CSS Chronicles-April2021

CSS Magazine Edition 9
Past Paper MCQs Compilation
Essay Outlines
History in Colors
Recommended Books’ Review & much more!
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April 2021- Edition
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Content
Monthly round up: March at a glance 6
International 11
1. The Climate Crisis – A Global Challenge that Demands 12
Universal Solutions
2. Biden’s Foreign Policy in the Pandemic Age 17
3. Middle East Timeline 20
4. The OIC: Internal Rifts Sabotaging the Unity of Ummah 23
National 26
1. Debating the Civil Services Plight in Pakistan 27
2. Kashmir Conundrum and the Geopolitical Dynamics of 30
the Subcontinent
3. Governance Issues Post 18th Amendment 33
4. Judiciary in Pakistan: Ills andRemedies 37
Meet our CSP 41

1. Instructor of the Month 41
4
Monthly Press Review 44
Essay Outlines 63
1. Sweet are the Uses of Adversity 64
2. Development Should Change People’s life not Economic Statistics 65
3. Is COVID-19 an Anti-Thesis to Globalization? 66
4. Classrooms Decide the Future of Nations 67
History in Colors 68
1. French Revolution 69
2. The War to End all the Wars 72
Recommended Books’ Review 68

1. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century: A Summary 75
2. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari: A Review 77
73
MCQs Compilation 81
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MONTHLY ROUND UP:

MARCH AT A GLANCE
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Dates Events
1st Istanbul-Islamabad freight train likely to resume operations on March 4, that will function
to connect goods train business of Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in nine years.
2nd Fourth International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition-2021 commenced at
the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Pabbi, near Kharian.
The Ministry of Climate Change and the Pakistan SUPARCO signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) for the use of satellite imagery to mitigate the effects of climate
change.
3rd Afghan refugees whose `Proof of Registration` (PoR) cards had expired in 2015 would be
given new smart cards after verification.
4th January 2021,17th driest month since 1961: Met Office: Pakistan received less than average
rains in January and February.
5th Pakistan to get 45 million doses of Indian-made vaccine, PAC informed.

Europeans drop plan to censure Tehran at IAEA.
6th The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has allowed Chinese Sino pharm
vaccine to be administered to people over the age of 60.
Joe Biden has inducted a third Pakistani American, Dilawar Syed, into his team, says a
White House media statement.
7th US Senate on March 6, 2021 approved a $1.9 trillion relief package for revival of country´s
pandemic-stricken economy.
Security Forces on March 6, 2021 killed eight terrorists including three TTP commanders in
North Waziristan.
8th US envoy to Afghanistan met Taliban negotiators in Qatar to revive a peace process.
US Secretary of State proposed a UN-led peace conference to form an ìnclusive
government` in Afghanistan with the Taliban.
9th Khalilzad meets Bajwa amid Afghan peace push.

Navy ship joins drill with Japan, Oman, and Russia, US navies.
Only 29pc women have bank accounts in Pakistan: SBP chief.
10th SBP to be made autonomous in line with IMF terms.

The United States has prevented Turkey from supplying 30 locally-made attack
helicopters to Pakistan.
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Dates Events
11th Uzbekistan offered access to Pakistani ports.

5,145 firms in Pakistan have at least one female director: SECP.
12th Pakistan blocks TikTok after ban by PHC.

President Joe Biden signed his $1.9 trillion stimulus bill into law on March 11, 2021, designed to
bring relief to Americans and boost the economy.
13th PTI turns tables on PDM in Senate poll.

Turkey and Egypt to hold first diplomatic contacts since 2013.
UN launches Urdu campaign to facilitate vaccination.
14th US has more troops in Afghanistan than officially acknowledged: NYT

Japan to limit size of foreign delegations at Games.
15th Australian region suspends AstraZeneca jabs after death.

Capital police introduced high tech e-police desk system for registration of complaints
without any human interaction and to get them resolved through prompt action.
16th Pakistan on March 15, 2021 joined the OIC in observing the first International Day to Combat
Islamophobia.
Talibans will attend talks with the Kabul government in Moscow this week to discuss the
future of war-ravaged Afghanistan.
17th Pakistan gives another extension to helicopter deal with Turkey.

TikTok banned until content filtering mechanism in place: PHC
18th China gifted 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan while the first consignment of
the privately-imported Russian vaccine reached Karachi.
Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu appointed as the new chief of Pakistan Air Force
(PAF)
Tough` to meet May 1 deadline for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan: Biden.
19th The United States was joined by Russia, China and Pakistan on March 18, 2021 in calling on
Afghanistan`s warring sides to reach an immediate ceasefire.
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) joined Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2
(K-2) to the national grid.
20th An eight-member delegation of Pakistan`s Commission on Indus Waters left for New Delhi to
discuss Pakistan`s objections to the design of Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric
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Dates Events
21st plants/projects and other issues.

Finland world`s happiest country despite pandemic, says UN report.
22nd An anti-terrorism court on March 20, 2021 awarded death sentence to two convicts Abid
Ali Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga in the motorway gang rape case under Section 376
(ii) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Milestone as half of all UK’s adults vaccinated against virus.
23rd United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during an
unannounced visit to Kabul on March 21, 2021.
International World Water Day observed across the country today, with this year’s theme
“Valuing Water”.
24th 10 cities put under stiff lockdown till April 11.

The European Union, Britain, Canada and the United States launched coordinated
sanctions against officials in China over alleged human rights abuses in the far western
Xinjiang region, provoking swift retaliation from Beijing.
25th Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 23, 2021 called on Pakistan to build an
environment of trust for better ties.
Pakistan and India began their first talks to resolve the dispute over hydroelectric projects
India is building on River Chenab.
26th IMF board agrees to release $500m for Pakistan.

The grand military parade in connection with the Pakistan Day celebrations held today in
Islamabad.
The Taliban on rejected a proposal by Afghan President to hold elections, after little
progress in peace talks between the two warring sides.
27th With 3,946 new cases reported in a single day, the number of Covid related deaths in the
country surpassed the figure of 14,000.
28th Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of Shaheen-1A surface-to-surface ballistic

missile, having a range of 900 kilometers.
29th Joe Biden invited 40 world leaders to participate in the Virtual Leaders’ Summit on Climate
on April 22-23 but he left out Pakistan, a country severely and frequently affected by
climate change, global warming and rising temperatures.
The UN is in negotiations with Beijing for a visit `without restrictions` to Xinjiang to see how
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Dates Events
the Uighur minority is being treated, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in an interview
broadcast on March 28, 2021.
30th The federal government has decided to replace Finance Minister Abdul Hafiz Sheikh from
the portfolio of Finance Ministry on account of rising inflation in the country.
31st Pakistan and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on March 29, 2021 reiterated to expand the
economic portfolio.
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CSS Magazine edition 9
INTERNATIONAL
11
The Climate Crisis – A

Global Challenge that
Demands Universal
Solutions
Mariam Khan
Climate change is being caused by human
activity; it would not be wrong to say that
humans have become weapons of mass
destruction. The current civilization lives in the
Holocene – a period that is one of the most
stable periods in the planet’s history. In the past
10,000 years, the average temperature has not
wavered; however, a substantial increase in the
Earth’s temperature has been seen since the
Industrial Revolution. The world has blown up to
7.8 billion people, and this explains that the
resources that are required to keep the wheels
of life going are depleting. With more mouths to
be fed, the people of the world carry out
deforestation to ensure the availability of fertile
land. Subsequently, this sort of deforestation
becomes a reason for environmental pollution.
This phenomenon causes environmental
degradation which becomes a reason for the
Climate Change. The latter has now become an
existential threat to every human living in the
world.
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According to the United Nations, oceans are

warming 40 percent faster than predicted five
years ago. As per the study that was
published in April 2019, Environmental
Research Letters, Arctic biophysical system is
now clearly trending away from its 20th
century state and into an unprecedented
state. Its implications are not only within but
also beyond the Arctic. And that is, as per the
cliché, just the tip of the iceberg. The UN
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services published
a report in May 2019 that said a million species
of animals and plants are on the verge of
extinction. This is what is highlighted by the
17-year-old Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg
too in her book, No One is too small to Make a
difference, “We are in the midst of the sixth
mass extinction, and the extinction rate is up
to 10,000 times faster than what is considered
normal, with up to 200 species becoming
extinct every single day.”
The world is experiencing a rapid increase in

deforestation as the bulging population needs
land for food and shelter. A recent report
published by the World-Wide Fund (WWF)
called the Living Planet Index has warned that
increase in deforestation and agricultural
expansion is the key driver behind a 68 oceans. About 3 trillion trees across the world,
percent decrease in vertebrate species almost half of the world’s rainforests have
between 1970 and 2016. The danger that lurks already been cleared through deforestation. To
due to human greed has caused a decrease fulfill the food supply, almost half of the fertile
in the global population of animals, birds, and land on the Earth is now being used for farming.
fish by over a 2/3rd in less than five decades. Man, irrespective of the harm being done to the
life under land, is all ablaze to get his needs
When it comes to volcanoes, they also fulfilled. With the population wanting to meet its
contribute to the changing climate. In 1991, transport needs, a major contributor to rising
when Mount Pinatubo erupted in the GHG is fossil fuels, with petroleum topping the
Philippines, it blasted into the air almost 20 list.
million tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ash
which stayed in the atmosphere for almost a GHGs are also released into the atmosphere by
month. When volcanoes erupt at this level, agriculture. Cows and other farm animals that
they impact climate adversely because the are bred for their meat release other GHGs
suspended ash and SO2 in the atmosphere which are of major concern, i.e., Methane (CH4).
prevent the solar radiation from reaching the Pesticides and insecticides used for farming
Earth. This phenomenon then affects the further enhance the greenhouse effect as they
temperature of the Earth. This change in increase the release of nitrous oxide into the
imbalance of solar radiation is called atmosphere. Other GHGs include water vapor,
‘radiative forcing’. ozone, and CO2 that cause an imbalance in the
climate.
The impacts of the climate change are
exacerbated by human activity. This
phenomenon has severely degraded the ¾th
of the land and 40 percent of the Earth’s
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Climate Keynesianism: An outcome of the New Green Deal

The Green New Deal, an initiative by the United States to curb the climate crisis and inequality has
given birth to ‘Climate Keynesianism’. When the world experienced an economic boom post-World
War II that also gave rise to a consumption tidal wave with people shopping excessively due to
consumerism. Climate Keynesianism states that with a green economy boom, people if end up using
the profits or earnings to buy the products that harm the planet, then that causes more harm than
good.
The year 2020 kick-started a decade that is dubbed as the ‘Decade of Action’ or ‘Decade of Delivery’.
Yet it is the same year that brought to mankind a pandemic that has resulted in the loss of lives,
health infrastructure, economic losses, and countries coming to a standstill, all because of an unseen
virus. To tie the strings, it must be known that diseases that will come to the fore in the future will
cause a great deal of destruction to human assets and lives. As per the UN Disaster Risk Reduction
report, there were 7,348 recorded disaster events worldwide during the last two decades. And due to
these events, approximately 1.23 million people lost their lives with more than four million affected in
the same period.
Economic losses have been massive due to climate change. It is estimated that disasters, due to
climate change, caused $2.97 trillion losses to the global economy. As per Oxfam, extreme weather
events are four times likely to displace people in poorer countries as compared to those residing in
rich countries.
Social degradation is what is faced by those affected by climate-induced events. Floods and
droughts, a major outcome of climate change, are massive contributors when it comes to the
damage caused by nature’s events. In the past 20 years, 40 percent of disasters were due to floods
and that alone impacted 1.65 billion people. With a rise in global temperatures, heat waves have
become frequent that increase droughts across the world.
Topographical and lifestyle shifts due to climate change

Climate-induced migration is also on the rise with coastal communities losing their means of
livelihood which forces them to relocate to lands where they can earn a living. The same goes for
island nations, like the Maldives, that will in the coming years be underwater due to rising sea-level.
The weather events that have recently occurred do not paint a hearty picture of the state of the
planet. Central American countries including Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras are
experiencing their sixth year of drought. The Central American Dry Corridor has people relying on
farming for food and livelihood. The climate crisis has left 2.5 million people food insecure.
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Twelve million people in one of the world’s populous regions, South Asia, have been displaced due to
nature’s wrath, including floods and landslides. Heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc in Nepal, India,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Rising temperatures of the oceans have doubled the likelihood of drought
in the Horn of Africa, Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia leaving 15 million people in dire need of food
assistance as droughts in 2011, 2017, and 2019 left their crops in poor shape forcing them to relocate
and leaving them with massive food shortages.
The world screens were ablaze with news of the Australian bushfires that burnt 10 million hectares of
land. The bushfires were the result of hot summer, the hottest recorded which left the land extremely
dry. Apart from the loss of lives, a billion native animals lost their lives to these bushfires.
With some parts of the world facing floods and droughts, Southern Africa faced the wrath of cyclones
in the shape of Cyclone Idai which killed more than 1,000 people in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and
Mozambique.
Global challenge demands global action

Climate change has worsened in the last 30 years. We are at a stage where the planet can no longer
be left to recover on its own without humans making sustainable choices, smart solutions, and
conscientious measures to achieve harmony with nature. We are at a stage where, as per the report
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world powers need to step up their
measures and keep the rising temperatures up to 1.5 degree Celsius as anything beyond a
1.5-degree Celsius rise is detrimental for the people and the planet itself.
When combating the climate change is concerned, it is essential to spread awareness among
people about the menace of the climate change to combat it at a grass-root level. For that to
happen, educators and local governments need to take lead by imparting education that raises
climate change awareness. Countries like Italy have incorporated climate change and sustainable
development into the national curriculum. Climate Action Project is another global project that has
its curriculum and engages with schools, colleges, and universities all over the world, making
students come up with solutions to solve climate change issues. Dr. Jane Goodall, an
environmentalist, has a foundation namely Roots and Shoots that educates young children to be
mindful of nature.
The Paris Agreement of 2015, signed by 193 countries, needs to be implemented for the work on
climate change to seek dividends. With countries simply being a signatory of the Paris Accord is not
enough, but they need to start working on the respective actions for its five years ever since it came
into effect.
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The Green New Deal should come in full force when it comes to tracking records of fossil fuel
companies and banks that finance them. Based on the concept of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, in
a post-Great Depression America, the Green New Deal of the U.S. also aims to overcome the climate
crisis through changes in lifestyle, economics, and society. The new U.S. leadership must steer the
wheel of the Green New Deal in the sustainable direction, and that can be done by strict tracking of
fossil fuel companies.
Lessons learned from indigenous-led movements in Bolivia and Ecuador need to be reciprocated in
other parts of the world. These two countries have brought about ecological transformation through
the concept of ‘buen vivir’ – an idea where the focus is on the right to a good life as opposed to the
life of escalating consumption.
The global population needs to realize that the Earth’s finite resources are depleting fast, so each
choice made on an individual level has an impact on the well-being of the planet. For the world to
come out of the climate crisis, the residents of the globe need to keep in check the issues that are
worsening the climate patterns. What we eat, what we wear, what transport option we choose to take,
the daily activities we partake in, and how it impacts the planet all need to be considered before
making a choice. Following the planetary boundaries and not crossing them is a key to heal the world.
That is possible if great carbon emitters of the world stop the combustion of fossil fuels and give
preference to renewable sources of energy rather than non-renewable options. It is only through
collective efforts that we can come out of the climate crisis; climate change will not be cured through
a vaccine but through smart choices.
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Biden’s Foreign Policy

in the Pandemic Age
Atika Khalid
With Biden’s election, hopes were raised high
regarding normalcy and predictability in
America’s foreign policy in the pandemic age.
The President of America revealed his foreign
policy on 4th February. Mark Twain has aptly
said that “history does not repeat itself, but it
often rhymes.” Similarly, one does not see major
shifts in the foreign policy of America under the
new administration other than in some areas.
Those low-hanging fruits are: owning of
multilateralism, putting an end to strategic
contraction witnessed under the previous
administration, and ironing out differences with
North America. In many instances, analysts
predict harping on about the same misplaced
priorities even in the pandemic age. However,
given the national interests of the country, Biden
would find himself caught between a rock and a
hard place while dealing with some tricky issues
relating to human rights. For in this world,
Machiavellian manipulations are the norms of
the day wherein morality has no place when it
comes to one’s national interests.
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Undoing the strategic contraction

