-line barrelling towards a North Korean style national
security state.
My final proof point for optimism, call it the exuberance of youth, is the
appointment of Moeed Yusuf himself. The act of appointing a civilian, an
intellectual, an academic who invents the Islamabad Dialogue out of thin air is
impressive. Putting our best minds to work on Pakistan’s most difficult problems is
a recipe for genuine tabdeeli.

44
STEM — the way out of the rut | Tribune Opinion
M Ziauddin
The writer served as executive editor of The Express Tribune from 2009 to 2014.
The PTI government has been trying, since it was elected in August 2018, to
introduce a single national curriculum (SNC) so to eliminate the learning gap
between the rich and poor, thereby producing presumably ‘an equal opportunity
generation’ imbued with what it perhaps hopes to be a Muslim-Pakistani persona.
Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to be aiming perhaps to prepare the nation, via
education, for its journey back-to-the-future Riyasat-i-Medina.
So far what Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has accomplised in this
regard has only caused a contentious debate. Mahmood is educated enough to know
that Islam does not need Pakistan to survive. It has not only survived these 1,400
years but has also spread far and wide much before the advent of Pakistan. He also
knows that even in Pakistan Islam has never been in danger nor does it need his
government’s help to ward off any threat to it. In fact, Pakistan came into being
because Muslims of the Subcontinent wanted it, not because of the PTI and its
leader.
What, however, is under threat is Pakistan itself. We went to the IMF 23 times
including the current visit, over the last 50 years, but the existential threat to
Pakistan has only increased. Pakistan suffers from chronic shortages of energy and
capital and its access to technology has always remained poor. For such a country to
exist without any foreign crutches is like expecting the impossible.
However, the one valuable asset we possess but have kept neglecting all these years
is our ever-expanding youth bulge. Had we focused on educating and training this
youth bulge over, at least, the last two decades or so, Pakistan would have managed
to acquire adequate modern technology using which we could have managed with
the limited availability of energy, simultaneously overcoming capital shortages by
resorting to technological innovations enhancing per capita productivity, squeezing
in the process the most out of the limited availability of capital.
According to the WEF report “Future of Jobs”, the core skills needed to survive in
the 21st century are: complex problem solving techniques, critical thinking,
creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy. These are ideally developed early, in
basic education, and then refined at colleges and universities and during lifelong

45
learning. Therefore, our SNC must deliver a strong base of foundational linguistic,
scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical (STEM) know-how.
New literature on education says that technology is rapidly altering the ways we
interact and work, linking communities and workers in increasingly sophisticated
ways and opening up new opportunities. Young people therefore need to develop
digital fluency and STEM skills from an early age if they are to be equipped to thrive
in modern society. Learners need a deeper understanding of how to apply
technology and innovation to achieve desired results.
Education systems, meanwhile, need to ensure technology curricula are kept
updated, while teachers have the opportunity to refresh their own skills and
knowledge in order to keep pace with external developments. The use of technology
should be embedded across the educational experience, to mirror ways in which
technology is now relevant to all sectors and careers. Most jobs of the future will
require a basic understanding of math and science.
Given the importance of STEM in the growth of future workplaces, it is important to
ensure access to related education for all socio-economic groups. Technological
innovation is changing the way educational materials are generated, the manner in
which educational content is distributed, the way learners engage with materials,
and the processes used to evaluate educational outcomes.
The education systems, especially at the primary and secondary level in Pakistan,
have yet to incorporate even the most basic, widely available learning technologies.
Technology presents opportunities for countries like Pakistan to deliver learning in
new and personalised ways, which could change the costly, time-consuming
traditional role of teachers and facilitate a blended learning experience. Technology
has been proposed as a solution for resolving issues related to unequal access to
education, e.g. in rural or hard-to-reach communities that nonetheless have digital
access.

