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Jahangir World Times
Published: December, 2012
Now Obama's Act Two
In foreign policy, Obama has an equally challenging agenda on which he cannot
afford to remain complacent. By now, he knows wars do not bring peace.
Hopefully, he will resist any attempts to open new fronts and instead will look
for peaceful arrangements through diplomacy and dialogue, not by force or
coercion.
Can You Buy a Friend?
Saturday, December 01, 2012
He is likely to pursue a deal with Iran that verifiably limits its nuclear program and avoids war; a
deal in Afghanistan that averts civil war when U.S. forces leave in 2014; a deal with Putin's help for
a political transition in Syria, and finally, a long-outstanding deal in the Middle East to create a
Palestinian state with secure borders for Israel.
President Barack Obama has been reelected for a second term with a comfortable lead. He indeed is
a miracle man. Four years ago, he made history as the son of an African immigrant from Kenya and
a white woman from Kansas to become America's first-ever black president. Storming the last
citadel, Obama entered the White House in what was seen as centuries old barrier cross. It was
Martin Luther King Jr's dream for a 'colorblind' America come true. This miracle could happen only
in a country called America.
Then, within less than a year of his presidency, Obama made history by becoming Nobel Peace
Laureate as president of a super power that had been tirelessly fighting wars since after the Second
World War. This was no less than a miracle because he received this honour with no peace
credentials of his own yet. It was an unexpected honor and a big surprise for Obama himself.
Having entered the White House as a miracle man, he suddenly became the third serving US
president to have won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The other two sitting American presidents also receiving this honour were Theodore Roosevelt in
1906, for negotiating an end to a war between Russia and Japan, and Woodrow Wilson in 1919, for
the Treaty of Versailles. Interestingly, in Obama's case, there was no peace dividend visible
anywhere in the world that could be attributed to his efforts. He had not even initiated any Afghan
peace plan much less announcing of a withdrawal schedule for ending the decade-long war. It took
him two years to do so and that too under pressure from NATO allies and from his own war wary
people.
With almost a blank scorecard in his first term, Obama bounced back like the comic book super
hero, the Spider-Man. He won well ahead not only in the popular vote but also took almost all of
the key battleground states without any recount or rancor. It was one of the most bitterly contested
and expensive U.S. elections in recent history. In almost a neck-to-neck battle, Mitt Romney gave
the sitting president a tough fight.
But what made the difference this time was what American analysts saw as an increasing change in
the very nature of the US electorate, with white voters accounting for a smaller share of the votes
cast than ever before. Besides increasing number of women and under-30 youth who generally
favour Democratic platform, almost one third of American voters today are non-white, representing
a threefold increase over the past four decades.
While Romney did have a clear edge in the white vote, Obama's majority largely came as in 2008
from the non-white groups especially the African-American and Hispanics that now make up the
new America and vote Democrat. It was a more measured victory than four years ago, when Obama
claimed 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173. This time, Obama's electoral vote count was 332 as
against Romney's 206. But at the end of the election night, it was immaterial who or how many
states voted for Obama or for his challenger, or whether colour, gender or age influenced any part of
the popular vote.
Then, within less than a year of his presidency, Obama made history by becoming Nobel Peace
Laureate as president of a super power that had been tirelessly fighting wars since after the Second
World War. This was no less than a miracle because he received this honour with no peace
credentials of his own yet. It was an unexpected honor and a big surprise for Obama himself.
All said and done, America has reelected its incumbent president for the next four years with small
lead both in popular and electoral votes. Of course becoming America's first black president four
years ago was an unrepeatable feat, but now winning four more years is history, too. He is only the
fourth Democrat since 1900 to do so. Others to make this feat were Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D.
Roosevelt and Bill Clinton. What is even more creditable is that Obama made it in the hardest of
circumstances.
No one since 1940 has won re-election with unemployment at or above 8%. Four years ago, he
entered the White House with a terrible legacy of wars, global image erosion, shattered economy,
depleted social security, healthcare crisis, and decaying education system. In his first term, he was
mostly in the firing-line from the American right which contemptuously painted him as Barack
Hussein Obama, the Kenyan Marxist Muslim bent on destroying America. Yet, on the election
night, American people voted to let their 44th president finish what he had started.
For the rest of the world, there were lessons to learn on how democracy reigns supreme in America.
It is only in this multi-ethnic land that a first generation non-white immigrant's son, if smart enough,
can cross all barriers to be the president of the most powerful nation in the world. One shouldn't
read too much in the post-election secession petitions by a handful of Obama resenters. That is
also part of American democracy. What matters is that after a fierce election battle, everybody
quickly came round as one nation.
Mitt Romney was gracious enough to concede victory to his opponent telling his supporters that at
a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering and that our leaders have to reach across the aisle
to do the people's work. President Obama was no less conciliatory. He hoped to meet Romney and
discuss how they could work together. We may have battled fiercely, he said, but it's only because
we love this country deeply. Obama assured his people, whether I earned your vote or not, I have
listened to you, I have learned from you and you have made me a better president.
This is the true spirit of democracy. We in Pakistan have never heard this metaphor in our own
political verbiage. Sure, we have a long way to go to make democracy work in our country. But for
now at least we should be learning lessons on what our own systemic aberrations are and how
others hold on to their national interests.
America's common challenges at the beginning of Obama's second term are all too familiar: On the
domestic front, the list is topped with issues of economy, employment, energy, education, tax
reform and immigration reforms. The foremost priority has to be a budget deal on spending cuts and
deficit reduction through changes in tax codes and social security entitlement benchmarks.
Obama's healthcare reform would have been repealed had Romney come to power but now it will
be implemented as Obamacare legacy. Given the Republican control in the House of
Representatives, Obama's task ahead is not going to be easy but if he manages to bring the tax
revenues and spending into balance, he might endear him to posterity.
In foreign policy, Obama has an equally challenging agenda on which he cannot afford to remain
complacent. By now, he knows wars do not bring peace. Hopefully, he will resist any attempts to
open new fronts and instead will look for peaceful arrangements through diplomacy and dialogue,
not by force or coercion.
He is likely to pursue a deal with Iran that verifiably limits its nuclear program and avoids war; a
deal in Afghanistan that averts civil war when U.S. forces leave in 2014; a deal with Putin's help for
a political transition in Syria, and finally, a long-outstanding deal in the Middle East to create a
Palestinian state with secure borders for Israel.
Obama now has four years to build a legacy of his own. Obviously, Washington has an overbearing
global agenda with its own priorities as part of its geopolitical outreach, strategic goals and
economic interests including its ongoing Central Asia-focused 'Great Game.'
On US-Pakistan relationship, he must take the initiative to end the cycle of suspicion and discord
and forge a partnership based on mutuality of interests. It is time our two countries moved beyond
transactional engagements and focused more on strengthening their relationship by making it more
substantive and more meaningful through greater political, economic and strategic content.
A paradigm shift is needed in America's global policies to address its negative perception as an
"arrogant superpower" which according to the famous historian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner
Arthur Schlesinger has "two sets of values, one for its internal policies and the other used in foreign
affairs."
In the context of South Asia, the US must remain sensitive to Pakistan's legitimate concerns and
security interests. Any policies that create strategic imbalances in the region and fuel an arms race
between the two nuclear-capable neighbours with an escalatory effect on their military budgets and
arsenals are no service to the peoples of the region. Peace in this volatile region will remain elusive
as long as India-Pakistan issues are unaddressed.
On US-Pakistan relationship, he must take the initiative to end the cycle of suspicion and discord
and forge a partnership based on mutuality of interests. It is time our two countries moved beyond
transactional engagements and focused more on strengthening their relationship by making it more
substantive and more meaningful through greater political, economic and strategic content.
President Obama must not forget the principle of justice to all peoples and nationalities, and their
right to live on equal terms of liberty and safety with one another that his fellow democrat
predecessor, President Woodrow Wilson had spelt out in his famous 14-point congressional speech
in January 1918.
Woodrow Wilsons ghost doesnt have to come to remind him that to make the world safe for
every peace-loving nation which wishes to live its own life and determine its own institutions, it
must be assured of justice and fair dealing, and that unless justice is done to others it will not be
done to us. Obama knows this line. He must now translate it into reality.
Shamshad Ahmad
The writer is a former foreign secretary.
Bibi was Eliminated from the Scene because

she had her Own Vision and Ideology for
Pakistan
Senator Syed Iqbal Haider (Late)
It is the last exclusive interview of Senator Syed Iqbal Haider. It was recorded a month before his
death. He was senior advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan, former senator, Attorney General of
Pakistan, law minister and human rights minister in the cabinet of Ms. Benazir Bhutto and
secretary-general of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Jahangir's World Times (JWT): Why did you leave Pakistan People's Party?
Syed Iqbal Haider: Ms. Benazir Bhutto gave me enormous honour. She appointed me on different
positions and she always assigned me significant responsibilities because she had confidence in me.
In fact, it was her sad demise which apparently was the main reason of my quitting politics. The
reason to leave me PPP was not that I had other options, instead the present ruling party and the
rulers are not according to my nature, therefore, I left politics and the party too. Currently, I am
working with Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. My aim is to make Pakistan a tolerant and
secular society as well to work for normalisation of Indo-Pak relations. Here, I would like to clarify
that secularism does not mean a non-religious society; in fact, secularism allows everyone to
practise his religion freely. Quaid-e-Azam expressed his views categorically in his August 11, 1947
address that Pakistan would not be a theocratic state and the religion would be a personal affair of
individuals; the state would have nothing to do with the religion. But alas! we ignored Quaid's
views and now it's a different Pakistan. Today, it's not only the minorities, even Muslims go to the
mosques and imambargahs under the shade of guns; it is a great tragedy. It's so sad and regrettable
that Muslims are being murdered by the Muslims in the name of Islam. We fought four wars with
India but number of our soldiers martyred in the wars is far less than the number of martyrs in the
war with Taliban. Pakistan army lost about 9,000 soldiers including one lieutenant general, one
major general and four or five brigadiers. Furthermore, they also destroyed our schools and killed
about 80,000 people. Unfortunately today, Taliban are challenging the writ of Pakistan. They want
to take whole Pakistan under their control to establish the rule of their own choice. The credit for
the whole disaster goes to Gen. Zia-ul-Haq and Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf, for their wrong policies
which ignited the hell out of that.
JWT: Karachi is not only the biggest city but also a big source of revenue for Pakistan, what is
the cause of this state of anarchy in the city?
My aim is to make Pakistan a tolerant and secular society as well to work for normalisation of
Indo-Pak relations. Here, I would like to clarify that secularism does not mean a non-religious
society; in fact, secularism allows everyone to practise his religion freely.
SIH: Karachi is under fire since 1985. Actually, it started after the death of Bushra Ziadi, a young
college student. It was April 1985 when Bushra Zaidi, a student of Sir Syed College was killed by a
minibus at Churangi No.1 of Nazimabad. The minibus was driven by a Pathan. Either it was an
accident or a deliberate act but it had changed the scenario of Karachi which still continues. Soon
after that, a bus of Dow Medical College students went to the Pathan area, they were chanting
slogans like, Runaway, Mohajirs are coming to kill you. In retaliation, a van went to the Mohajir
area and they were also shouting Runaway Mohajirs we are coming to kill you. I attended the
proceedings of Judicial Commission set up for the 'Bushra Zaidi Case'. I myself heard the witnesses.
So, this is how Pakistani secret agencies started war between Pathans and Mohajirs. Gen. Zia-ulHaq is the one who did all that. God will never forgive him for his bad deeds. For your readers I
want to tell that during Zia's reign Sohrab Goath, Ali Garh Colony, and Hyderabad were witnessing
severe riots, even the election of 1988 was held under curfew. I myself contested election of 1988
during curfew. Army was deployed everywhere but riots were also going on. On the polling day, my
tent was set ablaze, opponents were in the polling booth busy in rigging the election. I spoke to a
colonel to go inside and stop the rigging, but, he replied that he was not allowed to go inside the
polling booth. Then in 1997 elections, same thing happened, 'Sher (Lion)' had won an
overwhelming majority in Karachi. I happened to be the chief election organiser of PPP those days,
I use to sign the election ticket of PPP candidates so, I called all the authorities including Election
Commission but in vain.
Gen. Zia gave us kalashnikov culture, drug abuse, sectarian and ethnic violence and religious
extremism. He and Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf made Pakistan a frontline state whenever Afghanistan is
attacked by the foreign superpowers just to prolong their rule. They both destroyed our society,
cultural values, religion, and economy and education system too. And what is happening today in
Pakistan are the results as well as continuation of the policies of Gen. Pervaiz Musharaf because
present rulers are not following the policies of Ms. Benazir Bhutto instead they are following the
policies of Gen. Musharraf. That is why, Gen. Musharraf transferred power to them and Bibi was
eliminated from the scene because everyone knows she had her own agenda, views, vision and
ideology for Pakistan. She had zero tolerance for terrorism. I worked with Bibi and I am proud of it.
I know her thoughts very well.
On the polling day my tent was set ablaze, opponents were in the polling booth busy in rigging the
election. I spoke to a colonel to go inside and stop the rigging, but, he replied that he was not
allowed to go inside the polling booth.
JWT: As you said earlier that you are focusing on the normalisation of relations with India
and the peaceful co-existence. Right now we do not have good relations with any of our
neighbours, then why did you only take the responsibility of Indo-Pak relations alone?
SIH: Well, we cannot afford any threat from our western and eastern border. Thank God relations
with China and Iran are not as much deteriorated to expect any physical security threat. Our
contention is that Pakistan is at war from within; Pakistan is at war with Afghanistan so, in such a
situation Pakistan cannot afford a war with India. Is it not logical? Because at this time India is not
indulging in any kind of aggression despite the fact Pakistan is more vulnerable right now. And why
India should indulge in any kind of aggression, while due to our own stupid, imprudent and
misconceived blunders Pakistan is being destroyed from within. Why one should waste her money,
manpower, energy and bullets when we ourselves are enough to destroy Pakistan.
JWT: How do you see the Indian presence in Afghanistan?
SIH: This is another tragedy that Pakistan has suffered so much because of two wars of
Afghanistan. On the contrary, Pakistan is utterly disliked by the people and government of
Afghanistan. So, there might be anything wrong done by us. At one side, we destroy ourself for
Afghanistan but even then the people of Afghanistan prefer India than us. Its irony I must say. We
gave refuge to two million Afghans even then we are unable to earn respect and confidence from
the people of Afghanistan. Our country was more peaceful, liberal and tolerant before the first
Afghan war; we were among the most civilised country. And let me tell you there was a commission
of inquiry when Karachi was made a hostage by the terrorists in 1985, 1986 and 1987. So, the
number of policemen in Karachi up to year 1982 was smaller than the number of policemen in New
York, London, Mumbai and Kolkata. We were so peaceful and civilised and there was no concept of
Bhatta in Karachi. But, today even Dhaka is more peaceful than Karachi.
Waqas Iqbal
Article viewed 496 times.
OBAMA SECOND REGIME AND ITS

IMPACT ON INDIA AND CHINA
The result of the recent elections according to my observation will yield no effect
on the economy of India and its relations with the US at all. The history
witnessed that both the Republicans and the Democrats were agreed to
acknowledge the importance of India in the world. It was Clinton, a Democrat
who reopened the talks with India after the nuclear experiments and again in
2005, it was Bush, a Republican, who signed civilian nuclear deal with India.
The Indian factor is indispensible for the US to cope with the strategic
challenges faced by the US in Asia particularly and in the rest of the world
generally.
When Obama sworn-in as 44th president of the United States, world was suffering from deadly
financial crisis. The crisis arose from the bursting of the real estate prices to the maximum and then
declined dramatically. This global financial crisis culminated on July 1, 2007 when the US investors
lost confidence in subprime mortgages. This compelled the US Federal Bank to influx a large sum
of capital into the financial market. This situation worsened when the stock markets around the
world crashed. Similarly, the collapse of Lehman Brothers added fuel to the fire which was lit by
the global financial crisis.
The situation of the economy inside the US was also miserable than ever. The newly-elected
president had to face the issues like unemployment, declining economy and ballooning federal
financial debt. According to experts, the US experienced its worst crisis after the Great Depression.
It was estimated that the total loss of the US bank reached at about one-third of the total bank
capital.
Obama rightly remarked this situation at the inaugural speech of his presidency on January 20,
2009, Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on part of
some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
Homes have been lost, jobs shed, business shattered. Our health care is too costly, our school fail
too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our
adversaries and threaten our planet. These are indicators of crisis subject to date and statistics.
The Obama administration tried to deal with these troubling legacies by making a number of
economic reforms which included Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009 Childrens Health Insurance,
Insurance Programme Reauthorization Act, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Credit Card
Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act and hiring incentives. In the same way, $ 62
billion money was injected into the auto industry for its recovery. This also brought about 100,000
jobs.
Experts believe that some of the Obama's policies are socialist. Now as far as the policy of the US
candidates regarding China is concerned, the two candidates shared mixed views regarding the
second biggest economy. Mitt Romney vowed to take a harsh stance against the Chinese economy.
He labelled China as a currency manipulator.
How much the economic policy was successful in changing the situation of the people can be
gauged by the mid-term elections of 2010. In the said elections, Republicans captured 243 out of
435 seats and also strengthened themselves by getting 47 seats in the Senate. This happened
because of the biggest woes of the US, e.g. 10 % joblessness, sluggish economic recovery and
expanding federal debt which had shaken the confidence of the voters on the Obama administration.
Now Barrack Obama representing the Democrats has won the elections. The outcome of these
elections is very important for the rest of the world both in terms of economy and peace.
On the global scenario, China and India are the emerging economies. The present century witnesses
the cordial relations between the US and India, e.g. civilian nuclear deals of the Bush
administration. This policy was carried forward by the Obama administration also. Obama visited
the India in 2010. During his visit, Obama made deals with the Indian authorities worth $ 10 billion.
This deal was also meant to create about 50,000 jobs for the Americans.
The result of the recent elections according to my observation will yield no effect on the economy
of India and its relations with the US at all. The history witnessed that both the Republicans and the
Democrats were agreed to acknowledge the importance of India in the world. It was Clinton, a
Democrat who reopened the talks with India after the nuclear experiments and again in 2005, it was
Bush, a Republican, who signed civilian nuclear deal with India. The Indian factor is indispensible
for the US to cope with the strategic challenges faced by the US in Asia, particularly and in the rest
of the world generally.
In order to curb the power of China, the US wants to strengthen Indian economy. Similarly, as
America could not afford confrontation with China so a policy of mixed diplomacy will be carried
forward by the Obama administration up till 2016.
Experts believe that some of the Obama's policies are socialist. Now as far as the policy of the US
candidates regarding China is concerned, the two candidates shared mixed views regarding the
second biggest economy. Mitt Romney vowed to take a harsh stance against the Chinese economy.
He labelled China as a currency manipulator. He also said that Apple gadgets are made in China
because of unfair exchange rates. He also accused President Obama for not giving tough time to
China. He is also of the view that China exploits the economies of other nations by theft of
intellectual property. He said, We can compete with anyone in the world as long as the playing
field is level. China's been cheating over the years, one, by holding down the value of their
currency, number two, by stealing our intellectual property, our designs, our patents, our
technology.
On the other hand, President Obama wanted to have a cooperative relationship with China. But at
the same time the previous tenure of Obama was a mixture of good and bad comments against
China. During the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the US, Obama said that he wanted to
have good relations with China so that they could work together. But at the same time he also
criticised the policy of currency manipulation by China. On the defence matter, the US revealed $
5.8 billion arms scale package to Taiwan in 2011. Similarly, in this year Obama also announced the
creation of trade enforcement unit to search the unfair trading practices in China.
In his previous tenure Obama also filed several complaints at the WTO about China which included
unfair taxes on the US vehicle imports, China's unfair subsidy on its auto and auto parts exports and
also on its restriction on exporting rare earth metals. Despite of these minor activities there had been
no serious controversy under Obama administration. What will be the future of China's economy
and its relations with the US during the second term of Obama is a big question; though not a
mystery. For, there will be no shift in policy and the US will continue her relations as it is. Since
China is capable enough to survive the rough course, to avoid confrontation with China is in the
best interest of the US herself.
The quintessence of what has been written above is that the new regime of Obama will have more
or less the same policies for India and China. In order to curb the power of China, the US wants to
strengthen Indian economy. Similarly as America could not afford confrontation with China so a
policy of mixed diplomacy will be carried forward by the Obama administration up till 2016.
Ahmad Mujtaba
Article viewed 672 times.
Obama's Re-election and Pakistan

It is difficult to predict whether Barack Obama's re-election as the president of
the United States for a second term would have any implications for US policy
towards Pakistan. As things stand, it would be unwise to expect much from the
US in the wake of President Obama's re-election. Pakistan needs to set its own
house in order to deal with the United States on a more level playing field.
However, given the fact that the US administration is involved in an inconclusive war in
Afghanistan, its policy towards Pakistan would be crucial in enabling it to extricate itself from this
situation. For this reason, it would be likely that the new Obama administration may review this
matter.
In order to examine what possible adjustments/alterations could take place in this regard, we would
first need to look at the relationship between Pakistan and the United States in Obama's first term as
US president. Pakistan-US relations have registered a sharp down-slide in the last four years
marked by mutual suspicion and acrimony. Obama's first term in office reinforced the belief in
Pakistan that America sees its bilateral relationship with Pakistan as transactional, and that the
relationship with Pakistan is seen in Washington through the prism of the Afghan war.
Marked by ugly incidents in the last two years such as manifold increase in drone attacks over
Pakistan's borderland area Fata, the Raymond Davis affair, the unilateral raid deep inside Pakistan
to kill Osama bin Laden, and the outrageous attack by Nato on Pakistani troops in Salala in
November 2011, the bilateral relationship was badly frayed.
At the strategic plane, the strengthening of US India strategic partnership, a process initiated by
the administration of President Bush, is seen by many in Pakistan as detrimental to Pakistan's
interests. Support of India's entry in the influential Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) by the Obama
administration caused even greater misgivings in Pakistan. In addition, it is generally perceived that
Pakistan and the US have divergent interests with regard to Afghanistan.
When Obama takes oath for a second term in January 2013, he may start with a new team. There is
talk of a new secretary of state (Susan Rice, now at the UN, to replace Hillary Clinton, a new
secretary of defence (John Kerry to replace Leon Panetta), and a new military leadership at
CENTCOM as well as in Afghanistan. This new team is likely to review a whole set of policy
matters. In this context, it is certain that US policy towards Pakistan will be re-examined. The team
may well take account of the fact that the hitherto hardline in dealings with Pakistan is alienating
Pakistan and may prove counter-productive to US objectives in the end game in Afghanistan. Since
the major irritant in Pakistan-US relations happens to be the occurrence of drone strikes on
Pakistani soil, it is possible that the resort to drones is suspended for some time. However, it should
be kept in mind that the United States is a country in which foreign policy is embedded in the
institutions of the state. Due to this strong institutionalism, the broader contours of foreign policy
objectives seldom change. It is only the style or means that can be modified as per the requirement.
Thus, while it is important to look at the personalities involved in the decision making, the
institutional framework is often a major constraint for these policy makers. In post-elections US
political make-up in both the houses and decision making levels, it seems difficult that President
Obama will be able to bring a substantive change in its relationship with Pakistan.
At the strategic level, US India strategic partnership will continue to thrive, despite its own
difficulties and Pakistan's concern, as US sees its relations with India through the prism of
containing China. United States refocus towards Asia and Pacific has placed New Delhi in a
strategic position such that it will have a much bigger say in laying out the discourse for South Asia.
Resultantly, concerns within Pakistan will increase.
Obama's first term in office reinforced the belief in Pakistan that America sees its bilateral
relationship with Pakistan as transactional, and that the relationship with Pakistan is seen in
Washington through the prism of the Afghan war.
Secondly, with regard to Afghanistan, the US is unlikely to create conditions on the ground which
will end the war decisively in its favour. Back channel negotiations between Taliban-led factions
and the United States remain murky and uncertain at best, despite recent positive movements. This
uncertainty means the continuation of drone attacks over Pakistani borderland and pressure to do
more against alleged safe havens in Fata areas.
US economic assistance to Pakistan has also not been forthcoming in the last two years as was the
case before and given the post-election situation in both the houses, major economic incentives are
unlikely to come by in the future. Financial difficulties in the United States are also a contributing
factor in this regard.
Despite challenges, however, there are prospects of a more realistic and productive relationship
between the two countries. The obvious and immediate area of convergence is ending the Afghan
conflict in a way that does not destabilise the region. Recent overtures from the US and Karzai
government indicate that the US has agreed to give Pakistan its due role in resolving the Afghan
conflict. Recent movements by Pakistan and Afghanistan are positive and supported by the US.
Post-2014 stable Afghanistan is in the interests of both Pakistan and the United States. It will be
premature, however, to expect too much from these signals but this may well be a starting point. In
this perspective, a suspension of the unpopular and counterproductive drone attacks could be a
visible confidence-building measure.
Pakistan and the United States can revive the strategic dialogue process which will help address, if
not necessarily remove, Pakistan's regional concerns vis-a-vis India, including the core issues such
as Kashmir, Water dispute, etc. The major task for both Pakistan and the United States will be to see
how the economic and political relationship between the two can be strengthened. As things stand,
it would be unwise to expect much from the US in the wake of President Obama's re-election.
Pakistan needs to set its own house in order to deal with the United States on a more level playing
field. Moreover, as Obama's re-election promises little to offer, Pakistan needs to diversify its
international contacts and strengthen itself domestically in order to sustain the pressure of its
difficult bilateral relationship with the US.
The writer is former ambassador of Pakistan to Austria and IAEA. Presently, he is serving as
Executive Director of Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), he can be contacted:
sarwarnaqvi@yahoo.com
Ali Sarwar Naqvi
TERRORISM AND FOREIGN POLICY OF