Undoubtedly, American hegemony was at
stake under Donald Trump’s presidency. His
withdrawal from landmark deals signed by his
predecessor was robbing America of its
superpower stature. It will be a Herculean task
for the incumbent president to instill
confidence in the country’s allies over its
global leadership. This foreign policy action
will undo the strategic contraction witnessed
under Donald Trump.
Improving relations with immediate

neighbors
Under the previous administration, the talks of
building walls along borders alienated not
only Mexico but also other allies of the United
States. It goes without saying that by mending
ties with its immediate neighbors, America
can strengthen itself yet again. After all, ‘Good
fences make good neighbors.’
Ronald Reagan made a very telling argument

during his campaign, “It is time that we start to
recognize we would be better off if Mexico and
Canada were stronger and that it is time, we
stopped seeing our nearest neighbors as
foreigners.” As if paying heed to his
predecessor’s guidance, Biden has vowed to
send 4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine very unyielding towards the West. Moreover,
to Mexico and Canada. This marks a shift in sanction relief is going to be a quid pro quo for
America’s foreign policy in the pandemic age. any engagement with Washington and
re-entering the agreement fully.
Recalibrating foreign policy towards
the Middle East Many analysts have pointed out that continuity
It was thought of Biden administration that it is the term that best defines the US’ foreign
would dare to call spade a spade. But it is policy towards Saudi Arabia. It is said that this
rightly said that the more things change, the time too, the perpetrators of the crime would go
more they stay the same. Forget about off scot-free as was the case post-9/11 findings
bringing to book the murderers of Jamal of Saudi nationals’ involvement in the attack.
Khashoggi, Palestinian plight, or swift end to Both countries’ relations with each other are
Yemen crisis. dubbed as a marriage of convenience. Hence,
Biden’s foreign policy will not be an upholder of
Biden is raising questions on International justice as was expected.
Criminal Court’s jurisdiction on probing into
alleged war crimes committed by Israel Using a balance of power tactics in
against Palestine. And he has strongly South Asia
opposed and condemned BDS Movement- In South Asia, one can see a slight change in
Boycott, Divest from, and Sanction Israel. America’s foreign policy under Joe Biden. The
deadline for withdrawal of US troops is nearing
As far as dealing with Iran is concerned it must yet the Biden administration’s determination is
be clear for the new US administration that wavering. To keep the regional states,
things have quite changed in the last few particularly Pakistan on tenterhooks, America
years. Iran is going to the polls this year; it is has offered India a more active role in the
predicted that the new president would be Afghanistan peace deal. The involvement of all
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stakeholders alongside Afghanistan would ensure peace in the long run. But the immediate threat is
that Afghanistan might fall back to civil war. President Ashraf Ghani has voiced his concern over
sharing of top slots in government with the Taliban, without the latter’s going through the polls. Thus,
the little gains that the country could achieve like women’s visibility in public space, education, and
the democratic system amidst the chaos and bloodshed, stand vulnerable in foreseeable future. But
is the Biden administration concerned about the disintegration of Afghan society yet again? The
answer can well be found in its lackluster attitude towards withdrawing sanctions against ICC officials
that were imposed by the Trump administration for investigating alleged American war crimes in
Afghanistan.
Continuing tough stance towards China

In his essay “Ideas that have harmed mankind” Bertrand Russel criticizes states’ mindless persuasion
of their economic interests to an extent of pushing others to destitution and consequently paving way
for hatred leading to inevitable war. China is seen as an arch-rival by America. Biden’s “Free and
Open Indo-Pacific policy” is the continuation of Obama’s Pivot to Asia policy. The first summit with
Quad group- India, Japan, and Australia- points towards things staying the same towards China,
which is seen as a peer competitor challenging America’s hegemony. His foreign policy towards
China states, “economic war with China will continue but in a less heavy-handed and more
thoughtful manner”.
Concluding remarks
In the pandemic age, states must rise above their petty national interests and own global identity.
Following the same course of rivalry and narrow agendas are flawed policies in today’s integrated
world. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them, China’s economic might is there to stay.
Thus, prudence requires a more conciliatory approach towards it. As Yuval Noah Harari mentions in
his seminal work- 21 lessons for the 21st century- that we now have a global ecology, a global
economy and a global science. Therefore, it is high time to prioritize global problems and interests.
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Middle East Timeline
Kamal Khan
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The OIC: Internal Rifts

Sabotaging the Unity
of Ummah
Dawood Khan Tareen

Terrorism is one of the major challenges in
today's world. Certain conflicts begin, evolve,
and transform into violent activities that remain
consistent. Today, more than 60% of all the
global conflicts are prevalent in Muslim
countries. Similarly, 90% of the global terrorism
fatalities occur in the OIC countries like
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Palestine,
and several other countries. It is noticeable that
all these countries have been a part of the OIC
for years now. Consisting of 57 member states,
the OIC is the second-largest international
organisation after the UN. Although the United
Nations was present to cater to the global
issues, it was a need of the poor Islamic states
to establish an organization of their own to
voice their opinions. Hence, the OIC was created
in 1969.
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There were more reasons behind the creation

of an organization that could serve as a
unified voice for Muslim countries. Since the
time of Prophethood and also after that,
Muslims had been the leaders of the world
before the dissolution of the institution of
Khilafat in 1923. After the fall of the Ottoman
Empire, Muslims sought such a platform that
could make them more assertive in global
affairs.
It was August 1969 when an Australian-born

Christian attempted to set fire to Al Aqsa
mosque-the first Ka’ba of Muslims. This event
set forth resentment across the Muslim
Ummah. Hence, a meeting was called upon by
the Moroccan king in Rabat and held on Sep
25, 1969. Subsequently, the first Islamic Con-
ference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) was held in
Jeddah in March 1970. This was when an
organization, known as OIC today, came into
being as a representative of Muslim Ummah.
There were different purposes for its creation.
The foremost purpose was to give Muslims a

unified voice. Some Muslim countries having
oil-based economies, nonetheless, enjoy a
considerable influence on the world politics.
However, the rest of the countries find it diffi-
cult to raise their issues on global platforms. stand equal. So are all Islamic countries. Some
Henceforth, the OIC is a platform of equal countries in the Arab region are bestowed with
representation for Muslim countries. The OIC natural reservoirs such as oil. For instance, Saudi
summit takes place every three years to Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran. Unfortunately,
discuss the issue of the Muslim world. they have not supported the poor countries in
the desired way. It ought not to be wrong to
Apart from being united, the OIC aims at term the above behavior as one of the main
spreading peace and harmony. It tends to causes of failure.
minimize and erase the existing conflicts. The
spreading of the congenial environment is not Keeping in view the rise of the global conflicts
restricted to the member states only; rather, and Muslim countries being embroiled in almost
peace across the globe is desired. Moreover, all of them is truly alarming. The reason for this
the internal differences amongst Muslim is easily comprehended by the brain cells. Not a
countries can also be resolved through this single step has been witnessed in the fifty years
platform. that advocate the practical role of the OIC in the
elimination of long-listed unending problems.
It has been more than five decades since the
OIC was created. The member states have
met several times to discuss the issues of In the same context, the Kashmir issue and
prime importance. They have tried but have Palestine issue are yet to be resolved. Albeit, the
not been able to exquisitely convert conflicts OIC has raised the stated issues on different
(not five even) after five decades. The past occasions, but the outcomes have not yet been
fifty years expose the shortcomings of the OIC commendable. The disputed territory of Kashmir
and the challenges it is facing so far. in the South Asian region is the bone of conten-
tion between Pakistan and India. Further, Pales-
It is a universal fact that all countries do not tine has also remained a victim to Israeli atroci-
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ties, which have been supported by the US as well. As a piece of evidence, more than 90% of the veto
power used by the US is in support of Israel. Therefore, neither of the states will prosper till the OIC
works for them in true spirit and cause.
Likewise, numerous instances are highlighting the failure of OIC. They have failed to manage the
Iraq-Iran war. The case of Afghanistan portrays the OIC body without a soul in every aspect being
attacked by the Soviet Union in 1979. Afghanistan resisted for almost 10 years, but there was no perfor-
mance of the OIC on the screen. However, Pakistan helped them settle their millions of refugees. Later
on, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was the second proof from the same country.
It is doubtless that organizations perish when they do not adapt to the changing circumstances. This
is usually reckoned in the case of the OIC. Certain measurements can make the mentioned organiza-
tion in the row of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).
For OIC to discharge the objectives of the charter, the initial step shall be to address the ongoing
skirmishes in the middle-eastern region, i.e., Afghanistan and Kashmir. The rich countries should
collectively establish active banks to counter poverty in Yemen and Syria. Further, no delay is accept-
able in the Palestine issue with Israel. It cannot be forgotten that it was an attack on a Mosque in
Palestine which compelled the Muslim world to inaugurate the OIC. Henceforth, the need of the hour is
the resolution of all contemporary challenges faced by Muslims.
Another prime requirement for the OIC is to gather all member states on one page. So far, it has not
been achieved. This tragedy is crystal clear in the KSA-Iran relations. As long as the two countries in
particular and the rest of the states, in general, do not forget the differences, there should not be an
iota of doubt to anticipate OIC’s failure. The OIC should follow the frameworks of the EU and the UN.
Internal trade needs to be activated; local products have to be valued. Such policies should leave no
stone unturned to expect a brighter coming.
A peacekeeping mission should be established. Such a body can work both among the states and in
external affairs. All the acrimonious relations will not die till they are brought on the dialogue table. In
such missions, the vociferous youth can play a vital role. The UN has a Security Council and the
African Union has a peace and Security Council. Both serve the purpose to spread harmony. The OIC
has consultative relations with the UN. They need to be extended.
Moving further, the participation of women in every department is negligible. They do not get equal
representation. To progress swiftly, all the genders require just and legitimate opportunities in the
marginalized societies today.
Cutting a long story short, the OIC is the only cooperation of the Muslim Ummah. The existing issues
shall be done away with to unify the Ummah. Education for all, poverty alleviation, internal trade, and
women’s representations have to be considered in any case. The seriousness of the crises demands
immediate actions to avert the further descent of all the Muslims into despair.
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NATIONAL
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Debating the Civil

Services Plight in
Pakistan
Abdul Samad Khan
Introduction
Pakistan inherited a plethora of things from its
pre-independence master -British. The civil
services in Pakistan descended from its British
ancestor. The political neutrality, competency,
and accountability of British civil services
influenced the founder of Pakistan, Jinnah, who
then wished a civil service of the same nature
for Pakistan. He called the bureaucracy the
backbone of the state in his address in
Peshawar. The bureaucracy of Pakistan kept
moving on over the last seven decades. The
Civil Services in Pakistan has been struggling
with a plethora of factors ranging from the
politicization of the services to the lack of
accountability ushering into the poor
performance of the services. Since bureaucracy
has been the backbone of the state
administration, Pakistan needs tangible
measures to address the drawbacks in the
services.
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Historical Evolution of civil Service of

Pakistan
The Civil Services in Pakistan find their roots in

their ancestor's Civil Services,British Civil
Services. The bureaucratic wheel of Pakistan
has been moving on through various stages
for the past seven decades. The services
faced reforms for the first time in the era of
Ayyub Khan who adopted different methods
for training civil servants inside and outside
the country. The then country's administration
would send the civil servants abroad
especially to UK and USA for training. Similarly,
there used to be a handful of training centers
inside the country to train the civil servants.
Moreover, the civil servants were awarded
lucrative salaries, promotions, and security of
offices. The 1970s turned the civil services in
Pakistan upside down. The civil servants faced
an immense politicization of the services; the
appointment, promotion, and salaries were
left upon the will of politicians. Similarly, the
constitutional protection to the civil servants
was revoked. Zia followed the same path. The
1990s known to be an era of political tumult
disturbed the continuity of bureaucratic
policies ushered into the poor performance of
the civil services in Pakistan. Similarly, the
devolution plan, LGO 2001, and Police executive which claims over bureaucracy at
Ordinance 2002 affected the position of lower level, especially in the field. The poor
bureaucracy badly. Thus, the civil services can performance of bureaucracy has been ascribed
be discussed in the light of a plethora of to the political interference in its organizational
problems they have been coming across and functional setup over the past few years.
resulting in their poor performance. The civil Ilhan Niaz unveils in his study the politicization of
services in Pakistan are mired in several issues appointment, promotion, and security of offices
today which need to be expunged for better of the civil servants in Pakistan. Similarly, one of
service delivery. the civil servants shows his concerns over the
weak position of the civil servants in Pakistan. He
Issues in the Civil Services of Pakistan urges that the views of the politicians prevail
The pathetic picture of the civil services in upon the views of the civil servants viz-a-viz
Pakistan unveils the issues being responsible policy formulation. Ishrat Hussain, in his book
for their poor performance. Some of them are Governing the Ungovernable, urges that there is
discussed below: a minimum chance for the views of civil
servants to prevail over those of the politicians
a) Politicization of the Services regarding the foreign policy formulation. It
It is crystal clear that the encroachment of deprives the civil servants of enhancing their
any constitutional body upon its fixed intellectual capabilities. Similarly, the over
boundary disturbs the constitutional interference of politicians in bureaucracy
distribution of powers and functions ushering annoys the civil servants leaving them careless.
into the institutional clashes which in turn They need to develop loyalty to political hordes
contribute to the poor institutional in place of focusing on amelioration of their
performance. The civil services perform the performance. A World Bank report “A Framework
function of the implementation of for the Civil Service Reform in Pakistan” debates
administrative policies designed by the
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politicization of the Civil Services in Pakistan which results in the deteriorated plight of the civil
services. Similarly, the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics 2007, conducted a survey in
which 93% of the respondents agreed to the dismal civil services posture in Pakistan.
b) Lack of Accountability
A free and fair accountability process is very much necessary for holding the entity in authority
accountable for its functions to make it able to deliver its duty in a better way. Since the Civil Services
in Pakistan occupy a paramount administrative position, it is the need of the hour to keep a vigilant
eye on their functions to stick them to their key constitutional duties. The civil servants are barely held
accountable for their deeds. The politicization of the services enervates the possibility of skipping the
accountability process which, in turn, emboldens the civil servants for performing their duties
dishonestly. Likewise, the civil servants are usually exempted and awarded with concessions which
further contribute towards the irregularities of civil servants. The malpractice and exploited
accountability process tarnish the whole process of accountability which is a bad omen for the
country's governance contours which is why Pakistan is ranked below Sri Lanka, India, and
Bangladesh at 124 out of 180 countries by Transparency International Corruption Perception Index
2020 report and at 154 out of 189 countries by the UNDP Human Development Index 2020. A World
Bank's report “A Framework for the Civil Service Reform in Pakistan” highlights the lack of
accountability one of the three main reasons for the declining performance of the civil services in
Pakistan. Similarly, the civil servants have been frequently heard crying against the baseless and
victimized process of accountability which further diminishes the chance for the service delivery.
Recommendations
As the founder of Pakistan uttered that bureaucracy was the backbone of the state, Pakistan needs
tangible measures to ameliorate its civil services. Pakistan needs to keep its civil services away from
external interference. The services must be protected from any kind of politicization. The civil servants
must be ensured with lucrative salaries, security of offices, and merit-based promotion. Similarly, the
performance and duty of a civil servant must be monitored in the form of an Annual Performance
Report based on which he must be promoted. Similarly, the free and fair accountability process
should be unleashed wherein the lucid scrutiny must be followed by the justice-based rewards and
punishments. The Civil servants must have a say in the administrative policy formulation. Similarly,
Pakistan should establish district services to improve the administration at the lower level while
leaving the provincial services for provinces and central services for the federation. Likewise, Civil
Servants need to be protected from being trialed for baseless reasons.
Conclusion
The historical evolution of the Civil Services in Pakistan highlights the issues it has faced over the past
few years followed by a plethora of reforms to address the detected problems. The Civil Services in
Pakistan are facing a plethora of issues by which they present a pathetic picture of performance. The
significance of the civil services in the administration demands the resolution of the issues the
services are facing. The Civil Services should be made free from any type of politicization; the issues
of shady nature of accountability and specialization and generalization must be addressed. The
amelioration of the Civil Services is essential for good governance especially for bad
governance-stricken country like Pakistan.
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Kashmir Conundrum
and the Geopolitical
Dynamics of the
Subcontinent
Abdul Samad Khan
The Kashmir issue has been a bone of

contention between Pakistan and India since
the partition of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent. The
dispute has caused more than two wars
between the two hostile neighbours. Though
both the countries tried frequently to resolve this
issue, the Kashmir issue still persists. The Indian
government under the Modi administration
annulled Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian
constitution on August 5, 2019. The 5th August
move paved the way for the demographic
change in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir
region. The abrogation of article 370 withdrew
the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under
the Indian constitution. Since the Kashmir issue
has been of key importance to the foreign policy
of Pakistan, the country has left no stone
unturned to highlight the gross human rights
violation in the Indian illegally Occupied Jammu
and Kashmir.
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Understanding the 5th August 2019,