46
Uplifting the poor | Tribune Opinion
Naeem Sadiq
The writer is an educationist.
This article provides no-nonsense policies and practical
thinking to reduce Poverty in Pakistan. If you want to know
what the fuck poverty means, then ask from labourers.
It is noble and inspiring for Pakistan to speak of the ideals of the state of Medina
and to champion the cause of the people of Kashmir. However, these goals can only
be realised by a modern, progressive, peaceful, tolerant and prosperous state. A
state with a foreign debt of $115 billion, with 220 million mouths to feed, and a
fragile capacity to enforce its writ within its own borders should first focus on
‘putting its own house in order’. This reality cannot be altered by clichés and ‘lip
service’ nor can it be replaced by wishes.
There is little to suggest that Pakistan is ready to disengage from its mindset of
medieval past and take on the challenges of today’s real world. Just last week, the
Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) interpreted the slogan “Corona say darna nahi,
larna hay”, as “un-Islamic and immoral”. The federal government unthinkingly
obliged and obediently changed the slogan. This small incident sums up the modus
operandi of the state — appease the obscurantists, play to the gallery, shun all
reasoning and seek band-aid solutions. Likewise, knowing fully well the availability
of more accurate scientific solutions, we feel no embarrassment in pampering and
wasting tax payers’ money on the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee so that it could act as our
arbiter for moons and morals. A nation dominated by such primitive institutions
and bogged down (stuck) in irrelevant inanities (silliness) is totally out of sync
with the competitive world of today — a fact confirmed by Pakistan’s near bottom
standing in most human development indicators.
Studying case Studies |
There are role models before us who have used reason, science, technology and good
common sense to make great progress.
▪ We could learn from Germany’s use of alternative energy to solve our power
problem.
▪ We could learn how Turkey has developed sewage treatment plants to treat
100% of its sewage,
▪ how Finland provides the finest education to its children,
▪ how Holland promotes cycles to reduce its carbon footprint,

47
▪ how the UK government uses only 83 pool cars for all its ministries as against
the 22,000 cars used by the Sindh government alone,
▪ how the Canadian government provides pro-active “access to information”,
▪ how Japan runs its railway,
▪ how Estonia became the world leader in digitisation,
▪ how China lifted 100 million people out of poverty,
▪ how Kenya assures social security for every worker, and
▪ how Bangladesh brought its fertility rate down to 2.1.
Reducing Poverty | Practical recommendations
Reducing inequality and poverty ought to be the bottom line of every development.
This requires us to think and act ‘differently’ in at least four critical areas of
governance.
▪ These are: replace existing bureaucracy by small, highly competent and
empowered teams (not advisors) to manage each major area of governance;
implement population control and bring down the fertility rate to 2.1;
▪ digitise all governance processes, eliminate paper files,
▪ introduce electronic records and require that all payments are made through
mobile phone money transfer systems without anyone having to visit any
office.
▪ The fourth issue relates to raising the existing minimum wage of workers
across Pakistan to at least Rs30,000 per month. The dysfunctional structures
of Employees Old-Age Benefit (EOBI), the provincial social security and
labour departments ought to be closed down and replaced by teams as
described above.
▪ The CNIC number of each worker should be made the EOBI and social security
number and the entire database should be placed on a website accessible by
any individual or official from any location.
▪ The minimum wage, EOBI and social security requirements ought to be
consistent across Pakistan, applicable to each employee and not dependent on
the number of employees or the type of work in an organisation.
▪ Pakistan could save a lot on clichés, promises and ‘bypass’ programmes such
as BISP and Ehsaas if it was to earnestly implement the above suggestions.