PAKISTAN
The formulation of foreign policy is a very technical and highly skilled

assignment given its implications for the country which needs more inward than
outward appraisal. In formulating the component of foreign policy related to
terrorism, the input of law enforcement agencies is not taken at all. The
international law, which essentially centres on criminal justice model, must be
considered by all before making any policy statements.
Lord Bingham in his book 'The Rule of Law' dedicated a chapter to Terrorism and the Rule of Law.
The chapter delineates three differences and seven similarities between the US and the UK
approaches towards dealing with terrorism. One of the differences that may be worth consideration
for architects (both military and civilian) of foreign policy, in Pakistan, is that while the UK
believes in 'the criminal model', the US believes in a 'security model'. Lord Bingham has postulated
the distinction, inter alia, on the writings of Prof. Conor Gearty, verdicts of the superior courts of
the two jurisdictions and on the basis of conduct and statements of key officials. For example, he
has quoted the Director of Public Prosecution of the UK, Sir Ken Macdonald Q. C. who said:
the fight against terrorism on the streets of Britain is not a war. It is the prevention of crimea
culture of legislative restraint in the area of terrorist crime is central to the existence of an efficient
and human rights compatible process.
In Pakistan's context, the difference is all the more relevant in formulating a foreign policy based on
the rule of law and dictates of international law. Presently, without labelling it, the evidence shows
that Pakistan's foreign policy is encompassing 'security model' approach, which is more akin to the
US practice. 'Security model' has its pitfalls; on the one hand, it is intrusive and presents the 'warlike' scenarios, on the other, it is not consistent with the all evolving international law on the point.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in its publication, styled as 'The
Universal Legal Framework against Terrorism', identified two main pillars of 'universal' legal
framework, which are:
a. UN Security Council resolutions (particularly UNSC resolutions passed under Chapter VII of
the UN Charter);
b. Sixteen international instruments, which require member states to 'criminalise' different

manifestations of terrorism.
The abovementioned two pillars offer little space for 'security model' as such they hover around the
'criminal justice model'. Another obvious issue with 'security model' is that the terrorists are not
treated as 'criminals', but they are treated as 'combatants'. As applied in Pakistan, the 'security
model' implies that it is the domain of military to deal with terrorism and not of the 'law
enforcement agencies'. This approach has already reflected some of its weak areas as unwritten
agreements/treaties, unbalanced mutual international cooperation, bungled investigations and low
convictions are some of its outcomes. The approach is contrary to Pakistan's laws as well.
According to Article 2(viii) of the Police Order 2002, which defines 'Federal Law Enforcement
Agencies', armed forces are excluded from the list of law enforcement agencies unless so notified.
Besides, the powers to conduct investigations and to collect evidence especially the admissible
evidence are the jobs of law enforcement agencies, which primarily are police agencies of different
territories of Pakistan. An analysis of the Guidelines for General Foreign Policy as enunciated by
the Defence Committee also shows that our policy makers do not have the distinction of 'criminal
justice model' and 'security model' in their minds. For example, it was noted in Point 4 of the
Guidelines that:
Pakistan's foreign policy is encompassing 'security model' approach, which is more akin to the US
practice. 'Security model' has its pitfalls; on the one hand, it is intrusive and presents the 'war-like'
scenarios, on the other, it is not consistent with the all evolving international law on the point.
Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to the elimination of terrorism and combating extremism in
pursuance of its national interest.
The jargon and the diction clearly spell out the possibility of seeing things through a military prism.
The formulation of foreign policy is a very technical and highly skilled assignment given its
implications for the country which needs more inward than outward appraisal. In formulating the
component of foreign policy related to terrorism, the input of law enforcement agencies is not taken
at all. The international law, which essentially centres on criminal justice model, must be considered
by all before making any policy statements. Another view can be that in Pakistan's case, a hybridmodel based on criminal justice approach primarily and security model as a complementary
approach may be workable.
Much can be said in favour of criminal justice model. From a philosophical viewpoint, the old
axiom of Cicero may sound plausible. His salus populi suprema est lex (the safety of the people is
the supreme law) is as true today as it was in his times. Benjamin Franklin also endorsed Cicero's
philosophy when he said: 'he who would put security before liberty deserves neither.' Views of both
appear to proximate the theme of the rule of law. Likewise, religiously, Islam's propensity towards
peace is unequivocal, and in designing a foreign policy in which the ultimate enemy is not very
obvious the safe course would be to go by criminal justice model. The views expressed do not claim
to be perfect; the only point being made is that a conscious choice be exercised after deliberating in
detail on the subject from all stakeholders and the choice so exercised should be in consonance
with international law and should be morally and religiously viable.
(He has done LLB (Hons.) Shariah and Law from the International Islamic University, Islamabad
and BCL from the University of Oxford, UK) kamranadil@yahoo.com
Kamran Adil
You Trade with Friends Not Enemies

The trade balance in favour of India has prompted fears among certain
members of the Pakistani business community, especially industrialists, of losing
the domestic market to Indian manufactures resulting in a process of
deindustrialisation.
Pakistan's number one friend China has long ago marked a significant footstep for its bosom friend
Pakistan. China trades with Taiwan; China trades with India; China trades with United States of
America. The urgency of economy has influenced China to trade with its enemies, including the
neighbour to which Beijing turns hostile off and on. United States imports cheap goods to reduce its
cost of living while China sells to strengthen its economy. Likewise, India sells new material and
buys machinery for its local industry.
Look at Wahga-Attari border. Imagine thousands of trucks laden with Indian merchandise crossing
border every day. Imagine again. Indians selling their goods to Pakistanis worth 13 billion US
dollars; equivalent to around 1.25 trillion Pak rupees and everything is documented. This is no joke.
Pakistanis are already consuming Indian merchandise at such a cost and 80 per cent of merchandise
they consume comes into their plate through informal trade. It means Pakistanis pay higher for
Indian goods. Pakistanis get 50 per cent more Indian produce at the same cost or can pay less on
what they are already paying higher amount of their income.
Pakistan and India are the two most populous and largest economies in the South Asian region.
Then, why not Pakistan trades with its number one enemy, as does Pakistan's number one friend
with our number one enemy. Oh yes! Give most-favoured nation (MFN) status to India. dj vu!!!
The modern world has not seen any precedence of enemies turning into friends on account of sheer
economic urgency. Many believe Pakistan and India can create history. At least level of hostility
may be minimised as does China with its trading partners.
India agrees to bring down the number of items in its sensitive list by 30 per cent before December
this year keeping in view Pakistan's export interests. As agreed earlier, Pakistan will complete the
transition of MFN status for India by the end of this year. As a result, India brings down its SAFTA
sensitive list to 100 tariff lines by April next year. The items placed in the sensitive list are allowed
for trade, but these attract much higher customs, duties and reduce their trading margin. As India
will notify the reduced sensitive list, Pakistan will reduce its sensitive list to 100 items over the next
five years.
Trade between Pakistan and India is taking place through three channels.
1. The formal trade, through official means is
marginal.
2. Illegal trade takes place through smuggling via porous Indo-Pak land borders and through
Afghanistan.
3. Trade also takes place through third countries. These include mainly Dubai and Singapore,
which are free ports and accommodate legal agents of traders from both India and Pakistan.
The informal trade between Pakistan and India is estimated at $6 to $7 billion, being carried out
through exchange of goods at the Indo-Pakistan border, the misuse of the personal baggage scheme
through green channel facilities and Afghanistan. Trade through third countries or circular trade is
mainly conducted through agents operating in free ports like Dubai or Singapore and the Central
Asian Republic (CAR) countries. The size of circular trade underlines the potential of flourishing
bilateral trade between the two countries.
Ironically, in contrast to the robust illegal trade, official trade between the two nations remains
nominal. According to official figures, Pakistan exported goods worth 30 billion rupees during the
fiscal year 2011-12 while it spent foreign exchange equivalent to 134 billion rupees for importing
goods from India. The balance is already in India's favour.
The two countries enjoy a fairly large amount of informal trade, and also face smuggling, says
Rais Ashraf Tar Mohmmad, a Pakistani commodity trader.
The two countries enjoy a fairly large amount of informal trade, and also face smuggling, says
Rais Ashraf Tar Mohammad, a Pakistani commodity trader. He cites the example of a very popular
tobacco-based product, Pan Parag, which he says can be found at almost any pan shop in Pakistan
even though it is among the banned items in the country.
Businessmen in Pakistan say that the demand and supply equations compel them to find extra-legal
routes to bring in commodities which can be profitable. Like Pan Parag, many other products find
their way into Pakistan via a third country. The products are first shipped to Colombo or Dubai, a
favoured conduit for traders from both countries, and are then brought to Pakistan.
Third country trade is estimated to be nearly eight billion US dollars annually, says Siraj Qasim
Teli, former president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Interest ingly, animal trade
makes up a large proportion of the smuggling. It is estimated that more than 600 million Indian
rupees worth of animals (largely cattle) make it across the Indian border to Pakistan each year. The
volume might be several times more than this figure due to the undocumented nature of the trade.
The official list of items exported to India consists of vegetables and fruits, poppy seeds, raw
cotton, wool, waste wool, fine animal hair, textile yarn and fabrics, leather and leather
manufactures, petroleum crude, plants for perfumes, pharmaceuticals, copper waste and scrap,
articles of apparel, cloth accessories, rock salt and rice.
The biggest, the richest and the strongest textile lobby in our country is opposed to MFN status to
India. The textile and apparel sector continues to be the driving force for economic growth in both
India and Pakistan.
Commodities officially imported from India are ginger, tea, cardamom, soybean, meal, carbon
electrodes, iron ore, tendu (bidi) leaves, vegetable seeds, zinc, magnesia, refined lead, manganese
ores and concentrates, books, betel leaves, sports goods, phthalic anhydride, tamarind, dyeing and
tanning materials, cement, sewing machine, oil-cakes, residue of soybean, onion, organic chemicals
and sugar-cane.
The trade balance in favour of India has prompted fears among certain members of the Pakistani
business community, especially industrialists, of losing the domestic market to Indian manufactures
resulting in a process of deindustrialisation.
A large part of the resistance in Pakistan comes from the country's business community who feel
that the higher cost of production in a relatively smaller economy in comparison to India will make
them vulnerable to tough competition. Though low transport cost from India will provide the
Pakistani consumers cheaper products, however, it is also likely to reduce the natural protection of
Pakistan's domestic producers.
The biggest, the richest and the strongest textile lobby in our country is opposed to MFN status to
India. The textile and apparel sector continues to be the driving force for economic growth in both
India and Pakistan. This sector contributes 30 percent in India and 78 percent in Pakistan. Indian
textile industry is better placed than Pakistan in the post-quota scenario. Allowing for the
differences in labour and capital productivity, on average, Pakistan is a higher cost location than
China, India or Bangladesh. Presently, trade in textile and clothing between India and Pakistan is
almost nonexistent. Pakistan's economy is far less diversified as compared to the Indian economy
and depends heavily on the textile industry. Unless efforts are made to rectify this situation,
granting unrestricted access to Indian textiles in Pakistani domestic market may have serious
repercussions for the whole economy.
The powerful cement cartel is against India too. The Indian cement industry will make a major
dent in our business because they have an edge over their Pakistani counterparts due to differences
in the tax structures of the two countries, maintains Tariq Saigol, chairman of the All Pakistan
Cement Manufacturers Association.
Pakistani researchers are also of the view that Indian pharmaceutical goods will develop a major
market presence in Pakistan because drugs are priced low in India. The pharmaceutical industry in
Pakistan is also considered as a powerful cartel. Almost 95 percent of the basic raw materials used
for manufacturing of medicines are imported from China, India, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany,
Netherlands and others.
The volume of Pakistan's import of chemicals and pharmaceutical products from India is not big.
Our industry buys over 1100 raw materials, including over 400 ingredients from India. Out of the
total imported chemicals and pharmaceutical products from India, 166 items had a lower unit value
of imports compared to the unit value of the same items imported from elsewhere. These items have
the potential for enhancing imports from India.
Riches! Again automobile sector is a cartel in our country. This industry operates under franchise
and technical cooperation agreements with leading world manufacturers. The automotive industry
contributes billion of rupees to the exchequer in the form of duties and taxes.
Compared with Pakistan, India has a strong engineering base and has successfully created a sizable
capacity for production of vehicles. It enjoys a clear edge over Pakistan in the automobile sector.
Indian auto companies are highly cost competitive due to appropriate levels of automation and low
cost automation and have achieved a high level of productivity by embracing Japanese concepts and
best practices.
Pakistan can import automotive components and spare parts from India at a lower price as presently
these items are being imported from the Far East at higher prices. On the other hand, India is
expected to benefit from free trade due to its low raw material, electric and labour costs. The story
does not end here. Cheap but economical cars will be running on the roads of our country. Now,
million dollar question is: Will the powerful auto sector bigwigs allow MFN status to India?
Small and medium-sized sector is an important sector of the economy of Pakistan. More than two
million small and medium enterprises (SMEs) spread across the country contribute 30 percent to
GDP and generate around 25 percent of the manufacturing sector's export earnings. The SMEs
constitute 90 percent of business and are responsible for 80 percent of non-farm based employment.
However, the competitiveness of the SMEs is marred by their structural weaknesses and to some
extent insufficient institutional support from the government in spite of its significant contributions
to the economy.
Most of the small and medium entrepreneurs are of the view that SMEs in Pakistan do not have the
kind of strength that they need to compete in a free-trade environment. Some entrepreneurs view the
prospect of liberalisation of trade as a window of opportunity to improve production quality and
efficiency through greater exposure to regional competition, especially with India, despite the
challenges of free trade. There is an urgent need to address these issues in Pakistan, and to
formulate a policy framework before entering into free trade with India.
The political rightists and hatred against India is Pakistan is also a major hurdle in granting MFN
status to India. Rightwing and religious parties have openly opposed any improvement in trade
relations with India. Jamaat-e-Islamis Munawar Hasan believes that it will weaken Pakistan and
destroy its economy. Some economic analysts have also warned Pakistan to remain cautious. The
current economic climate is already causing capital outflows from the country to Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, the Middle East and Africa. The Indian move can only worsen the situation. Although
no economist could deny the advantages of free trade but in the current environment, Pakistan needs
to be a bit more careful.
Asad Kaleem
(IN) DEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY

It is generally argued that developing countries can never have an independent
foreign policy in absolute terms. They are compelled to think dependently as
well as act dependently.
In that case a country can gain benefits through its foreign policy only if it manages to play its cards
well. Compromise and collaboration can work in favour of a developing country if, one, it possibly
creates a level playing-field and second, bring the other parties to equal terms. All in all, in today's
arena of complex international order, what works for developing countries is the credibility if they
hold from world view.
For any state in the world, foreign policy is the most crucial means to achieve national interest
during interactions with other states. Foreign policy sets the course of a country's diplomatic
relations with other states. Traditionally, foreign policy has been regarded as a framework rules of
which were merely based on give and take phenomenon. With the world politics increasingly
becoming intense and interaction between states turning multifarious; the mechanism of foreign
policy included varied dimensions and now is considered a fairly complex phenomenon.
In order to formulate an effective foreign policy, two important perspectives must equally be
considered: how does the world view the country? And how does the country view the world?
Generally, the feasible decision making takes place while evaluating and assessing the level of
difference between the two views which help the country establish its credibility in international
community. Since the world has increasingly grown interdependent and globalisation is the
prevailing order, developing states, in particular, are not left with many choices while formulating
foreign policy.
It is generally argued that developing countries can never have an independent foreign policy in
absolute terms. They are compelled to think dependently as well as act dependently. In that case a
country can gain benefits through its foreign policy only if it manages to play its cards well.
Compromise and collaboration can work in favour of a developing country if, one, it possibly
creates a level playing-field and second, bring the other parties to equal terms. All in all, in today's
arena of complex international order, what works for developing countries is the credibility if they
hold from world view.
Among other developing countries, Pakistan's case is very crucial in terms of its foreign policy for it
has been severely criticised of being a weak, ineffective and fractured one. According to critics,
foreign policy of Pakistan is influenced by illusions and assumptions instead of being a realistic
framework. For past six decades, with the exception of China, Pakistan has been faced with
turbulent times in its foreign relations with many countries, especially with its neighbouring states:
India and Afghanistan.
Several factors contributed to the structural weakness and resultant feature of dependency in
Pakistan's foreign policy. Influences of extra-regional actors; Pakistan's unintelligent choice of
joining the alliances in early years following the independence; and reliance on the achievement of
short-term goals have altogether direly affected the foreign policy decision making. In addition to
this, foreign policy of Pakistan has been fraught with military influence. On a number of occasions
not only Pakistan missed several opportunities to gain economic and political benefits but also
lacked prompt and appropriate response to certain challenges that could have led to the foreign
policy gains. Also, a number of foreign policy decisions proved detrimental and had a dire impact
on the country.
In the name of collaboration Pakistan has been compromising on key issues. During past two
decades, in particular, with failing economy, deteriorating security situation, political instability and
increasing violence, Pakistan has lost its credibility as a significant and valuable member of
international community.
Traditionally, Pakistan has relied on China, Saudi Arabia and Iran considering them as indispensible
allies. However, with the gradual developments, shifting alliances, changing interests and emerging
challenges at global level these countries now also tend to change their longstanding stance towards
Pakistan. For instance, during last three years, Saudi Arabia has been trading with India and the
trade figures are greater than the level of trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
In order to formulate an effective foreign policy, two important perspectives must equally be
considered: how does the world view the country? And how does the country view the world?
Iran-Pakistan relations have also been affected to an extent due to the occasional firing incidents at
the border between the two states and alleged illegal cross-border movements. On the other hand,
the two countries want to proceed with the construction of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. The project
has already been rejected by the US and the country does not want Pakistan to opt for the project.
India has already opted out of the pipeline project. China, our all-time friend, despite an
uninterrupted strategic and economic assistance to Pakistan the country is considerably shifting its
policy vis-a'-vis Pakistan. For instance, China has changed its stance from an all-out support to
Pakistan's Kashmir policy to a neutral stance on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan is a member of a
number of regional blocs, however, the country lacked a significant equation with many of them.
For instance, with the European Union (EU), Pakistan has nothing but a donor-recipient
relationship. On the other hand, India had made great strides in establishing trade relations with the
EU. The country also does not enjoy significantly good political, trade and economic ties with other
South Asian countries.
While talking about Pakistan-US relations, the events and incidents during last two years had a
detrimental effect on their bilateral ties. The war against terrorism and following drone attacks,
Operation Neptune Spear etc. not only have increased militancy inside Pakistan but have also put a
question mark on our sovereignty. Our armed forces have been attacked and our nuclear assets are
at risk. The US intends to continue launching drone attacks inside Pakistan which will continue to
pose security threats and mar the relations between the two countries till the time Pakistan opts for a
composite strategy to reset its equation with the US.
Current trends in Pakistan's foreign policy are extremely discouraging. Now the country is not left
with many choices. Our foreign policy decision makers must attend to the prime foreign policy
requirements of the country. General elections are approaching in Pakistan. Whichever party forms
the government the biggest challenge for upcoming government would be to develop a consensus
on key foreign policy issues. What Pakistan cannot afford is the experimentation with the foreign
policy. It would be highly deteriorating if the upcoming government fails to address the weak areas
of foreign policy. The government would be required to device a comprehensive and consolidated
foreign policy framework by utilising all the available resources and capabilities in order to rebuild
its credibility as a respected state in the world. The country is also required to display its true
potential to its fullest and establish itself as a reliable member of international community and to
regain its lost significance for its major partners.
*Nabiha Gul is a researcher and analyst on international affairs and a visiting faculty at the Faculty
of Social Sciences, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST),
Karachi.
Email: coldpath1@gmail.com
Nabiha Gul
SEEING PAKISTAN
Through the Periscope of Obama's Foreign Policy Prospects in the Second Term
Now when Obama's second term has just begun and he is back to the White House, we shall
naturally look at his past as president and anticipate thereupon that in the guise of his
'compassionate and democratic' foreign policy, he would go to any length for the fulfilment of what
he could not do during his previous term. Since, he would not be considerate at getting his vote
bank drowned, he would tend to finish the undone. Grossly means, the ratio of drone attacks and the
number of innocent killings in the drone attacks will increase.
Traditionally, the great powers of the globe have been trying to subjugate the weaker countries.
They do so in order to strengthen the state of their economy, to consolidate their rule and influence
the others' territories so that the 'interests' of their own country could be safeguarded and served for
as long as possible. The US is not an exception.
American foreign policy always had an important impact on this region of the globe even before the
division of the subcontinent. And now, when Pakistan, as a nation, has virtually assumed the role of
the leader of the Ummah, it is quite obvious that the American policies, if found conflicting with
their interests, would get more rigid. Pakistanis have always been keenly interested in the state of
affairs of the US; be it the presidential elections, or the matter of some president's scandal. It is
important here to take into account the main reasons as to why America would intervene in our
country, what kind of benefits it may achieve and how will it try to do so.
A few critical questions may arise such as will the new Obama administration re-examine some
controversial aspects of its foreign policy, like the perpetually dropping drone missiles in Pakistan;
and will the new mandate strengthen its belief in the righteousness of its previous strategies and let
it continue?
It should be kept in mind that the relationship between US-Pakistan, since Obama's first-time
ascension to presidency, has gone through a great turmoil which is unprecedented. The US-Pakistan
relation has been at the worst low down the time lane.
Though it is believed by a very small group of intellectuals, and it has been discussed on various
fora as well that America has always been a friend of Pakistan, because it helped Pakistan whenever
it was needed. But this position does not seem to have a cushion in the current scenario.
A few crucial incidents such as the US Navy SEALs' Abbotabad operation in which Osama bin
Laden was killed; Raymond Davis case; increase in the number of drone attacks which is also
unprecedented and the death of 24 Pakistani soldiers at Salala in a US-led NATO attack (although
Pakistan showed its annoyance by boycotting the Bonn conference and suspended Nato supply line
and insisted on the apology) made the situation worse.
It should be kept in mind that the relationship between US-Pakistan, since Obama's first-time
ascension to presidency, has gone through a great turmoil which is unprecedented. The US-Pakistan
relation has been at the worst low down the time lane.
We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America..
Obama said in his victory speech after the Presidential Elections of 2012. This sentence seems to be
an utterance that a person utters when he/she is overwhelmed with happiness. Such sentences do
express the feelings of the person who utters them, but it must be kept in mind that on such
occasions people make decisions and promises which are usually emotional and do not prove to be
true. As Obama said, we believe in compassionate America. This statement is undoubtedly
superfluous. It is we, Pakistanis, who have the victims of American deadly drone attacks and during
Obama's previous rule, the number of drone attacks increased
This question comes into mind as a corollary if this is meant by a compassionate America???
According to American constitution, a president can be elected for two terms only. This is president
Obama's second term. During his first term, he did all what he thought to be fruitful his next term
and may increase the number of his voters.
Now when Obama's second term has just begun and he is back to the White House, we shall
naturally look at his past as president and anticipate thereupon that in the guise of his
'compassionate and democratic' foreign policy, he would go to any length for the fulfilment of what
he could not do during his previous term. Since, he would not be considerate at getting his vote
bank drowned, he would tend to finish the undone. Grossly means, the ratio of drone attacks and the
number of innocent killings in the drone attacks will increase.
Rubina Kokab
H.E. Choong Joo Choi South Korean

Ambassador to Pakistan
The main focus remained on the child education. In the beginning, education
did not give dividends but it paid gradually in terms of tangible results. So, what
does higher education means to us, it means technical skills and practical
learning, etc.
Q. South Korea fought a war soon after its independence and has been facing a constant
security problem, but it has shown a phenomenal development. What is the secret?
A. South Korea is a small country with larger population of around 48 million. It is just opposite of
your country which has large resources. We only have human resource. We do not have iron, gold
or coal. We have concentrated our efforts on human resource development wherein South Korea
allocated huge amount of money on education. I am grateful to my parents for their efforts and
sacrifice for my education. We were desperate in the beginning and focused on human resource
development. That is why, our economy developed in short span of time. The main focus remained
on the child education. In the beginning, education did not give dividends but it paid gradually in
terms of tangible results. So, what does higher education means to us, it means technical skills and
practical learning, etc. That is why, we were able to get higher industrial production.
Q. Certain indicators are always to be credited for any success. Like, there could be visionary
leadership, or strengthening of the institutions etc. How do you explain the Korean
experience?
A. We were fortunate to have visionary leaders who paved the way for socio-economic
development. Our leaders could devote energy and abilities to serve the development cause of the
country in a selfless way. Eventually, we achieved the dual goal of a democratic society and
economic development.
Q. South Korea constantly faces security threats since its inception. How the Koreans have
been able to keep a fine balance between development pursuits and security concerns?
A. You are asking an important question. We are a developed country but at the same time, we are
facing an external security threat. But we have no choice and have to fight on the two fronts. On the
one hand, economic development is achieved and on the other, security is not compromised. That is
why, Koreans are known to be hardest working people in the world. We are working even on the
weekends.
Q. What was impact of the security relationship with the United States? Whether it proved to
be an encouraging factor for development, as the Koreans could concentrate on their work
while having the security umbrella from the United States?
A. At the time of our independence, it was the year of the cold war. Our aim was to achieve a
democratic society on the basis of market economy. So, it was natural to have an alliance with the
United States. As you rightly pointed out that we still remain an ally of the United States and one
cannot deny the fact that we benefited a lot from our alliance with the United States.
Q. You mean the security umbrella of the United States was helpful?
A. Yes, of course.
Q. How is the relationship going ahead with Pakistan since Your Excellency has been here as
ambassador of South Korea?
A. There is no doubt that we are maintaining close relations with Pakistan. Pakistan is an important
country in this region while South Korea is an important country in the northeast Asia. So, we have
to reinforce our efforts to benefit mutually from this relationship.
Q. How do you envisage furthering promoting the relationship?
A. There are many ways to promote the bilateral relations. At our embassy level, we are doing our
possible efforts in all these areas, most importantly in the area of trade and economic cooperation.
We are also working hard in the field of people to people contacts, promoting the cultural relations.
Q. In the trade relations, we do not see very encouraging partnership. South Korea has a
surplus over $300b but trade with Pakistan last year was just around $1.3b. Even the bilateral
trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is higher than the trade between Pakistan and South
Korea?
A. You are talking very right. We have greater potential. We are punching below our weight. There
are several reasons behind our low trade volume. Unfortunately, your law and order situation is the
key problem. It causes reluctance among the Korean businessmen to come here. I am very
optimistic of our future trade. One is our economic complementarity. You are very rich in resources
while South Korea is rich in capital and technology. We can work out greater synergies by
combining the respective synergies.
Q. South Korean cooperation in M-2 Motorway project was phenomenal. However, there has
not been any followup in terms of any other huge signature project from South Korea. Why
there is slow down in investment and development cooperation from South Korea?
A. You are right that the cooperation of Daewoo in M-2 project still remains a landmark. I feel very
proud when I hear so around. Daewoo is still active in hydel power projects. They will play a more
active role in future depending upon the situation.
Q. Can you identify which power projects South Korean companies are working for?
A. Many Korean companies are active in hydel power projects as energy shortage is creating
problems for economic development. Daewoo is leading an important consortium in Patrina dam
project in the AJK. So it will be another landmark when it will complete in 2014.
Q. South Korea has also included Pakistan in its Knowledge Sharing Programme. Can you
explain a bit?
A. Knowledge Sharing Programme is very important development aid programme. Its aims to bring
Korean knowldege to Pakistan. We have been developing science and technology over the last four
decades. Through this programme, we are now trying to transfer our expertise and experiences in
science, technology, training and education.
Q. Apart from a developed country, South Korea is an important member of this region. How
do you share your experience in working in this neighbourhood?