Move
The incumbent Indian government under the
Modi administration has been following the
right-wing nationalist agenda of Hindutva for
the past few years. While following the fascist
ideology, the Modi government has adopted
severest measures against its minority
especially the Muslims. The Modi government
repelled the special status of Jammu and
Kashmir on 5th August 2019. The Kashmir
valley had been made a part of the Union.
Likewise, Jammu would be governed and
controlled directly by the centre. Similarly, the
annulment of Article 35A paved the way for
the demographic change in the disputed
region. The unilateral action of the Indian
government intensified the tensions between
India and Pakistan. Pakistan has been trying
its best to highlight the gross human rights
violation since 1948 generally and the post 5th
August 2019, especially. Since the Kashmir
issue has been of core importance to the
policy of Pakistan, the Pakistani government
has adopted a plethora of measures both at
national and international levels to highlight
the unilateral move by the Indian government
triggering the brutality and atrocity in the
Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
at the hands of the Indian government. Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. Moreover,
Pakistan adopted a new political map that
Measures Pakistan has adopted at showed the Jammu and Kashmir region as a
the national level so far part of its territory which determined its
Pakistan has adopted a handful of measures intention towards Kashmir dispute. Moreover,
to unveil the gross human rights violation the government of Pakistan renamed the
committed by the Modi Administration in the Kashmir highway as Srinagar highway located
disputed Jammu and Kashmir region in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. Moreover,
particularly the post 5th August 2019 move. the country arranged a plethora of seminars on
Pakistan launched a series of protests and the Kashmir issue across the country aiming at
strikes across the country to highlight the exposing the brutal nature of India in Indian
inhumanity in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan arranged a 30 -minute pause
observed every Friday afternoon across the Steps taken by Pakistan at the
country which used to be attended by the international level
Prime Minister of Pakistan per se with a Pakistan has brought its diplomatic capacity
purpose to attract the international under full usage to attract the attention of the
community’s attention towards the atrocities international community towards the gross
of India in the Indian illegally held Jammu and human rights violation in the Indian Illegally
Kashmir. Similarly, Pakistan arranged an Occupied Jammu and Kashmir at the hands of
election to the provincial assembly of Gilgit the fascist Indian government with the
Baltistan which was deemed to be an initiative abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A followed by
to unveil its good intention towards the several jaundiced legislations. Pakistan
socioeconomic and political participation of succeeded in calling in the emergency meeting
the region thereby denying and repudiating of the UNSC on the Kashmir issue. Similarly,
the international concerns over the human Pakistani diplomacy prevailed upon the OIC to
rights violations in Pakistan’s administered lambast the human rights violation in Indian
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Occupied Kashmir via passing a resolution. Likewise, the active diplomacy of Pakistan vis-a-vis
Kashmir saga convinced the EU of bringing the atrocities of Indian administration in its forcefully and
illegally held Jammu and Kashmir. Recently, a report indicates the intention of Germany not to share
or trading military equipment with India since India commits to use them in Kashmir whereby it will
intensify the human rights violations. Moreover, Islamabad succeeded in getting the nod of the
American Congress and UK parliament to show and express their concerns over the downtrodden
human rights milieu in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, the Prime Minister of Pakistan
kept highlighting the gross human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir via his speeches
on a handful of International platforms. The foreign ministry left no stone unturned to convince its
counterparts of the seriousness of the issue. The international human rights giants, such as Amnesty
International, and Human Rights Watch, were provoked upon to cover and report the human rights
violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir committed by the Modi
administration. Though Pakistan did its best to bring the Kashmir issue in the view of the International
community, Pakistan needs more tangible and active steps to convince the world community of
compelling India to stop the human rights violations in its held Jammu and Kashmir and resolve the
issue as per the resolutions of UNSC.
Pakistan needs an active approach

Notwithstanding the above measures taken by Pakistan to highlight the gross human rights violations
in the Indian illegally held Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad needs a plethora of tangible measures to
convince the international community of compelling the fascist Modi administration to stop the gross
human rights violations in the valley. Pakistan should do its best to convince its neighbours, allies, and
International community of its concerns over the Kashmir issue to strengthen its stance. It should
keep highlighting the gross human rights abuse in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
thereby awakening the dormant nature of the International community vis-a-vis the human rights
violations. Pakistan should sensitize the Kashmir issue and its far-reaching consequences for regional
and international security. Pakistan should revisit its internal conditions wherein it needs to revamp its
economy which in turn will provide weight to its stance on the foreign front. Pakistan should also do its
best to maintain stability and law and order via enhancing the reach of fundamental rights to its
citizens which will reinforce its stance over human rights protection. Moreover, Pakistan needs to
convince its GCC countries allies, China, Russia, Iran, EU, and the United States of America of its stance
over the Kashmir issue and let them aware of the serious repercussions of the prolonged Kashmir
saga. Pakistan continues its efforts to highlight the gross human rights abuse of the Indian
administration in Jammu and Kashmir thereby unveiling the seriousness of the issue before the
international community.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Pakistan has adopted certain steps both at the national and international level to leave
bare the atrocities and brutalities of the Indian government in its Illegally Occupied Jammu and
Kashmir especially the post 5th August move. Despite all the measures Pakistan has taken so far,
Islamabad needs a plethora of tangible measures to sensitize the human rights abuse in Indian
Occupied Kashmir.
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Governance Issues
Post 18th Amendment
Hamna Malik
The 18th amendment has been termed as a

significant milestone in the political history of
Pakistan which is under the true spirit of the
constitution of 1973. The importance of this
constitutional amendment can be highlighted
by the fact that it has devolved vital political,
administrative, and economic functions to the
respective provinces which were previously in
the control of the federal government.
Nevertheless, this democratic transition will take
some time because Pakistan as a state has
witnessed erratic political systems alongside
decades spent under military rule. It’s been
more than 10 years since this amendment has
been enacted, but, due to the lingering
governance bottlenecks, its benefits are still not
prevalent at the grassroot level. Following are
the major governance obstacles that the state
is facing after the 18th amendment has been
put into effect.
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Lack of coordination between the

federal and provincial governments
The Council of Common Interest (CCI) and the
National Economic Council (NEC) are the
constitutional bodies that are entrusted to
deal with the matters of supervision,
monitoring, decision making and to oversee
responsibilities that come under the Federal
Legislative List part II. The devolution plan
faced two vital issues in which the provincial
governments were operating under rigid
bureaucratic systems, and there were no
accountability checks at the grass-root level.
Furthermore, the provinces need to restructure
and upgrade their administrative, political and
technical competencies to fully reap the
benefits of the powers that have been granted
to them. Here’s the overview of the provincial
allocation and provincial shares allocated
under the 7th National Finance Commission
(NFC) award. The 9th NFC award is an onerous
task as provinces have more subjects and
responsibilities e.g. (the merger of FATA into
KPK), thus demanding a greater pool of
resources.
Intricacies of Health Policy-making

Under the constitution of Pakistan, the right to
health has not been specifically defined and immunization and tuberculosis control, HIV/AIDS,
the federal ministry of health was abolished in etc. The recent situation of the COVID-19 has
June 2011 which further exacerbated the been tackled differently by the federal
situation because the provinces could not government who was in the view of smart
finance and manage the vertical programs of lockdown so that daily wage labourers don’t get
primary health care and family planning, affected by the implications of the lockdown
newborn and child health, maternal, whereas as Sindh government adopted the
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strict lockdown policy and still have a difference of opinion with the federal government. This creates
ambiguity among the state institutions.
Educational Sector Predicament

A new article has been inserted in the constitution with the Right to Education in which the federal
government’s role is to oversee education in federal jurisdiction, international treaties, and
inter-government coordination. The provinces which are already lagging in socio-economic
development like Baluchistan,
Sindh, and KPK need to hire staff so that responsibilities can be delegated to the new provincial
departments. There is a need for the provision of funds and legislative and administrative capacity
needs to be harnessed so that these provinces can manage the HR and Financial crisis. The Sindh
HEC is in direct strife with the National HEC due to which medical tests had been postponed several
times leading to a chaotic situation in which the regulatory bodies were giving directives on their own
leaving the students’ future at stake. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel as the incumbent
government has announced that a uniform curriculum will be implemented across schools under the
supervision of the National Curriculum Council (NCC). This decision has been enforced with
consistent efforts of negotiating with the respective stakeholders especially the provinces.
Perplexing Agricultural Domains

Agriculture was considered as a residual subject before the 18th amendment and the former federal
ministry of food and agriculture performed the 39 functions as prescribed. But now, a new ministry of
food security and research has been formed in which seed testing and research, agricultural
research, grading, agricultural storage is done by the federal government. All of these functions come
under the domain of provincial authorities and these provincial departments have been officially
working on these subjects. So, this duplication of functions on both levels is questionable. Secondly,
out of 12 departments, only one department has been fully devolved which poses a serious threat to
the smooth transfer of power. There is still a need for a full-scale transfer of agricultural functions to
the provinces because they should be entirely under the jurisdiction of provincial governments.
The Taxation Conundrum

According to the 18th amendment, provinces have the right to tax the provision of services that
comes under the federal realm as well as it adopted a silent approach of how the taxes will be
allocated among the provinces. This leads to the imposition of double taxation on the businesses
from both the federal and provincial governments. Although, National Tax Council has been formed to
address this issue, still there has been no concrete consensus to resolve the legitimate concerns of
both the governments that overlap each other.
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According to Article 172(3) of the Constitution as amended under the 18th amendment, states that
“Mineral oil and natural gas within the province or the territorial waters adjacent thereto shall vest
jointly and equally in that province and federal government”. This clause has still not been
implemented in which the deprived provinces especially Baluchistan, Sindh, and KPK have demanded
the revival of oil and gas exploration as the main stakeholders at the federal level are intentionally
abstaining on domestic exploration which can lay the foundations to get imported LNG. The current
Reqo-Diq fiasco in which Pakistan state has been fined a whopping $6 million penalty was mainly
due to miscommunication between the center and Baluchistan province that led to the
misinterpretation of the clause and is still a bone of contention between the federation and its
federating units.
The federal and provincial governments need to coordinate and address these looming concerns on
an immediate basis because if these legal, administrative, and economic aspects are not rectified,
there is a high probability that it will further intensify the governance issues.
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Judiciary in Pakistan:
Ills and Remedies
Rimsha Shakir Jan
A well-functioning judiciary has influence far

beyond the dispensation of justice. Judiciary in
Pakistan, however, has remained weak and has
also transgressed from its mandate. According
to the 2017-18 World Justice Project Rule of Law
Index, which measures whether ordinary people
can resolve their grievances through the civil
justice system, Pakistan’s score globally is 105th
out of 113. The article goes on to describe the ills
of the judiciary in Pakistan and its remedies.
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A Long history of pending cases

The most crucial one for the poor
performance of the judiciary in Pakistan is the
long pendency of cases. There are 40,000
cases pending with the Supreme Court, about
300,000 with the 5 high courts, and about
2,000,000 with the subordinate judiciary of the
four provinces and the federal capital,
according to the Law and Justice Commission
of Pakistan. In 2006, the number of pending
cases before it was 13,724. Today, it is more
than three times that. On average, it takes 1,071
days to settle a commercial dispute in court
(World Bank, 2018). The available data
confirms that every month more cases are
filed than disposed of– choking the justice
delivery system. To rectify this, our court
system needs judicial reforms. Cases should
be heard on merit, and there should be a
specific time frame for the settlement of
cases, where cases must not linger on for
generations.
Threat to independence and integrity

of Judiciary
After the 2009s restoration of judges, the CJP
of that time promised to continue the
establishment of rule of law. Ironically, it was
he who was catapulted to iconic status during
the struggle, and he did the most damage to general elections in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B)
the apex judiciary after being restored. Some region and tempered its stance in several cases
of the judgments cost the institution and the when the court was requested to show judicial
state dearly. His integrity became restraint. Therefore, judicial restraint is
questionable after allegations of financial necessary for the proper functioning of the
misdeeds against his son. Some of his actions institution to fulfill the desired roles and
also threatened the independence of the responsibilities laid out for it.
judiciary. This gives rise to the argument that
the most damage to the judiciary is done from Incompetency of judges
within the institution whereas the very core Article X of the Judges Code of Conduct states
regarding the integrity of the judiciary lies with that a judge should take all steps to decide
the judges themselves. Therefore, judges cases within the shortest period and make every
should work carefully regarding the integrity of effort to minimize the suffering of litigants by
the institution. deciding cases expeditiously through proper
and written judgments. Incompetency of judges
Judicial Activism prolongs the whole process of obtaining justice.
Judicial activism was witnessed when funding Therefore, amendments in the Judicial
for dam construction along with the ambition Commission of Pakistan rules for the
to establish a legacy was done. The judiciary improvement of procedure regarding judge’s
cannot afford judges with populist agendas. appointment would improve the process. With
Not only does this damage the judiciary, but it the establishment of an efficient justice system
also limits judges’ independence. It was also that can be done if efforts are made to produce
seen during the regime of the incumbent CJP highly competent adjudicators at lower levels. It
under whom the Supreme Court had will help to produce competent judges for
facilitated the federal government in few higher courts in the future. The chief justice
matters, such as granting permission to hold himself or any other judge authorized by or a
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committee appointed by him may look into any judicial appointment to approve or disapprove the
same which would be binding on the federal government. All existing and future appointments in
appellate tribunals must be screened by the judicial organ of the state. This will ensure competency
at the very lower tiers which inapplicably enforce their progress on the higher tiers.
Lack of good governance

The courts in Pakistan are working below the sanctioned strength and in an outdated fashion.
Excessive and unnecessary litigation is symptomatic of various ills in society. Instead of removing the
causes of litigation, only symptoms are being cured by increasing the number of judges, chambers
and giving more room to lawyers to fleece helpless citizens. Since Independence, we have failed to
modernize our obsolete state institutions.
There is a need to replace the prevalent decayed and disintegrating systems with modern and
efficient models working successfully in other countries.
Purchase of justice
In majority of the courts throughout the country, justice is bought. However, in civil courts, the situation
gets worse. A maxim goes on in our courts that litigants should hire a good judge instead of a good
lawyer to get justice. The poor and uneducated strata of our society are the most hit. They have to
spend lifetime savings as fees for lawyers to buy justice. Litigants have to wait for generations for the
final settlement of their cases. Therefore, the government should set up more courts at the district
and Tehsil level to provide cheap and speedy justice at the grass-root level. As well as the
government should set up a free judicial assistance service which will ensure to provide legal help to
those poor litigants who cannot afford exorbitant fees of lawyers.
Corruption and Delay tactics of Lawyers

It is evident by the practice of the lawyers to delay the case especially in civil matters where it is most
likely to delay it for the sake of their interest and to keep their work going. There are several cases on
the record where the case was delayed for an unnecessary time. Thanks to the national judicial
policy, that acts as a remedy. It aims to ensure speedy justice, eliminate corruption and ensure the
independence of the judiciary. Under the heading of corruption, it says that Action should be initiated
against those judicial officers/staff that carry the persistent reputation of being corrupt or have their
lifestyle beyond ostensible means and income.
Academic structure
The influx of lawyers is every year in burden upon the judicial system as the intake is greater than the
need. In Pakistan, it is very easy to have a law degree from remote areas reading specific guide books
containing questions and answers to some of the general questions and the student can easily get
through the exam. Legal education in Pakistan needs to be streamlined, and some concrete steps
should be taken to attain the international standards of legal education. The criteria to obtain a legal
practitioner code should be revised. The Pakistan Bar Council along with provincial bar councils
should play its vigilant role in the assurance of qualified lot in the profession of justice and it should
not be for granted for all.
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In conclusion, putting forth the remedies of the aforesaid ills, it would lead to the elimination of
unnecessary litigation, and it will facilitate the smooth running of affairs between the state and its
citizens. Once both learn to act within the four corners of law, there will be a dramatic decrease in
delayed justice. An independent judiciary is a sine qua non for a truly democratic state. Thus, if the
judicial structure of Pakistan is overhauled, the country will become a heaven for the poor ensuring
equality and rule of law.
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MEET OUR CSP

MEET OUR CSP/

INSTRUCTOR OF THE MONTH
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Question 1: Tell us a little about yourself?

Answer: This is Zohaib Ahmad, and I belong to Azad Kashmir. I did engineering in Architecture from the
University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in 2016. Subsequently, I passed CSS in 2017 and got
allocated to Pakistan Administrative Service.
Question 2: How would you define CSS?

Answer: A competitive exam to induct bureaucrats in twelve different bureaucratic services of Paki-
stan. One has to pass a written examination which consists of 12 subjects followed by psychological
and medical tests. Then, a final interview must be passed for final allocation. Aspirants have to pass
all these tests to assure allocation in a service group.
Question 3: Who should attempt CSS?

Answer: Anyone who wants to test his capabilities and serve the people of Pakistan must go for the
CSS examination. In my viewpoint, all graduates must go for this examination once in their lifetime.
This is so because this examination provides one with an opportunity to self-evaluate one’s self which
no other exam of the country does. So, every graduate must pause for 6 to 8 months after graduation
and appear in the CSS examination.
Question 4: How much time is required to prepare for CSS?

Answer: There no rule of thumb for this. However, keeping in mind one’s background knowledge, it
requires 6 to 8 months to prepare for the CSS examination. I have seen many aspirants who were
unable to pass this examination even after years of preparation. Notably, some of them were even
more competent than me. Moreover, there is a factor of luck in this as well. Thus, a reasonable time to
prepare for this examination is 6 to 8 months with 8 to 12 hours of study per day max.
Question 5: How difficult is CSS?