48
Educated girl, educated nation | Tribune Opinion
Kashif Mirza
The writer is an economist, anchor, analyst and the President of All Pakistan Private Schools
Federation.
After 18th amendment in the constitution Pakistan has highly decentralized
structure of government which means that many decisions regarding education
policy are made at the subnational level.
Presenting Statistics |
Pakistan was described as among the world’s worst performing countries in
education, at the 2015 Oslo Summit on Education and Development. The new
government, elected in July 2018, stated in their manifesto that nearly 22.5 million
children are out of school. Girls are particularly affected. Thirty-two percent of
primary school age girls are out of school in Pakistan, compared to 21 percent of
boys. By grade six, 59 percent of girls are out of school, versus 49 percent of boys.
Only 13 percent of girls are still in school by ninth grade. Both boys and girls are
missing out on education in unacceptable numbers, but girls are worst affected.
There are high numbers of out-of-school children, and significant gender disparities
in education, across the entire country, but some areas are much worse than others.
Lack of access to education for girls is part of a broader landscape of gender
inequality in Pakistan. The country has one of Asia’s highest rates of maternal
mortality. Violence against women and girls—including rape and domestic violence,
forced marriage and child marriage—is also one of the problem, and government
responses are inadequate. Many of the barriers to girls’ education are within the
school system itself. Pakistan spends far less on education than is recommended by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in
its guidance on education.
An upward bottleneck (impediment to progress) exists as children, especially girls,
get older. Secondary schools are in shorter supply than primary schools, and
colleges are even more scarce, especially for girls. Schools are more likely to be
gender segregated as children get older, and there are fewer schools for girls than
for boys. Many girls are pushed out of continuing studies because they finish at one
school and cannot access the next grade level. There is a need to establish more
exclusive schools, colleges, universities, vocational and technical training centres
only for girls education to ensure more graduation of girls from primary to middle
school and secondary school.
Private sector can also play very vital role if government declares amnesty
and tax exemption for investment in education sector
Unfortunately, In both government and private schools, some extent use of corporal
punishment and abusive behavior by teachers is also one of the reasons of lack of
access to education for girls. One more reason is that so many children in Pakistan
do not go to school that there is no enforced government expectation that children

49
should study. Pakistan’s constitution article 25-A states, “The State shall provide
free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in
such manner as may be determined by law.” However, there is no organized effort
by government in any province to ensure that all children study. This violates
international standards Pakistan has signed up to which require that education be
free and compulsory at least through primary school.
Aside from the barriers to education within the school system, girls also face
barriers in their homes and in the community. These include poverty, child labor,
gender discrimination and harmful social norms, and insecurity and dangers on the
way to school. For many parents, the most fundamental barrier to sending their
children to school is poverty. Many children, including girls, are out of school
because they are working. Sometimes they are engaged in paid work, which for girls
often consists of home-based industries, such as sewing, embroidery, beading, or
assembling items. Other children—almost always girls—are kept home to do
housework in the family home or are employed as domestic workers. Unfortunately,
some of harmful-social Norms are also play it’s own role in gender discrimination,
and insecurity and dangers on the way to school.
Some families do not believe that girls should be educated or believe girls should not
study beyond a certain age. Attitudes regarding girls’ education vary significantly
across different communities. Many people, however, described growing acceptance
of the value of girls’ education, even in conservative communities; the government
should be encouraging this change. Sometime girls are removed from school as they
approach puberty, sometimes because families fear them engaging in romantic
relationships. Other families fear older girls will face sexual harassment at school
and on the way there and back.
Way forward for Govt |
Pakistan can, and should, fix its school system.
▪ The government should invest more resources in education and use those
resources to address gender disparities and to ensure that all children—boys
and girls—have access to, and attend, high quality primary and secondary
education.
▪ Federal Government of Pakistan should Increase expenditure on education in
line with UNESCO recommended levels needed to fulfill obligations related to
the right to education.
▪ GOP should also Strengthen oversight of provincial education systems’
progress toward achieving parity between girls and boys and universal primary
and secondary education for all children, by requiring provinces provide
accurate data on girls’ education, monitoring enrolment and attendance by
girls, and setting targets in each province, by strengthen with the goal of
ending gender disparities in all provinces.
▪ Provincial governments should endorse and implement the Safe Schools
Declaration, an international political agreement to protect schools, teachers,
and students.