A. Pakistan is important partner and a member of SAARC organisation. I think in near future
Korean business community will be coming to Pakistan. We have already reached India. Now it is
the time to go beyond India. So next will be Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, etc.
Q. You said Korean companies have reached India. What is the level of investment over there?
A. Korean companies have an investment in India to the tune of $10b.
Q. And how much in Pakistan?
A. At the moment, it is around $200m.
JWT Desk
PAK-US RELATIONS UNDER PPP'S

GOVERNMENT
What actually drove both countries apart were their respective approaches to
Afghanistan imbroglio, especially in the background of Washington's declared
intent to complete its drawdown by December 2014. Having legitimate interests
there and being a next door neighbour that stands to benefit or lose depending
upon how situation transpires in the war-torn country, the American efforts to
give greater role to India under different pretexts further annoyed Pakistan.
March 2013 represents the completion of five-year tenure by the present government of Pakistan
People's Party. It is for the first time in the country's history that a democratically-elected
government is close to completion of its tenure, which definitely marks a step forward in the
struggle for a strong, representative and mature democracy. In developed democracies, such
developments hardly merit any attention given the smooth manner of transfer of power but not so in
this country, whose history is marked by game of musical chairs played by the civilian democrats
and military rulers.
Five years in power is a good enough time for any government to translate its manifesto into
concrete policy actions. As the country heads towards next general elections in 2013, the review of
the government's performance in different sectors of governance will pick up momentum. Both
opposition political parties and media will put the government's showing under tight scrutiny for
different reasons. By identifying the loopholes in the government policies, the political parties will
make a case for winning electorate's support in an election year. The ruling political party would
also like to present some of the main highlights of its stay in office to garner public support in a bid
to get re-elected. This is what democracy is all about.
This rather long article is restricted to the review and analysis of the government's foreign policy
during its stay in office. Before we embark on this, it is important to clarify here that democracies
are always messy given the nature of the system and a variety of stakeholders. Hence, it is likely
that the policies adopted by the government may be driven by principles of political expediency and
the need for political survival. It is equally important to mention that any review of the
government's performance in the area of foreign policy should be measured against the yardstick of
the country's standing in early 2008 when the government was voted into power.
To begin with, Pakistan's relations with the US have been marked by ebb and flow. Prior to this
government's coming into power, the bilateral relations were characterised by the tight embrace
between the Bush administration and the Musharraf government wherein the former declared the
latter as a major non-Nato ally, an honour bestowed on Islamabad in return for its all-out
cooperation in war on terror. The change of guards in both Washington and Islamabad in early part
of 2008 allowed both countries an opportunity to expand the base of their bilateral relations. The
Obama administration recognised new centres of power in Pakistan and chose to interact with the
civilian government here instead of putting all its eggs in one basketmilitary. The KerryLugar
Act approved by the American Congress at the behest of the Democratic administration was an
attempt to broaden the areas of cooperation and make civilian government the real stakeholder in
the bilateral equation.
Real life action of CIA contractor Raymond Davis in Lahore, which killed three Pakistanis in broad
daylight, further accentuated the feelings of anti-Americanism across the length and breadth of
Pakistani society further contracting space for the civilian government to go the whole hog with the
US.
The establishment of strategic partnership between Washington and Islamabad signalled a major
diplomatic victory for the PPP government. However, all along the route, Pakistan continued to be
perturbed by rising levels of bonhomie demonstrated by the US towards Pakistan's arch rival, India.
The striking of civil nuclear deal between both countries, which gave India a de facto membership
of Nuclear Supplier Group without its signature of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), threw
spanners in the works. Of equal concern to Islamabad was the Obama's administration's unstinted
support to India to get a permanent berth in the United Nations Security Council. Washington also
rejected Pakistan's demand for grant of civil nuclear technology.
All elements of national opinion regarded these measures of the Obama administration as a rebuke
to Pakistan, which was a frontline ally in the so-called war on terror and rendered huge sacrifices in
both man andmaterial. Added to this was cacophony of voices from Pentagon, administration and
Capitol Hill, which continued to grow shriller by the day asking Pakistan 'to do more.'
What actually drove both countries apart were their respective approaches to Afghanistan
imbroglio, especially in the background of Washington's declared intent to complete its drawdown
by December 2014. Having legitimate interests there and being a next door neighbour that stands to
benefit or lose depending upon how situation transpires in the war-torn country, the American
efforts to give greater role to India under different pretexts further annoyed Pakistan.
The inherent dichotomies in President Obama's 'surge and exit' strategy declared in December 2009
became sharper with the passage of time forcing Pakistan to take steps to protect its legitimate
interests as their alignment with those of the US increasingly became a non-starter as both countries
appeared to be headed in different directions. In return for Pakistan's alleged support to Afghan
Taliban, the US moved to pay Islamabad in the same coin by choosing to extend support to Tehrike-Taliban Pakistan in one way or the other. Despite being most allied allies, both countries vied for
more space and seemed to pursue contrary policies.
Real life action of CIA contractor Raymond Davis in Lahore, which killed three Pakistanis in broad
daylight, further accentuated the feelings of anti-Americanism across the length and breadth of
Pakistani society further contracting space for the civilian government to go the whole hog with the
US.
The consensus of civil-military leaderships on broad contours of national security is a welcome
development. The decisions so taken enjoy national consensus allowing greater space for the
political government within which to hold talks.
The secretive, midnight raid undertaken by the US Navy Seals during the wee hours of May 2 and
increased emphasis on use of drones was the proverbial game changer. The Abottabad operation
brought both erstwhile allies into an open and direct confrontation at least at political and
diplomatic level. If the raid, which appeared to have been copied from any Hollywood thriller,
opened can of worms between the US and Pakistan, it also left deep impact on the people of
Pakistan as well as its state institutions. The rest is history.
Thus, a relationship, which was already tethering on the brink of collapse, was dealt a severe blow
when the Nato gunship helicopters bombed a Pakistani military check post (Salala) martyring all 24
Pakistani soldiers. The action created anger and anguish across Pakistan and the government had to
order blocking of all Nato supply lines passing through Pakistani territory.
The government did well to convene an All Parties Conference to work out a national response
against the said raid. At the same time, the PPP administration tasked Parliamentary Committee on
National Security to revisit the entire gambit of Pakistan's relations with the US and submit its
recommendations in accord with the national imperatives. Till any such recommendations were
duly approved by parliament, all strategic, military and intelligence cooperation was halted with the
US. This was the most difficult time in the history of Pakistan-US relations.
The opening of Ground Lines of Communication after approval by the Parliamentary Committee on
National Security and consensus of civil-military leadership was allowed subject to the US meeting
certain benchmarks.
The spearheading of the foreign policy by the government vis--vis US has thrown some
pronounced factors into sharp relief. The following is instructive in this regard:
Pakistan of 2012 is a changed Pakistan where new centres of power have emerged and it is no
more possible for the US to lose sight of these realities.
By linking the approval of any policy vis--vis US to parliamentary validation, the government
made Parliament relevant through greater ownership of the political decisions.
The consensus of civil-military leaderships on broad contours of national security is a welcome
development. The decisions so taken enjoy national consensus allowing greater space for the
political government within which to hold talks.
Amanat Ali Chaudhry
Pakistan-China Relations: Political, Economic

and Strategic Dimensions
The Chinese-Pakistani friendship was consolidated further throughout the cold

war, in the post-cold war era and the war on terror but with important
qualifications. China no longer supports Pakistan for its position on Kashmir
but advocates and invokes the letter and spirit of the Simla Accords of 1972.
China fears that if it favours the self-determination movement in Kashmir, such
a policy could easily boomerang since China has also been facing secessionist
movements in its Muslim-dominated Xinxiang province.
Historically, in the immediate aftermath of the post-colonial era, it was India and China who
assumed the relationship of friendship as opposed to Pakistan, which was closely allied with the
anti-communist bloc. Pakistan valued its relationship with the United States and throughout the
1950s joined US dominated alliances such as SEATO and CENTO. The 1962 India-China border
war heralded the entry of Pakistan into the India-China nexus and fostered a new diplomacy in the
South Asian region. Ignoring the ideological facet in which Islam and the atheist anti-communist
discourse was dominant, Pakistan now re-envisioned its foreign policy towards a more realistpragmatist orientation by forging an alliance with China.
Ayub Khan in the late 1950s had contemplated a joint Pakistan-India defence pact against the
Chinese threat at which Nehru and the civilian leadership balked because they valued their relations
with China more than they did with Pakistan. Later events were to prove Ayub right as an incipient
Sino-Indian rivalry escalated into a border conflict which left the Indian army and the morale of the
Indian nation in tatters. As soon as the border war broke out, Pakistan found it convenient to make
its own overtures towards the 'enemy of its enemy' culminating in a border agreement between
China and Pakistan. A joint communiqu, issued on December 26, 1962, stated that complete
agreement in principle had been reached on the location and alignment of the boundary and, on
February 22, 1963, it was declared that the parties had agreed upon a text describing the boundary
alignment in detail. The growing China-Pakistan friendship was consolidated and exemplified in
Chinese Premier Chou En-lai's pronouncement that China 'would defend Pakistan throughout the
world.'
Pakistan sees China as a strong friend and ally and can depend on it if the Americans abandon the
state in a lurch as it did previously after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Chinese-Pakistani friendship was consolidated further throughout the cold war, in the postcold war era and the war on terror but with important qualifications. Specifically, with regards to
Kashmir, China no longer supports Pakistan and its position on Kashmir but advocates and invokes
the letter and spirit of the Simla Accords of 1972. In doing so, China has moved closer to the Indian
position which is a major setback for Pakistani diplomacy. Why has this shift in Chinese diplomacy
taken place? Firstly, China realises that India being the largest country in South Asia cannot be
ignored and that friendly ties with India are as essential as are ties with Pakistan. Secondly, the logic
of economic interdependence between India and China causes the latter to minimise conflicts with
the former, a phenomenon witnessed whenever and wherever economic interdependence works
between two or more states and finally, China's changed stance also emanates from a pragmatic
appreciation of domestic compulsions and regional geopolitics. China fears that if it favours the
self-determination movement in Kashmir, such a policy could easily boomerang since China has
also been facing secessionist movements in its Muslim-dominated Xinxiang province.
China's changed opinion on the issue of Kashmir does not mean, however, that China is
inconsequential to Pakistan. On the contrary, Pakistan still very much values its friendship and
relationship with China and vice versa. After September 2001, Musharraf in line with Pakistan's
commitment to China visited Beijing in order to secure support for his military regime as well as
assure Chinese that the developing PakistanUS strategic cooperation would not affect the
friendship between Islamabad and Beijing. Pakistan is an all important source of investments,
especially in the natural resources and raw materials sector, for the energy-deficient Chinese. The
Chinese are interested in mining opportunities in Balochistan and Chinese investments made
possible the construction of the Gwadar Port. All this implies that China will remain embedded and
engaged with the Pakistani polity for cheap sources of energy resources and investments as well as
for strategic purposes.
India, on the other hand, is wary of the growing military and other links between the Pakistani and
Chinese state. The Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony reiterated in 2009 that, The increasing
nexus between China and Pakistan in military sphere remains an area of serious concern. We have
to carry out continuous appraisals of Chinese military capabilities and shape our responses
accordingly. At the same time, we need to be vigilant at all times. As long as China continues to
engage with Pakistan, the armed forces of Pakistan will continue to embolden themselves sustaining
fears within India of the perennial threat that it faces from Pakistan. On Pakistan's side, which too
has come closer to the Indian position on Kashmir by engaging in bilateral talks, China remains a
potential source of aid, development and weapons procurement. Pakistan sees China as a strong
friend and ally and can depend on it if the Americans abandon the state in a lurch as it did
previously after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. For the Chinese, on the other hand, the
growing cooperation with the Indian state still leaves room for maintaining their geostrategic and
geoeconomic cooperation with the Pakistani state. This is so primarily due to the fact that Pakistan
can be maintained as a threat against India should the latter be instrumentalised against China by the
United States.
It is ironic that exporters in Pakistan mainly look towards markets in the West as opposed to
looking towards China. In the context of Pakistan-China relations, the facet of economic relations is
the most ill-developed.
Moving on to the economic aspect, Pakistan-China economic relations have grown substantively in
the last decade (2000-2010) and can be termed as a development of the recent past as opposed to
political and defence relations which have grown substantively since 1960s. In the last ten years, the
volume of bilateral trade has risen from $1 billion to about $7 billion, however growth in
percentage of Pakistani exports on a yearly basis has been declining and the balance of trade has
been constantly in favour of China. This is explicable because China is a much larger economy
compared to Pakistan. Pakistan exports mainly raw materials, including copper, cotton, chrome, etc.
against the import of value added manufactured goods. China's exports to Pakistan constitute more
than 20% of its imports while Pakistan's exports to China constitute only 0.13% of Chinese imports.
In 2011, the central banks of the two countries signed the Pak Rupee-Renminbi Currency Swap
Arrangement which should enable traders and investors to settle their transactions in their natural
currencies. It is ironic that exporters in Pakistan mainly look towards markets in the West as
opposed to looking towards China. In the context of Pakistan-China relations, the facet of economic
relations is the most ill-developed. For that to take place, the security situation in Pakistan needs a
radical overhaul and improvement so that investments from China are brought in and effectively
materialised. Moreover, it is imperative that Pakistan does not merely concentrate on inviting
investments from China (which would ultimately reap benefits to the Chinese state) but that the
Pakistani industrial sector increases its exports to China (from a more diversified manufacturing
base) so that real financial benefits accrue to the state and peoples of Pakistan.
Dr. Farhan Hanif Siddiqi
Why the Army Wants to Shape Pakistan's

Foreign Policy
The army should also recognise that its meddling in matters of foreign policy has
not brought us good results as our present US dependency is a product of
decisions taken by army due to Indian fear factor. The army must evolve a new
concept of security as our present day challenges are not posed by some external
aggression but have arisen from within due to unequal development, poverty
and illiteracy. This new concept of national security should focus on
development rather than on external threat.
Pakistan is among one of those ill-fated post-colonial countries plagued by military takeovers. The
roots of this phenomenon can be traced back in the colonial Indian army whose major proportion
consisted of Punjabis and according to the Government of India Act, 1935, when much of the
powers were devolved to the newly-formed Indian government, the authority of the army remained
in the hands of the British, which meant that at least the Indian army used to be above the supposed
Indian civil administration. This mindset of superiority, that the army is above the politicians or
civil administration, was the legacy which the newly born country inherited along with a bleak
political and civil administrative structure. Apart from this historical legacy the reasons for army's
interference into Pakistan's foreign policy matters can be categorised into following themes:
Pakistan's unique geostrategic position and the resulting Indian fear factor
As Pakistan was carved out of the Indian subcontinent which was a new experiment at least in the
recent history of this region, it had to face new unique problems and a unique geostrategic situation.
At the western border was the hostile Afghanistan which didn't even voted for Pakistan in the UN
and started a new dispute by claiming its western borders, i.e. the Durand Line as disputed. While
on the eastern side, it was hostile India who's some of the leaders, e.g. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
were already giving statements claiming the annihilation of the country. Then, the Kashmir issue,
canal water dispute, dispute over the division of assets further aggravated the hostility between the
two countries. As a result, the defence or the security of the country particularly against India
became the priority of the ruling elite of the country. Consequently, army and its world view in
policy matters were given much more importance and army afterwards developed a tradition of
meddling in foreign policy matters not only in terms of giving its consent but in terms of imposing
it. This practice, because of frequent military takeovers, has become so strong, that army finds it
necessary to impose its world view and opinion on the political administration.
Also, as the security of the infant state became the ruling elite's priority, big amount of funds were
pumped into the army to organise it into a more powerful and efficient institution at the cost of
investing in civilian institutions for development. Gradually, the army gained strength compared to
other institutions and in the competing power struggle very soon it started to interfere in matters
beyond its constitutional role which became a norm rather than exception.
Army's perception of itself as the vanguard of ideological and geographical frontiers of
Pakistan
Soon after the army established itself as a strong national institution it developed its own strategic
culture and its distinctive world view about national security. Army perceives itself as the sole
vanguard of the national interest and the national security. They think that since politicians are busy
in political bickering so it is they who have to safeguard the security and interests of this state. The
army as an institution was disgruntled from politicians and considered itself as the saviour of
Pakistan after the Kashmir war in 1948. The first martial law in Lahore after anti-Ahmadi riots in
1953 further strengthened the conviction of the Pakistan army that it was them rather than the
politicians who were the saviours of the country.
Islam has also been an important factor in shaping the army's world view and in convincing them
they have to protect this state. Since the Islamist rhetoric was used to form the new state and the
Objectives Resolution added as a preamble to the constitution, coupled with traditional mindset of
the majority of the army officers; Islam and Pakistan became unanimous with the result that
defending Pakistan meant defending Islam and those who were considered un-Islamic in the view
of army were considered a security threat to Pakistan. Same was the case with the Benazir when she
was elected as the first female prime minister of Pakistan.
Army's perception of politicians as inefficient and unaware of international chessboard
Army is the only institution which was, and to some extent, is publicly perceived as clean and
efficient. This gives them legitimacy to rule in the eyes of the masses. The political vendetta of
politicians against each other and the issues arising under an elected government such as
lawlessness, corruption, poor governance and economic mismanagement gives sufficient reason to
the army to intervene in the civilian affairs. Secondly, the politicians prove themselves as inefficient
when they call army for help in the form of 'aid to civil administration' be it for eliminating ghost
schools, for restoring law and order or running any government civil institution. Thirdly, army
considers majority of the politicians as illiterate and unaware of international strategic games so
army already meddling in national affairs and considering itself as the vanguard of Pakistan,
considers it sufficient reason to take foreign policy matters in its own hand in order to save the
country according to their paradigm of thought. Thus, given the preponderance of the army's role
even in the civilian sphere, it extends to the exertion of a greater influence in decision-making and
foreign policy as a norm rather than an exception.
Army's political economy of defence
Being a strong institution army has its own vested interests. The army developed its own
MILBUS, i.e. military business, as termed by Dr Ayesha Siddiqa whose protection became crucial
for the army. Now, like any other strong institution, the army does not want to return backs its perks
and privileges and thus, resists any efforts aimed at foreign policy which could possible reduce its
power; and consequently wants to keep the foreign policy decisions in its own hand. Many analysts
say that the army does not want to solve the Kashmir issue because then, the strategic security
paradigm would experience a dramatic shift as their will be no need to keep security concerns at
foremost and consequently, there will be no need for such a big army. So, the army's perks and
privileges would be automatically cut off. And, it is one of the main reasons due to which army
wants to retain the key issues of foreign policy in its hand.
The way forward

Apart from the stark reality that military is still the main architect of Pakistan's foreign policy, there
is still a way forward to gradually push the military out of the realm of foreign policy. First of all,
the politicians should establish their credibility by eliminating corruption, promoting good
governance and attaining highest possible economic growth rates so that people's perception is
turned towards military autocracy. If politicians succeed in doing so then the military would not be
left with any legitimised reason to take over the elected government. Secondly, the politicians
should eliminate the reasons for Indian fear factor by resolving disputes with India which would
eliminate the need for maintaining such a big army. When army's size and importance would be
reduced, its influence in foreign policy matters would also be automatically reduced.
On the other hand, the army should also recognise that its meddling in matters of foreign policy has
not brought us good results as our present US dependency is a product of decisions taken by army
due to Indian fear factor. The army must evolve a new concept of security as our present day
challenges are not posed by some external aggression but have arisen from within due to unequal
development, poverty and illiteracy. This new concept of national security should focus on
development rather than on external threat.
The writer is a social and political activist and a businessman. He can be reached at
sheikh_tayyab_narula@hotmail.com.
Tayyab Tariq
Come Whatever May, Media Should Not

Cross the Limits!
Dr. Ahsan Akhtar Naz Director Institute of Communication Studies University
of the Punjab
Dr Ahsan Akhtar Naz serves as the Director of the Institute of Communication Studies, Punjab
University. He has been associated with the University since 1993. He has worked as Public
Relation Officer for PU as well as UET, Lahore.
In addition to administrative and academic jobs, he has worked as a full-time working journalist for
daily Jang. It brought the practical knowledge of the field to him.
He did his post-doctorate from Germany. He studied the dynamics of the relationship between
Interfaith Dialogue and Media. His doctorate was on the study of Progressive Journalism in
Pakistan. This dissertation proved to be a monumental work, for it profoundly explores and
highlights the manifestation of the movement and ideology in the practical works of the left-winger
journalists.
He writes columns in Urdu and English newspapers; has been creatively teaching about 25 subjects
since his joining; has authored 5 books on Media Ethics and Media Laws; participated in various
national and international conferences home and abroad; and written 16 research articles so far.
Driven by the genetic imperatives, that is, being the son of a renowned poet, late Majzoob Chishti,
Dr Naz too writes poetry.
JWT conducted a detailed interview with the media scholar. Keeping the theme of the December
issue in view, the focal point of the discussion was kept nothing beyond foreign policy in
perspective of Pakistani media.
JWT: What role the print media play in outlining the foreign policy of Pakistan?
Dr. Ahsan Akhtar Naz: First of all, I want to highlight a technical point related to print media for
your readers. Print media of a country are generally practised in the local languages of the country;
though they have outreach beyond the borders of the country, nonetheless, they have nothing to do
with steering or even influencing the foreign policy of a country across the border.
As far as the foreign policy of Pakistan is concerned, it is the electronic media, not print media, that
influences it.
Now another important point is that while talking about the role of print media we should not forget
the history of government-media relations. Due to the dictatorial regimes, our print media remained
under pressure, rather in chains even. In fact, media economy is based on advertisements and paper
quotas so, our media was compelled to exhibit compliance to the government of the country for its
survival. Now in such a situation we cannot expect from our print media to play a role in policy
making, especially in devising the foreign policy of Pakistan.
Furthermore, our foreign policies are dictated by the powerful countries. Instead of breaking the
shambles, our rulers always consolidated it. In our country, foreign ministers are appointed on the
directions of the foreign powers; for instance at the time of first regime of Benazir Bhutto
Sahibzada Yaqoob Khan was inducted as foreign minister of her cabinet, and she had to surrender to
the decision, because she couldn't stand tall against the US pressure; in spite of being known as the
champion of democracy.
The political parties have very peculiar individuals whom they send to represent the parties. These
individuals are now well equipped with the skill to handle the farcically arrogant media. They
expertly engage the anchors and entertain the heightened hopes of the viewers through juicy
verbosity. But, the core of the problem remains unaddressed.
JWT: Pak-India relations have a special background. This government has been seriously
concerned with turning hostility into friendship, winter into spring, and stand-off into shake
hands. On the other hand, Indian channels are not allowed to be shown in Pakistan and vice
versa. In such an absence of media and public opinion based upon them at both sides, how can
we expect the hostile relationship to be turning into the friendlier one?
DR NAZ: Yeah, that is right!
If we want to break the ice and convert the stand-offs into shake hands, we, the officials, the media
professionals and the public shall have to ask for bringing the channels issue on to the table
whenever the diplomats of India and Pakistan meet.
Interestingly, Indians have a different strategy than us. At one side, our cable operators are not
allowed to show Indian news channels on the other Indians are also not interested to allow their TV
channels in Pakistan. Instead, they concentrate to open their entertainment TV channels in the
Middle East and Pakistan in order to invade these countries through cultural weapons. They present
their shining image through Bollywood. They have made songs like Watan mera India dhrum mera
India.
They do not project the stance of their government rather project their religion, secularism and
cultural values although practically they are not secular.
Furthermore, they also strengthen their economy by using the currency of 'culture', for only an
economically sound country can make independent foreign policy. So, this is how they present soft
and shining image of India to the world.
In our country, majority of the viewers of electronic media are less educated about their values and
about the importance knowing and owning their own culture. This is why, they are easily captivated
by the Indian stuff. Apart from this, the Indian government has a good control on their cable
operators while in our country PEMRA is not that effective.
For instance, in Pakistan, cable operators fearlessly play movies and programmes which are against
Pakistan, Pakistan army and sometimes even anti-Islam.
JWT: Do you agree that the electronic media of Pakistan has gone impotent as far as solution
to the problems of people is concerned?
DR NAZ: Absolutely right! The news channels air plethora of talk shows; on the other hand, the
political parties have very peculiar individuals whom they send to represent the parties. These
individuals are now well equipped with the skill to handle the farcically arrogant media. They
expertly engage the anchors and entertain the heightened hopes of the viewers through juicy
verbosity. But, the core of the problem remains unaddressed. The media is not becoming the voice
of the people. Rather, it has turned to be the mouthpiece of the powerful of the country.
JWT: What is media hype? Do not you think that on the issue of 'Malala', our electronic
media toed the American foreign policy line?
DR NAZ: When media highlights and exaggerates an issue in order to divert the attention of the
people from some existing issue; this is called media hype. In fact, electronic media plays pivotal
role in creating the media-hypes. Since the electronic media has a wider range of viewership than
print and social media, it vigorously manufactures the hype and thereupon consent.
As far as the issue of Malala is concerned, yes, I would say that our electronic media presented it
the way it never presents in routine. This hyper-activism exhibited by the media gives a clue that it
conformed to the agenda chalked out somewhere else.
Amazingly, people did not pay anticipated heed to this issue.
Those who wanted to use this issue as a pretext for a military operation in the North Waziristan
could not reap the crop of the media-hype on this issue. Say, either the people of Pakistan responded
to the hype maturely, or the media couldn't play the cards wisely; whatever, the net result it; the
hype didn't pay off
JWT: So, when our media will get mature?
DR NAZ: No, it is impossible in the near future because there has been lot of investment in the
electronic media from government, political parties and foreign investment too. Thus, naturally
media is serving the interests of these investors even few anchor persons are also on the payroll of
the foreign investors, NGOs, etc.
JWT: Do you think that truth is lost despite the excess of news channels?
DR NAZ: Yes, unfortunately, the truth is lost!
JWT: Recently, Supreme Court of Pakistan has passed an order for the civil servants that
they should obey the constitution in all sorts of circumstances. Do you see any role of media in
this context?
DR NAZ: We must accept that media is also a safeguard of the three pillars of state: legislature,
executive and judiciary. And principally, media's role should be balanced. Media should not cross
the limits, come whatever may.
However, there is no doubt in the fact that the media of today has become an integral part of newlyemerged establishment of Pakistan. The new establishment comprises judiciary, military and media
the new troika. In my opinion, the media should work as a reminder which keeps on reminding
the state institutions of remaining within their domains. Above all, the media themselves should not
cross the limits.
Waqas Iqbal
Public Diplomacy: Diplomacy for 21st Century