Answer: The level of difficulty of CSS varies from person to person. Some people passed it with just 3
months of preparation while some people were unable to succeed after years of preparation. This
illustrates that there no measurement of the difficulty level of CSS. Nevertheless, this examination is
the most difficult exam as compared to all other exams of the entire country because it evaluates an
aspirant through different angles. The level of evaluation in CSS can be examined through its struc-
ture. For instance, to give 12 exams in approximately 10 days is not only a test of knowledge, but it is
also a test of nerves and mental strength of an aspirant. Moreover, the critical and analytical skills of
an individual are tested in this examination which exemplifies its difficulty level. Succinctly, this level of
difficulty can be dealt with through smart study and a calculated approach towards preparation.
Question 6: How can optional subjects be chosen?

Answer: There is a misconception that the scoring trend of courses solely determines the selection of
optional subjects. This is not the case. One must not choose one’s optional subjects according to
scoring trends of past papers. However, the following factors must be kept in mind while selecting
optional courses:
a) Interest of an aspirant
b) Length of the syllabus
c) Background Knowledge of the subject
d) Scoring nature of the subject
The above-mentioned factors must be kept in mind. Along these lines, you will be able to not only
pass CSS with flying colors but will also be able to increase your knowledge base.
Question 7: How to begin with the CSS Preparation?

Answer: Start with English grammar and enhance your English proficiency. Then move towards Cur-
rent Affairs and General Knowledge by reading the newspaper. Also, read research articles published
in IPRI and ISSI, both are research institutions of Pakistan. In this way, it will be easier for an aspirant to
have a good understanding of the basic concepts of CSS.
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Question 8: What skill level in English is required to attempt CSS?

Answer: First, your English must be flawless. It means there must be no grammatical errors in your
writing expression. Second, you must be able to convey your point or argument in English, and it must
be clear and concrete. Besides, a good expression doesn’t mean that you add lots of different words,
instead, your expression must be simple with appropriate use of vocabulary. This is the level of English
language which is required in CSS.
Question 9: How should I improve my English?

Answer: There are many methods to enhance your English proficiency. The method which was used
by me was the rewriting of Dawn editorials. I would try to copy with the style of the writers of Dawn. I
had been doing so for almost 3 months after starting the preparation for CSS. In this way, I was able to
build a good writing expression.
Question 10: What books should I get to start preparation?

Answer: I think that the recommended books are the best in this regard. Although one cannot read all
the books, some can be read to cover the course. My strategy was to study one book per subject
which covered the major chunk of the outline. Then, I used to consult online resources to cover the
remaining topics.
Question 11: Why is there a high failure ratio in CSS?

Answer: There are many reasons for this high failure ratio. The CSS examination is analysis-based,
and it is an examination that requires the applied use of knowledge. Because our educational spec-
trum is based on rote learning, aspirants are unable to use critical and analytical skills. This is a major
reason for a high failure ratio. Furthermore, a great number of aspirants fail to reach the difficulty level
of this examination which results in a high failure ratio.
Question 12: What are the frequently repeated mistakes aspirants make?
Answer: A primary mistake is an unplanned strategy of preparation. Aspirants do not plan their
preparation. Due to this reason, they are unable to manage their time due to a lack of systematic and
targeted preparation. Another mistake is that aspirants do not do writing practice. As this is, basically,
an exam of writing, students make a great mistake by ignoring the practice of writing. So, these are
certain most repeated mistakes that aspirants make.
Question 13: What are the success ingredients?

Answer: Determination, consistency, perseverance, and focus are some main ingredients of success
in the race of CSS. Additionally, the right strategy and good English along with smart work are some
equally important ingredients of success in the CSS examination.
Question 14: Message for CSS aspirants?

Answer: An aspirant can only pass CSS if he raises his skills, aptitude, and attitude above the level of
CSS. The latter will not bow down to your level, so you must raise your level. You must remain motivat-
ed and consistent during the preparation phase. Please stay away from negativities that are sabo-
taging your preparation. Thusly, you will ace the CSS examination.
www.nearpeer.org 43
Monthly
Press Review
www.nearpeer.org 44
How to deal with clampdown, which is a breach

of the country’s treaty
is no longer just a matter of
size—although, with 18% of world
China obligations. China’s diplomats GDP, it has that too. The country
replied with bombastic denials. is also where firms discover
Published in The Economist consumer trends and
You might think the death of innovations. It is increasingly
Last week China slapped down liberalism in Asia’s financial where commodity prices and
democracy in Hong Kong. The center, which hosts $10trn of the cost of capital are set, and
imposition of tight mainland cross-border investments, is becoming a source of
control over the territory is not would trigger panic, capital regulations. Business is betting
just a tragedy for the 7.5m flight and a business exodus. that, in Hong Kong and the
people who live there, it is also a Instead, Hong Kong is enjoying mainland, China’s thuggish
measure of China’s a financial boom. Share government is capable of
determination not to offerings have soared as self-restraint in the commercial
compromise over how it asserts China’s leading companies list sphere, providing contractual
its will. After the collapse of the there. Western firms are in the certainty, despite the lack of
Soviet Union in 1991, liberal thick of it: the top underwriters fully independent courts and
values were ascendant around are Morgan Stanley and free speech. Though China’s
the world. The challenge from Goldman Sachs. Last year, the best-known tycoon, Jack Ma,
China will subject them to their value of US dollar payments has fallen from political favor,
greatest test since the early cleared in Hong Kong, a hub for foreign investors’ stakes in his
days of the cold war. What is the world’s reserve currency, hit empire are still worth over
more, as the economy of Hong a record $11trn. $500bn.
Kong also shows, China is more
tightly coupled with the West The same pattern of political All this is a rebuke to the West’s
than communist Russia ever oppression and commercial China policy of recent decades.
was. This presents the free effervescence is to be found on When Western leaders
world with an epoch-defining the mainland. In 2020 China welcomed China into the world
question: how should it best abused human rights in trading system in 2001, many of
secure prosperity, lower the risk Xinjiang, waged cyber-warfare, them believed that it would
of war and protect freedom as threatened its neighbors and automatically become freer as
China rises? intensified the cult of it became richer. When that did
personality surrounding not happen the Trump
Hong Kong defies those looking President Xi Jinping. Another administration tried coercion,
for a simple answer. China has purge is under way. Yet when tariffs and sanctions. Those
cut the share of directly elected they talk to shareholders about have failed, too—and not only in
legislators from 50% to as low China, global firms gloss over Hong Kong. America has led a
as 22% and will require that they this brutal reality: “Very happy,” three-year campaign against
are vetted for “patriotism”. It is says Siemens; “Phenomenal,” Huawei, a firm it accuses of
the culmination of a campaign reckons Apple; and spying. Of the 170 countries that
to squash liberty in the territory. “Remarkable,” says Starbucks.
The leaders of the protest Mainland China attracted
movement are in exile, in prison $163bn of fresh multinational
or intimidated by a security law investment last year, more than
imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. any other country. It is opening
Censorship is rising and Hong the mainland capital markets
Kong’s judiciary and regulators to foreigners, who have
will face pressure to show their invested $900bn, in a landmark
fealty. On March 12th the g7 shift for global finance.
group of democracies
condemned China’s autocratic Moreover, the pull China exerts
www.nearpeer.org 45
use its products, only a dozen or self-sufficient in keep the peace, the cost to
so have banned it. Meanwhile, semiconductors. China of military aggression
the number of Chinese tech must be raised, by
firms worth over $50bn has At least an embargo would strengthening coalitions such
risen from seven to 15. encourage China to protect as the “Quad” with India, Japan
human rights, some will say. Yet and Australia, and bolstering
One response would be for the isolation tends to strengthen Taiwan’s military strength.
West to double down by the grip of autocratic
seeking a full disengagement governments. Cut off from Greater resilience allows
with China in an attempt to commercial, intellectual and openness and a tough stance
isolate it and force it to change cultural contact with the West, on human rights. By articulating
tack. The cost would be high. ordinary Chinese will be even an alternative vision to
China’s share of world trade is more deprived of outside ideas totalitarianism, liberal
three times that of the Soviet and information. The governments can help sustain
Union in 1959. Prices would rise day-to-day contact of 1m the vigor of open societies
as Western consumers were cut foreign-invested businesses in everywhere in a confrontation
off from the world’s factory. China with their customers and that, if it is not to end in a tragic
China makes 22% of global staff, and 40,000 Chinese firms war, will last decades. It is vital
manufacturing exports. Western abroad with the world, is a to show that talk of universal
clusters that rely on China conduit that even China’s values and human rights is
would face a shock: tech in censors struggle to contain. more than a cynical tactic to
America, cars in Germany, Students and tourists engage in preserve Western hegemony
banking in Britain, luxury goods millions of ordinary encounters and keep China down. That
in France and mining in that are not intermediated by means firms acting against
Australia. Banning China from Big Brother. enormities by, say, excluding
using the dollar today could forced labor from their supply
trigger a global financial crisis. Engagement with China is the chains. Whereas Western
only sensible course, but how amorality would only make
Such a price might be worth does it avoid becoming Chinese nationalism more
paying if an embargo were appeasement? That is the threatening, principled
likely to succeed. But there are challenge facing the Biden advocacy of human rights
many reasons to think that the administration, which held a sustained over many years
West cannot penalize the summit with China as we went may encourage China’s people
Chinese Communist Party out to press. It is at the heart of to demand the same freedoms
of power. In the short run, if strategic reviews like the one for themselves.
forced to take sides, many Britain has just unveiled.
countries might choose China China’s rulers believe they have
over the West. After all, China is It starts with building up the found a way to marry
the largest goods trading West’s defenses. Institutions autocracy with technocracy,
partner of 64 countries, against and supply chains must be opacity with openness, and
just 38 for America. Instead of buttressed against Chinese brutality with commercial
isolating China, America and its state interference, including predictability. After the
allies could end up isolating universities, the cloud and suppression of Hong Kong, free
themselves. In the long run, energy systems. The creaking societies should be more aware
unlike the oil-soaked Soviet American-led infrastructure than ever of the challenge that
Union, China is big, diverse and behind globalization—treaties, presents. They now need to
innovative enough to adapt to payments networks, technology muster a response—and to
outside pressure. It is testing a standards—must be prepare their defenses for the
digital currency, which could modernized to give countries long struggle ahead.
eventually rival the dollar as a an alternative to the competing
way to settle trade. It aims to be system China is assembling. To
www.nearpeer.org 46
Saudi Arabia and ingrained and a consequence the Shia-Sunni divide”.