50
▪ There is need to direct the provincial education authority to make girls’
education a priority within the education budget, in regard to construction and
rehabilitation of schools, training and recruitment of female teachers, and
provision of supplies, to address the imbalance between the participation of
girls and boys in education.
▪ There is also need to strengthen enforcement of anti-child labour laws. Until
government schools are available, provide scholarships to good-quality private
schools for girls living far from government schools.
▪ Provide free or affordable transport for girls students who travel long
distances or through difficult environments to get to a government school.
▪ Abolish all tuition, registration, and exam fees at government schools, and
provide poor students with all needed items including school supplies,
uniforms, bags, shoes, and textbooks. There is need to explore options for
increasing attendance by girls from poor families through scholarships, food
distribution, or meal programs at girls’ schools.
▪ Each school require to develop and implement a security plan with attention to
concerns of girls including sexual harassment. All forms of corporal
punishment must be Prohibited in schools and ensure that all schools have
adequate boundary walls, safe and private toilets with hygiene facilities, and
access to safe drinking water.
▪ Develop a plan to expand access to middle and high school for girls through
the government education system, including establishment of new schools,
and strengthen the system for monitoring and quality assurance of all schools,
not only for government schools but also private schools. We must understand
that Girls’ education can play an important role in reducing harassment, early
marriages and abuse of girls.
APPSF role in bringing quality education|
In these circumstances, All Pakistan Private Schools Federation is playing its
important role by providing education to 50% of girl students and by providing also
job opportunities to more than 1.5 million female teachers in its 20700 private
schools across the country for women empowerment. Moreover, private sector can
also play very vital role if government declares amnesty and tax exemption for
investment in education sector. Through this amnesty and tax exemption private
sector will invest in education sector by establishing new schools, colleges,
universities, technical & vocational training centres especially for girls and out-of-
school-children and will also share the government’s responsibility by providing
equal opportunity of education and jobs without any gender discrimination.

51
Recent profile of SAARC | Observer Opinion
Rajkumar Singh
The writer is Professor and Head, P G Department of
Political Science, Bihar, India.
Origin of SAARC
IN pursuance of Article 52 of the United Nations Charter relating to the formation
of regional organizations and keeping in view the grand success of the European
Union, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was founded
in December 1985, in Dhaka, as a result of the initiatives taken by the then President
of Bangladesh General Irshad with seven original member states — India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives — while its 8th present
member, Afghanistan, was included in 14th summit, held in April 2007.
The eight-member countries of the South Asian region don’t have similar socio-
political and economic background and they may be categories into three different
groups.
(1) Land-locked nations — Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan.
(2) Island countries — Sri Lanka and Maldives and
(3) Indo-Gangetic Plain countries — India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
But, despite geographical differences and national, bilateral, regional tension and
global groupings as well, they came together in the larger public interests.
Primary aim of SAARC |
Thus, the primary aim of the SAARC was to accelerate the process of economic and
social development of the member countries in the agreed areas of cooperation.
SAARC summits: Beginning with the first summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 7-8
December 1985, till date its 20 summits have been held so far, the last one in March
2020.Nepal is the current chair of the SAARC but due to the outbreak of the
pandemic, Covid-19, it was organised through video conferencing and regarded as
tele-summit.In fact, it was held after a long gap of six years when the 18th summit
was held successfully in the year 2014 (26-27 November) in Kathmandu, Nepal.