PD (public diplomacy) is one of the embodiments of soft power and the latter is
about making your country, its system of values, your culture and aspirations
likable, acceptable and attractive in the world. Unlike traditional diplomacy PD
is not about state-to-state communication but about state-to-society or societyto-state interaction. This kind of communication is a two way street. It implies
not so much projection of what you think but rather a quest for a proper place
for your ideas in the world.
The end of cold war and the 9/11 episode has transformed the international system completely and
so does the nature and functions of a nation state. The foreign policy experts believe that the
traditional diplomacy has become obsolete. The new diplomatic environment requires new tools
and reforms to meet the challenges of 21st century. This becomes the entire uphill task for the
developing countries like Pakistan facing the issues like, corruption, illiteracy, poverty,
terrorism, human rights violations, environmental issues, and above all the international perception
of Pakistan as terrorist and failed state. The question is how Pakistan adjusts its diplomacy to
address foreign policy demands in the 21st century?
One of the major shifts in diplomatic environment is the concept from hard power (ability to coerce
through military might and economic clout) to soft power (ability to attract by country's culture,
policies and political ideals). One of the elements of soft power is the public diplomacy, that is to
communicate with the citizens of other societies in order to communicate in constructive way any
country's culture, values, policies and ideologies, because credibility, integrity and reputation do
matter in international relations. At international level there is a noticeable decline in the use of hard
power and the growing importance of soft power, few examples to cite are: VOA, Radio Free
Europe, Russian Council of Foreign Affairs, Russia Today, China CCTV, Fulbright and the
International Visitor Leadership programme (USA), educational and cultural exchange
programmes, tourism, sports, seminars . Pamphlets', media, music, and the use of the Internet and
much more are all instruments used for practising public diplomacy.
Analysts and scholars always assess the India's status as a shining star in term of its demography,
democracy, military expansion and economic growth. However, what is overlooked by the experts
is the effort by New Delhi to promote its soft power image by using its culture (a tool of public
diplomacy), values and policies. Indian diplomat Shashi Tharoor in his book mentioned: Today's
India truly enjoys soft power, and that may well be the most valuable way in which it can offer
leadership to the twenty-first-century world. It is said that it's not only Indian economic potential,
growing IT industry, military muscles, nuclear power status but it's mainly their Bollywood movies,
music, colourful festivals, religious diversity and much more that contribute to India's soft power
status.
Nicolas Blarel mentioned in India's Soft Power: From Potential to Reality?, that Bollywood with
annually 1000 movies is the most effective medium to make the Indian culture and soft image
popular across the globe. Now the entire world is familiar with Indian culture and society.
Furthermore, India is successfully improving its relations with countries of South East Asia, Central
Asia and Middle East by using its religious and cultural links with these regions. India is promoting
Islam as an important aspect of its culture and history. To improve its relations with China, Indian
Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh, coined the term CHINDIA (refer to person of both China
and Indian ancestry). The countries also share certain historical interactions the spread of
Buddhism from India to China and British-European trade on the Silk Road are few examples.
While with Pakistan they are relying on cricket and media diplomacy and forums like the PakistanIndia Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy and Aman Ki Asha. Thus, it's the Indian ability to
tell their story in attractive manners which enable them to stand in the queue of major world
powers.
It is said that it's not only Indian economic potential, growing IT industry, military muscles, nuclear
power status but it's mainly their Bollywood movies, music, colourful festivals, religious diversity
and much more that contribute to India's soft power status.
Same goes for the China. In recent years Chinese are moving out from the sphere of hard power
and turning towards the soft power image by using public diplomacy. In order to improve relations
with India in 2005, a youth exchange programme was taken up by India and China. Under this
programme, initially 100 youth delegation exchanges were taken up in 2005. While for the year
2011-12 the number was increased up to 500. Language programme for teaching Chinese in India
was initiated and scholarships for Indian students to study in China are also successfully
undertaken. Presently, 3000 Indian students are studying in China. Also the hosting of 2008
Olympic Games in Beijing, Shanghai World Expo and Guangzhou Asian Games 2010 are very
successful demonstration of Chinese public diplomacy. To make people understand its ideology,
China has established round about 350 Confucius Institutes throughout the world. China is utilising
international media so as to portray the improved image of China in the world. It is said that China
and Japan should give a chance to public diplomacy to resolve their conflict over the ownership of
Diaoyu Islands. In 2012, China hosted a public diplomacy conference with the theme. International
Communication of Chinese Culture.
Taking China and India as two examples let us come to Pakistan. Pakistan has an extensive and a
large diplomatic network across the world, including Europe, Asia, North and South America,
Africa and different international and regional organisations. Still with such a large diplomatic
representation Pakistan is tagged as undemocratic, terrorist and failed state. In order to achieve a
respectable place among the international community Pakistan has to pay attention to people-centric
policies and activities and for this it has to concentrate on public diplomacy which will help masses
overseas to adopt positive outlook about Pakistan. One of the tools of public diplomacy is culture.
Pakistan being part of Indus valley civilisation (2800- 1800 B.C) has enriched culture greatly
influenced by Aryans, Greeks, Sythians, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Central Asian and Eurasian groups.
Such historical, cultural and political ties can be employed by the diplomats in order to improve the
relations with the countries of similar culture, heritage and history. Pakistan also has historical sites
like temples, churches, shrines, tombs, palaces, forts, etc. Along with this it has literature not only in
Urdu and English languages but enriched literature is existed in regional languages also. Pakistan
has its own music, folk dances, visual arts, sports, cuisine and festivals to be the part of soft
power. Now the question is why Pakistan is unable project its image to rest of the world?
India is successfully improving its relations with countries of South East Asia, Central Asia and
Middle East by using its religious and cultural links with these regions. India is promoting Islam as
an important aspect of its culture and history. To improve its relations with China, Indian Member
of Parliament Jairam Ramesh, coined the term CHINDIA (refer to person of both China and Indian
ancestry).
The answer to this question lies in a simple comparison: The Ministry of Culture, National
Heritage and Integration (Pakistan) with the Ministry of Culture (India)
1: The Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Integration is responsible to promote Pakistani
culture and related activities within Pakistan. It consisted of following departments with no federal
minister. Lok Virsa, Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Central Board of Film Censors,
Department of Archaeology and Museums, Iqbal Academy, National Fund for Cultural Heritage and
National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage. Even in the Ministry of Foreign Affair one is
unable to find a division related to cultural or public diplomacy.
2: The Ministry of Culture in India is responsible for the promotion and preservation of art and
culture with approximately 45 offices, sub offices and autonomous organisation working under the
ministry. Now it's working on national mission on libraries in India. whereas Ministry of External
Affairs of India in 2006 stared its public diplomacy division with the aim to promote positive image
of India and explain the background of policy decisions in Indian foreign policy, Public Diplomacy
Division organised India's first ever conference on Public Diplomacy in December 2010 in New
Delhi. It is making full use of Twitter, Facebook, You Tube and other social media. Indian Council
of Cultural Affair is working since 1950 and established approximately 21 culture centres in all
important cities of the world.
The general perception of Pakistan as failed and terrorist sate can be shunned with the help of
public diplomacy. The policy makers must review the old diplomatic styles or practices. The
diplomats are supposed to come out from the fortress of their embassies and work for the people to
people contact so that Pakistan should achieve its respectable position among the nations of the
world. In addition to that Pakistan must establish a proper setup at government level for PD.
Dr Saima Ashraf Kayani
WORLD TIMES at the Department of

International Relations University of Karachi
Endgame in Afghanistan and the Future Prospects in the Region
Jahangir's World Times organised a discussion forum at the Department of International Relations,
Karachi University. The event was presided over by Dr. Shaista Tabsum, chairperson of the
department while assistant professor Dr. Farhan Hanif Siddiqi was also present at the occasion. The
students of BS programme shared their views on the expected Endgame in Afghanistan and the
Future Prospects in the Region. They had apt knowledge of international relations to analyse the
evolving scenario after endgame in Afghanistan and its future implications.
Dr. Farhan Hanif Siddiqi while opening the forum said, The endgame in Afghanistan is not
imminent, not even about to happen after the probable withdrawal of American forces expected to
take place by 2014. It has to be seen, as to what consequence would emerge the continued
clandestine peace talks between the Taliban and the United States. However, the outcome of those
peace talks would be crucial for long-term socio-political stability both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Moreover, President Barack Obama recently won the US presidential election by utilising his
apparent success regarding the war on terror for the last four years, including the assassination of
Osama bin Laden. These three questions come to everyone's mind:
What are the future prospects of the Pak-Afghan relation in the region after the Nato troops
withdrawal?
Is there any ground for the optimism regarding peace and stability in the region?
What roles the key international, regional and local actors likely to play in the region?
Rameez Baloch, a student of BS-IR was of the view: As the 2014 security transition in
Afghanistan approaches, multiple tracks need to be pursued to ensure sustainable peace in the
country. A regional solution is often touted as an ideal one for peace not only in Afghanistan in the
post-withdrawal era but for the whole region too. But on the other hand, the core interests, policies,
and views of Afghanistan's neighbouring states are still not well understood. Furthermore, we have
understood that the regional states have a long history of mistrust and tensions and would likely to
remain more concerned about their bilateral equations rather than taking a truly regional approach,
thereby choosing to overcome their differences for the sake of peace in Afghanistan. Now we have
to see what happens in the near future.
Syed Touseef Haider, another student of BS-IR focused on Pakistan's role. He said, A settlement in
Afghanistan is not in the hands of the US but in the hands of Pakistan. Because of the fact that
Pakistan will be the main beneficiary of any settlement but, first it needs to redefine its relations
with the US in order to help the settlement process and to participate in the negotiation with key
actors from a position of strength. It also depends upon Pakistan that how she convinces the US to
pursue a regional solution of forthcoming endgame in Afghanistan.
Umair Khalil elaborated a few troubled relationships in the context of Afghanistan. He said, Let
me use the two most problematic relationships to highlight the problem: Pakistan-India and USIran. There has been constant acknowledgement that Pakistan is the most important external actor
when it comes to ensuring peace in Afghanistan. What will get Pakistan to play a constructive role?
But this at the minimum requires an active dialogue on development and intelligence issues
between the two sides and most likely it might require New Delhi to make significant
concessions at the end of the day in order to address the concerns of Pakistan.
The endgame in Afghanistan is not imminent, not even about to happen after the probable
withdrawal of American forces expected to take place by 2014. It has to be seen, as to what
consequence would emerge the continued clandestine peace talks between the Taliban and the
United States.
On the other hand, Iran's Afghanistan policy recent analyses suggest that Tehran's fundamental
interests overlap greatly with the US, but, the state of the bilateral equation between the two sides is
one of the reasons Tehran has decided to support the Taliban and use other subtle means to
challenge the US presence. Most Iranian experts believe that Tehran sees this is a quid pro quo for
the tensions over the US's overall policy towards Iran. So, now in such a situation the regional
solution for peace would be an elusive dream.
Amina Bilgrami looking confident said, As the Nato withdraws from Afghanistan, regional players
will begin to expand their influence, acting either toward Afghanistan's stability or as spoilers based
on their own interests. The first of these regional actors, Pakistan has become proactive player in
Afghanistan, as can be witnessed by Pakistan's participation at the Nato Chicago Summit. Pakistan
has conflicted interests in Afghanistan, both supporting the Taliban and desiring regional stability.
In fact, other major regional actors, including India which has improved its relations with Kabul
are creating regional tensions for Pakistan. Moreover, China has expanded its involvement in
Afghanistan in search of mineral resources and Iran has also maintained a presence in Afghanistan
both for pipeline access and to pursue anti-Taliban interests based on regional security concerns. In
2014, Afghanistan will not only be challenged by troop withdrawals, but also by the task of carrying
out free and fair elections. In addition, I would also say Nato-led ISAF has returned to a counterterrorism strategy and generally abandoned its counter-insurgency strategy. This marks a more
modest set of objectives in the region by the West.
Muhammad Qaseem Saeed, another student, was of the opinion that given the broader US policy
matrix in the region, one can safely figure out that neither the United States will think of a
conclusive "endgame" in Afghanistan nor can it afford to think of exiting from that country lock
stock and barrel. In fact, Obama's exit strategy from Afghanistan is actually a strategy of
restructuring the war in which a formidable force of some 128,000 US and Nato troops have come
to occupy the country for over a decade. The mounting financial costs and casualties of US soldiers
have forced President Obama to do some rethinking to conduct the military operations in a different
way. Therefore, he signed a strategic pact with President Karzai which clearly shows that the US
will keep its presence in Afghanistan in the future too.
Farhan Hassan Siddiqi, the last speaker from the students' side pointed out the Pakistan's ambiguous
strategy towards Aghanistan. He said, Does Pakistan have an Afghanistan strategy? Is it still a
carry-over from the cold war era policy embedded in the desire for using Afghanistan as a strategic
backyard in case of a conflict with India? Now American and Indian presence in Afghanistan is
almost a constant and Afghanistan will remain under the gaze of the US-led Nato and virtually in
the control of the non-Pashtun dominated security establishment for a long time to come. This
"nightmarish" prospect simply works against the obsolete idea of placing or desiring a "friendly"
government in Kabul. And the increasing collaborative framework among New Delhi, Kabul and
the USA serves as another almost immovable stumbling-block against any plans if Pakistan may
have for Afghanistan.
At the end, discussion was concluded by Dr. Shaista Tabsum, the chairperson of the department.
She said, After more than a decade, as we are approaching towards the endgame in Afghanistan
against a background of uncertain prospects for long-term stability and peace in Afghanistan as well
as in the region. Now a question arises in terms of future western military intervention, as tensions
rise with Syria and Iran, do the doctrines of the preemptive strike and the responsibility to protect,
continue to be applicable? And at a time of great volatility in the Middle East and a shift in the
geostrategic balance of power occasioned by the rise of China, what are the lessons of the post-2001
period? With the benefit of hindsight over the past decade, what judgments can be made on what we
got wrong and what we got right in our foreign policy? This is the high time for Pakistan to revisit
its foreign policy, especially towards Afghanistan as the global scenario has been changed now.
Dr. Shaista Tabsum concluded the session with the appreciation of the JWT team for conducting
such an enlightening discussion forum, speakers for their insight and the audience for their
questions and contributions to the discussion.
Waqas Iqbal
Foreign Policy of Pakistan A Tale of

Compromise and Completions
The quest for security monopolised the entire course of foreign policy options in
Pakistan over the decades. The overarching goals of national development,
economic stability, people's prosperity and pursuit of an independent foreign
policy as laid down under Principles of Policy in the constitution were
compromised. But still, the goal of ensuring national security was not achieved
as the country got dismemberment.
The basic challenge to Pakistan in 1947 remains the same even in 2012. In 1947, at the time of
independence, Pakistan was concerned about ensuring its sovereignty and security. And in 2012,
Pakistan faces the same dilemma of ensuring its security. Over the period of six decades, the foreign
policy of Pakistan has revolved around meeting the security challenge from 1947 till today in the
year 2012. This single most factor in the foreign policy can be ascertained from the policy
guidelines adopted by the parliament this year after November 26, 2011 attack on Salala check post.
The very first point in the policy guidelines reads Pakistan's sovereignty shall not be compromised.
The gap between assertion and facts on the ground needs to be qualitatively bridged through
effective steps. Along with a call for meeting the security requirement, the parliamentary
guidelines also emphasised on ensuring an independent foreign policy. The relevant
recommendation of the parliament reads The Government needs to ensure that the principles of an
independent foreign policy must be grounded in strict adherence to the Principles of Policy as stated
in Article 40 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the UN Charter and observance of international law.
The basic principle of an independent foreign policy and the basic challenge of ensuring national
security have been the determinants of Pakistan's quest for foreign relations. How far the principle
of independent foreign policy was compromised on the altar of the alliances, it will be assessed in
the following discussion:
The first prime minister of Pakistan Liaqat Ali Khan is criticised of rejecting the former Soviet
Union's invitation and opting to visit the United States. His visit made it crystal clear about the
future direction of Pakistan's foreign policy at the height of the cold war. Pakistan did away with the
independent foreign policy and made full-fledged alignment with the United States by mid-1950s,
first through a bilateral mechanism and then by joining CENTO and SEATO. At a crucial time of
Pakistan's alignment with the United States-led West, certain emerging powers were seriously
pursuing a policy of non-alignment (which ultimately led to creation of Non-Aligned MovementNAM). Pakistan compromised its principle of an independent foreign policy and rode on the
bandwagon of strategic and military alliances. Ironically, the very objective of SEATO alliance was
aimed at containing China. But still, our strategists opted to be part of this alliance. However, the
stated purpose remained ensuring national security.
The first decade of the new century saw Pakistan becoming non-Nato major ally of the United
States and once again serving as the front line state against terrorism. Last year became the most
tumultuous in a decade of tense and mistrustful relations between Pakistan and the United States.
However, the 1965 war proved Pakistan's decision of alignment wrong as Pakistan's allies refused
to support in its war against India. Even in 1971, the allies of Pakistan could not prevent from its
dismemberment. The peoples government in 1970s tried to pursue a non-aligned foreign policy for
a short span of time.
The military takeover in Pakistan by Gen. Ziaul Haq and Soviet invasion in Afghanistan once again
dragged Pakistan and it became a frontline state against communism. Once again, the principle of
independent foreign policy was compromised for 10 long years. The first alignment (1950/60s) did
not prevent dismemberment of the country and the alignment in 1980s tore apart the social fabric
throughout of the country. The country was flooded with drugs, kalashnikov, and sectarianism and
refugeesonly to create social hazards in the decades to come. Despite being an integral part of
western alliance, Pakistan not only failed in seek a peaceful resolution of the dispute over Kashmir,
it also acceded Siachin to the Indian occupation. The alignment in 1980s compromised the peace at
large in Pakistan along with the ideal of an independent foreign policy.
On a single telephone call, Gen. Pervez Musharraf once again dragged the country to another
Afghan warthis time against former mujahideen and now Taliban who were nurtured to fight
against former Soviet Union. The first decade of the new century saw Pakistan becoming non-Nato
major ally of the United States and once again serving as the front line state against terrorism. Last
year became the most tumultuous in a decade of tense and mistrustful relations between Pakistan
and the United States. It started with CIA contractor Raymond Davis shooting and killing two
Pakistanis in broad daylight in Lahore. The situation got bad in May when Osama bin Laden was
found and killed in a US raid at a compound near the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad.
The situation turned from bad to worst when Salala check post was attacked killing 26 Pakistani
soldiers. Two fundamental problems have been aggravating the tension between the United States
and Pakistan. First, instead of a broad partnership that includes trade, economic and investment ties,
the two countries have a one-dimensional transactional relationship centred along security concerns.
In the last century, the primary focus was on containing Soviet Union and during the last decade,
the relationship was based on defeating the terrorism. The road ahead between Pakistan and the
United States seems quite thorny. The Afghan quagmire is not yet settled and the withdrawal
timeframe of 2014 approaching very fast. The two countries must engage each other on multiple
dimensions and create partnerships to encompass the government, business, and financial sector and
civil society. There is no alternate for Pakistan because of divided social fabric, lingering economy,
eroding foreign investments, ailing growth and declining exports.
Conclusion
The quest for security monopolised the entire course of foreign policy options in Pakistan over the
decades. The overarching goals of national development, economic stability, people's prosperity and
pursuit of an independent foreign policy as laid down under Principles of Policy in the constitution
were compromised. But still, the goal of ensuring national security was not achieved as the country
got dismemberment. Pakistan has now embarked upon the path of looking around instead of putting
its all eggs into one basket. It has started a policy of normalisation with its neighboursboth
immediate and distant.
The thrust seems on economic and trade diplomacy. The slogan of friendship with traditional
friends is based on trade and not trade. Only the political stability and putting our house in order
would achieve the cherished goals.
Shaukat Piracha
The Devil's Cabinet A Captivating Poetic

Drama by Iqbal
This poem carries various dramatic elements expertly intermingled in its
construction. A drama should contain characters; and it has six characters; one
is head of the parliament Iblees, and the other five are his advisors.
Words, to be delivered by the characters, have been very carefully selected. The words accord the
attributes of the speaker and satisfy the demand of the role. Iblees talks in first person with an
egoistic assertion, and uses the words MaiN, meray, meri, maiN nay quite frequently. It shows his
proud and snobbish being.
Academically it is said that a play should begin with an announcement (visual/verbal) of the
principal conflict that intertwines the fabric of the theme.
This poem, indeed a drama, too begins with the devil's proclamation that the Creator of the universe
is at the verge of destroying it right away. He created this material universal with a lot of longings,
but now the creatures under the skies are no more on the right path.
The devils' announcement at the opening of the poem means a lot for the forces of the good, upon
whom the Creator once relied heavily, and predicted the eventual defeat of the devil.
As a matter of fact, this poem begins with the proclamation of the end of the good, the end of the
eternal conflict between the good and the bad at the triumph of the devil and his companions.
The devil has called in the cabinet members/advisors in order to discuss the future agenda as to how
to drive the world from here onwards.
It means, the 'hook' technique to open up a drama has been expertly used by the writer of this poem,
the great Iqbal. For, the poem hooks up the reader right in the beginning and carries through the
agenda of the meeting and the substance under discussion.
The word Iblees has been derived from a greek word diabolos, but after the transliteration to
Arabic, D was discarded and only iabolos was left. And iabolos stands for lier, fitna
pardaz.
This poem is basically a dialogical drama which is being played among the heavenly cabinet
members of the devil, in the mid of 1930s. The devil and his advisors have gathered to analyze the
state of command-and-control of the devil over this world and the performance of his advisors in
this regard, especially in the east & the west. Background of this poem is the political scenario of
the world in 1930s; Isms like Socialism, Capitalism and Marxism were working behind all the
major developments. And the scene of the east was quite opposite to that of the west. Muslims had
become accustomed in performing rituals only like offering prayer, paying zakat, performing hajj
and keeping fast without keeping the true spirit of Islam in view, that is, movement; action. They
were imbibing passivity from their once-revolutionary religion. That is why they were not
effectively contributing to the overall socio political setup of the world.
Through the discussion among Iblees and his advisors, Iqbal establishes that, it is only iblees, who
is behind all the catastrophe the world was going through. Iblees has a one-point agenda, that is, to
rule the world by thrashing the worst enemies who are, to Iqbal, the true Muslims.
To attain his goal, Iblees makes attempts in different ways; under the garb of a religious reformist,
an ardent communist, a cunning socialist, and an almighty king.
Through his advisors he comes to know that all was going well.
For example: His first advisor says.
Ye hamari saey-e-peham ki kramat hay kay aaj.sufi-o-mulla malookiyat k banday hain
tamam
Taba-e-mashriq kay liye mozoon yehi afiyoon thiwarna 'Qawwali' say kuch kam tar nahi
'elm-e-kalaam'!
Hay twaf-o-hajj ka hungama agar baqi to kya.kun'd ho kar reh gyi momin ki taigh-e-baynyam
kiski no-meedi pay hujjat hay ye farmaan-e-jadeed?..........'hay jahaad iss daur main Mard-emusalman par haraam'!
And at the end of the point made by other four advisors, the fifth advisor alerts the devil:
Meray Aaqa wo jahaan zer-o-zabar honay ko hay.jis Jahaan ka hay faqat Teri sayadat par
madaar
After hearing all news, Iblees, who used to say:
Kon kar sakta hay usski aatish-e-sozaan ko sard..jis kay Hungamon main ho, Iblees ka soz-edaroon
jiski shakhain hon hamari aab-yari say bulandkon kar sakta hay uss Nakhal-e-kohann ko
ser'nigoon.
The word Iblees has been derived from a greek word diabolos, but after the transliteration to
Arabic, D was discarded and only iabolos was left. And iabolos stands for lier, fitna
pardaz.
Iblees gets upset, because only he knows, that there is not a single power in this universe, which
can destroy his dynasty, except Islam. This is very clear to him that, only true spirit of Islam and its
true followers and believers can take over his establishment. He is frightened of the true Muslims.
He (the devil) warns:
Al-hazr! Ayeen-e-Peghambar say so baar Al-hazrHafiz-e-namoos-e-zann, Mard aazma,
Mard afreen
har Nafas darta hoon iss Ummat ki bay'daari say mainhay haqiqat jiskay deen ki, Ehtesabe-Kayenat
However, Iblees finds a soothing factor; and that is that, the relationship between the Muslims of
the time and the Quran, Allah and Rusoolullah SAWW has weakened and deteriorated to the
maximum. The sustenance of a weakened relation ensures the ultimate triumph of the devil. He
exclaims thereupon
Chashm-e-Aalam say rahay Posheeda ye Aayee'n to khoob..ye ghanimat hay kay khud momin
hay mehroom-e-yaqeen
And at the end of his address he orders his advisors:

MAST RAKHO ZIKR-O-FIKAR-E-SUBH'GAHI MAIN ISSAY..PUKHTA-TAR KAR DO
MIZAJ-E-KHANQAAHI MAIN ISSAY.
Iblees ki majlis-e-shoora has all dramatic elements in its construction. A drama should contain at
least two characters, and it has six characters, one is head of the parliament iblees and the other
five are his advisors. These advisors have no specified colour, age, or gender. The parliament is
situated in sky, and this element (set) makes it so spiritual to watch. Human beings have a great
relation with the skies. So with the help of the place, Iqbal makes the backdrop more abstract and
mysterious.
All advisors are genius, which depicts that Iblees has chosen wise characters as his advisors. Next
element of drama is dialogue; we found appropriate dialogues in this poem.
Words, to be delivered by the characters, have been very carefully selected. The words accord the
attributes of the speaker and satisfy the demand of the role. Iblees talks in first person with an
egoistic assertion, and uses the words MaiN, meray, meri, maiN nay quite frequently. It shows his
proud and snobbish being.
Interestingly, we find that there is only one dialogue delivered by the second advisor. The question
is, why so? The connotation is up to the reader of the poem.
And 3rd element is plot. Only plot tells as to when and how a drama can hook and hold its reader or
viewer. And it's, again, the plot that decides the crests and troughs of the conflict of drama.
Iblees ki majlis-e-shoora has been expertly plotted by Iqbal.
At the opening address of the session, 'Iblees' deliveres such a dialogue which cradles the conflict
the very backbone of a drama; he says:
Ye anaaser ka purana khel ye duniya-e-doon..Saknaan-e-Arsh-e-azam ki tammanaon ka
khoon
And after this proclamation, the reader finds the house open for a heated debated with a convincing
conclusionin the terms of Drama, the resolution
Bushra Sheereen
Electoral Rolls and Role of Respective

Stakeholders
Conducting of free, fair and transparent elections by an independent election
commission all the times have been on the agenda of all political parties in
Pakistan
Voting is an act of choice among a set of alternatives given to an individual and exercised with free
will. It is the essence of modern democracy. The history of voting dates back to ancient Greek
society discovered on a piece of pottery on which certain votes, about banishment of those seen
dangerous to the peace and state were inscribed. Voting is more than the voicing of an individual's
opinion the problem arises in counting of votes, the criteria as to who should be given the right
to exercise vote, and in deciding for whom, or for what alternatives, the votes have been cast.
The average modern standard age of voting in the 20th century is 18 years but, this was not the case
until the middle of 20th century. Some qualifications were attached to become a voter like wealth or
social status all were not given the right of suffrage particularly the women. In the beginning the
secret ballot was not known to the people and till today in trade union elections the ballot is not
necessarily secret. However, secret ballot is the only way to measure the impartial opinion of the
masses.
In subcontinent the colonial rulers granted the voting right to the people to elect their
representatives for local and provincial governments. The elections were used to be held on the
lines of western democracies by secret ballot. The same pattern of voting remained in practice after
the independence of Pakistan and India, and till now the candidates are elected by the people on the
basis of their party nomination and they put party label during election campaign to convince the
voters. As far as counting of votes are concerned, political parties particularly in developing
countries have been alleging rigging in elections and even refused to accept results on losing the
election and resorted to protests ultimately leading to further political instability. Conducting of
free, fair and transparent elections by an independent election commission all the times have been
on the agenda of all political parties in Pakistan but efforts in this regard could not be witnessed
until recently when chief election commissioner was appointed by consensus of all political parties
which is a very welcoming omen for strengthening of democracy and giving birth to political
traditions which are very vital for nurturing of democracy in a country like Pakistan.
Another important aspect of holding transparent and impartial general election is the availability of
correct and updated electoral rolls containing the names of all citizens who have attained the age of
18 years at the time of finalisation of electoral rolls. In general elections of 2008 availability of
correct and updated electoral rolls have been questioned by many political parties. But this time
before general elections 2013 the Election Commission of Pakistan has publicised in print media
urging the masses to check their names on the 2012 final electoral rolls and to make corrections if
there are errors in the data.
In the last general election the turnout was 44 per cent, it means a significant majority of registered
voters did not exercise their right of vote and in fact, a minority had chosen the public
representatives for majority which is against the spirit of democracy.
Here begins the responsibility of all political parties to create awareness among the people that how
important is registration of their votes for the upcoming general elections and at the same time help
the people get them registered at the earliest so that they could exercise the right of vote. Another
responsibility rests on the shoulder of the all political parties is to convince the voters to cast their
vote as most of voters do not come out of their houses on the elections day and rather enjoy
watching elections on television. In the last general election the turnout was 44 percent, it means a
significant majority of registered voters did not exercise their right of vote and in fact, a minority
had chosen the public representatives for majority which is against the spirit of democracy. If
political parties want to bring change in the social and political sphere they should impress upon the
people how important is to use the right of vote. And if they succeed in bringing the people out of
their homes on the elections day the result will be different altogether and only those candidates will
be probably elected who enjoy the majority vote.
Registration of votes of every individual of 18 years of age is as important as to prevent false
registration and utmost care should be taken by the relevant authorities in completing the process so
that any attempt to rig the election is nullified. At the time of casting vote the production of original
CNIC is mandatory for every voter therefore NADRA authorities are required to speed up the
issuance of cards to already registered voters who have applied for renewal of or duplicate card.
Although there is difference in the claims of NADRA and Election Commission regarding the
issuance of CNIC and number of registered voters, however, in the absence of correct official
estimates of population it is difficult to believe the figure. But it is to be remembered that everyday
NADRA issues CNICs and ECP must keep pace in enfranchising the citizens until the
announcement of the election schedule.
All the stakeholders should put up sustained efforts to make electoral rolls error free so as the free
and fair polls are ensured. Every individual should also ensure the registration of vote in electoral
rolls and go for corrections in case of any error and also impress upon the others to verify their
votes since democracy is the name of equal opportunities provided to all regardless of cast and
creed, and dividends of democracy can only be enjoyed by all if each and every individual owns the
process and becomes the part of whole range of democratic activities.
Muhammad Ramzan
Myths and Realities

Our leaders, having lost their way they continue squabbling unmindful that
their mulish, self-serving and ultimately self-immolating devotion to their own
betterment has brought the country to the brink of disaster.
So often are myths and lies passed on as uncontested truth that nothing we hear anymore is taken at
face value and no one is considered to be speaking the truth if they have something to gain. That
should be lesson enough for nations not to fib but, perversely, it has only acted as an incentive to
develop ever more skilful techniques of lying so that the guileless world public, including their
own, continues to be duped.
There are many examples where nations have gone to war on the basis of lies, false flag operations,
self-serving propaganda, etc. The Vietnam War, which was to cost the lives of 58,000 Americans,
and a million Vietnamese, began in earnest after one such manufactured incident in the Gulf of
Tonkin.
The myth that Japan had to be made to surrender unconditionally was responsible for the bombing
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, subsequently released documents show Japan had offered to
do just that provided the divine status of the Emperor was preserved. But, notwithstanding the
objections of Eisenhower and MacArthur, President Truman rejected the offer. In other words, the
inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had to endure the hell visited on them only because they
sought the right to worship their Emperor in accordance with their traditional beliefs and practices.
The request was subsequently conceded without any explanation being offered why it had been
initially refused.
Another gargantuan lie was the US claim that America only entered the fray in Afghanistan AFTER
the Soviet invasion in December 1979 when in fact, Washington had begun arming the mujahedeen
in July 1979, that is, BEFORE the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan as part of Brzezinski's plan to
inveigle the USSR into Afghanistan to avenge Moscow's support of North Vietnam.
This was revealed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Carter's National Security Adviser in January,
(15-21st) 1998, in an interview with the French weekly Nouvel Observateur.
In response to the question whether 'it was correct that the CIA began to aid the mujahedeen in
Afghanistan six months before the Soviet intervention,' Brzezinsky replied:
'Yes. According to the official version of history the CIA aid began during 1980 but the reality,
secretly guarded until now is completely otherwise. Indeed, it was July 3 when President Carter
signed the directive for secret aid to opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. And that very day
I wrote to the president. telling him that this was going to induce a Soviet military
intervention.
So we went around the world crying hoarse about how wicked the Soviets were for invading poor
impoverished and defenceless Afghanistan; how recklessly Moscow had shattered the peace of our
region; how dangerously exposed Pakistan had become and how much of a threat the Soviet 'drive
for the warm waters of the Indian Ocean' posed to our security, although it was all bilge.
Having landed us in the war the Americans then abandoned us to our fate once the Soviets were
defeated and, as if that was not bad enough, slapped sanctions on Pakistan for pursuing a nuclear
weapons programme of which they had been aware for a decade or so.
Imagine how that war transformed Pakistan; how it changed our society infinitely for the worse; the
drug and gun culture it bequeathed and the impact of the presence of five million Afghan refugees
on the economy and society only so that America could avenge Moscow for supporting North
Vietnam.
The other example, of course, is the invasion of Iraq by George Bush on the spurious pretext that
Iraq had WMDs. George Bush was heeding Adolf Hitler's advice that intelligent liars 'know that a
nation will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.' Alas, he seems to have got away
with it, notwithstanding the millions of Iraqis killed, injured and displaced.
As if that was not enough, America now wants us to believe the present 'war on terror' is America's
response to what happened on 9/11 although the plan was adopted well before 9/11.
(Indirectly) refuting this lie Brzezinski, while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee in February 2007, said:
A mythical historical narrative to justify the case for such a protracted and potentially expanding
war is already being articulated. Initially justified by false claims about WMD's in Iraq, the war is
now being redefined as the decisive ideological struggle of our time and 9/11 as the equivalent
of the Pearl Harbour attack which precipitated America's involvement in World War II.
In other words, the 'war on terror' being waged today has little to do with 9/ 11 (because it predates
9/11). And we know this to be true because the plan to impose a Pax Americana had been
elaborated, discussed and adopted by neo cons following the demise of the USSR well before Bush
junior took office in January 2000. It was part of Bush senior's New World Order which the younger
Bush was bent on implementing.
The pity is that America could have had a huge role to play in preventing Pakistan from becoming
what it fears most, an Islamic run nuclear armed redoubt of anti-Americanism. That opportunity still
exists but it is a wasting chance, unless America not only winds up its Afghan calamity quickly,
even before 2014, but also leaves lock, stock and barrel.
Brzezinski, the arch type cold war warrior, was also right in claiming that the war is 'expanding'
because since 9/11, the US has spent $444 billion on the Afghan War or 35% of total war spending.
According to the Congressional Research Service between FY 2009 and FY 2010, and that average
monthly US defence spending for Afghanistan grew from $4.4 billion to $ 6.6 billion a month, a
50% increase.
Evidence of just what America has in mind at the strategic level in Af-Pak is forthcoming in Bob
Woodward's book Obama's Wars'. Herewith, the (purported) minutes of the National Security
Council meeting on September 29, 2009 reproduced by Woodward:
"The context for this (war in Afghanistan) is that this is necessary to defeat al Qaeda and support the
effort (attacks) in Pakistan. We can't lose sight of Pakistan. The way I understand this,
Afghanistan is a means to accomplish our top mission, which is to kill al Qaeda and secure
Pakistan's nukes," Said Vice President Joe Biden. Yes, the President agreed. The main pillar of this
would be top secret and not be made public."
So the twin goals of current US policy in Af-Pak are the elimination of al Qaeda (read Osama) and
securing Pakistan's nukes. And as one of them has largely been achieved, following the slaying of a
dozen or so al Qaeda chieftains, what remains is for America to 'secure' Pakistan's nukes.
How America proposes to do this is anybody's guess. It may pounce to seize them (Osama) or wait
till Pakistan weakens and fractures so that like following the demise of the USSR, the nukes are
voluntarily surrendered (Kazakhstan) or purchased (Ukraine) or neutralised in some other way.
The pity is that America could have had a huge role to play in preventing Pakistan from becoming
what it fears most, an Islamic run nuclear armed redoubt of anti-Americanism. That opportunity still
exists but it is a wasting chance, unless America not only winds up its Afghan calamity quickly,
even before 2014, but also leaves lock, stock and barrel.
But that's not happening. And with Obama back in the saddle and day-dreaming about the Afghan
National Army preventing the Taliban from seizing power, the war in Afghanistan and the
destabilisation of Pakistan will continue apace.
As for our leaders, having lost their way they continue squabbling unmindful that their mulish, self
serving and ultimately self-immolating devotion to their own betterment has brought the country to
the brink of disaster. And thats not another lie; its the truth and which is gaining on us.
Zafar Hilaly
JINNAH OF PAKISTAN
Title: Jinnah of Pakistan, Author: Stanley Wolpert, Publisher: Oxford Press,
Pages: 421, Price: PKR 495/Can You Buy a Friend?
Stanley Wolpert's Jinnah of Pakistan, and Hector Bolitho's Jinnah: Creator of Pakistan are
regarded as monumental works on the life of the Quaid-e-Azam. Bolitho wrote it like a novel;
Wolpert, a history account. An expert touch of fiction in Bolitho's book makes it a pleasant-read.
What makes it more reader-friendly is the trait that the book brings forth the historical facts,
painstakingly collected right after the death of the Quaid, amalgamated in the fiction-like prose.
On the other hand, Wolpert seems to have written it with a clear intention of narrating the facts
about the great leader's life in a plain way, though he too seems trying to denote the eventful life of
Jinnah with a slight touch of connotative dramatic elements.
Wolpert being a professor of history knew the importance of not amalgamating historical facts with
fiction. Historiography demands objectivity in studying and simplicity in reporting/denoting; just
the way philosophy demands objectivity and plain narration. That is why, Croce shared Vico's view
that history should be written by philosophers. This demand from historians inherently emphasises
over the need of history be written without any emotions, affiliations and biases.
Wolpert has been successful in doing so. He collected the scattered facts with great zeal and care,
and compiled them in a splendid way that the document has ascended to the level of a brilliant
reference book on the life of Jinnah.
Ibn Khaldun's point of view on historiography was very humane and simple. He was of the view
that a historian should not only string the events happened on the timeline, but also look for the
reason of the happenings. This way, a historian can be more beneficial for the readers, and for the
humanity. The insight of causal relationship of a historian into the events tightly strung happens to
be a blessing in disguise for those who read in order to learn and strategise for future.
Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world.
Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.
Wolpert brings forth the reasons of Jinnah-Gandhi clash which are deep-rooted into their private
life. This rivalry then escalated to the conflict of national and international proportions.
Jinnah was greatly inspired by the liberalism of Morley, an ardent disciple of Mill; tells Wolpert.
Moreover, Jinnah fell in love with theatre when he was in London to study law. He confessed that
his secret ambition was to play the role of Romeo at the Old Vic. Even in the days of his most
active political life, Fatima reminisced, when he returned home, tired and late, he would read
Shakespeare, his voiceresonant, quotes Wolpert.
The titles of the chapters are interesting and give a clue that they have been penned by a historian,
and not by a fiction writer. They have the dimension of space and time, instead of mentioning the
third dimension, that is, peeping into the ontological composition of an event manifested on or by
the personality under study. In other words, Jinnah has been discussed under the title of where-andwhen-did-it-happen instead of what-happened-to-Jinnah. Although, one doesn't find any important
details missing. To name a few, first chapter: Karachi; second: Bombay (1896-1910); third: Calcutta
(1910-15); fourth: Lucknow to Bombay (1916-18); fifth Amritsar to Nagpur (1919-21).tenth:
London (1930-33).sixteen: Simla (1944-45)twenty-second: KarachiPakistan Zindabad
(1947); and twenty-third: Ziarat (1948).
Wolpert enclosed his insightful study of Jinnah's life in rather historic lines which vigorously paved
the way of fame among the Pakistanis. The lines are a due tribute to an unmatched, incorruptible,
unpurchaseable and inspirational leader whom the sons and daughters very rightly call the father of
the nation: Baba-e-Qaum.
The opening lines of the preface of the book carry the essence of the book of Jinnah indeed.
Let us go through the Jinnah-in-a-nutshell lines of the preface before going through the book in full:
Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world.
Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.
JWT Desk
Economic Diplomacy: Grey Area of Pakistan's

Foreign Policy
Pakistan is unable to focus on the economic diplomacy owing to the fact that
Pakistan became part of the US-led war on terror. It has severely affected law
and order situation in major cities of Pakistan, and eventually has worsened its
position in international arena politically and economically.
Foreign policy of Pakistan has constantly been centred on military-strategic relations world over
instead of encouraging economic diplomacy. Strengthening of our defence system was always been
of foremost priority instead of regional economic integration. The long and interruptive dictatorship
also pursued a foreign policy based on militaristic objectives rather than the economic ones. Due to
which, we are part of the war on terror today, and that has further deteriorated Pakistan's economy
to its worst. Pakistan has fallen behind countries in the region, and around the world in serving its
people's needs. The government's persistent failure to implement its plans or reforms damaged the
economy. There is no better example of this than the power sector. Government's inability to collect
taxes limits the possibilities for Pakistan to operate as a democratic and independent country.
Pakistan's economy is not growing as fast as it should, but, the population is growing too fast. Our
focus on health and education is myopic while our defence and debt services is draining the
resources of the country. The resources could have been better used to fuel the industrial growth.
Inefficient government expenditure has crippled Pakistan's ability to provide its people with the
services that matter. Government subsidies hurt the economy, and a hurting economy hurts the poor.
Geographically, Pakistan has much importance in the region. Pakistan can become a hub of
economic activities for the Asian countries as Pakistan shares its border with very prominent
countries of the Asia like India, China and Iran. Landlocked countries do not have route for the
transportation of goods by sea therefore, Pakistan provides sea transportation to many countries of
Asia. Pakistan is very important for China as it is one of the mid-range powers of South Asia and its
geographical location is helpful to create link between China-Middle East and China-Central Asia.
To maintain economic and strategic connectivity with these regions, China requires safe passage
through Pakistan and the Gwadar port is also an emerging gateway to Central Asia and China
because it will be providing opportunities for the promotion of global shipping in the region.
Despite the fact, Pakistan is strategically important and its relationship with China, which were
termed as deeper than ocean and higher than mountain, are only limited to the military strategic
cooperation. If we compare China's trade volume with India and Pakistan, Pakistan stands far
behind India. Despite a fall in the volume of India-China bilateral trade during first half of the
current year, China remained upbeat over trade prospects with India. The expected volume of trade
between China and India is expected to be 100 billion US dollar by the year 2015, with growing
investment opportunities in both the countries. While, on the other hand, with all the efforts of the
current government, China is Pakistan's largest trading partner and Pakistan is China's second
largest trading partner in South Asia and the volume of trade is expected to reach 15 billion US
dollar by 2015, the gap between India and Pakistan is enormous. The trade between China and
Pakistan is a one-sided affair, while China has agreed to invest more in Pakistan, our share to the
gigantic Chinese market is miniscule.
Despite the fact, Pakistan is strategically important and its relationship with China, which were
termed as deeper than ocean and higher than mountain, are only limited to the military strategic
cooperation.
Pakistan's economic prosperity and stability is directly dependent on its trading ties with emerging
economies, such as India and China, and access to the big markets. European Union is one of
Pakistan's top trading partners. The EU accounts for 20% of Pakistani external trade with Pakistani
exports to the EU amounting to 3.4 billion (mainly textiles and leather products) and EU exports to
Pakistan amount to 3.8 billion (mainly mechanical and electrical equipment, and chemical and
pharmaceutical products). Pakistan and European Union has also moved forward to implement a
new Five Year Engagement Plan which attempts to strengthen vis--vis diversify their traditional
relations of donor and recipient and enhance their cooperation and partnership in other areas of
mutual concerns. The dialogue provided an opportunity to review EU development cooperation
including the broad parameters of the second EU Multi-annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for
2007-2013, which included projects for rural development and natural resource management,
education and human resource management, governance and human rights, and trade development.
European Union is also benefiting Pakistan by its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP),
according to which Pakistan would receive duty free treatment from 2014.
India is a strategic partner of the EU and its relations with the EU are far better than that of
Pakistan. India stands with EU on the grounds of strategic and business partnership, while, on the
other hand, the relations of Pakistan with the EU are always been referred as that of the donor and
the recipient. However, with the improving ties with India and granting of MFN status, Pakistan is
been able to strengthen and smoothen its relations with India in recent years with the efforts of the
democratic government seated in Islamabad. The efforts of seeking better and workable ties with
India proved an achievement. One of the important aspects is that India is likely to withdraw its
opposition on the controversial trade-aid package proposed by the European Union for Pakistan, at
the General Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Around 75 tariff lines or products
from Pakistan would get concessional access to European markets for three years, of which 67
would have zero tariff. On the remaining eight, tariff rate quotas (TRQ, limited imports at reduced
duty) would apply. The package is expected to be for two to three years, with about $300 million of
yearly benefits to Pakistan's exports to the EU. The WTO's proposal was opposed by India, Brazil,
Bangladesh, Peru and Vietnam primarily because their exports to the EU would be impacted with
that move.
Terrorist activities have adversely impacted all the sectors of the economy, which cannot be gauged
in the short-term. The security issue is seen hitting the economy at every level. Foreign
businessmen and investors are afraid to visit Pakistan, a country where they cannot move freely and
where heavily guarded hotels are also the prime target.
However, with all those achievements, Pakistan is unable to focus on the economic diplomacy to a
larger extent, since Pakistan became part of the US-led war on terror. It has severely affected law
and order situation in major cities of Pakistan. Pakistan is facing worst terrorism on its soil which
has affected its position in international arena, not only politically but also economically. Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) has enlisted considerable downfall, investors are moving their business
abroad while the local businessmen are feeling insecure because of the worst law and order
situation witnessed in the history of this country, with bomb blasts and target killings taking place
across Pakistan, with all those problems on one hand we cannot forget that Pakistan is also playing
frontline role in the America's war against terrorism.
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported 50.4% decrease in FDI, including private proceeds in
2012-13 (July) as compared to 2011-12 (July), due to the slow economic activities, worst law and
order situation and poor infrastructure. According to the economists, global economic meltdown
and poor industrial infrastructure like power shortage are the major reasons behind the decline in
the FDI. While operation against the militants and rising tension in the northern areas also played an
important role in depleting foreign investment. Investors are reluctant to invest in these
circumstances when uncertainty is prevailing in the country and the country is witnessing worst law
and order situation with bomb blasts. Although there was some improvement in portfolio
investment, FDI has been constantly declining despite several efforts are made by the government.
The unabated incidents of terrorism in major cities have been compounding the country's woes,
resulting into reduced foreign and domestic investment and lesser trade and business activities.
Terrorist activities have adversely impacted all the sectors of the economy, which cannot be gauged
in the short-term. The security issue is seen hitting the economy at every level. Foreign
businessmen and investors are afraid to visit Pakistan, a country where they cannot move freely and
where heavily guarded hotels are also the prime target. Investment is drained out. Resulting, in
aggregate demand, closure of production units and unemployment, due to slowdown of economic
activities, paving the way for terrorists to exploit the situation.
However, it is unrealistic to expect any miracles to boost the economy of Pakistan, with yawning
gaps in trade policies and diplomatic fronts, but the efforts which were made are insufficient.
External debt of Pakistan has reached to 67 billion dollar. Despite of it Pakistan is continuously
printing currency notes with an average of Rs. 1.5 to 3 billion daily, which indebted every Pakistani
citizen to an amount of Rs. 61,000. The economy of Pakistan is deteriorating day by day. The value
of Pakistani rupee has fast eroded during the last four-and-a- half years, and will soon touch Rs. 100
to a dollar. It creates an impression as if this economic condition will prevail and continue climbing
until the subsequent elections.
Munazza Khan
REPORT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST

WOMEN
It is an internationally recognised fact that the presence of female staff in the

police and the reporting of the incidents of rape are closely interlinked. In
Pakistan, female staff makes up only less than one per cent of the total police
force in the country.
The heart-rending incident that took place in Swat on October 9, 2012, gave a fresh impetus and
new resolve to the international struggle for eliminating violence against women and ensuring their
rights. The whole world seems to be echoing with the brave and committed slogan I am Malala.
Attack on Malala Yusufzai is a reflection of the sick mentality of those people, who are by no means
willing to give the due rights to girls and women.
According to the United Nations, in 85 out of 90 societies of the world, women are beaten up and
up to 70 per cent women of the world pass through the dreadful experience of violence. Under the
auspices of the United Nations, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is
observed each year on November 25, to create social awareness about the implications of violence
against women and to strengthen the worldwide efforts for bringing an end to this disdainful
practice.
Along with this, from November 25 to December 10, a campaign called 16 days of activism
against gender violence also starts.
This year, the theme of the sixteen-day global campaign is From peace in the home to peace in the
world. Let us challenge militarism and end violence against women.
The campaign starts on November 25 with the International Day Against Violence Against Women
and ends on December 10, with the observance of International Human Rights Day. It is meant to
symbolically link violence against women with human rights and to emphasise that such violence is
a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including
November 29, that is, International Women Human Rights Defence Day, December 1, World Aids
Day and December 6, which marks the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. Violence against
women takes many forms: physical, sexual, psychological and economic. These forms of violence
are inter-related and affect women from before birth to old age.
In case of war and armed conflict, violence against women assumes a more serious form, because
rape has since long been used as a war tactics, with violence against women during or after armed
conflicts reported in every national or non-international war zone.
Amnesty International has analysed the dire state of violence against women in the world in the
following words: Using the available data we can see that if the world were a global village of
1000 people, half the population (500) would be women. There would have been 510 women, but
ten were either never born through gender selective abortion, or died in infancy from neglect. In a
number of the village's various communities, girls are considered to be of lesser value than boys.
Tradition and masculine inheritance rights reinforce this discrimination against women. The women
of the village are increasingly at risk of contracting HIV-Aids. Three women in the village already
have the disease. Education about it is patchy and the use of contraception to prevent its spread is
limited. One hundred and sixty seven women of the village have been beaten or coerced into sex.
One in every three women has a chance of being abused in this way. Women of the village face the
risk of being killed by their own family members. In fact, 70 per cent of all murdered women would
have been killed by their own male partners. Only 60 women in the village have ever disclosed the
violence they were subjected to and a further 70 of them have only spoken out when interviewed for
a survey. Hundred of the women have been the victims of rape or attempted rape and every woman
faces a high risk of this violence, especially if the village is plunged into war. Across the village,
violence against women goes unreported under-investigated and unchecked.
Violence against women is regarded as legitimate by only a small number of people living in those
countries which have laws against domestic violence.
Pakistan is also a small part of this global village and the condition of violence against women in
the country is becoming very grim and serious. It can be judged from Orat Foundation's report on
violence against women in Pakistan, a qualitative review of statistics for 2011. According to this
report, the incidents of violence against women in Pakistan increased by 12.78 per cent from 2008
to 2011. During this period, their number rose from 7571 to 8539. In this way, in 2011, an average
of 24 incidents of violence against women were reported daily in Pakistan. The condition of district
Lahore where 754 such incidents were reported, was the most serious in the country. With 667 and
449 violent incidents, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi were second and third, respectively in this list.
These disturbing statistics give us some idea of the level of violence against women in Pakistan, but
they do not paint the whole picture, because all such statistics are based on media reports. During
the past few years, our media has focused much of its attention on the deteriorating law and order
situation in the country, uncertain political atmosphere, kidnappings and target killings in Sindh and
Balochistan and the devastation caused by the floods in 2010 and 2011. In these circumstances, how
could the reporting of violence against women become a priority for our media? Thus, it is an alladmitted fact that most of the incidents of violence against women are not reported in the media. As
long as there is no availability of objectively and systematically obtained data in this connection and
as long as there is no easy public access to this data, we will have to depend on the statistics
provided by the media. These statistics may be valid to a certain extent but they are not completely
reliable. However, in the absence of authentic data, they may give us some idea of the gravity of the
situation with reference to violence against women in the country. Police record is also an important
source of getting data about violence against women in Pakistan, but this data too is not wholly
reliable. On account of the negative attitude of the police officials, typical image of the police
department and horrifying atmosphere prevailing in the police stations, a large number of violent
incidents against women remain unreported.
When such cases are neither registered nor reported, how can we expect the law to be effective in
tackling this problem? Experts recommend a greater participation of women in the country's justice
system, especially in the police department, as an important means of overcoming the problem. It is
an internationally recognised fact that the presence of female staff in the police and the reporting of
incidents of rape are closely related to each other. But despite that, only nine per cent police
officials of the world are women. According to the UN Report called World's Women 2010, female
staff makes up only three per cent of the entire police force in South Asia. In its research study, an
NGO named Individual Land has stated that the police department of Pakistan has got 3700 women,
who are less than one per cent of the total number of police officials.
Innumerable incidents of violence against women are not brought to the limelight and remain
hidden within the four walls of the house. As mentioned earlier, violence against women may be
physical, psychological or economic and perhaps, there is hardly any house in the world where at
one time or the other, women have not been subjected to beating, threats, intimidation, humiliation
and harassment. United Nations have revealed the fact that one out of every three women in the
world has to pass through the bitter experience of gender-based abuse, at least once in her life. The
condition of unreported violence in Pakistan is not different from the rest of the world, but it is
perhaps, of a much more serious nature, because as reported by Pakistan Institute of Medical
Sciences, 90 per cent of married Pakistani women have to suffer hardships at the hands of their
husbands. Women who experience violence suffer a range of health problems and their ability to
participate in public life is diminished.
Violence against women harms families and communities across generations and reinforces other
violence prevalent in society. Violence against women also impoverishes their families,
communities and nations. It has a very harmful impact on the psychology, training and upbringing
of children. Besides this, societies also have to bear the high costs of violence against women. This
fact is very often ignored. According to the United Nations, they include the direct costs of the
services to treat and support abused women and their children and to bring perpetrators to justice.
The indirect costs include lost employment and productivity and the cost in human pain, fate and
suffering. The cost of intimate partner violence in the United States alone exceeds $5.8 billion per
year. $4.1 billion is for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for
nearly $1.8 billion. A study in the United Kingdom estimated the total direct and indirect costs of
domestic violence, including pain and suffering, to be 23 billion per year or 440 per person.
Such heavy losses resulting from violence against women, are the outcome of a negative
impression in societies, due to which men regard violence against women as justified and women
too believe that violence against them is justified. According to the UN Report on the progress of
world's women 2010-11, more than one-quarter of people living in 17 out of 41 countries of the
world believe that men have the right to beat their women.
Similarly, according to the UN's report on world's women 2010, in 33 countries of the world whose
statistics are available, the percentage of women that found it appropriate to be hit or beaten or one
of these acts varies considerably. Around 29 per cent of women agreed that being hit or beaten for
arguing with the husband was justifiable, 25 per cent for refusing to have sex with the husband and
21 per cent for burning the food. A government sponsored study conducted in Punjab in 2011
revealed that 42 per cent of women accept violence as part of their fate. The world is now beginning
to realise the need for taking firm action against this evil and most people today think violence
against women ought to be a crime and see it as a violation of human rights. This was not always
the case. As late as 1999, Euro barometer's survey found that as many as one in three Europeans
thought violence against women should probably not be considered a crime. (Euro barometer 2010).
But despite that, there has not been any significant reduction in the number of violent incidents
against women. The well-known American research journal Political Science Review has recently
published a research paper with the title The civic origins of progressive policy change, combating
violence against women in global perspective 1975-2005. According to it, in Europe, violence
against women is far more dangerous to the female population than terrorism or cancer. As many as
45 per cent of European women have been the victims or physical and sexual violence.
Experts are of the view that presence of effective laws can be helpful in reducing the number of
shameful incidents of violence against women. International researches have proved the fact that
only a limited number of people (22 per cent) consider violence against women to be justified in the
countries having strict laws against domestic violence. However, 50 per cent of the people living in
the countries with no such laws believe that violence against women is justified. It is in spite of the
fact that over the past four decades, violence against women has come to be seen as a violation of
human rights and an important concern for social policy. Yet government action remains uneven.
Some countries have adopted comprehensive policies to combat violence against women (VAW),
whereas others have been slow to address the problem. It can be judged from the statistics given in
the UN's report on the progress of world's women 2011-12, according to which 125 out of 194
countries of the world have legislation against domestic violence. But there is no legislation against
domestic violence in 66 countries of the world, including four South Asian countries. In the same
way, 117 countries of the world have laws against sexual harassment, while no such laws exist in 57
other countries, including three South Asian countries. Moreover, 52 countries of the world have
laws with reference to marital rape, but there has not so far been any legislation in this connection
in 127 countries, including six South Asian countries.
Our present government has taken some appreciable steps aimed at improving the status of women
in the country. They include National National Commission on the status of women bill 2012, Acid
control and acid [prevention act 2011, prevention of anti-women practices (criminal law
amendment) act 2011, protection against harassment of women at the work place act 2010, section
509 of the penal code amended in February 2010, standard operating procedures for medico-legal
examination of female victims of violence 2010 and domestic violence (prevention and protection)
bill 2009. But effective implementation and enforcement of these laws is necessary for bringing
about a real change in the level of violence against women in the country. It should be remembered
that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality,
development and peace. At the resent moment, peace and progress are our top priorities, but they
cannot be achieved without the creation of a society free from violence against women.
Muhammad Atif Sheikh
Quaid-e-Azam and Colonial Mentality of

Civil-Military Servants
Never forget that you are the servants of the State. You do not make policy. It is
we, the people's representatives, who decide how the country is to be run. Your
job is only to obey the decisions of your civilian masters. [About Military
officers' nominations in a reception at Governor General House on the occasion
of first Independence Day August 14, 1947 Quaid-e-Azam]
Quaid-e-Azam M. A. Jinnah contested the case of Pakistan on the basis of Two-Nation Theory. He
united the scattered and divided Muslims of India into one nation with the power of his charisma.
After the creation of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam was astonished to see that the Pakistani nation was
again divided on the basis of religion, race, language, caste and provinces. Muslim got Pakistan but
lost the nation. Quaid-e-Azam was also very concerned about the colonial mentality which we
inherited after independence. He was fully aware of the colonial mentality and its implication on the
progress and development of new country. A. G. Noorani has discussed in his article in Dawn dated
November 3, 2012 about British laws and the mentality behind these laws.
We owe a lot to some of the laws enacted by the British rulers. Macaulay's Penal Code 1860 and Sir
James Stephen's Evidence Act, 1872 are acknowledged masterpieces. The Government of India Act,
1935 had enormous influence on constitution-making in Pakistan and India. However, tucked away
in many a nook and corner of legislation of the Raj era are provisions which the British craftily
made to protect their officials.
These laws were in glaring contrast to the legal set-up in Britain itself. The great authority on the
constitutional law of Britain, A. V. Dicey wrote: With us every official, from the prime minister
down to a constable or a collector of taxes, is under the same responsibility for every act done
without legal justification as any other citizen. The reports abound with cases in which officials
have been brought before the courts, and made, in their personal capacity, liable to punishment, or
to the payment of damages, for acts done in their official character but in excess of their lawful
authority.
One is not sure about the legal position in Pakistan; but in India the curbs of the British era were
retained in the law adapted after Independence. The adaptation was selective.
One remarkable provision in the Government of India Act, 1919 was quietly dropped by the British
when they conferred autonomy and responsible government on the provinces of British India and
was completely ignored by the framers of the constitutions of Pakistan and India.
Section 124 reads thus: If any person holding office under the Crown in India does any of the
following things, that is to say (1) if he oppresses any British subject within his jurisdiction or in
the exercise of his authority; or if (except in case of necessity, the burden of proving which shall be
on him) he wilfully disobeys, or wilfully omits, forbears or neglects to execute, any orders or
instructions of the secretary of state; or if he is guilty of any wilful breach of the trust and duty of
his office; or if ... he is concerned, or has any dealings or transactions by way of trade or business or
if he demands, accepts or receives ... any gift, gratuity or reward, pecuniary or otherwise, or any
promise of the same ... he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.
General Shahid Hamid former private secretary of Sir Clande Achinleck commander-in-chief of
Indian army used to keep a diary of his daily activities. He published his diary later entitled
Disastrous Twilight. A piece of his diary is produced here which demonstrates the mindset of civil
servants who took over the power of government after partition.
3rd August (1947): Some time ago I had met the Quaid and told him that the officers of the armed
forces were anxious to get a glimpse of him. Most of them had never met the 'Great Founder of
their country' and they were frightened of him. He pondered over my suggestion and then said:
'What do you suggest?'
I told him that if he cared to come to our house one evening I would arrange a get-together. To my
utter astonishment he agreed and even gave me a date, but said that he may be a little late as he had
to attend a meeting of the Muslim League Committee of Action.
We owe a lot to some of the laws enacted by the British rulers. Macaulay's Penal Code 1860 and
Sir James Stephen's Evidence Act, 1872 are acknowledged masterpieces. The Government of India
Act, 1935 had enormous influence on constitution-making in Pakistan and India. However, tucked
away in many a nook and corner of legislation of the Raj era are provisions which the British
craftily made to protect their officials.
We had invited the Auk, the Naval and Air C-in-Cs, principal staff officers, some civil servants
apart from all the senior Muslim officers of the Defence Forces, also some Hindu officers. For a
while Tahirah and I waited at the entrance for the Quaid, but as he was held up at the meeting we
joined our guests on the back lawn of our house, where everyone had assembled.
A little later the Quaid arrived. As Tahirah and I were not there to receive him, he walked through
the house on to the lawn. We apologized for not being at the entrance to receive him. He said that he
was sorry at being late. I asked him whether he would like the guests to be introduced to him, to
which he agreed.
To my surprise the Quaid was in a talkative mood. He had something to say to each person who was
introduced to him. The officers gathered around him to ask all sorts of questions. He answered them
in his characteristic manner slowly, clearly and convincingly. It is always a pleasure to hear him
explain his point of view. He meant what he said. He did no pretend to be what he was not. He did
not mince his words. He put the problem which he will have to face squarely. I was with him most
of the time. The only time he became solemn when someone asked him about the prospect of
promotion in Pakistan. I could see from the look of Quaid's face that he did not like the question. In
his typical style, he looked him over from head to foot before giving an answer.
'You Mussulmans, either you are up in the sky or down in the dumps. You cannot adopt a steady
course. All the promotions will come in good time, but there will be no mad rush.'
To another question he replied, 'Pakistan's elected government will be that of civilians and anyone
who thinks contrary to democratic principles should not opt for Pakistan.'
One remarkable provision in the Government of India Act, 1919 was quietly dropped by the British
when they conferred autonomy and responsible government on the provinces of British India and
was completely ignored by the framers of the constitutions of Pakistan and India.
He also said that all would have to work hard to build the new nation and guard and preserve the
identity of the Islamic State and that our task was not easy.
Quaid-e-Azam in spite of his poor health travelled to different parts of country and addressed civil
servant and military officials. He tried his best to change their colonial mentality. Some quotes from
his speeches are as under:
I have no doubt in my mind, from what I have seen and from what I have gathered, that the spirit
of the Army is splendid, the morale is very high, and what is very encouraging is that every officer
and soldier, no matter what the race or community to which he belongs, is working as a true
Pakistani.
If you all continue in that spirit and work as comrades, as true Pakistanis, selflessly, Pakistan has
nothing to fear.
One thing more. I am persuaded to say this because during my talks with one or two very highranking officers I discovered that they did not know the implications of the oath taken by troops of
Pakistan. Of course, an oath is only a matter of form; what is more important is the true spirit and
the heart.
But it is an important form and I would like to take the opportunity of refreshing your memory by
reading the prescribed oath to you:
'I solemnly affirm, in the presence of Almighty God, that I owe allegiance to the Constitution and
the Dominion of Pakistan (mark the words Constitution and the Government of the Dominion of
Pakistan) and that I will as in duty-bound honestly acid faithfully serve in the Dominion of Pakistan
Forces and go within the terms of my enrolment wherever I may be ordered by air, land or sea and
that I will observe and obey all commands of any officer set over me...'
As I have said just now, the spirit is what really matters. I should like you to study the Constitution
which is in force in Pakistan at present, and understand its true constitutional and legal implications
when you say that you will be faithful to the Constitution of Dominion.
I want you to remember and if you have time enough you should study the Government of India
Act, as adapted for use in Pakistan, approved by the Governor-General and therefore, any command
or orders that may come to you cannot come without the sanction of the Executive Head. This is the
legal position. [Address Staff College, Quetta, June 14, 1948]
Shamshad Ahmad
The writer is a former foreign secretary.
The Impact of Foreign Aid on Pakistan in

post-9/11 Scenario
During Musharraf's tenure, the US provided over $13 billion in military and
economic aid, with military assistance accounting for over two-thirds, mostly
through Coalition Support Funds (CSF). The approach was described by wellinformed analysts as billions of dollars provided without an overall perspective
or any real sense of objective aside from support to Pakistan's military. In
return, Musharraf agreed to cooperate in the US-led war on terror, including
informal agreements to provide the primary route for supplies to Nato forces in
Afghanistan.
Pakistan started receiving foreign aid when it sided with the West in the cold war era. In 1954,
Pakistan signed a Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement with the US. In the following year it
signed the Baghdad Pact. With these agreements, Pakistan received over $1 billion in US. military
assistance in 1956, the highest level of such assistance until 2002. The US aid continued after the
first military coup in 1958. The assistance from US was well over half of all the aid received by the
country. The assistance was primarily for civilian development and aimed at economic growth.
Funds and technical expertise were provided to modernise the agricultural and industrial sectors.
During that time, the Tarbela and Mangla dams were financed through the aid to meet energy and
irrigation needs.
Pakistan fought two wars with India during 1965 and 1971. The conflict provided an excuse to the
US to stop economic assistance to Pakistan. The economic aid was reduced and most military
assistance was withdrawn. The situation further deteriorated following the launch of Pakistan's
nuclear programme in 1974. The economic and military aid continued to fall, and it remained at low
levels throughout the first democratic transition. The democratic government saw an abrupt end
when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted in a military coup in 1977 by Gen. Zia-ul-Haq. The aid to
Pakistan was stopped. But a number of developments were taking place at the time. In 1979, Bhutto
was executed. The same year, the Shah of Iran, a key western ally in the region, was ousted by antiAmerican regime. The Soviets intervened in Afghanistan during the same time and this gave
another opportunity to regain its geo-strategic importance. Pakistan became the frontline state in the
anti-Soviet jihad through the 1980s. In 1981, the US agreed to provide $3.2 billion in economic and
military aid over five years. While economic aid more than doubled, from $164 million in 1981 to
$400 million in 1982, military assistance increased most dramatically: almost non-existent in the
1970s, it reached almost $500 million in 1983.
Some lobbies were not happy with such assistance to Pakistan and lobby against its interests. In
1985, an amendment the Pressler Amendment was introduced and passed by the Congress to
condition aid on an annual presidential certification that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear
explosive device and that the proposed United States assistance programme will reduce
significantly the risk that Pakistan will possess a nuclear explosive device. Both President Reagan
and Bush provided that certification throughout the 1980s and channelled $3 billion to the Afghan
mujahideen through Pakistan. With Zia's death in 1988, the military era ended and power was
handed over to civilians. The PPP of Benazir Bhutto won plurality of seats in general elections and
formed a coalition government at the centre. Incidentally, this second democratic transition
coincided with the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. The cold war era ended and the Soviet
Union disintegrated. The changing situation made a drastic shift in Washington's mood. The US did
no longer deem it essential to certify that Pakistan did not possess nuclear capability. President Bush
invoked the Pressler Amendment in 1990. Military aid was ceased, and economic assistance
drastically reduced, from $548 million in 1990 to $149 million in 1991 and $27 million in 1992.
In 1985, an amendment the Pressler Amendment was introduced and passed by the Congress to
condition aid on an annual presidential certification that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear
explosive device and that the proposed United States assistance programme will reduce
significantly the risk that Pakistan will possess a nuclear explosive device.
The economic assistance from US remained at low levels during the 1990s. USAID closed its
mission in 1994 and the little that flowed to the country, under a humanitarian assistance regulation,
bypassed the civilian government to go through NGOs. Following the withdrawal of western
political and economic support and facing a financial crunch, democratically-elected governments
were forced to obtain high-interest loans. Already in 1988, as western assistance began to shrink,
Pakistan agreed to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment package. Stringent
conditions, including freezing public sector wages and reducing subsidies, undermined successive
civilian governments' popularity and, some analysts argue, contributed to increased poverty and
inequality. Nuclear tests in May 1998, in response to those of India the very month, and Pervez
Musharraf's coup in October 1999 further isolated Pakistan globally. A political narrative of
international betrayal, alliances of convenience and abuse of Pakistani cooperation began to
congeal.
POST-2001 Scenario
With the Musharraf regime pledging its cooperation in the Bush administration's war on terror and
the US-led intervention to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan, sanctions were lifted and international
aid returned. Pakistan became the critical player in Operation Enduring Freedom. In September
2001, following the al-Qaeda attacks in the US, the Bush administration released US$600 million in
emergency cash to Pakistan. The EU, Canada, Japan and IFIs also extended grants and loans and
agreed to reschedule debt payments. Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves, then around $700
million, were $7 billion by August 2002.
During Musharraf's tenure, the US provided over $13 billion in military and economic aid, with
military assistance accounting for over two-thirds, mostly through Coalition Support Funds (CSF).
The approach was described by well-informed analysts as billions of dollars provided without an
overall perspective or any real sense of objective aside from support to Pakistan's military. In
return, Musharraf agreed to cooperate in the US-led war on terror, including informal agreements to
provide the primary route for supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan.
Bilateral economic aid, primarily distributed through USAID, lacked transparency and was seldom
conditioned on meet ing clear, mutually agreed benchmarks. According to a former US National
Security Council official, the main idea was to give Pakistan something so that they would allow
for all the strategic cloak-and-dagger stuff. A former administration official described direct budget
support to individual Pakistani ministries during this period as even more opaque than CSF
[Coalition Support Funds]. Budget support, for instance, was officially intended to relieve part of
Pakistan's debt repayment so that it could dedicate more resources to the social sector. Yet, public
spending on education declined from 2.6 per cent of GDP in 1990 to 1.8 per cent in 2002-2003,
while the regime increased military spending, diverting billions - by Musharraf's admission to buy
arms to counter a perceived Indian threat.
President Bush invoked the Pressler Amendment in 1990. Military aid was ceased, and economic
assistance drastically reduced, from $548 million in 1990 to $149 million in 1991 and $27 million
in 1992.
The US and other donors largely allowed Musharraf to determine aid priorities and, by doing so,
helped the military to consolidate its hold over state institutions. Donor support for his Devolution
of Power plan, for example, was drafted with technical help from and its implementation supported
by the UN Development Program (UNDP). Announced in August 2000, the plan pledged to build
genuine democratic institutions and empower people at the grassroots by placing local political and
administrative powers under elected representatives, reversing a system that subordinated elected
politicians to bureaucrats. But with elections held on a non-party basis and amid allegations of mass
rigging and other critical flaws, the scheme allowed the military regime to create pliant political
elite at the local level.
Donors, however, continued to channel their funds to the military's devolution plan, justifying it as
support for democratic governance. Similarly, the US, UN, EU and UK channelled significant funds
to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the 2002 national elections. By failing to
condemn electoral abuses and continuing to support deeply flawed electoral institutions, they
helped the military regime gain international legitimacy and consolidate its hold at home.
In 2007, a movement for the restoration of democracy, comprising the legal community, political
parties and civil society activists, brought about the downfall of Musharraf's military regime. After
elections in February 2008, a PPP-led coalition government was formed. The fledgling democratic
coalition faced a deteriorating economy and major security threats. Given the importance of
Pakistan's stability for broader strategic objectives, influential international actors, including the
US, appeared willing to support the new government as it addressed these challenges.
On September 26, 2008, Presidents Asif Ali Zardari and Barack Obama co-chaired the launch of the
Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) in New York, a forum through which donors could support
the government's efforts to consolidate democratic institutions and confront the myriad social,
economic and security challenges. The then UK foreign secretary, David Miliband, described the
meeting as sending a very strong signal of political support and also of practical support to the
democratically-elected government of Pakistan. Yet, FoDP's ability to facilitate dialogue between
the international community and Islamabad had major limitations.
Analysts and donor representatives argued the group was too large and diverse to use its influence
to press for policy reforms in Islamabad. Moreover, the FoDP countries did not support the financial
bailout Islamabad sought. With no other choice to avoid defaulting on its foreign debt, and also in
order to pursue macro-economic stability, the government entered into a Stand-by Arrangement
with the IMF for a $7.6 billion loan (later raised to $11.3 billion) in November 2008.
The IMF imposed politically difficult conditions, such as ending power sector subsidies, imposing a
general sales tax on goods and services and taxing agricultural benefits. At the April 2009 FoDP
meeting, donor countries and IFIs pledged over $5 billion in aid, with host Japan promising $1
billion, but premised on the continued steady implementation of the IMF program underway since
November 2008. Implementing an austerity program, no matter how desirable, requires political
will but also stability; this has eluded the government. By linking aid to IMF conditionalities, with
little flexibility, donors have failed to recognize the stresses of a young democratic order.
Dr Zafar Mueen Nasir
ITS TOO VAGUE TO BE FRUITFUL