of historical and theological
Iran have not antagonism. But to look at the tensions
between the two countries
always been foes The roots of today’s “Sunni-Shia
conflict” are often sought in the solely through the prism of
disagreements over the sectarianism would yield flawed
Published in Al Jazeera succession of Prophet conclusions. The line between
Muhammad as the leader of Sunni and Shia Islam has been
The outbreak of the Arab Spring the Muslim community historically and theologically
triggered a number of conflicts (whether it should have been blurred at times and has not
and regional tensions in the kept within his family or not). always been such a divisive
Middle East, which over the past The subsequent killing of his element. Furthermore, historical
10 years, have acquired an grandson, Hussein ibn Ali, at the events and developments of
increasingly sectarian tinge. At hands of forces loyal to the the past 60 years demonstrate
the forefront of what some Umayyad caliph Yazid in the that religious sentiments are by
analysts have identified as Battle of Karbala of 680AD is far not the main factor in
“Sunni-Shia conflict” have been seen as having solidified the decision-making in Riyadh and
Saudi Arabia and Iran. split between the Shia and the Tehran.
Sunni.
Emboldened by the The main considerations on
fragmentation of states across The Shia are said to perceive both sides of the Gulf have
the region, Riyadh and Tehran the Sunni as supporters of been regional influence and
have sensed an opportunity to power usurpation by the internal stability. Both countries
increase their own standing in Umayyads and responsible for have had the resources and
the Middle East and have the death of a succession of ambition to seek regional
entered a fierce competition for Prophet Muhammad’s true security and hegemony and
regional influence. The frequent heirs, while the Sunni perceive both have had a weak spot – a
use of religious rhetoric and the Shia as “apostates”, religious/ethnic minority based
loyalties in proxy conflicts has deviating from “true Islam”. in their oil-rich provinces.
led some observers to conclude
that this competition is mainly In the 16th and 17th centuries, And whenever their interests
sectarian in nature and stems the Safavid dynasty gradually have not clashed directly, there
from a historical Sunni-Shia transformed Sunni Iran into a have been quite a few
struggle. bastion of Shia Islam. Then, in moments of positive
the 18th century, the House of engagement and collaboration
But a closer examination of Saud embraced the between the two countries.
recent history demonstrates ultraconservative Sunni
that this is by far not the case. Wahabiyya doctrine. These two
In this article, we challenge the developments are considered
“ancient hatreds” thesis and by some to mark the onset of
contend that the present sectarian Saudi-Iranian rivalry.
sectarian tensions are
predominantly a political In recent years, both Tehran
construct serving the domestic and Riyadh have actively used
and regional agendas of the religious language in their
two countries. hostile rhetoric towards each
other. They have also sought to
Relations before revolution channel their influence through
Tensions between Sunni and proxies, seemingly along
Shia groups and countries have sectarian lines, prompting
often been portrayed as deeply some to talk about a “rebirth of
www.nearpeer.org 47
Cold war politics and and sought to export to both the House of Saud and
collaboration revolutionary activity under the the Islamic Republic.
With the onset of the Cold War, banner of an “uprising of all
the United States looked to Muslims” guided by his In May 1997, Iran’s newly elected
regional powers in the Middle leadership. reformist President Mohammed
East to establish a solid front Khatami undertook a tour of
against the expansion of Soviet Of particular concern for Saudi Arab countries and paid a visit
influence and secure the export Arabia was the outbreak of to the Saudi port city of Jeddah,
of oil from the Gulf region. As a protests in its Eastern Province, where he met King Fahd. At the
result, Iran – under the Pahlavi home to the majority of its Shia end of the meeting, they issued
dynasty – and Saudi Arabia population and its oil reserves. a joint communique in which
became part of the United Riyadh launched a bloody they pledged “non-interference
States’ “twin pillar” to provide crackdown to end the in each other’s internal affairs,
regional security. In the 1960s upheaval, which resulted in the respect for national sovereignty
and 70s, the two countries death of dozens of civilians. and independence and
collaborated closely and Meanwhile, the clerical peaceful coexistence derived
enjoyed good relations. establishment issued a flurry of from the ties of religion and
anti-Shia publications heritage which bind the states
The Egyptian army’s portraying the protests not as of the region”.
intervention in the Yemen War Muslim but as a Shia
(1962-70) to back the coup led conspiracy in an attempt to In December 1997, Saudi Crown
by Arab nationalist officers also blunt the revolutionary appeal Prince Abdullah travelled to Iran
brought Riyadh and Tehran of the Iranian Revolution. to attend a summit of the
together, as they backed the Organization of the Islamic
forces fighting to preserve the Meanwhile, Iran itself faced Conference and was greeted
rule of the Zaidi King-Imam. ethnoreligious upheaval, as by Khatami, who symbolically
Some fighters loyal to the Arab communities in Khuzestan kissed him on both cheeks. The
imamate travelled from Saudi province – where 80 percent of Saudis made it clear that “if the
Arabia to Iran to receive the country’s onshore oil two governments have the
training. reserves are located – rose up political will, there are no limits
to demand autonomy and an to cooperation with Iran”.
Sharing long borders and end to their marginalization.
historical and tribal ties with The Arab uprising was violently The US invasion of Iraq and
Saudi Arabia, Yemen suppressed by the security the Arab Spring
represented a “red line” for the forces, with more than 100 The US invasion of Iraq and the
Saudis. The Iranians, for their people killed. fall of the Baathist regime in
part, feared the influence of 2003 opened a new chapter in
Egyptian President Gamal After the death of Khomeini in Iranian-Saudi relations.
Abdel Nasser’s pan-Arabism, 1989, relations between the two
which was stirring anti-Shah countries began to improve. In Under the leadership of the
sentiment in Iran’s January 1990, when a more hawkish President
Arab-populated oil-rich devastating earthquake in the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who
province of Khuzestan. Iranian city of Manjil took the was elected in 2005, Iran was
lives of tens of thousands, quick to use its extensive links to
The Iranian revolution of Riyadh rushed in to send aid to the anti-Baathist opposition –
1978-79 shook the region and the ravaged areas. In 1991, the part of which it had long hosted
soured Iran’s relations with the two countries resumed their – to establish a strong foothold
House of Saud. Supreme leader diplomatic relations, just as the in weakened and fragmented
Ayatollah Khomeini directly United States launched the First Iraq. Reeling under heavy US
called for the overthrow of Gulf War against Iraq, whose and UN sanctions, the Islamic
American-backed Arab rulers Baathist regime was a nemesis Republic sought to curb US
www.nearpeer.org 48
presence and influence on its protests against his regime. reconcile with Riyadh emerged.
western border and become
the main player shaping Iraqi Saudi Arabia did the opposite. It And even though Saudi Arabia
affairs. Over the next few years, dispatched its army to help the launched a war against the
Tehran managed to establish Bahraini monarchy regain Houthis in 2015, declaring them
extensive influence over the control of the streets, but in an Iranian proxy, it did engage
security sector and various Syria, it backed the armed with the group in the months
political forces (both Shia and opposition, providing it with after Saleh’s overthrow, as it
non-Shia) in Iraq. generous military and financial tried to shape the outcome of
assistance. Yemen’s political transition. Iran,
Elsewhere in the Arab world, it for its part, approached leftist
sought to gain the support of In pursuing these goals, Saudi forces and separatists in the
ordinary Arabs by emphasizing Arabia and Iran embraced the south, trying to expand its
its commitment to the use of sectarian rhetoric and influence in Yemen.
Palestinian cause and allegiances, to complement the
opposition to Western deployment of military force in Can Iran and Saudi Arabia
imperialism. As one Shia Bahrain, Syria and Yemen. While make up?
scholar put it, at the time the the conflicts in these three The Arab Spring and the
Iranian foreign policy was countries easily lend Iranian-Saudi escalation of
“Sunni”. themselves to a Sunni-Shia tensions have also inevitably
rivalry interpretation, the reality spilled over onto the domestic
In Saudi Arabia, however, Iran’s in all three is much scene in both countries. In
growing influence in Iraq was complicated. Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province,
perceived as a major threat. protests broke out inspired by
Saudi officials repeatedly urged The example of Yemen the Arab uprisings. The
the US to stay engaged in the perfectly illustrates the fallacy monarchy felt threatened and
region and even asked of the sectarian argument. Just again launched a bloody
Washington to launch military as in the 1960s, “Wahhabi crackdown, claiming the
strikes on the Iranian nuclear Riyadh” and “secular Tehran” protesters were “terrorists”,
programmed to “cut off the backed the pro-imamate Zaidi “Iranian agents” and “fifth
head of the snake”. Shia forces out of political column”.
considerations rather than
A few years later, the outbreak religious ones, after 2011, they Iran has also witnessed similar
of the Arab Spring pushed the supported various political disturbances by ethnic
hostility between Saudi Arabia players depending on their minorities in Khuzestan and
and Iran to a new level. Each of current interests. Sistan-Baluchestan provinces
them sought to shape the and by disaffected youth and
outcomes of the Arab uprisings After supporting Yemeni ordinary citizens in Tehran and
to favor their interests, and in President Ali Abdullah Saleh other big cities. The Iranian
doing so adopted seemingly (himself a member of the Zaidi government has repeatedly
contradictory policies. sect) for years, Saudi Arabia, accused Saudi Arabia of
along with other Gulf
They backed some uprisings Cooperation Council (GCC)
while opposed others. Iran countries brokered a deal for
supported the protests in him to step down in 2011. By
Bahrain in the name of 2014, Saleh had made a
respecting the “will of the comeback to Yemen and allied
people”, but was quick to send with the Houthis, a Zaidi armed
military support and personnel group, who he had previously
to Bashar al-Assad in Syria, as tried to obliterate, only to betray
he tried to crush nationwide them as an opportunity to
www.nearpeer.org 49
agitating unrest among its Arab while religion has a role to play, values in the Indo-Pacific.
population and sponsoring this rivalry is more about Although the Quad is often
violence, such as the 2018 politics and regional security viewed as an anti-China club,
attack on the Islamic than “ancient hatreds”. That is the recently concluded meeting
Revolutionary Guard Corps’ why, peace – or at least some hosted by U.S. President Joe
parade in Ahvaz. degree of normalized relations Biden revealed it has an
– is quite possible. inclusive agenda: Quad
Despite this hostility, however, members decided to launch an
there is a glimmer of hope that The Quad Can ambitious vaccine supply
the situation can improve.
End the Crisis in program and formed working
groups to explore areas of
Since the dynamics of Myanmar cooperation on emerging
Iranian-Saudi relations have technologies and climate
been highly influenced by the change. Importantly, Quad
Published in Foreign Policy
intervention of third parties, leaders made it clear that
mostly the US, it is possible that finding an early and peaceful
There’s currently no end in sight
the new administration in solution to the Myanmar crisis is
to the growing civil unrest that
Washington could have a a top priority.
has gripped Myanmar since its
positive effect and alleviate
military coup on Feb. 1. As
tensions. At first glance, the Quad seems
protests grow by the day,
somewhat divided on
Myanmar’s military, the
Indeed, Washington might Myanmar: While Australia and
Tatmadaw, has turned to lethal
realize that some form of the United States have
violence to quell
collaboration between Iran and condemned the coup, India
demonstrations. So far, the
Saudi Arabia might be and Japan issued milder
response from the international
beneficial to its regional statements, perhaps because
community has been limited to
interests. they were cautious of alienating
issuing sanctions and harsh
Myanmar and pushing it
statements condemning the
President Joe Biden has already toward China. Yet New Delhi
military’s sudden
signaled that he is looking into and Tokyo could in fact be
takeover—without altering the
rejoining the Iran nuclear deal, instrumental in finding a way to
situation on the ground. But the
which his predecessor pulled end the impasse in Naypyidaw.
coup has taken place at a time
out of. This has provoked a India and Japan were recently
when the pandemic has left
mixed reaction in Tehran and named by Burma Campaign
many civilians in economic
alerted some US allies in the U.K. as two of the top countries
despair, and sanctions risk
region, including Saudi Arabia. still training and cooperating
exacerbating a humanitarian
with the Tatmadaw—a fact that
crisis. Restoring the civilian
However, a nuclear deal could also means they have strong
government and getting the
be an opportunity to get both leverage over the army.
Tatmadaw to back down will
countries on the negotiating
require a much more
table. There are already India and Japan provide an
imaginative response from
proposals to include Riyadh in excellent opening for the Quad
abroad.
any future talks with Tehran. to anchor a peaceful
restoration of democracy while
One overlooked solution to
Finding a way of balancing the also putting an effective check
Myanmar’s crisis may be the
competing interests – and fears on China’s opportunistic moves
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,
– of Riyadh, Tehran and in Myanmar. And the timing for
or the “Quad”—the newly
Washington is not an easy task New Delhi and Tokyo to act
reinvigorated forum among
but understanding the ways in could not be better, as Burmese
Australia, India, Japan, and the
which the rivalry plays out is protestors increasingly turn on
United States to share and
essential. One thing is certain, Beijing.
promote liberal and democratic
www.nearpeer.org 50
Both India and Japan have a of law, governance, and Act East policy has improved
deep understanding of the electoral systems by, for trade and defense relations
complex dynamics at play in example, providing election between the two neighbors and
Myanmar’s power struggle. supplies and dispatching led to, for instance, India
Since the National League for election monitoring teams, launching major infrastructure
Democracy assumed power in building the capacity of officials initiatives, such as the Kaladan
2015, Japan’s strategy toward in local governments, and Multi-Modal Transit Transport
Myanmar has been to maintain helping the country upgrade its Project and the
communication not only with justice delivery system. The India-Myanmar-Thailand
now-ousted State Counsellor country has also acted as a Trilateral Highway, which are
Aung San Suu Kyi and her party peacemaker by brokering intended to compete with
but also with the Tatmadaw. negotiations with minority China’s massive infrastructure
Even as the Rohingya crisis groups. (Contrast that with projects under the Belt and
escalated in 2017 and the West China, which has been funding Road Initiative. And India is
withdrew investment from some ethnic insurgencies). And among a handful of countries
Myanmar, Japan continued to over the past decade, Japan that provided more than $1
invest there and provide foreign has developed the Thilawa billion to Myanmar to
aid, making it the third largest Special Economic Zone, strengthen its electoral process,
investor in and the largest promoting development in the revamp service delivery
donor to Myanmar. With this Yangon metropolitan area. institutions, and provide
leverage, Japan succeeded in Compared to the Tatmadaw’s technical and infrastructure
brokering a cease-fire last distrust of China, the high level assistance to improve its
November between the of confidence Japan has education and health care
Tatmadaw and the rebel earned in Myanmar should not services.
Arakan Army, which has be overlooked.
expanded the armed conflict Indeed, over the past few years,
against the Tatmadaw in the India can open back-channel Myanmar’s military has relied
Rakhine state since 2019. negotiations with senior military almost as much on India as it
officials in Myanmar. has on China. India gifted a
Despite these ties with the kilo-class submarine to
Tatmadaw, Japan surprised the Neither should India’s influence Myanmar last October when its
international community by in the country. New Delhi has foreign secretary and army
taking a clear stance against refrained from outright chief visited Naypyidaw. And
the coup and speaking up for condemnation of the coup, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the man
human rights and democracy. based in part on its long-held who masterminded the coup,
Although the country’s initial position of noninterference in paid a visit to India in 2019 and
response avoided the term another country’s affairs, but its is said to have a higher level of
“coup,” after the fatal shooting ties to Naypyidaw will trust in New Delhi than in Beijing.
of two peaceful protesters in nonetheless be critical to (After all, the Tatmadaw
Mandalay on Feb. 20, Japan restoring democracy in the suspects that China has been
strongly condemned the coup country. After burning its fingers arming ethnic rebels and terror
and the military’s violence. by supporting Myanmar’s organizations in the Rakhine
democratic movement in 1988 state to use as a bargaining
That statement in itself has and condemning the 1990 chip for the realization of
sway, since the economic and military coup—which played a projects under its Belt and Road
strategic importance of Japan role in driving the junta to China Initiative.) Admittedly, this puts
in Myanmar now matches—or and arming insurgent groups in India in a tight spot to make
even surpasses—that of China. the region bordering India—New any tough calls on the coup. But
Japan has promoted political Delhi has developed a close New Delhi can play a critical—if
stability in Myanmar by rapport with the Tatmadaw. Its less high-profile—role in any
providing assistance for the rule purposeful outreach through its future negotiation or peace
www.nearpeer.org 51
deal to ensure Myanmar’s

return to democracy. Given the
biggest economic and security
clout, it is time for India and
Iran should show
two countries’ deep Japan to use their military goodwill if it
cooperation on defense and
counterterrorism, India can
assistance and foreign aid to
the Tatmadaw as leverage in
wants to return
open back-channel their negotiations while at the to nuclear deal
negotiations with senior military same time extending critical
officials. And India’s vaccine humanitarian assistance to
Published in Arab News
diplomacy could also serve as citizens through
a lever to exert pressure on the nongovernmental and
Iranian Foreign Minister
junta. international organizations.
Mohammad Javad Zarif last
Japan has already frozen new
week gave an interview to
The Quad countries are foreign aid projects, but it has
Politico in which he said: “We
currently treating the crisis in done so without informing the
have not seen any change in
Myanmar with the urgency it rest of the world. It serves no
policy,” referring to the new
deserves. Since the coup, there purpose to impose sanctions
Biden administration in the US.
have been a series of bilateral quietly.
Iran is still subject to Donald
virtual meetings among foreign
Trump’s “maximum pressure”
ministers of member countries. Another key weapon that Quad
campaign. Zarif also said that,
On Feb. 18, the Quad foreign members can use to intensify
once there is a return to the
ministerial meeting addressed pressure on the Tatmadaw is to
Joint Comprehensive Plan of
the developments in Myanmar leverage their business
Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal,
and how democratic powers interests, especially given how
other issues can be discussed.
could respond. These senior military officials are
developments indicate that invested in commercial projects
However, despite Zarif’s
Quad members are serious not with foreign companies. There
overture, Iran has so far not
to let this rare opportunity for are more than 2,000 foreign
shown any goodwill that might
strengthening democracy go to corporations in Myanmar, and a
encourage its counterpart to
waste. majority of them are operated
engage in nuclear negotiations.
through joint ventures with local
Iran is persistent in showing
So far, the Quad has embraced companies—another source of
defiance, while in negotiations
a two-pronged approach pressure on the Tatmadaw.
one should know when to show
toward Myanmar. One the one
flexibility. It is starting to create
hand, the United States and The Myanmar crisis offers a rare
far too many enemies,
Australia continue to support window of opportunity for the
rendering Zarif’s task harder by
protestors—through aid and Quad to prove its worth as a
the day. Iran’s behavior is
through consular services for democratic check against
definitely not helping the
Myanmar citizens abroad—and authoritarian forces in the
people in the US administration
mobilize international efforts Indo-Pacific. Media
who are in favor of
against the military. On the commentaries often focus on
engagement. Tehran should be
other hand, India and Japan the United States, but if India
taking advantage of the fact
have engaged in backroom and Japan use the full extent of
the White House wants to
negotiations with the their influence, they can end the
engage and that it prefers
Tatmadaw. impasse in Myanmar sooner
negotiations to coercion and
than expected.
dialogue to confrontation.
The Myanmar crisis offers a rare
window of opportunity for the
The current behavior of Iran is
Quad to prove its worth.
doing more harm than good to
the JCPOA. Opponents of the
But they can do more. As the
deal argue it does not address
countries with some of the
Iran’s malign activities in the
www.nearpeer.org 52
region and Tehran’s current However, Iran is upsetting too mean that they are
behavior proves them right. Its many players and creating too comfortable with Iran. They
belligerent attitude reflects the many enemies. Turkey, for may have refrained from
anti-US wing in the Iranian example, is an important player confronting Iran this time, but if
regime. However, such actions that Iran could have at least Tehran continues with its
are not new. In January 2016, kept neutral. Ankara was one of behavior, they will probably
following the signing of the the few countries to condemn soon reach a point where they
JCPOA and when Iran should the killing of Quds Force will oppose Iran and be pushed
have been doing its best to commander Qassim Soleimani to use coercive measures
behave, it chose to put on a early in 2020. It was also against the Islamic Republic.
show of force. It captured 10 apparently helping Iran finance
American soldiers whose boats some of its operations through Tehran also has to bear in mind
had strayed into Iranian waters. the state-owned Halkbank. that the US cannot be seen to
A video was released showing Though on the opposite side to have bowed to Iran. And it is
the sailors on their knees with Iran in Syria, Turkey managed to Iran, not the US, which is under
their hands behind their heads, find a modus operandi with the maximum pressure. The
while an Iranian official Iranians via the Astana accords. sanctions are hurting the
bragged about Iran’s might. Now, however, Iran has a Iranian people, not Americans.
confrontational relationship Hence, Washington has no
The JCPOA is also an important with Turkey because of its sense of urgency in terms of
election ticket. The reformists protection of the Kurdistan returning to the deal. Iran also
want a return to the deal Workers’ Party (PKK) in Iraq. The has to realize that the Trump
because it will facilitate their PKK, which has been aided by administration was lobbied by
path to victory in June’s pro-Iranian militias, last month allies to leave the deal. The
presidential election. On the executed 13 Turkish hostages in more Tehran shows
other hand, the hard-liners with northern Iraq. And Asa’ib Ahl belligerence, the more those
an anti-Western premise will Al-Haq leader Qais Khazali, who allies will resist any US return to
benefit from a failure to return is pro-Iran, this month bluntly the deal. It definitely did not
to the JCPOA. It will play into announced that he was ready help that, in 2015, Iran bragged
their narrative: The US is not to to fight the Turks. Turkey could about having four Arab capitals
be trusted no matter who is at have been courted by Iran to under its control. Khamenei’s
the helm. Their attitude is that support its stance on the recent statement that Iranian
the Americans used the JCPOA JCPOA, but now Ankara influence will continue in the
when it was convenient to do so appears to be moving in the region no matter what is not
and left it when it no longer opposite direction. very comforting. And it
served their interests. Hence, contradicts the more
Iran should not let its guard The Europeans, who are in favor conciliatory tone Zarif is trying
down. of the deal, are increasingly to strike. The more Iran shows
being turned off by Iran’s belligerence, the more the Arab
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei behavior. The UK, France and Gulf states will be put on the
accepted the deal only Germany (the E3) had planned defensive.
because the economic crunch to introduce a resolution at the
was no longer bearable, but he International Atomic Energy
has never been a fan of it. He Agency this month criticizing
knows that embracing the deal Iran for curbing the agency’s
means giving up the cult of the inspections and asking it to
revolution, which is something explain its breaches of the 2015
he does not want to do as it deal. Following a warning from
would mean abandoning the Russia and Iran, however, the E3
premise on which the entire decided against presenting the
regime is built. resolution. But this does not
www.nearpeer.org 53
decades-long struggle the lessons strain through the