52
The 19th summit was scheduled to be held in Islamabad on 15-16 November 2016,
but due to Uri terror attack India boycotted the summit and refused to participate.
Indian view was supported by all member nations except Nepal.
While India cancelled its participation, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives
and Sri Lanka were of the opinion that regional environment was not fit for
organising the summit and hence, it was postponed.In fact, the 20th summit of
SAARC countries was organised in a very extra-ordinary national, regional and
global situation.
Covid-19 and SAARC response |
The deadly virus of Covid-19 spread in more than 225 countries without any
discrimination of rich and poor, developing and developed.It was started from
China but because of fast technology and speedy means of communications, soon it
spread to America and other developed nations of Europe.At the beginning of the
year 2020, in January and February, its virus entered South Asia and took the
region in its purview.
The 20th summit of SAARC countries was organised at a time when a coordinated
action against the virus was most required to check its spread.In the summit India
proposed several measures and common solutions to fight the disease which has
killed lakhs of people all over the world.
The conference was attended by all member -nations, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan.Theme of 2020 summit: As
India was fighting the virus successfully among the member countries with all the
precautions required, it proposed to create a COVID-19 Emergency Fund of all
SAARC nations in which they are required to make a voluntary contribution of $10
million and India became first to do so.
It proposed to prepare a rapid response team of doctors and specialists with testing
kits to help the needy and also be ready to assist the neighbouring country if they
required so in this phase of medical emergency.
New Delhi proposed to set up e-platforms and portals for integrated surveillance to
trace the spread of virus and expressed India’s readiness to share it with other
SAARC nations of the region.
Lastly, India also laid emphasis on common research programme to control the
current and future epidemics and pandemics in the region.In general, the overall
Indian approach to the regions’ welfare and SAARC nations has been constructive.
Other economic activities of SAARC: |
The SAARC countries of the region have varied means of livelihood for their
people.The two countries — Sri Lanka and Maldives — are mostly depending on
tourism business while Bhutan’s main source of income is export of hydropower to
India.
In the context, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh depend mainly on agriculture.
But the economy of all SAARC countries revolves around the food for growing
people, fodder for livestock, raw material and markett for industries. In common,
they depend on developed countries for trade and aid.

53
The promulgation of SAFTA |
Keeping in view the facts of real life, during the 12th summit held in Islamabad, they
concluded an agreement and founded the South Asian Free Trade Area
(SAFTA) on 6 January 2004.With the aim of reducing custom duties on all
traded goods to zero by 2016, SAFTA, came into force from 1 January 2006. It was
proposed to reduce the duties in a phased manner.
Both India and Pakistan ratified the treaty in 2009, while the new member
Afghanistan signed the protocol on 4 May 2011.The main purpose of the Agreement
is to promote competition in the area and provide equal benefits to the countries of
South Asia.For the purpose they also erected institutional mechanism and various
trade liberalisation programme.

54
Peace through sectarian harmony | Observer
Opinion
Prof Dr Muhammad Khan
The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic
University, Islamabad.
ISLAM is a religion of peace and love among all believers and for the rest of
humanity.
The Holy Quran and Sunnah are the two sources of Islam. Holy Prophet (PBUH)
said during his last Serman (Hajjatul Wida) “O People! No Prophet or apostle will
come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore O People! and
understand words that I convey to you.
I leave behind me two things, the Quran and the Sunnah and if you follow these you
will never go astray.” In the light of the directive of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), all
Muslim must follow the teachings of Islam.The essence of Islamic teachings, driven
from Holy Quran and Sunnah are promotion of peace and love among all Muslims
through unity.
Indeed, not only for Muslims but for entire humanity the Sermon of Hajjatul Wida
is a complete charter of human rights which needs to be followed by champions of
human rights.As an ideological state, Pakistan has the distinction to be a true
Islamic state, created to experience the golden principles of Islam; the Holy Quran
and Sunnah.
For Muslims, there is One God (Allah), the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as the last
messenger of Allah, the Holy Quran and Sunnah, leaving no chance of any division
within the religion; sectarian split.Unfortunately, there developed sectarianism
among the Muslim which caused great harm to Muslim Ummah.Today,
sectarianism is hurting the Muslim world on almost all fronts. Based on the
sectarian divide the anti-Islam forces are exploiting the Muslims all over the world
and robbing their wealth (natural resources).
Sectarianism in Pakistan |
In Pakistan, there has been some sectarian based violence in the past. However,
successive governments and the state institutions have been able to curtail the long-
term impacts of this menace. One such effort was a unanimous Fatwa, agreed from
all Maktab-i-Fikr in the form of “Paigham-i-Pakistan”.Indeed, this Fatwa created a
narrative of unity, peace and love among all sects and the people of Pakistan.In the
light of violent extremism and militancy in the country, “Paigham-i-Pakistan” is

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