Rehabilitation Legend, Dr Khalid Jamil (big B) Slams the 2% Quota for the
Disabled in Civil Service
Dr Khalid Jamil Akhtar is a versatile scholar, medical professional and a qualified rehabilitationist.
He works as the head of Rehabilitation Department, Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
After completing his graduation in medicine and surgery, he took the CSS exam and passed the
written part. Unfortunately, he had to bow out when it came to the interview, for he was, though
exceptionally talented and ambitious, a physically challenged candidate.
He did not give up and worked with Nilofar Bakhtiar, a federal minister in the Musharraf era, until
he emphatically won 2 percent quota for the disabled in the Civil Service.
But now, he has resentments on this flat quota. He had something to say in this regard.
JWT: What are the major hurdles that society may put in the way of the success of a disabled
candidate of CSS?
Dr Khalid: There are three types of hurdles the disabled candidates come across while heading
toward the fulfillment of their dreams.
1. Functional
2. Cosmetic
3. Perceptive
FUNCTIONAL hurdle is the one that happens when, for example, a visually impaired person has to
identify one colour from two or more than two colours; or someone's facial features from a mob; or
a limping individual has to run fast in pursuit of chasing someone with athletic sprint.
COSMETIC hurdle comes from the social acceptance in perspective of unsuitability of a person in
doing some particular task. For example, if a police officer is one-legged, he won't be accepted as
the commander of a regiment curtailing a hurling mob or a procession disrupting assets on the
street. His command would remain lesser effective as compared to a physically normal commander.
PERCEPTIVE hurdles stem out from within the psyche of the disabled. After knowing that one
can't work as normally as others do, the disabled goes introvert. He prefers to remain socially
alienated. Although one can overcome their psychological block by socialising themselves.
JWT: Kindly enlighten us about the types of disabilities
Dr Khalid: There are four types of disabilities.
1. Physical
2. Visual Impairment
3. Auditory Impairment
4. Slow Learning
JWT: Looking at the disability and its types, what fields do you deem preferable for a
disabled candidate?
Dr Khalid: Generally, VISUALLY IMPAIRED people are intellectually very strong. They are good
communicators as well. They can go for the Income Tax as talking software and Braille are there to
help them. Foreign Service is also a good choice for them.
In China, I met an administrator who was visually impaired, still, he was doing the job quite
efficiently. To my eager question, he responded, I have 84 eyes. Of course, he was referring to his
loyal subordinates' watchful eyes.
In Japan, I met a civil servant who became a senator when an accident sent him to a wheelchair.
The longest serving president in the history of America, Roosevelt, lost the functionality of his legs
during his service in the White House. He never let his people know that he could not stand up or
walk independently.
PHYSICAL abnormality can be divided into two subgroups: those who can walk, and those who
cannot walk and use a wheelchair.
To those who can walk, I'll suggest to join any field in the services. However, the one using a
wheelchair must be selective and go for the work which is compatible with their ability-limitation,
that is, an office work; secretarial job in income tax, etc.
SLOW LEARNERS cannot join the services, for the age limit and the basic but essential criterion
shall rightly impediment them.
The ones who suffer from AUDITORY impairment can be good administrators. They are mentally
fit, visually fine, and physically normal. What they lack is communication. Therefore, I shall
suggest them to work hard and get an administrative job where managerial ability is more needed
than the communicative one.
In China, I met an administrator who was visually impaired, still, he was doing the job quite
efficiently. To my eager question, he responded, I have 84 eyes. Of course, he was referring to his
loyal subordinates' watchful eyes.
JWT: What resentment do you quite often experience with respect to this quota design?
Dr Khalid: In my opinion, the dimension of JOB COMPATIBILITY according to impairment is

missing in the Civil Services quota for the disabled design. Before allocating quota, the government
should refine the design and define:
- The nature of service
- The magnitude/degree of impair
ment/disability
- The disability to nature of service compatibility
JWT: What are your recommendations to the policy makers then?
Dr Khalid: I deem it highly vital for both the stakeholders (candidates and the state) that they
should take my recommendations into a very serious consideration.
ONE: Before allocating some service to the disabled candidate, the model presented above must be
kept in view. Rather, I'd suggest that before letting someone disabled select the subject, there should
be some filter intact. This filter would serve as the primary instrument for the compatibility.
This model shall take both the stakeholders into a win-win situation. Neither the candidate shall
repent after joining the service which is non-compatible to his limited ability, nor shall the country
suffer.
TWO: The evaluation and confirmation of a candidate must NOT be put into effect without the
consultation of a rehabilitation consultant. Legislation is needed in this regard.
Ahmad Hammad
SCO Membership for Economic Development

of Pakistan
It is important to realize that full membership of SCO can prove to be a very

positive way out from economic slum
A visible drift towards multi polar world is a wakeup call. In the ending years of 20th century
economic development and defence cooperation among Asian nations have presented them as a
formidable bloc. Presence of Russia, China, India and central Asian republics formulate a strong
regional coalition. On the south western borders of Asia outbreak of war against terrorism has
created smoggy conditions for economic growth. Tensions among the western power sharers and
Iran, and political milieu in Pakistan and Afghanistan leave little room for economic cooperation.
Since the US-led war against terrorism has started, Pakistan has shady relations with all: India, Iran
and Afghanistan. China is the sole supporter in many ways. Limited options and unlimited
challenges create a very desperate situation for Pakistan, especially in terms of economy. In the
wake of all this scenario Pakistan feels very clutched, fractured and insignificant among Asian
powers. Undoubtedly, the potential and assets are much higher, but liabilities and pressures have
magnified over past few years and things have worsened.
Economic condition of Pakistan reflects that the country is not on right track. With the GDP growth
rate of only 2.4%, urban unemployment of 7.8%, youth population of around 61% that is largely
underemployed and ill educated, trade deficit of around 14 billion US dollars and with increasing
poverty and population it is a Herculean task for Pakistan to cope up with the challenges of modern
economic system.
World at large has been suffering from serious economic crunch for half a decade or more. Nations
are exploring various options to ensure their survival and striving for smooth economic growth.
Hence, Pakistan must realise and look forward to all available options to rejuvenate the damaged
and disaster hit economy. In this region, Pakistan holds a very significant position strategically.
World on the east has this realisation that Pakistan is the door to access the west. Quite
unfortunately, where the other regional economic blocs have been doing exceptionally well in the
field of economic cooperation, Saarc is not doing noticeably well. This forces Pakistan to extend a
hand of cooperation towards other regional economic blocs to ensure economic growth.
Why SCO is a better option for Pakistan? : A Rationale:
Pakistan's policy makers are yet not out of anti-Indian syndrome and even less change has been
seen in Indian attitude in past six decades. As long as the political rift between the two powerhouses
of South Asia is not ameliorated, economic and defence strategic development is beyond question.
Water issues, territorial disputes and now terrorism; discussion never goes beyond these points and
economic stalemate is the outcome. Pakistan has awarded MFN status to India lately but this is one
option that will take time to make the most of it to its full potential. Talking about western border,
both Iran and Afghanistan do not find Pakistan as a brotherly Muslim country with atomic potential,
rather they show distrust in Pakistan because of its ties with western blocs in war against terrorism.
This creates a tough state of affairs for Pakistan to survive in. So, it can be easily concluded that
Saarc and OIC are not serving the purpose for which they have been formulated. Therefore,
utilising the other options is the call of the day.
Pakistan has such an ideal location that can prove very beneficial in terms of political as well as
economic ties. Pakistan provides trade route from east to the central Asia. Pakistan can also be a
suitable choice for access to Europe for eastern powers. More importantly, Pakistan's energy woes,
unemployment, industrial backwardness and other such issues can be addressed in a better way.
Twenty-first century is the century of geo-economics. Since the eastern economic giants have
converging interests of ousting the western influence in the region by developing their own defence
and economic strengths it is time for Pakistan to realise that it is important to make new ties.
Pakistan cannot carry on with developed economic states and stable political system by keeping
hostile relations with regional powers or even by ignoring them. India especially has won the
confidence of not only western powers but also of Russia and China. All are interested in joining
hands with India for economic and defence ties.
Pakistan's policy makers are yet not out of anti-Indian syndrome and even less change has been
seen in Indian attitude in past six decades. As long as the political rift between the two powerhouses
of South Asia is not ameliorated, economic and defence strategic development is beyond question.
Therefore, SCO is a very viable and appropriate choice for Pakistan to develop relations with. SCO
is the only organisation that has the observer status with UN, EU, Asean, CIS and OIC. All except
China are the members of EEC as well. It is the only regional bloc that is thinking of replacing the
current banking system with its own model. In west SCO is considered thoroughly as a defence
organisation that is meant to curtail Nato and US influence in the conflict regions. Currently, India,
Iran and Pakistan are having the observer status in SCO. Russia and China have shown strong liking
for the full membership of India. If this happens then Pakistan will find it more difficult to establish
itself at the diplomatic and international front and protect its economic and political interests.
In the last summit in June 2012, Russia had extended full support for extending full membership to
Pakistan. This is very important for Pakistan to grab this opportunity and capitalise on it. Similarly,
China has shown signs of positivity towards Pakistan. If Pakistan succeeds in attaining full
membership of SCO it will be a breakthrough not only in economic sphere but in diplomatic and
political arena as well.
In a nutshell, it is important to realise that Pakistan is currently facing a huge challenge of terrorism
within the country as well as at its western border. The only reason Pakistan is known to the world
is because of terrorism and personalities related to it. Pakistan's administration, government and
forces, all are facing tough challenges to save the country from further deterioration. In such
conditions, full membership of SCO can prove to be a very positive way out from economic slum.
For review: sik_khawaja@yahoo.com
Sikander Zishan
UNSUSTAINABLE EXTERNAL DEBT:

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
Pakistan has reached this point of carrying unsustainable and unmanageable
external debt due to massive corruption levels, inefficient allocation of debt
money, poor implementation of foreign-aided projects and financing of the
current account. Consequently, the economy as a whole has become all the more
dependent on large scale foreign long, and short-term borrowings.
In 2010, Pakistan was declared the third largest external debt recipient country in the region, after
Sri Lanka and Nepal. Pakistan's external debt stood at 33% of GDP as compared to India's 15% and
China's 7%. The external debt and liabilities of Pakistan comprise of foreign exchange liabilities of
the State Bank and all foreign currency debt contracted by the public and private sector. About 76%
of the external debt and liabilities is composed of public and publicaly guaranteed debt as Pakistan
has been financing its current account deficit through loans from multilateral and bilateral lenders.
Debt liabilities of the private sector are a minuscule 6% and borrowings from the International
Monetary Fund intended to assist in balance of payment are 13% of the entire external debt and
liabilities stock. On June 30, 2012, the total external debt of Pakistan as shown by the State Bank
was US $ 65.5 billion.
Domestic and external debts are treated separately. Domestic debt has to be considered as a charge
on the budget and has to be serviced through government revenues or additional debt. External debt,
on the other hand, in addition to revenues, is also a charge on the balance of payment and is
serviced from foreign exchange earnings, reserve drawdown and additional borrowings. Inadequate
debt management and a permanent growth of debt to GDP ratio may result in some negative
consequences and changes in macroeconomic indicators, like crowding out of investment, financial
system instability, inflationary pressures, exchange rate fluctuations, etc.
Debt servicing and external debt have been regarded as one of the major problems of Pakistan's
struggling economy. Governments of developing countries like Pakistan need to borrow in order to
facilitate the development process and enhance their overall economic growth. The borrowed funds,
if not allocated properly, create a host of problems for an economy as in case of Pakistan. Proper
debt management has been regarded as useful for growth of a country however, dependence on debt
has to be monitored closely. Due diligence has to be exercised for devising a strategy for making the
optimum use of the debt money as well as enhancing the repayment capability of the country.
Unsustainable levels of debt, over the years, have created serious problems for Pakistan as the
country has to service this huge debt which consequently has shrunk the developmental
expenditures. Pakistan has been trapped into a vicious circle where it has become impossible for her
to service the foreign debt without taking additional debt.
The external debt component of Pakistan has grown over the past few years largely due to increased
foreign public debt inflows on one hand and depreciation of US dollar against other major
currencies on the other. During 2010-11, total external debt servicing was US $ 4.799 billion. A
payment of US $ 2.348 billion out of this total was paid on account of maturing external debt and
liabilities stock while interest payments were US $ 963 million. An amount of US $ 1.488 billion
was rolled over.
Inadequate debt management and a permanent growth of debt to GDP ratio may result in some
negative consequences and changes in macroeconomic indicators, like crowding out of investment,
financial system instability, inflationary pressures, exchange rate fluctuations, etc.
Since 2007, domestic problems as well as international recession and credit crises have impacted
Pakistan's debt dynamics in an unprecedented way. Higher interest payments, large subsidies,
especially food and energy, growing security spending needs, extremely low tax to GDP ratio and
rising international commodity prices have resulted in large twin account (fiscal and current
account) deficits. Lower FDI and other non-debt creating flows due to energy shortages and
security concerns have contributed towards negative balance of payment and depletion of foreign
exchange reserves.
Policymakers in Pakistan have to seriously consider reforms to strengthen the quality of public debt
management and reduce Pakistan's vulnerability to international financial shocks. Vulnerability is
often greater for countries like Pakistan because their economies are usually less diversified, have a
smaller base of domestic financial savings and less developed financial systems. Each country's
capacity building needs in sovereign debt management are different. The needs are shaped by the
capital market constraints being faced by the country, the exchange rate regime being followed, the
quality of macroeconomic and regulatory policies, the institutional capacity to design and
implement reforms, the country's credit standing and its objectives for public debt management.
Debt managers, fiscal policy advisors and central bankers should share an understanding of the
objectives of debt management, fiscal and monetary policies given the interdependencies between
their policy instruments. Debt managers have to convey to fiscal authorities their views on the costs
and risks associated with government financing levels and debt requirements. Debt management,
fiscal and monetary authorities should share information on the government's current and future
liquidity needs.
Pakistan has reached this point of carrying unsustainable and unmanageable external debt due to
massive corruption levels, inefficient allocation of debt money, poor implementation of foreignaided projects and financing of the current account. The country's sovereignty and independent
decision making have also been adversely affected due to influence of the lending countries and the
multi-lateral lending institutions. Continued fiscal deficits have negatively affected various sectors
of Pakistan's economy. Inflationary pressures over the years have mounted and crossed tolerable
limits creating huge problems for the common man.
Consequently, the economy as a whole has become all the more dependent on large scale foreign
long- and short- term borrowings. Prudent fiscal management and reducing corruption have to be
set as the top policy priorities within the policy agenda. For quite some time we have been hearing
about the population dividend in Pakistan. Benefits from this huge population can only accrue if the
government is sincere in properly investing into developing human capital by proper and efficient
investments into the developmental projects. The question, however, remains who will do this when
those at the helm of affairs are considered to be more motivated towards their self interest rather
than national interest.
Additional Director (Programme), Civil Services Academy,
National School of Public Policy, Government of Pakistan
Lahore.
Athar Mansoor
Does Pakistani Society Regard Woman as an

Angel in the House or Source of all Evils?
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person
(Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both
He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand
your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship).
Surely, Allah is Ever and All-Watcher over you." (Al-Nisa 4:1)
"I have always maintained that no nation can ever be worthy of its existence that cannot take its
women along with the men. No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side
with men. There are two powers in the world: one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a
great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the
women."
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Speech at Islamia College for Women
March 25, 1940
Introduction
Woman can be called as God's complete creation. She is the symbol of love, care, tenderness and
intensity. Women are emotionally stronger than men. Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto and Indira
Gandhi have shown that women can rule a country even better than men. However, historically the
women have not been treated nicely by men. They have been denied their rights and opportunities,
one may experience such attitude in offices, factories, schools, sports and entertainment
fields.Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the rights of women and does not discriminate them in
any sphere of life. The status of women in Pakistan varies considerably depending on class, regions,
and the rural/urban divide. The uneven socioeconomic development and the tribal and feudal
customs have strong impact on the formations of women's lives. At one place some women are
soaring in the skies as pilots of fighter planes and others are being buried alive for defying tribal
traditions.
Substance of the essay
The Pakistani women of today enjoy a better status than many other Muslim women. However,
generally, the women's situation vis--vis men is one of systemic gender subordination, although
there have been attempts by the government and the civil society to elevate the status of women in
Pakistani society. It can be safely stated that despite all the constitutional guarantees, religious
values and teachings, human rights, women are much deprived and mal-treated segment of society.
In most of the cases she is considered as the root cause of all evils and very rarely as an angel in the
house. More than 60 years after independence, 80 per cent of Pakistani women are subjected to
domestic violence, while one in three has to endure villainy like rape, honour killing, immolation
and acid attacks.
Our country is ranked 82 out of 93 countries on the Gender Development Index and 152 out of 156
countries on the Gender Empowerment Measure.
In Pakistan the story of a woman's deprivations start even before her birth, because the girl-child is
not a particularly 'wanted' child. Her life is a journey of subordination. When she is young her father
decides for her on the matters ranging from her right to education to all the important matters
including her marriages. After marriage, her husband and her in-laws get hold of her reins and
decide matters on her behalf whether she will have child every year or not, or she will bear and
not girls boys every time she conceives, or whether she can seek independent employment and so
on. Finally, when she becomes old and her husband gets weak or may have departed already, it is
now her son or sons who would decide her fate in the declining years of her life. In addition to that,
women in Pakistan face all kinds of gross violence and abuse at the hands of the male perpetrators,
family members and the state agents. Multiple forms of violence include rape, domestic abuse as
spousal murder, mutilation, burning and disfiguring of faces by acid, beatings, honour-killings and
custodial abuse and torture. According to a report by Amnesty International released on June 15,
2000, several hundred women and girls die each year in so-called 'honour-killings' in Pakistan, in
the backdrop to government's inaction. Sadly enough, she has been deprived of her fundamental
right to acquire education which is the best source of women empowerment. It is only education
that can empower her not only socially but also financially and professionally. It will be because of
education that helps her widen the mental horizon. Thus, this is an undeniable fact that provision of
education to every ordinary woman can considerably change her fate. Undoubtedly, education plays
a role of backbone in the development of woman at every level.
Despite the improvement in Pakistan's literacy rate since its independence, the educational status of
Pakistani women is among the lowest in the world. The literacy rate for urban women is more than
five times the rate for rural women. The school drop-out rate among girls is very high (almost 50
per cent), the educational achievements of female students are higher as compared with male
students at different levels of education. This is the story of few years ago but now the education in
Pakistan for women is improving rapidly. In the Lahore city there are total 46 public colleges out of
which 26 are female colleges and if we talk about the rest of 20 colleges some of them are offering
co-education. Similarly, the public universities of Pakistan have female enrolment more than of
boys.
The state of rural women as compared to urban ones needs urgent attention. The rural women are
undergoing worst ordeal at the hands of feudal lards. They have been kept vastly ignorant of their
fundamental rights such as education, health, participation in politics, professional and financial
liberty. They being illiterate and uneducated cannot fight for their basic rights. This gruesome state
of women is just because of the lack of education.
The woman has no say in any domestic affairs of life. She has been the target of male dominance. It
is only male, who is to wield power in both domestic and private affairs of life, whether it is the
choice of marriage, casting of votes or any other financial and professional matters.
There is another social evil in society which is feudal attitude. It wipes out the entire factors which
help woman to be empowered. It has really become a stumbling-block in women empowerment.
This social evil urgently needs to be eradicated so that the chances of woman empowerment may
become possible in the near future.
Truly speaking, the poor state of women can only be improved by promoting education ranging
from primary to higher level and opening up the doors of opportunity for jobs in different
departments, so that, they can become socially, economically, politically and professionally strong
entity of the society.
Conclusion
To conclude there are plenty of ideas about what is needed legally and administratively to make a
real difference, but none of those will have the desired impact unless our vision is tolerant, modern,
liberal and progressive. But this is only possible when the women in Pakistan have the skills and the
necessary expertise to use it. This needs to be started from the grass roots level, as two percent of
the country's elite using this technology would not make much of a difference.
Dogmatic obscurantism and patriarchal values have twisted and distorted our sense of societal
values, particularly with respect to women and their place in society. Unless enlightened approach is
adopted by the society, the innate prejudice against women that is so widespread in Pakistan and
which our society as a whole seems to blindly pedal, or wilfully prefer, will continue to play havoc
with the lives of women. Finally, the state of women can only be improved on the basis of
promotion of education, greater participation in politics and widespread awareness about social,
economic and political issues. Professional and financial liberty can further improve the state of
women. Reduction of poverty and feudalism can successfully improve the state of women in
Pakistan. Positive role of religious scholars and media can hopefully ameliorate the miserable state
of women. Last but not the least, the role of strong and cogent institutions can definitely heighten
the status of women of Pakistan.
For I cannot think that GOD Almighty ever made them [women] so delicate, so glorious creatures;
and furnished them with such charms, so agreeable and so delightful to mankind; with souls capable
of the same accomplishments with men: and all, to be only Stewards of our Houses, Cooks, and
Slaves.
DANIEL DEFOE, the Education of Women
Dr Quratul Ain Malik (CSP)
I like every aspect of Foreign Service and am