So, Iran should be more between India, which phone in the form of a broken,
pragmatic. The first step toward administers the region, and unconnected jumble of words.”
showing goodwill would be to Pakistan, which claims it,
adopt a smoother approach schools have been closed not The 590-day closure, says Mrs.
with the West and the region. just for the 12 months of the Zahoor, has made this period
Iran’s behavior has been pandemic, but for all but a worse for education than even
pushing proponents of the deal handful of days—Ms. Zahoor the 1990s, when a long-running
away, or at least making their counts them off on her conflict between Indian forces
stance harder to defend. The fingers—over the past two and insurgents backed by
window to go back to the deal school years. On August 5th Pakistan left tens of thousands
is closing because Iran is 2019 India’s national of dead. Other parents and
increasing its enrichment. government abruptly ended teachers agree. So do numbers
Tehran should quickly make up Kashmir’s semi-autonomous from a national survey released
its mind on what course it plans status, demoting it from a state by the government in January,
to pursue, and it should realize to a territory and taking direct assessing the quality of
that the biggest losers from a control of its government. In learning in public schools. It
failure to return to the JCPOA anticipation of protests, all ranked Kashmir at the bottom,
would be the Iranian people. schools and universities were worse than any other region.
sealed. Internet service was
severed. Curfews, power cuts, a Poor results are not the only
A two-year curb on the size of gatherings problem. Child psychiatrists say
break India’s and security sweeps, including

searches and roadblocks,
many pupils are struggling to
cope with attending school at
government disrupted home-schooling, too. all, having lost social skills and
puts nationalism Then, just as those strictures

started relaxing last February,
the ability to concentrate.
Parents, too, have suffered. The
before education covid-19 struck and schools past two years have seen a
in Kashmir
shut again. surge in requests for help with
aggressive children. “It was a
Across the rest of India, dribble and now it is a stream,”
Published in The Economist teachers switched to delivering says Nasir Geelani, a
lessons over the internet. psychologist who conducted a
LIKE PARENTS across the world in Kashmir’s mobile-phone small survey of locals in
the time of covid-19, it was with networks, through which most Srinagar last year. Some 62%
a mixture of relief and worry residents access the internet, expressed anxiety about their
that Afroza Zahoor sent her did sputter back to life. For circumstances and 72% said
children back to school earlier security reasons, however, they they felt a lack of purpose in life.
this month. Yet for all that were limited to slow, 2G service.
Zehab (age 14) and Zaiban Some schools found Schools themselves have
(ten) resembled students work-arounds, such as suffered from the back-to-back
everywhere, clambering aboard delivering schoolwork on flash lockdowns, which put an
the school bus with masked drives. Yet not only estimated 500,000 people out
faces and hand-sanitizer schoolchildren, but college of work. One in five of the
tucked in pockets, their students sent home to Kashmir valley’s 13,500 schools are
circumstances were very from other parts of India, private, and a local association
different. struggled and often failed to that represents them says 30
keep up. “Here, online learning have already gone out of
In the Kashmir Valley, a green is no learning actually,” says business, with more expected to
upland whose 7m people have Mushtaq Wani of Srinagar, the follow. One school-owner says
borne the brunt of a main city in the valley. “Usually, revenue dropped by 88% in
www.nearpeer.org 54
2020. own circumstances. Yet, as our

Despite the belated reopening covid-19 risk estimator in this
Yet enrolment in public schools of schools, there is little hope for issue explains, the data already
is not rising as a result of the a return to normal. This is not cast some light on what puts
problems at private ones. just because the national you at risk if you are diagnosed
Instead, the number of pupils vaccination drive appears to be with the disease. Age is closely
fell by 175,000 last year, a proceeding more slowly than a tied to death, so do not visit
precipitous decline for a system second wave of covid-19. The your unvaccinated
that serves some 2m children. interests of Kashmiris continue grandparents, however healthy
(Only 19,000 dropped out in to be subordinated to the they may be. Comorbidities can
2018.) Shiasta Nisar says she government’s nationalist lead to a spell in hospital even
had to pull her two sons out of a grandstanding. It recently for the young, so don’t imagine
government school after her decreed, for instance, that you are safe just because
husband’s work as a schools must put up you’re under 35. More work like
long-distance driver dried up, noticeboards decorated in the this will be needed for people to
and they could no longer afford colors of the national flag—an be able to make informed
even its minimal fees. Her obvious priority after two years decisions about covid-19, just
family was lucky. She found of lost teaching. as they do in the rest of their
work as a cleaner, making $41 a lives.
month, and an uncle eventually
agreed to cover the boys’
Needle to know- There is a role for vaccine
schooling. Anecdotal accounts How useful are passports, too. America, Britain
suggest many other dropouts and the European Union are all
have been forced into menial vaccine studying how they might be
labor. passports? made to work. Angela Merkel,
the German chancellor, has
Even for the better-off, dreams spoken up for them. Israel,
have been crushed. An Published in The Economist where vaccination is advanced,
estimated 2,000 Kashmiris already has such a system.
travel abroad to study every THE WORLD has stumbled
year, a figure that fell to zero in through the pandemic by Vaccine passports have their
2020. Maryam Mir completed nationalizing risk. In heavily uses, especially in international
school in 2019, hoping to apply infected countries the state has travel, but at home they are
for a scholarship at a European shut citizens in their homes for unlikely to be as helpful as their
university. She missed the weeks at a time, letting them supporters imagine. To see why,
deadlines because of the out only for exercise and to buy consider two extremes. When
internet blockade. After having food. As vaccination spreads, nobody is vaccinated,
to fly to Delhi simply to and hospitals are less likely to passports obviously serve no
communicate with prospective be overrun, governments must purpose. Yet, outside a
universities, she has had to gradually move choice back to dictatorship, they are not
settle for an online course. She the individual, where it belongs. terribly useful at the end, when
is relatively lucky. Hundreds of How? everyone who wants a jab has
Kashmiris planning to study had one. If vaccines are free
medicine in Bangladesh have Information is part of the and widely available,
had to give up, because its answer. This week the Centers unvaccinated people are
rules require students to take for Disease Control and choosing to risk infection. Those
up their places in the year they Prevention issued the first who cannot be vaccinated face
are admitted, with no guidance on what vaccinated extra risks from covid-19, just as
allowance for army-imposed people can do. More is needed. they do from other diseases.
curfews, communications True, covid-19 is still poorly Passports are most useful in the
blackouts or pandemics. understood and the risk for period when large numbers of
individuals will depend on their
www.nearpeer.org 55
people who want to be That leaves two reasons for desire to rise to the ranks of an
inoculated risk being infected passports at home. One is to ambassador someday. Owing
because vaccine is scarce. That enforce vaccination when to his sacrifice, he is revered in
is also when passports are infected people could harm Bangladesh to this day.
most unfair. those who have had their jabs
in hospitals and care homes, for One factor that begs the
For international travel this example—rather as some attention of many is the United
window could remain open for countries already require proof States’ role during Bangladesh’s
years. Countries with a large that those working with war of independence in 1971.
tourism industry can use vulnerable people have no Why did the United States
passports to help protect their criminal record. The other is as choose to look away while its
people from visitors bringing in an insurance policy against the ally was involved in systematic
disease. Even if global vaccine possibility that boosters are massacres? Blood’s memoir
distribution raises ethical needed, to deal with variants, and Bass’s investigative
questions, the passport system say. Countries have often reporting seek to answer that
itself presents none that are looked for magic solutions to question and, in so doing,
new, because it is already stop the pandemic. The only highlight how the Cold War’s
established for diseases like one that promises to succeed is great powers had a lot at stake
yellow fever. not passports; it is vaccines. in Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
At home, however, the window

How the Cold The animosity between India
may remain open for only a few War Shaped and Pakistan dates back to the
Bangladesh’s
months. Britain plans to have all 1947 Partition, which cleaved
adults vaccinated by the end of the Indian subcontinent into
July. America will have enough Liberation War two separate countries: On the
doses to finish soon after. Even surface, India was designated
in Europe, where inoculation for Hindus and Pakistan – then
has been slow, a sweeping Published in The Diplomat constituted of West and East
vaccine-passport system may Pakistan – for Muslims. In the
not be worth the cost or the In his seminal book of period before the British
hassle. nonfiction, “The Blood Empire’s departure from India,
Telegram,” Gary J. Bass the Indian National Congress
Supporters argue that scathingly remarks that the advocated for a united
passports are an incentive for United States displayed “moral subcontinent while the Muslim
people to be vaccinated. If they blindness” in its foreign policy League wanted a separate
are well-designed, they need by “actively and knowingly” country for the Muslims due to
not pose a threat to personal backing Islamabad’s control the presence of heavy
data; nor need they become a over Bangladesh – then East communal tensions. This
platform that the state later Pakistan. His book is based on a
uses to intrude into citizens’ series of telegrams sent by
general health. However, the Archer K. Blood, the U.S. consul
more heavily passports are general to Dhaka at the time of
used as an incentive, the more the war in 1971. As seen from his
they are oppressive. If you need memoir, “The Cruel Birth of
one simply to get on a bus or Bangladesh,” the telegrams
buy a loaf of bread, you lose strongly portrayed the U.S.
your choice to be vaccinated. consul’s condemnation against
Most employers should have no West Pakistani atrocities and
use for them. Better to Washington’s silence. Sending
encourage people to get a jab. out those telegrams staunchly
criticizing American foreign
policy cost Blood his coveted
www.nearpeer.org 56
opposition only solidified after more alert, not only about its armed” by the United States.
the Partition, as territorial neighbor but also about a world From M-24 Chaffee light tanks
disputes regarding Kashmir power. and .50 caliber machine guns
came to the fore. By 1971, India to planes such as F-86s and
and Pakistan had already Pakistan’s image as an C-130s, the presence of U.S.
fought two wars, in 1947 and anti-communist and weaponry was evident in West
1965. pro-American country helped Pakistani military operations in
In 1954, Pakistan became a serve the United States’ East Pakistan.
“double treaty ally” of the strategic interests in South Asia.
United States as it joined both Besides dampening the threat Bass shows that Harold
CENTO and SEATO. The of communism and standing as Saunders, then a member of
Eisenhower administration saw a hurdle to India’s interests, the U.S. National Security
the country as one that could Pakistan provided a valuable Council, warned Kissinger about
help Washington exert influence conduit for the U.S. opening to the Pakistani Army’s possibility
over South Asia by curbing the China in the early 1970s. China’s of cracking down on East
threat of communism. India, as influence over South Asia back Pakistani civilians. “There was
shown by Bass, felt threatened then greatly rested on its still a last chance to avoid
as the United States kept enmity with India regarding slaughter by leaning hard on
supplying arms to Pakistan, their border disputes. Pakistan [then-Pakistani President]
ostensibly to “ward off already shared strong ties with Yahya [Khan],” Bass writes.
communists.” According to China and the United States. In Saunders recommended an
Indian estimates, the U.S. arms the face of an existing economic aid embargo to
supply to Pakistan over the arrangement like that, Bass Pakistan to divert the
11-year period from 1954 to the shows how then-President government from unleashing its
India-Pakistan war in 1965 was Richard Nixon and his national troops on its people. Despite
worth between $1.5 billion and security adviser, Henry warnings and condemnation
$2 billion. Against this backdrop, Kissinger, couldn’t let go of the from officials like Saunders and
India – an openly non-aligned opportunity to use Pakistan as a Blood, Bass shows that Kissinger
country in the Cold War’s backchannel for U.S. was keener on keeping Pakistan
shadow – sought Soviet help for communication with China. In satisfied than taking any moves
weaponry. But taking Soviet fact, Kissinger’s first visit to that hinted at a U.S. interest in
assistance, alongside holding a China in 1971 was arranged with splitting the country apart.
stance of non-alignment and Pakistan as an intermediary.
criticizing America for the Making an opening to China After the slaughter of East
Vietnam War, put India in a bad was crucial for U.S. foreign Pakistanis began, refugees
light before the United States. policy to forge friendly relations poured across the borders into
with a key regional player. India. By May, according to
Bass argues that although India India’s estimate, the country
was buying arms from the But even as United States was host to almost 2 million
United States, after the 1965 war wanted to stay on Islamabad’s refugees, “with about 50,000
ultimately it had received less good side to avoid jeopardizing more arriving daily.” The
than a quarter of the amount the opening to China, the refugee crisis played an
Pakistan was receiving. As if the Pakistani military was instrumental role in leading
1965 war weren’t enough to massacring people in East India to back and champion the
flare up the existing animosity Pakistan. Pieces of evidence like cause of East Pakistani
between India and Pakistan, the Blood’s memoir, U.S. and British self-determination.
United States’ pro-Pakistan witness testimonies, and Bass’s
foreign policy – such as the own research agree on “a Besides getting on Pakistan’s
“one-time exception” of the U.S. disquieting fact” – Pakistan was nerves, India’s support for East
arms embargo imposed on cracking down on its own Pakistan exasperated China – a
both countries – made India citizens and it was “heavily Pakistani ally that abhorred
www.nearpeer.org 57
secessions, owing to its own

history with Tibet and Taiwan. In
What mainly glued the USSR to
India, meanwhile, was its own
Reforming SBP?
light of Indian involvement in strategic interest. According to
East Pakistan’s fight for a paper by University of Dhaka’s Published in Dawn
independence, India’s Professor Abul Kalam in “History
intelligence reports suggested of Bangladesh 1704-1971” THE advent of large navies in
that it had significant reasons (edited by Sirajul Islam), the warfare forced British monarchs
to be wary of Chinese Soviet Union’s strategic interest to levy heavy taxes. Such
aggression. India and China in South Asia lay chiefly within arbitrary taxation led to
already shared a strained bond India, since the country was a persistent economic
and had been involved in a war perfect channel for Soviet uncertainty that stalled
in 1962. Moreover, the threat of communication to Asian and economic growth. All this
China supplying arms to African non-communist states. changed after the ‘Glorious
Pakistan and attacking India’s India was also advantageous to Revolution’ of 1688-89, when
borders in the event of an open Soviet interests as a model on Dutch invaders established
war between India and Pakistan the world stage of the benefits economic institutions like
loomed large. that a Soviet alliance could property rights in England.
bring. Facing a stronger parliament,
Until mid-1971, it seemed that monarchs were now no longer
India was left alone in The power dynamics ushered in free to take away the
supporting East Pakistan’s by the Cold War inevitably cast hard-earned gains of private
Liberation War. However, its their shadows on Bangladesh’s citizens as courts started
amicable link with the USSR Liberation War by pitting India enforcing property rights. As a
finally paid off in the form of the and Pakistan against one result, economic uncertainty
historic Treaty of Peace, another over the issue of East vanished, economic activity
Friendship, and Cooperation. Pakistan and igniting old thrived and England became
Bass argues that although the regional wounds with new first Great Britain and then the
treaty did not promise any flames. The South Asian British Empire.
all-out defense from hostile episode of the Cold War reveals
forces, it effectively fulfilled its the striking failure of the Nixon The same logic underpins
role as a “deterring warning to administration in avoiding a arguments in favor of central
both China and Pakistan.” large-scale loss – according to bank independence. An elected
Soviet allyship was important Bangladesh’s estimates, the official would feel the urge to
for India in terms of weaponry Liberation War cost 3 million use a central bank’s monetary
too. When India was openly lives – in a bid to secure the levers to stimulate the
embroiled in the war with United States’ strategic economy, especially before
Pakistan in December 1971, the interests under a desperate elections. This politically
USSR’s supply of PT-76 climate of rivalry with the USSR. motivated money injection by
amphibious light tanks and In doing so, it immortalizes how the central bank would thus
Mi-4 transport helicopters the foreign policy decisions of a leave economies stuck in a
came in handy. On the major world power like the permanent inflationary cycle.
diplomatic front, the USSR United States reverberate in Inflation is akin to levying a tax
rendered its support for India by struggles far abroad. as it reduces buying power. It is
twice vetoing U.N. Security argued that only a formally
Council resolutions that called independent central bank, free
for a prompt ceasefire and from political influence, can
withdrawal of troops. Vetoing ensure the fiscal discipline
the resolutions gave India necessary for maintaining price
enough time to gear up for stability or low inflation. In a
triumph in the final stage of the way, proponents of central
war. bank independence want to
www.nearpeer.org 58
depoliticize monetary policy post-Covid-19 economic debt and boost public

and operations so that recovery, thereby negatively investment, the Fund’s focus
appointed officials can make impacting the most vulnerable has barely shifted from
consistent policies for optimal segments of society. Ultimately, austerity and fiscal
economic outcomes. who bears the brunt of consolidation for emerging
economic policies is a decision economies like Pakistan.
The preceding ideas are also that needs to be taken by the
behind the government’s efforts political leadership and not by In the final analysis, when it
to make the State Bank of technocrats. comes to reforms there is a lot
Pakistan (SBP) formally of scope for them in Pakistan,
independent by enacting the Second, SBP’s plan to only focus especially in making the
proposed State Bank of on maintaining price stability Federal Board of Revenue and
Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, when the lack of employment is the Planning Commission more
2021. The government’s a social crisis in this country has agile and modern. Some IMF
spokesperson has shared the serious political implications. proposals like privatization of
bill’s objectives regarding state-owned enterprises should
controlling inflation and Third, IMF-SBP forcing austerity be prioritized by all means.
political meddling in the bank and fiscal consolidation on the Policy independence for the SBP
with the media. According to Pakistani government, in a time is a good thing since fiscal
reports, the bill has already of crisis no less, will also impede discipline is perhaps the need
passed muster in the cabinet. the government’s ability to pay of the hour. The price for these
Apparently, once the bill for public services like health, reforms, however, should not be
becomes law, the bank will not education and clean drinking extracted from the most
be under any compulsion to water now and in the future. vulnerable segments of society
support the government’s Any ensuing social unrest would in the guise of depoliticization.
economic policies. As such, the become a serious political The time has come for
new bill seeks to formally challenge. introspection at the IMF to bring
empower SBP so that it will only its reforms agenda in line with
focus on price stability. Finally, and perhaps somewhat the ground realities of
alarmingly, the autonomous emerging economies.
Where the bank’s SBP bill all but does away with
independence can arguably accountability for the central
assist with price stability and bank as the SBP leadership
low inflation, the initiative would not be answerable to
appears to be in line with IMF’s even the prime minister. Such a
austerity and fiscal blank cheque on autonomy will
consolidation agenda that the invariably create a situation
Fund imposes on borrower where the SBP and the Pakistani
nations. The biggest concern government will end up working
that arises out of the at cross purposes.
IMF-supported autonomous It appears that the IMF through
SBP initiative is that though it the autonomous SBP is trying to
seeks to end political influence, fashion the Pakistani economy
this initiative will reshape the in its own image. The reality is
country’s economy in ways that that at least since Covid-19, the
would appear to be political: world has been moving in the
opposite direction of IMF’s
First, SBP’s intention to not austerity and fiscal
support the government’s consolidation agenda. However,
economic policies will where the IMF is asking rich
invariably slow down nations to worry less about their
www.nearpeer.org 59
Valuing water GoP has already made good

solid progress in achieving few
Another key water
management challenge is poor
key principles set in the NWP. governance of groundwater
Published in The Nation For example, it is going to build resources in the Indus basin.
two new water dams Groundwater has played a
A global celebration of water (Mohmand and Basha) that are major role in augmenting 60%
happens every year on March very well aligned with NWP of irrigation supplies through
22, on the eve of World Water priorities. To comply with the privately installed tube-wells for
Day as suggested by the UNCED NWP, all four provinces are crop production in the basin.
in 1992. The objective to working on developing the Several research studies have
celebrate World Water Day is to provincial water acts. For been carried out in bits and
highlight the significance of this example, Punjab and KP pieces to collect groundwater
fresh resource in different provinces already approved the information at spatial scales.
dimensions of our daily life. Punjab Water Act, 2019 and the Groundwater levels and water
Every year, a specific theme of KP Water Act, 2020, respectively. quality vary during the irrigation
is decided. For the year 2021, the and monsoon season across
theme is ‘Valuing Water’. The The NWP has established nine the basin. As a result, there is
value of water cannot be relative priorities of water uses little credible scientific
defined by its price due to its for multi-sectors–drinking and information available on
complex, tremendous and sanitation, irrigation, livestock, groundwater monitoring,
multidimensional nature. We fisheries and wildlife, database development,
cannot ignore any of these hydropower, industry, and regulation and management at
values which are well environmental. Water the Indus Basin scale. The NWP
recognized in the Sustainable Resources Commissions, as also highlighted that there is a
Development Goal (SDG) proposed in Punjab and KP need to develop a national
number 6: water and sanitation Water Acts, will be allocating planning database of water,
for all by 2030. water to different users based weather, and climate at the
on the above-mentioned Indus Basin Level.
The Government of Pakistan priorities. This is already a key
(GoP) is considering water as a step to increase the value of The GoP aspires to become one
strategic resource since it is water for different sectors. of the 10 largest economies in
linked to food security and thus the world by 2047. Given the
to the security of Pakistan. For However, one of the biggest importance of water to
valuing water, the GoP challenges to the NWP priorities Pakistan’s economy, different
developed a National Water will be a lack of users recognizing its value will
Policy (NWP) in 2018 with seven evidence-based accurate be essential in achieving this
key principles and strategic information at the Indus Basin goal. Therefore, there is a dire
priorities, including scale. For example, more than need to carry out water
Conservation and Efficiency, 90% of water use has been accounting and water
Storage, Leveraging reported for the agriculture resources assessment for
Technology, Renewable Energy, sector in Pakistan but these determining water availability
Integrated Water Resources numbers are not reliable and and consumption for
Management (IWRM), accurate due to the lack of any agriculture, industry, domestic,
Comprehensive Regulatory scientific study at the national and environmental sectors
Framework, and Planning level. Similarly, there is no within the basin and outside of
Principles. This policy provides reliable information on the it. The developed baseline of
an overall framework and amount of water used for water accounting and water
guidelines for a comprehensive livestock and domestic, resource assessment will
plan of action leading to the industrial, commercial, and provide comprehensive,
development of sustainable environmental sectors across consistent, reliable, and
solutions for valuing water. The Pakistan. accurate information which can
www.nearpeer.org 60
be used by the Water promotions to key performance approach to change, including

Resources Commissions on indicators (KPIs) on actual ‘grandfathering’ some of the
water distribution, storage, performance as well as force privileges so that it doesn’t
availability, and use across ranking every officer’s impact current officers but the
multiple scales that will be performance on a bell curve newly recruited workforce. It’s
fundamental for developing (with the bottom 20% getting no clear that Dr Ishrat is trying to
future investments plans in the salary increment and top 20% bring generational change to a
water sector for the Indus basin. getting twice the increment). federal bureaucracy whose
This will also lead to achieving This is already happening. foundations and attitudes were
the true value of water thus set by the British Empire in the
expediting peace and Moreover, the objectives of Dr last century. If he pushes too
prosperity in Pakistan. Ishrat Hussain’s reforms are hard, the bureaucracy will stop
quite ambitious and game cooperating with the
Real status of changing. They can be divided government (the losers from
into three core areas. First, the reform process are
civil service reforming the entire value chain organized). If he doesn’t push
reforms of the civil service from
induction and recruitment to
too hard, the people of Pakistan
will pay for it (the winners of the
training to performance reform process are scattered).
Published in The Express Tribune evaluation, career progression
and compensation, benefits I pushed him to give me an
Everything Dr Ishrat Hussain and retirement. Second, it’s to example of where ordinary
touches turns to gold. As Dean restructure the entire federal Pakistanis can immediately see
& Director of the Institute of government. A fun/depressing the benefits of his reform
Business Administration (IBA), anecdote here is that when he journey in their everyday life.
he visibly transformed the began his work, the federal “Let me give you an example
institute from the inside out. government didn’t even know from the FBR,” shares Dr Ishrat.
Prior to that, as Governor of the how many bodies it had “Previously, there was always
State Bank of Pakistan, he set in operating under it nor bargaining between
motion a series of dramatic documentation on why they businessmen and the FBR when
reforms to transform it into a were created. Finally, the third it comes to getting tax refunds.
modern-day institution. Now, at leg of his reform journey is to So, what we did was introduced
the tender young age of 80, Dr focus on business process an automated process. You put
Ishrat Hussain, as Advisor to re-engineering, which includes in your claim and supporting
Prime Minister on Institutional automatic, electronic tracking documents, which are
Reforms, is leading perhaps the systems replacing files moving examined by Artificial
most exciting and challenging within different ministries so Intelligence and those who are
chapter of his life. A mission on everyone knows which ministry accepted, their money is
which many have dug a grave is sitting on what as well as directly deposited in their bank
for their career i.e., reforming radical transparency reducing accounts. So, there is no
the civil service in Pakistan. Can the opportunity to mask intermediary taking 3 to 4% on
he succeed where everyone corruption. each stage. And we paid 250
else has failed? billion rupees last year in
The reforms sound great on refunds. And so far, this year, we
The short answer to this paper but have met with have paid out 130 billion rupees.
question is that the headlines resistance within the Talk to any exporter and they’ll
are reasonably exciting, and the bureaucracy (too much tell you they received their
details are more complex. change) and critics on the refund within 72 hours. We will
Exciting news includes outside (too little change). This also do this for income tax
elimination of 71,000 redundant resistance has forced Dr Ishrat refunds now. There will be no
government job roles, linking to take an incremental discretionary powers, only the
www.nearpeer.org 61
system will identify risk factors

for an audit and then assign an
auditor at random.”
Ultimately, whether Dr Ishrat

Hussain succeeds in winning
this test match will depend on
the political capital this
government can spend taking
on the bureaucracy. “Imran
Khan fully supports our reform
journey,” shares Dr Ishrat. “He is
also very democratic and
brings up everything for
discussion in the cabinet.
Sometimes he goes against his
own instinct and listens to
different points of views within
the cabinet. Sometimes I suffer
because of this but this is the
beauty of democracy.”
www.nearpeer.org 62
ESSAY OUTLINES
www.nearpeer.org 63
Topic: Sweet are the 6 How historical leaders faced adversity

and tasted the sweetness of it?
Uses of Adversity i. The Greatest Leader of the world, Holy Prophet

PBUH faced adversities in Ka’ba. It is the result of
these adversities that Islam is now the 2nd
Outline fastest-growing religion in the world.
1. Introduction
Adversity is something inevitable in one’s life; ii. Abraham Lincoln faced the bloodiest civil war
however, if dealt with resilience and which helped him to get rid of slavery.
perseverance, its uses are sweet and highly
beneficial. 7. How countries used this adage to face
adversity?
2. What is the significance of adversity in i. China was a debilitating economy along with a
one’s life? population boom, but it changed its taste into
i. Adversity makes a man mature and helps him sweetness by resistance and out-of-the-box
gain experience. thinking.
3. How can one reap the sweet uses of ii. Malaysia faced the hostile attitude of the Uk
adversity? but emerged as an Asian Tiger after confronting
i. Certain qualities are required to extract it.
sweetness out of adversity: perseverance, a
can-do attitude, and out-of-the-box thinking. 8. What Pakistan can learn from this
adage?
4. Why is it important to use adversity i. Pakistan is facing myriad adversities which will
sweetly? give sweet results if dealt with care and strategy.
I. It is the instinct of humans that they have the
strength to create prosperous results of 9. Conclusion
adversity. Within every challenge, there is an opportunity.
-Albert Einstein
5. How individuals, over history, tasted the
sweetness of adversity?
i. Case Study of Demosthenes who changed
stutter and speech impediment into eloquent
speaking.
ii. Stephen Hawking got a fabulous result when

he faced his disease with courage.
www.nearpeer.org 64
Development Should 4. How does real development change

people’s lives?
Change People’s life i. Karl Marx criticizes economic development and

accuses it of having exploitative nature.
not Economic 5. What is the manifestation of the adage?

i. Economic growth of Europe after the 1st
Statistics Industrial Revolution could not change the plight
of the working class.
Outline ii. The Super-power, the US, is unable to change

1. Introduction the condition of African-Americans.
The lives of the masses must be changed by the
development of social circumstances and 6. How real development impact nations if
political aspirations of people along with followed correctly?
economic growth as well, this will change their i. Nordic countries are developing themselves in
lives dramatically. real terms by investing in human capital.
2. What does ‘Real Development’ mean? 7. What is the plight of Pakistan?

i. Social and political development also comes i. 34th largest economy of the world; if invest in
under the ambit of the word ‘real development’ other aspects of development, it will make
progress socially, politically, and economically.
3. At how many levels, development must
take place? 8. What are recommendations in this
i. At the individual level; when individuals develop regard?
themselves on all fronts, development i. Creating a universal citizenship skill;
ameliorates the social fabric of societies. Development of interpersonal skills in masses
ii. At the national Level; Nations Thrive by setting ii. Equitable opportunities for all sections of
up equitable resources and opportunities for all society must be ensured by states.
sections of society.
9. Conclusion
iii. At the international Level; the World Economic
system leading to the economic growth of rich
countries, but it is perpetuating gross inequalities
in poor countries.
www.nearpeer.org 65
Is COVID-19 an 5. Case Study
anti-thesis to
i. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RECP) has been signed by 15 countries. This
shows that globalization is not going anywhere
globalization? due to pandemics.
Outline 6. How COVID-19 impact globalization in the

future?
1. Introduction i. Technology and Artificial Intelligence will be the
Although COVID-19 has impacted globalization main drivers of globalization after COVID-19.
adversely, it is far from disappearing because ii. It can slow globalization but cannot end.
countries will need one another for a. The Economist called it ‘Slowbalization’
socio-politico-economic recovery in the
post-pandemic world. 7. Conclusion
2. Why do some people consider Covid-19

an antithesis to globalization?
Border closures due to COVID-19 restrictions has
halted the flow of goods, capital, tourists, and so
forth among countries which have flared up the
sentiment of “Nationalism”.
3. How is COVID-19 not an anti-thesis to

globalization?
a. COVID-19 has made countries realize that
globalization is not a problem rather it is a
solution to “the wicked problems” of the world.
b. Equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine can

only be ensured through globalization in the
post-pandemic world. COVAX is one such
example.
c. The geopolitics in the post-pandemic world

will be expanded on climate change which will
make globalization robust.
d. The connectedness of the world during the

COVID-19 pandemic has not fallen below the
level it fell after the 20008 financial crisis.
e. Technology aided this integration of countries

during the pandemic.
f. Mutual cooperation will be required for

economic recovery once the pandemic has
gone. Integrated Politics Critic Response (IPCR)
by EU is one such example.
4. Is there any philosophical justification

that the pandemic cannot end
globalization?
i. Aristotle’s concept that man is a social animal
and cannot live in isolation justifies the thesis.
www.nearpeer.org 66
Topic: Classrooms 6. Does the population of women in

classrooms make the way to advancement
Decide the Future of easier?

I. “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless
your women are side by side with you.” -
Nations Quaid-e-Azam
Outline 7. What does Islam say about education?

Islam has emphasized greatly on education and
1. Introduction asked to get education as a religious obligation.
Education is an integral part of a civilized and
prosperous society. Thus, if classrooms are given 8. What lesson can Pakistan learn from the
due importance, they can enhance the capabili- adage?
ty of nations to ensure a bright future. i. Investment in this sector can convert the
vulnerabilities of Pakistan into fortunes.
2. What does the metaphor classroom
mean? 9. What are the recommendations for
Classroom refers to the education system of nations to augment their classroom?
nations. It is the basic instinct of pedagogy. i. Investment to localize education
Nations can prosper if classrooms are efficient
and effective. ii. Combination of religious and scientific
knowledge should be inculcated.
3. How do classrooms shift the paradigm of
political landscape? iii. Inclusion of the third gender - transgenders-
i. Charismatic leadership is the by-product of a into pedagogy.
highly educated society that leads to a stable
political system. iv. Cooperation between the countries to
promote educational setup.
ii. The post-world-War-II Germany had had a
great scope of education which has always kept v. Incentivize the system of online education.
the far right-populist parties, such as ADF, away
from the corridor of power. X. Conclusion
4. Does a productive system of classrooms

change the economic condition of nations?
i. When a nation invests in education, then the
population turns into human capital which
results in an economic boom.
ii. The Chinese Stalwart Leaders, Mao Zedong

and Deng Xiaoping, were successful in convert-
ing an overwhelming population into human
capital by socialising the classroom system of
China.
5. Would it be possible to say classrooms

change the plight of nations?
i. Educated Citizens have greater insight into the
civic rights and duties, so the social fabric of a
nation is ameliorated.
ii. The Nordic Countries such as Sweden, Norway,

Iceland et cetera, have the best school systems
in the world which resulted in higher economic
growth and lower crime rates.
www.nearpeer.org 67
68
1. French Revolution
69
French Revolution
Constitutional Make-up of the Revolution:
The National Assembly:

After the Paris mob stormed Bastille, king called Necker back and a tricolor flag was adopted. The royal
family was still at Versailles and only returned to Paris after the October’s Women March. In august 1789,
the privileges of the clergy and nobles were abolished. A new constitution with a limited monarchy was
appointed. The monarchy
was abolished after Louis’s
1791 failed escape.
The Legislative Assembly:

It had two groups the constitutionalist, and the radicals led by Robespierre, Marat, and Danton. Activities of
emigres and foreign intervention made radicals skeptical and they wanted to get rid of the old order
entirely.
The Convention:
It had two main challenges: internal and external. In internal challenges there was the question of dealing with
the royal family and disorder, whereas the external challenge was a threat from foreign invasion. Jacobins
became powerful and they were led by Robespierre who believed that executing anyone representing the old
order was necessary for the success of the revolution; thus, began the Reign of Terror, revolution’s most violent
70
Directory:
It declared France a Republic, and it had a bicameral legislature..
Consulate:
It was supposed to be a democratic system, but Napoleon seized it, and declared himself as the Emperor of
France, which is the formal end of the French revolution
71
2.THE WAR
To End ALL WARS
72
73
21 Lessons for the 21st Century:
A Summary By Barrister Arsalan Chaudhry
74
21 Lessons for the 21st

Century: A Summary
Barrister Arsalan Chaudhry
www.nearpeer.org 75
Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5

Lesson 1
With algorithms and technology separated
Liberalism faces a crisis Globaliza�on and
tech companies having humans from their
of confidence technologies have
too much informa�on bodies. Social Media
Lesson 2 widened inequali�es. In
on us, we lose our communi�es may
AI will outperform future they may create
liberty. This will make create revolu�ons only
humans and cause gene�cally superior
future dictatorships too to be taken over by
Mass Unemployment elites
powerful fana�cs on the ground

Lesson 6 There are 3 types of
Na�onalism can’t solve
the nuclear, ecological problems, technical, Tradi�onal Racist
We are one species; policy, and iden�ty.
and technological (inferior DNA) are
therefore, one challenges, which Religion only solves the replaced by culturalism
civiliza�on together are the death last one, but it shapes
(inferior culture)
of this planet world view of many
around the world.
Lesson 10 Lesson 13
Lesson 11 Lesson 12
Terrorists feed on We should never use
Economics makes war
No one culture is at the the name of God to
crea�ng fear and mass unlikely. But that does
center of the world or jus�fy our poli�cal
hysteria. So, don’t not mean everlas�ng
history interests, our economic
panic. peace because humans
ambi�ons or our
are stupid
personal hatred.

Lesson 16
“Humans have always
Implemen�ng jus�ce is
One can be religious There is a knowledge lived in the age of post-
hard. Global economic
and follow secular illusion (we rely on truth. Homo sapiens is
system hides the
ideals of truth, others’ knowledge). a post-truth species,
injus�ces it commits, so
compassion, freedom, Individuals have limited whose power depends
are the consumers to
courage, and knowledge to make on creating and
be blamed?
responsibility decisions. believing fictions.”
Lesson 18 Lesson 19
Lesson 21
Sci-fi is overrates a Educa�on needs to adapt Lesson 20
robots-humans war. Real to the needs of the future. Stories that define the real enigma of life is
danger: conflict between a the four Cs’– cri�cal meaning of life are not what happens after
small super human elite thinking, communica�on, false. No one has one you die, but what
using algorithms against a collabora�on and iden�ty happens before you die.
weak homo sapiens. crea�vity— and life skills Medita�on is a good tool
should be taught
www.nearpeer.org 76
Sapiens by Yuval
Noah Harari: A Review
Barrister Arsalan Chaudhry

Summary
The much-talked Sapiens history begins with
tracing how homo Sapiens, one out of many
human spices emerged on Earth. Homo Sapiens
evolved from apes, and it had many brothers
and sisters: other human spices, as shown in the
diagram:
Single Female Ape
Homo Sapiens
Chimpanzees
Grandmother
www.nearpeer.org 77
Homo rudolfensis
Homo rudolfensis Further evolution

Homo ergaster
(East Africa) in East Africa:
Homo erectus
Australopithecus
Homo sapiens
(East Asia)
Humans
Homo neanderthalensis
(Europe and western Asia)
Homo floresiensis
(Indonesian island of Flores)
Homo denisova
(loat siblings)
The book narrates that humans rose because they had big brains and they stood on two legs.
Childbearing was hard so women started giving birth to premature babies, which evolution made a
norm. The Discovery of fire and its ability to cook food for humans led to cooking their food, and they
needed no effort to chew their food. This gave them smaller teeth. The human spices crossbreed, and
other human spices vanished over time. The cause of their extinction is unknown.
Archaic sapiens did not hold any advantage over any other human species. Only 70,000 years ago
they started using the brain potential known to present-day sapiens. Scientists are not sure what
exactly happened, but a guess is that by chance some mutations gave them brainpower, and
develop language. This language evolved as a way of gossiping, making homo sapiens a social
animal. The ability to speak about fiction is the most unique feature of this language. Fiction aided
sapiens to form large groups that allowed them to make large groups like religions, nation-states,
and companies. It empowers sapiens because it brings strangers together, which its distant cousins'
chimpanzees can’t do. Changing the story can change the way people cooperate.
New Ability Consequences
Transfer large info quantity Plan and Implement complex information
More social relations info Form groups up to 150
Transmit Fiction Strangers cooperated; innovative social behavior
www.nearpeer.org 78
The cognitive revolution made history independent of biology.

Most of the sapiens psyche is developed during its days as a hunter-gatherer, and there are con-
tending theories whether it is meant to be monogamous and have a nuclear family. “The Stone Age
should more accurately be called the Wood Age. The dog was the first animal domesticated by Homo
sapiens. Most Sapiens bands lived on the road, roaming from place to place in search of food. Fishing
villages might have appeared on the coasts of Indonesian islands as early as 45,000 years ago. They
scrounged for termites, picked berries, dug for roots, stalked rabbits, and hunted bison and mam-
moth. The forager economy provided most people with more interesting lives than agriculture or
industry do, along with better nutrition. Ancient foragers also suffered less from infectious diseases.
Most scholars agree that animistic beliefs were common among ancient foragers. Some scholars
deem them to be peaceful, while others consider them to be violent.”
Sea barrier kept Sapiens limited to Afro-Asia for a long time; the first achievement was reaching
Australia, and changing it for its survival. It led to the extinction of the Australian megafauna. “If we
combine the mass extinctions in Australia and America, and add the smaller-scale extinctions that
took place as Homo sapiens spread over Afro-Asia – such as the extinction of all other human spe-
cies – and the extinctions that occurred when ancient foragers settled remote islands such as Cuba,
the inevitable conclusion is that the first wave of Sapiens colonization was one of the biggest and
swiftest ecological disasters to befall the animal kingdom.”
1st wave of Extention Caused by forgers
2nd wave of Extention Caused by farmers
3rd wave of Extention going on, led by industrialists
“About 10,000 years ago, when Sapiens began to devote almost all their time and effort to manipulate
the lives of a few animal and plant species. From sunrise to sunset humans sowed seeds, watered
plants, plucked weeds from the ground, and led sheep to prime pastures. This work, they thought,
would provide them with more fruit, grain, and meat. It was a revolution in the way humans lived – the
Agricultural Revolution. If our minds are those of hunter-gatherers, our cuisine is that of ancient
farmers.” Wheat domesticated sapiens.
The new agricultural territories were not only far smaller than those of ancient foragers but also far
more artificial. Sapiens started making and imagining societal orders. Shared understating of rules
makes everyone cooperate in society, but the only problem is that these rules are too complex. Other
than that, sapiens have limited mental capacity, so a lot of information has to be recorded. Thus,
writing was invented, especially for administrative purposes, which led to the creation of bureaucracy
to manage that paperwork. Around the 9th century mathematical script was created.
The societal orders also came with a clear hierarchy. “After the agricultural revolution, human societ-
ies grew ever larger and more complex, while the imagined constructs sustaining the social order
also became more elaborate. Myths and fictions accustomed people, nearly from the moment of
birth, to think in certain ways, to behave under certain standards, to want certain things, and to
observe certain rules. They thereby created artificial instincts that enabled millions of strangers to
cooperate effectively. This network of artificial instincts is called ‘culture’.”
Issuing new currency—silver and gold coins—was a sign of victory after a war; therefore, Europeans
took the Indian lands to gain access to vast reserves of gold and silver. Currency was also needed as
the economy grew more complex. Sapiens built empires and colonized other nations for glory and
resources. “Today religion is often considered a source of discrimination, disagreement, and disunion.
Yet, religion has been the third great unifier of humankind, alongside money and empires. Commerce,
www.nearpeer.org 79
empires, and universal religions eventually brought virtually every Sapiens on every continent into the
global world we live in today.
Present-day sapiens live amidst a scientific revolution. “The Scientific Revolution has not been a
revolution of knowledge. It has been above all a revolution of ignorance.” Scientific expeditions and
inventions contributed to colonization, genocide, and Christianization. “Credit enables us to build the
present at the expense of the future. It’s founded on the assumption that our future resources are sure
to be far more abundant than our present resources. A host of new and wonderful opportunities open
up if we can build things in the present using future income”. As economies grow, use of credit
increases. Sapiens found alternative sources of energy than solar energy powering plants, which
power human muscle. These energy sources allowed mass production and surplus products creating
an age of shopping. “The Industrial Revolution Opened Up new ways to convert energy and to pro-
duce goods, largely liberating humankind from its dependence on the surrounding ecosystem. Eco-
logical degradation is not the same as resource scarcity. The resources available to humankind are
constantly increasing, and are likely to continue to do so. That’s why doomsday prophesies of
resource scarcity are probably misplaced.” The industrial revolution changed and is still changing
every aspect of human society. History revolves around the question of what makes people happy.
“Homo sapiens is transcending those limits. It is now beginning to break the laws of natural selection,
replacing them with the laws of intelligent design.” Biological engineering may mean the end of Homo
Sapiens.
Is this book worth your time?
Who should
read this book?
Candidates The book has

with no link to Essay,
anthropology IR, or Pol Sci.
as their optional
Someone with A candidate

no backgroud who doesn't
in evolutionary read many
history A candidate non-fiction
who has more book
than 1 year to
prepare for CSS
www.nearpeer.org 80
MCQS
COMPILATION
www.nearpeer.org 81
Pakistan Affairs
(d) None of these
1). Who repeatedly refers to Sir Syed as
Father of Muslim India and Father of 7. Pakistan's ideology is based on the ideals of:
Modern Muslim India:
(a) Democracy
(a) Hali (b) Theocracy
(b) Abdul Qadir (c) Islam
(c) Ch. Khaliquz Zaman (d) None of these
(d) None of these
8. The provincial governments of Congress
2. Clive in one of his Gazettes made it man- resigned and All-India Muslim League as a
datory that no Muslim shall be given an mark of relief observed the "Day of Deliver-
employment higher than that of chaprasy ance" on:
or a junior clerk has recorded by:
(a) 22 Oct. 1939
(a) Majumdar (b) 22 Nov. 1939
(b) Hasan Isphani (c) 22 Dec. 1939
(c) Karamat Ali (d) None of these
(d) None of these
9. Durand Line, which divides the borders of
3. The first issue of Maualana Abul Kalam Pakistan and Afghanistan is as long as:
Azads ‘Al Hilal’ came out on 13 July:
(a) 2252 Km
(a) 1912 (b) 2262 Km
(b) 1922 (c) 2272 Km
(c) 1932 (d) None of these
(d) None of these
10. Anjuman-e-Islamia Punjab was founded for
4. Indian Khilafat Deputation visited the renaissance of Islam in the year:
England to put their views before LIyod
George in: (a) 1849
(b) 1859
(a) 1940 (c) 1869
(b) 1930 (d) None of these
(c) 1920
(d) None of these
Current Affairs
5. Junagadh was a small maritime sate and
had an area of: 11. Operation Desert Shield was launched by US
to defend Saudi Arabia in year:
(a) 4500 Sq Km
(b) 9000 Sq Km (a) 1990
(c) 10000 Sq Km (b) 2001
(d) None of these (c) 1991
(d) None
6. The first Muslim general entered Victori-
ous in the sub-continent Indo-Pak in the 12. Operation Enduring Freedom was launched
year: by US in
(a) 612 AD (a) Iraq

(b) 712 AD (b) Egypt
(c) 812 AD
www.nearpeer.org 82
(c) Cuba 19. Who was the First Air Chief Marshal of
(d) Afghanistan Pakistan.
13. The largest part of Hydrosphere is (a) Mujahid Anwer Khan

(b) Zafar Chaudary
(a) Pacific (c) Asghar Khan
(b) Atlantic (d) None of the above.
(c) Indian
(d) None 20. 1992 Environment conference held in ____?
14. The concept that a single dominant power (a) New York, USA
can maintain world peace is called (b) Paris, France
(c) Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
(a) Strategic Stability (d) None of the above.
(b) Hegemonic Stability
(c) Balance of Power
(d) Balance of Terror General Science and Ability
21. The biggest planet in our solar system is
15. International Peace Day is celebrated since: (CSS 2013)
(a) 1990 (a) Venus

(b) 2001 (b) Pluto
(c) 1991 (c) Jupiter
(d) 1982 (d) None of these
16. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah 22. Who gave the first evidence of the Big-
salary as a Governor General of Pakistan was Bang theory?
fixed at ____?
(a) Edwin Hubble
(a) Rs. 1 (b) Albert Einstein
(b) Rs 1 lac (c) S. Chandrasekhar
(c) Rs 10 Lac (d) Stephen Hawking
(d) None of the above.
17. Wafa is the news agency of which country? 23. The time taken by the Sun to revolve around
the center of our galaxy is
(a) Palestine
(b) Syria (a) 50 Million years
(c) Egypt (b) 100 Million years
(d) None of the above. (c) 250 Million years
(d) 365 Million years
18. Higher than Hopes is written by whom.
24. The planet of the solar system which has
(a) Fatima Meer maximum numbers of Moon is: (CSS 2011)
(b) Fatima Bhutto
(c) Nelson Mandela (a) Jupiter
(d) None of the above. (b) Venus
(c) Saturn
(d) Uranus
(e) None of these
www.nearpeer.org 83
25. The planet of the solar system which has

maximum numbers of Moon is: (CSS 2011)
(a) Jupiter
(b) Venus
(c) Saturn
(d) Uranus
(e) None of these
26. The term big bang refers to ___.
(a) the origin of the universe

(b) the ultimate fate of the universe
(c) a supernova explosion
(d) the formation of a quasar
27. Supernova explosions have no connection

with _______.
(a) The formation of heavy elements

(b) Cosmic rays
(c) Pulsars
(d) Quasars
28. According to Einstein’s general theory of

relativity, the universe _____.
(a) Must be expanding

(b) Must be contracting
(c) Must be either expanding or contracting
(d) May be neither expanding nor contracting
29. Orbital period of the planet Mercury around

the sun is: (CSS 2009)
(a) 88 days
(b) 365 days
(c) 2 years
(d) 98 days
(e) None of these Answers
1. a 2. b 3. a
30. Founder of modern astronomy was: (CSS
4. c 5. a 6. b
2009)
7. c 8. c 9. a
10. b 11. a 12. d
(a) Archimedes
(b) William Gilbert
13. a 14. b 15. d
(c) Nicolaus Copernicus 16. a 17. a 18. a
(d) Michael Faraday 19. b 20. c 21. c
(e) None of these 22. a 23. c 24. a
25. a 26. a 27. d
28. c 29. a 30. c
www.nearpeer.org 84
www.nearpeer.org 88

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CSS Magazine Edition 9

Past Paper MCQs Compilation

Recommended Books’ Review & much more!

Monthly round up: March at a glance 6

Meet our CSP 41

Monthly Press Review 44

Recommended Books’ Review 68

MONTHLY ROUND UP:

5th Pakistan to get 45 million doses of Indian-made vaccine, PAC informed.

9th Khalilzad meets Bajwa amid Afghan peace push.

10th SBP to be made autonomous in line with IMF terms.

11th Uzbekistan offered access to Pakistani ports.

12th Pakistan blocks TikTok after ban by PHC.

13th PTI turns tables on PDM in Senate poll.

14th US has more troops in Afghanistan than officially acknowledged: NYT

15th Australian region suspends AstraZeneca jabs after death.

17th Pakistan gives another extension to helicopter deal with Turkey.

21st plants/projects and other issues.

24th 10 cities put under stiff lockdown till April 11.

26th IMF board agrees to release $500m for Pakistan.

28th Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of Shaheen-1A surface-to-surface ballistic

The Climate Crisis – A

According to the United Nations, oceans are

The world is experiencing a rapid increase in

Climate Keynesianism: An outcome of the New Green Deal

Topographical and lifestyle shifts due to climate change

Global challenge demands global action

Biden’s Foreign Policy

Undoing the strategic contraction

Improving relations with immediate

Ronald Reagan made a very telling argument

Continuing tough stance towards China

Middle East Timeline

The OIC: Internal Rifts

Dawood Khan Tareen

There were more reasons behind the creation

It was August 1969 when an Australian-born

The foremost purpose was to give Muslims a

CSS Magazine edition 9

Debating the Civil

Abdul Samad Khan

Historical Evolution of civil Service of

The Civil Services in Pakistan find their roots in

Abdul Samad Khan

The Kashmir issue has been a bone of

Understanding the 5th August 2019,

Pakistan needs an active approach

The 18th amendment has been termed as a

Lack of coordination between the

Intricacies of Health Policy-making

Educational Sector Predicament

Perplexing Agricultural Domains

The Taxation Conundrum

Rimsha Shakir Jan

A well-functioning judiciary has influence far

A Long history of pending cases

Threat to independence and integrity

Lack of good governance

Corruption and Delay tactics of Lawyers

MEET OUR CSP