grateful and privileged to be a part of it
Alaa Mazhar Bokhari (FSP) 26th in CSS-2010
Kindly give your brief introduction for the interest of our readers.
Alla Mazhar Bokhari: I was born in Riyadh. My early days were spent in Riyadh, California and
Lahore. My personality is the product of three very distinct and opposing cultures. I was lucky
enough to live and get early education in those different countries; the collective cultural impact
influenced my personality makeup. While I firmly believe in religious values and family traditions,
I am proud to be more liberal and progressive than many average Pakistanis women. The interaction
with people of various ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds has helped me see the 'other side
of the picture' instead of analysing through my own subjective and stereotypical vision.
Through the course of finding my final destination, I chose different educational fields. I did my
F.Sc (pre medical), I became a computer graphic designer and then a software engineer. Then, I did
my bachelors in English Literature and finally a Masters in Diplomacy and Strategic Studies. The
decision to do master in that subject was deliberate as the field would help me in Foreign Service.
The list of achievements is long but, clearing CSS 2010 and getting 26th position in overall merit
(16th in Punjab and overall 2nd position among females) and joining the Foreign Service of
Pakistan on merit over shadows any other achievement.
Now coming to exam point of view, did you prefer books or notes? What should be prepared
and how?
AMB: I personally like to read books. I don't like relying on notes in the beginning. I believe once a
person covers the course himself, he may consult notes for a quick revision. As a matter of fact, the
depth of knowledge one may attain from a book is definitely absent in the notes.
What are the steps for the preparation of English essay and the composition paper?
AMB: There is no specific method for attempting these two papers in my knowledge. It's in fact
quite tricky. I know some candidates who are incapable of speaking and writing merely one or two
grammatically correct sentences and yet they have scored high in these subjects. My strategy for the
composition paper was quite simple. I focused on the grammar section as getting them right
guarantees full marks. Since, I had memorised Word Smart I and II and others for my GMAT and
GRE tests, synonyms and antonyms, etc. it was not a problem.
What sort of combination students should opt for the optional subjects?
AMB: This is the first question every CSS candidate would ask. When choosing the subjects
myself, I chose the ones I had interest in. Because I looked at my subjects from the interview point
of view and thought that I would be questioned extensively from these subjects, therefore, I had to
go beyond just books. I chose the subjects that would complement each other. For example,
Political Science and Constitutional Law are complementary and hence I opted for the both. Then
International Relations with Current Affairs was good combination and so on and so forth.
What are the ways to get higher marks in interview? Please let our readers know about the
marks you scored in your written exam and the interview.
AMB: As far as the interview is concerned, I believe important facts and figures, especially
economic figures related to Pakistan, should be on your fingertips. In my opinion, the interview
might not be as much a test of your knowledge as it is a test of your nerves. The statistics
substantiate your answers and give you an extra edge. Daily newspapers, including the business and
economic sections were a must for me. I made sure I knew every possible angle of the subject.
My subject and interview marks are as follow:
As far as the interview is concerned, I believe important facts and figures, especially economic
figures related to Pakistan, should be on your finger tips.
How much time is required for the CSS preparation?
AMB: My approach for the preparation of CSS exam was not like sitting down for hours for
cramming sessions. I gave myself two days to each subject and then moved on to the next, making
sure I didn't get bored and fed up. A person may take three to12 months for the preparation of CSS,
but, what you study in the last three months stays stored in your mind. The interview is entirely a
different test comparing with the written portion. I find it more extensive and relatively difficult as
one has to come up with concrete answers on the spot. Extensive newspaper reading and paying
attention to the world around you is the approach I recommend.
Do you believe in 'Luck Factor' in CSS as a number of average students get allocation while
the talented students are unable to get through?
AMB: Well, I can quote my own example. In my first attempt I scored merely 43 in English
composition while in the next I scored 83. Similarly in the previous year I scored 77 in US history
whereas in this year I scored 57. There was no change in strategy or knowledge. This unexplained
phenomenon is perhaps termed as luck factor but even though I consider myself lucky, I would call
it destiny.
What is so special in Foreign Service of Pakistan that you opted for this group?
AMB: Foreign Service is not a group, it's not even a service it's a lifestyle and for me it is life.
Travelling around the world, hopping from one subject of interest to another, I had to do a lot of
soul searching in my college days. I wanted to know what I wanted from life, what I wanted my life
to be like, and I was constantly reminded of the different people I had met throughout my existence
and how that diversity had enriched me. I realised that my passion was travelling, learning about
other cultures, interacting with people of various races and helping those who need it most. After
studying the intricacies of diplomacy for two years and after learning about the services provided by
this occupational group, I knew for a fact that this is the life for me. From painstaking book keeping
and paperwork to meeting influential leaders throughout the world to helping our Pakistani brethren
living abroad; I like every aspect of Foreign Service and am grateful and privileged to be a part of
it.
Any Message
CSS exam can be taken as any other examination but it is more than a test of knowledge its a
test of nerves, composure and perseverance. Even post exam, the training life is all about how much
stress you can handle.
Box:
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius, Favourite Personalities: Holy Prophet (PBUH), My mother and Quaid-eAzam , Faovourite Book: Indian Summer by Mayank Austen Soofi
Waqas Iqbal
Mary Jane
I am here to remember you, you are not alone. Souls are immortal, you came to
this land, which is mine, I could only bring this green branch to place over your
grave, you belong to this land, you belong to us. Merry Christmas, Mary Jane.
On joining government service I had undertaken that I would be required to serve anywhere inside
or outside Pakistan, I recalled on learning when I was transferred to Balochistan.
I was flying back from Multan, Khadija worked in World Bank, I am transferred to Balochistan, I
told her, Remember! when you land in Quetta, Mount Murdar will scare you, but after few days
you will start romancing with these mountains.
I guess she was right. I was fascinated by the beauty of Quetta valley and its surroundings. Bolan is
beautiful. British did great work by bringing rail to the area. Gigantic task achieved tunnels and rail
infrastructure made in Victorian style. Summit along "Kolpur" is impressive. Kolpur and Muslim
Bagh, are railway stations, one of them was believed to be railway station on highest altitude (fact
needs to be verified.) Dozan is beautiful railway station before Kolpur. Radha Mal Sri Chand is
small grocery store at Kolpur. Sri Chand and his younger brother Sanjay are very friendly. On Eid
day, I had no friend but Munir Badini to see and was soon on road; except Sri Chand and Sanjay no
one was there to give me company. We enjoyed `Pakorqs' on Eid Qurban, Sanjay brought cold
water from Kolpur Railway Station. Water had tinge of iron tank in which it was stored.
Sri Chand said village would not be complete without Muslims and Hindus.
Mary Jane tunnel is next to Dozan Railway Station. It looks like replica of English countryside
railway station. Next to huge rocks meandering railway track double, one track was structure for
runway trains.
Platform was survived by steel bench and rockbowl with device to measure rainfall. Quarters were
ready to collapse, half dead vine climber moaning ignorance of time.
Windy corner is aptly named tunnel. Wind passes with force through this entrance in Bolan Pass all
the year round.
Why tunnel is named "Mary Jane" I was inquisitive, no information was available. I could only
learn through chronicle record by one English deputy commissioner that two men, one was Rich ard
Steele crossed over to Kwas From Dera Ghazi Khan in 7th century stayed in inn and were
overcharged tax. When railway line was being made with the help of local workers it appeared to be
a non starter. Two Balochs sitting over rock laughed at the idea, one half carved little tunnels is still
overlooking nearby road. Mary Jane was young lady who came from Britain to meet English
engineer of railway project, may be her fiance. She died accidentally due to blasting or snake or
insect bite. People talked different things.
On Christmas day, I was determined to locate her grave, visit to local cemetery, had earlier revealed
she was not there among her community. Someone remarked Mary Jane was laid to rest over the
tunnel.
I took green branch and drove to Dozan station.
Why 'Sab' comes here, a levy man asked my driver. He did not object to my climbing of the
tunnel. I thought when this tunnel was being made British were also approaching Kandhar from
Kabul, marching under General Frederick Sleigh Roberts. They marched on foot. My grandfather
was part of that expedition. His heroism won him Kandhar Star. If my grandfather could march
from Kabul to Kandhar, why I could not climb these mountains. I did succeed in climbing but could
not see grave of Mary Jane. Mission was yet to be accomplished. Green branch was in my hand to
be laid on Marry Jane's tomb on Christmas morning. My prayer was solitary.
Mary on this day when Jesus was born your family must be celebrating Christmas in England.
Somewhere few generations down the line. I wonder someone would be remembering you. You
came here, you were young in days and dreams.
Mary on this day when Jesus was born your family must be celebrating Christmas in England.
Somewhere few generations down the line. I wonder someone would be remembering you. You
came here, you were young in days and dreams.
Yet your cherished days had to come but death..
I am here to remember you, you are not alone. Souls are immortal, you came to this land, which is
mine, I could only bring this green branch to place over your grave, you belong to this land, you
belong to us. Merry Christmas, Mary Jane.
Dal Badin is on Taftan RCD Highway, where Queen Noor Jehan was born at `Yak Mach'. Rukmani
Devi was young when she lost her husband, her son was her hope, it was on festivity when he was
wearing new clothes, taking sweets, enjoying when he decided to go for a ride with his friend on
motorbike and was hit by speeding vehicle. He was no more.
Second shock for Rukinani Devi was in waiting, she fell prey to blood cancer. Nature has her own
ways. 'Puja' was arranged for her recovery and "Prashad" was to be distributed, when someone
realised papers on which it was being distributed perhaps had some sacred inscriptions. Next
morning mob attacked the locality.
Rukmani Devis deadly disease was too strong to be cured. She breathed her last. She is survived by
a daughter, I pray for her life.
Nazima Talib was young educationist imparting education in Quetta, Assistant Professor, mid way
professional, life had lot to offer to her, her young son, family, but what happened to her, she just
drove one morning on rickshaw but was gunned down.
I have only heavy heart and tears for honourable, Mary, Rukmani and Nazima. I don't know why
these tragedies occurred to innocent ladies and why I am being reminded.
I weep for Adonais, Adonais is dead.
Writer was Commissioner Makran and Quetta Divisions. Secretary Agriculture, Food,
Cooperatives, Fisheries, Mines and Minerals, Balochistan, he can be contacted: raja ahsan 47
@yahoo.com
Ahsan Raja
This Month in History DECEMBER

December 1, 1988
Benazir Bhutto was nominated to become prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to govern a
Muslim nation.
December 1, 1994 - The head of the U.N. Commission on Rwanda estimated 500,000 deaths had
resulted from genocide.
December 2, 1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France by Pope Pius VII in
Paris.
December 2, 1805 - Napoleon defeated Russia and Austria in the Battle of Austerlitz.
December 2, 1942 - Physicists led by Enrico Fermi carried out the world's first successful nuclear
chain reaction at the University of Chicago.
December 2, 1979 - Electors in Iran voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new constitution granting
absolute power to Ayatollah Khomeini.
December 2, 1982 - The first permanent artificial heart was implanted in 61-year-old Barney C.
Clark by Dr. William De Vries at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Clark,
who was near death at the time of the operation, survived 112 days after the implantation.
December 3, 1962 - Edith Sampson was sworn in as the first African American female judge, after
she was elected associate judge of the Municipal Court in Chicago.
December 3, 1967 - The first successful heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard
at Cape Town, South African, on Louis Washkansky, who lived for 18 days.
December 3, 1984 - A deadly gas leak (of methyl isocyanate) at a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal,
India, killed at least 3,000 persons and injured more than 200,000.
December 4, 1991 - The last American hostage held in Lebanon was released. Journalist Terry
Anderson of the Associated Press had been kidnapped on March 16, 1985 and held for 2,454 days
by Islamic Jihad (Holy War) captors. He was one of 15 Americans held hostage for periods ranging
from two months to more than six years.

December 5, 1492 - Haiti was discovered by Christopher Columbus.
December 5, 1955 - In Alabama, the Montgomery bus boycott began in response to the arrest of
Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man. Organized by the
African American community, the boycott lasted until December 20, 1956, when a U.S. Supreme
Court ruling integrated the public transportation system.
December 6, 1492 - The island of Hispaniola was discovered by Christopher Columbus. Today the
island is divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
December 6, 1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery.
December 6, 1971 - The Democratic Republic of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan, was
recognized by India. Pakistan then broke off diplomatic relations with India.
December 7, 1941 - The U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by nearly 200
Japanese aircraft in a raid that lasted just over one hour and left nearly 3,000 Americans dead.
December 8, 1941 - A day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States and Britain
declared war on Japan.
December 8, 1991 - The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) ceased to exist, as the leaders
of Russia, Byelorussia and the Ukraine signed an agreement creating the Commonwealth of
Independent States. The remaining republics of the former USSR, with the exception of Georgia,
joined the new Commonwealth.
December 9, 1608 - British poet John Milton was born in London.
December 9, 1990 - Lech Walesa won a landslide victory in the Polish presidential election.
December 10, 1896 - Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel died at San Remo, Italy. His will stipulated
that income from his $9 million estate be used for awards recognizing persons who have made
valuable contributions to humanity.
December 10, 1948 - The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
December 10, 1950 - Dr. Ralph Bunche became the first African American man awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize, for his efforts in mediation between Israel and nearby Arab states the previous year.
December 11, 1901 - The first transatlantic radio signal was transmitted by Guglielmo Marconi
from Cornwall, England, to St. John's, Newfoundland.
December 12, 1998 - The House Judiciary Committee approved a fourth and final article of
impeachment against President Bill Clinton, charging him with making false statements in his
answers to written questions from Congress.
December 13, 1937 - The beginning of one of the worst atrocities of World War II as the Chinese
city of Nanking (Nanjing) was captured by the Japanese. Over the next six weeks, the Rape of
Nanking occurred in which Japanese soldiers randomly attacked, raped and indiscriminately killed
an estimated 200,000 Chinese persons.
December 14, 1918 - British women voted for the first time in a general election and were allowed
to run for office.
December 14, 1939 - The League of Nations expelled Soviet Russia for its aggression against
Finland.
December 14, 1995 - A Bosnian peace treaty was signed in Paris by leaders from the former
Yugoslavia. The treaty ended Europe's worst conflict since World War II.
December 15, 1840 - Napoleon was buried in Les Invalides in Paris. He had died in exile on the
island of Saint Helena after his fall from power.
December 15, 1989 - The dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet ended in Chile. Pinochet had
come to power in 1973 after a military overthrow of the democratically elected government.
December 15, 1993 - The GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) Treaty was approved by
delegations from 117 countries. The treaty was designed to reduce international tariffs, eliminate
trade quotas, and protect intellectual property.
December 15, 1995 - European Union leaders announced their new currency would be known as
the Euro.
December 16, 1969 - The British House of Commons voted 343-185 to abolish the death penalty in
England.
December 16, 1991 - The United Nations voted to revoke Resolution 3379, originally approved on
November 10, 1975, which had equated Zionism (a movement supporting the Jewish national state
of Israel) with racism.
December 17, 1971 - The war between India and Pakistan over East Pakistan (later Bangladesh)
ended as 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered.
December 18, 1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery.
December 18, 1956 - Japan was admitted to the United Nations.
December 19, 1732 - Benjamin Franklin first published Poor Richard's Almanac containing
weather predictions, humor, proverbs and epigrams, eventually selling nearly 10,000 copies per
year.
December 19, 1946 - War broke out in French Indochina as Ho Chi Minh attacked the French
seeking to oust them from Vietnam.
December 19, 1998 - The House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton, approving
two out of four Articles of Impeachment, charging Clinton with lying under oath to a federal grand
jury and obstructing justice.
December 20, 1989 - The U.S. invaded Panama attempting to capture Manuel Noriega on charges
of narcotics trafficking. Operation Just Cause occurred seven months after Noriega had declared
unfavorable election results in his country to be null and void.
December 21, 1846 - Anesthesia was used for the first time in Britain during an operation at
University College Hospital in London performed by Robert Liston who amputated the leg of a
servant.
December 21, 1972 - East and West Germany established diplomatic ties, ending nearly two
decades of Cold War hostility and paving the way for international recognition of East Germany.
December 21, 1988 - Pan American Flight 103 exploded in midair as the result of a terrorist bomb
and crashed into Lockerbie, Scotland. All 259 passengers and crew members along with 11 persons
on the ground were killed.
December 22, 1783 - Following a triumphant journey from New York to Annapolis, Maryland,
George Washington, victorious Commander-in-Chief of the American Revolutionary Army,
appeared before Congress and voluntarily resigned his commission.
December 23, 1805 - Mormon prophet Joseph Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont. He founded the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
December 23, 1888 - Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear during a fit of depression.
December 23, 1901 - Japanese Emperor Hirohito was born in Tokyo. He was Japan's wartime
Emperor and was allowed to remain in his position after the war.
December 23, 1947 - The transistor was invented at Bell Laboratories by John Bardeen, Walter
Brattain and William Shockley, who shared the Nobel Prize for their invention which sparked a
worldwide revolution in electronics.
December 24, 1814 - The Treaty of Ghent between America and Britain was signed, officially
ending the War of 1812.
December 25, 1642 - Isaac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. He was a
mathematician, scientist and author, best known for his work Philosophiae Naturalis Principia
Mathematica on the theory of gravitation. He died in London and was the first scientist to be
honored with burial in Westminster Abbey.
December 25, 1876 - The founder of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed
Ali Jinnah was born in Karachi.
December 25, 1926 - Hirohito became Emperor of Japan.

December 25, 1989 - In Romania, a television broadcast of a Christmas symphony was interrupted
with the announcement that Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife had been executed following a popular
uprising. A pro-democracy coalition then took control. Ceausescu, a hard-line Communist, had been
ousted from power after ordering his black-shirted state police to suppress a disturbance in the town
of Timisorara, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 4,500 persons.
December 26, 1893 - Mao Tse-Tung was born in Hunan Province, China. He was a Chinese
librarian, teacher, communist revolutionist, considered the "founding father" of the People's
Republic of China.
December 26, 2004 - An estimated 230,000 persons were killed and 1.5 million left homeless when
a magnitude 9.3 earthquake on the seafloor of the Indian Ocean set off a series of giant tsunami
waves that smashed into the shorelines of a dozen countries including Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, India and Somalia.

December 27, 1927 - Josef Stalin consolidated his power in Soviet Russia by expelling rival Leon
Trotsky from the Soviet Communist Party.
December 27, 1822 - French chemist-bacteriologist Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. He
developed the pasteurization process to kill harmful bacteria with heat and found ways of
preventing silkworm disease, anthrax, chicken cholera, and rabies.
December 27, 1945 - The International Monetary Fund was established in Washington, D.C.
December 27, 1996 - A genocide trial began concerning the killing of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis
in Rwanda. In 1994, a bloody civil war had broken out between the two main ethnic groups, the
Hutu and the Tutsi. After the Hutu army seized power it had waged a campaign of "ethnic
cleansing" against the Tutsi population.
December 28, 1947 - Victor Emmanuel III, the last King of Italy, died while in exile in Alexandria,
Egypt. He had become king upon the assassination of his father in 1900. Following World War I, he
named Benito Mussolini to form a cabinet and then failed to prevent Mussolini's Fascists from
seizing power. In 1946, he abdicated and went into exile.
December 29, 1940 - During the Blitz, German aircraft dropped thousands of incendiary bombs on
the center of London, causing the worst fire damage since the great fire of 1666. St. Paul's
Cathedral survived but eight other Wren churches along with the Guildhall and Old Bailey were
badly damaged.
December 30, 1922 - The USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was established through the
confederation of Russia, Byelorussia, Ukraine and the Transcaucasian Federation.
December 31, 1879 - Thomas Edison provided the first public demonstration of his electric
incandescent lamp at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
December 31, 1971 - Austrian Kurt Waldheim became U.N. Secretary-General following the
retirement of U Thant. Waldheim served until 1981 then resumed his career in Austrian politics.
Numan Ahmed
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS
CSS Psychological examination is considered the toughest of its kind. This
examination comprises multiple tests and activities which expand to two days.
The primary objective of psychological assessment is to estimate the abilities and personality traits
of the candidates in order to gauge their aptitude for the Civil Services of Pakistan.
Performance of candidates in this examination not only influences their aggregate score in
interview, it also determines the final allocation of candidates in various occupational
groups/services. Therefore, thorough preparation is a must for this exam.
The first day of the psychological assessment involves written psychological tests covering a wide
range of various aspects of the personality of the candidate. The tests conducted during the first day
of psychological assessment, primarily aim at collecting information about the interests, opinions,
personal preferences, personality moulds and personal information about the family life of the
candidates.
The second day activities are somewhat different from those of the first day. The second day
activities include two group discussions, one in Urdu and one in English, on general topics,
command tasks and an interview by a panel of psychologists. The primary focus of the second day
is the attitude and response of the candidate while functioning and interacting with the group of
people.
The group discussions are meant for ascertaining the communication skills of the candidates, their
opinions about the society at large and issues relating the domestic and international scenario and
their mannerism while behaving in a group and discussing their views and opinions.
Apart from the group discussions, the candidate would be supposed to perform command task
functioning in a group. During this activity, each candidate would be required to play the leading
role when demonstrating his problem, while subordinate/coordinate role while participating in other
candidates' demonstrations.
The part played by the candidates, in the command tasks, is aimed at checking whether they possess
the potential and qualities that are required in the members of the Civil Services of Pakistan.
After completing the group activities, each candidate is supposed to confront a panel of
psychologists for a brief interview to provide any additional information that may be required by
the panel to form an assessment of the candidate's personality.
Psychological Tests
The first day is a long and hectic day for the candidates as it is characterised by different
psychological, personality and aptitude tests in rapid succession. It is, therefore, advised that the
candidates must be mentally prepared for this. A sound sleep on the night before exam is essential
in this regard. Moreover, the candidates should have a good breakfast so that they may cope with
the stress of the exam. They should bring with them a couple of chocolates and drinks to keep them
energised. This day doesn't require a formal suiting but too casual clothing should be avoided.
Depending on the season, a candidate may put on formal clothes.
Documents Verification
The day starts early as the candidates are required to be there at 7:45am. The day commences with
the candidates submitting their documents to the FPSC officials for verification. Therefore,
candidates would bring their original documents along with them.
Pro forma
After getting seated, they would be handed over their pro forma containing information about their
educational and vocational records. The candidates would be required to fill in any missing
information and correct any wrong entries in that pro forma. Such wrong or missing data may
include the dates of their result declaration as well. So, candidates are advised to write on page all
such information as their marks in exams, their university registration numbers, dates of joining and
leaving any job, etc.
Aptitude Tests Numerical Reasoning Tests

Then, a series of tests will start. These tests may include sequence questions. In such questions, a
few numbers or figures are given in a particular sequence and the last one or two slots are blank.
The candidates are required to crack that sequence and predict the missing numbers or figures.
For instance:
1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?
The sequence in this question is of addition of numbers in an ascending order. Adding 2 to the first
number gives the second number. Similarly, adding 3, 4, and 5 to second, third and fourth numbers
give us third, fourth and fifth numbers, respectively. So, to predict/know the missing sixth number,
we will add 6 to the fifth number and the answer would be 21.
The candidates should practise such tests as much as possible so that they may complete the test in
time.
Logical Reasoning
The next test would comprise reasoning-based analytical questions. In such questions, a complex
situation is described followed by one or more questions with multiple answers. For example, Three
persons A, B and C had a meal together. Mr. A ate curry, rice and sweet dish. Mr. B only had curry
and sweet dish, whereas Mr. C didn't have sweet dish. A day later, Mr. A and Mr. B developed food
poisoning.
Q.1 Infectious material was in curry

Certainly Yes
Maybe Yes/Maybe No
Certainly No
Q.2 Infectious material was in sweet dish
Certainly Yes
Maybe Yes/Maybe No
Certainly No
Q.3 Infectious material was not in rice
Certainly Yes
May be Yes/May be No
Certainly No
Q.4 Neither rice nor sweet dish had poison
Certainly Yes
Maybe Yes/Maybe No
Certainly No
Q.5 Infectious material was either in curry or in sweet dish
Certainly Yes
May be Yes/May be No
Certainly No
The candidates have to answer all questions choosing one of the three options. Thirty such
questions from 6 problems will have to be answered in 15 minutes.
Numerical Computation Tests Mathematical Questions
The next type of questions is mathematical. For instance,
Q. 6 per cent of what number would be 3?
Q. Subtracting 3 from the aggregate of which consecutive numbers would give 22?
Verbal Reasoning Vocabulary Questions
Another type of questions includes vocabulary similar to that asked in prcis and composition
paper. These words are usually fairly common and everyone, who has qualified CSS written, can
answer 70-80% of them.
Abstract Reasoning
Next are few tests of abstract reasoning which measure your general intelligence. Such tests check
your ability to perceive relationships between things requiring you to find out any patterns,
associations or dissociations using diagrams, symbols or shapes instead of words or numbers. Thus,
these tests are different as they do not require any knowledge of language or mathematics.
Because of their ability to present your intelligence quotient independent of any language or
numeric skills, these tests are considered to be a more accurate analysis of your intelligence.
1. Which figure completes the series?
A B C D
Personality Assessment Tests
The next test includes personality-based questions. There are three types of questions comprising
these tests. First one includes word association tests such as:
Word Association Test (WAT)
This part of the psychological testing attempts to gauge the psychological make-up of the candidate
on the basis of the responses of each candidate to words in everyday usage. As soon as a word is
given a candidate is expected to formulate a sentence immediately. Only about 15 seconds are
allowed to formulate each sentence and there are 60 words to be processed.
Situation Reaction Tests Sentence Completion
Second set of questions includes Situation Reaction Tests. In these tests, candidates are required to
respond to everyday life situation. Key to such tests is the short time given for reaction. There is an
average 20 seconds time to react to a question and writing a response. Examples include:
1. A friend in need _________
2. Truth never _________
3. Unlike my brother _________.
4. I failed because _________.
Answers to such questions usually reflect a candidate's past experiences. It is advised for the
psychological exam that the candidates should behave as they usually do and just be themselves.
But, given the acute crisis state of our country, everyone has developed some aggressive traits in
one's personality. Such traits may reflect in their answers. So, candidates are advised to think in a
broader way while answering these questions and try writing some positive and healthy things apart
from accidents, blasts and murders which we normally listen or read from our sources of
information. Thirty such questions will have to be answered in 8 minutes.
Personality Trait Questions
Third set of questions is personality trait questions. 240 statements to be answered with Strongly
Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neutral (N), Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD) in 30 minutes. The
candidates would be constantly instructed by the staff to hurry up. However, they would give
candidates extra time to make sure that all questions are answered. These questions test various
personality traits. For example,
1. Do you like mixing with people?
2. Are you rather lively?
3. Would you call yourself happy-go-lucky?
4. Do you often feel fed-up?
5.
Do you find it hard to fall asleep at bed time?
Next would be a half an hour break. Candidates may freshen themselves up in this time.
Personality Questions
After break, the candidates would be handed over a paper containing 25-30 questions about their
personality. They would answer these questions in 20 minutes. A list of these questions is given
below.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
Q.
What do you do in your free time?

Responsibilities that you are sharing at home these days.
Injustices you have suffered in your life.
Unpleasant decision that you took in your lifer.
Mention any instance when you took a stand over any of your decisions.
Any differences that you currently have or had with your parents.
Any independent decision that you took in your life.
What, in your view, are the satisfactory things of childhood?
Any disadvantages of childhood.
When should parents be strict with their children?
When should parents be liberal with their children?
Q.
What are the effects of modern facilities on youth?
Q.
Your merits as your friends point out.
Q.
Merits of your parents.
Q.
Demerits of your parents.
Q.
Facilities that you want to avail in next five years.
Q.
Suggestions for CSS selection process.
Q.
What people do to impress others?
Q.
Mention two favourite personalities (living) and reasons for liking them.
Q.
Mention two books that you recently read and liked.
Q.
Two short-term policies of the present government that you would support.
Q.
Two long-term policies of the present government that you would support.
Q.
Two significant international events of last year.
Q.
Two significant national events of last year.
Q.
Two persons who damaged the world the most in last 50 years.
Performance of candidates in this examination not only influences their aggregate score in
interview, it also determines the final allocation of candidates in various occupational
groups/services. Therefore, thorough preparation is a must for this exam.
The answers given by the candidates would be further explored and questioned when candidates
appear for interview to psychologists as well as the panel. Therefore, the candidates are advised to
prepare well for these questions, especially the favourite books and personalities. A sample of likely
questions is given below.
Favourite Personality Questions
Q. Why is he/she your favourite personality?
Q. What lessons you learn from his/her life?
Q. What inspirations you get from his personality?
Q. His/her greatest achievements.
Q. His/her flaws.
Q. How do you see his/her life?
Favourite Book Questions
Q. What the book is about?
Q. What are the themes of the novel? (Literature)
Q. What is the relationship between the title and the plot?
Q. Why this book has appealed you?
Q. What lessons you learn from this book?
Q. Tell something about the author of this book.
Q. Mention other books written by the same author.
Q. What impact this book will have on readers?
Story Writing Thematic Appreciation Test
The next test is story-writing from pictures given in a booklet. These pictures are usually very dark
and vague and can be interpreted in multiple ways. The story, that we make, reflects our views and
our past experiences of life. Candidates are advised to avoid mentioning violent scenes and arms
that might be visible in the picture and instead focusing on positive things in that scene.
Autobiography
The last activity of Day 1 Psychological Tests is writing an autobiography in 8 minutes. The
candidates should try practising that frequently as both time and space would be limited. Try
mentioning your positive aspects.
Writing an Autobiography
A short autobiography like the one required in CSS may contain four aspects. You may write them
in separate paragraphs or may combine one or two of these together.
The first paragraph contains your introduction. It usually starts with your name and other basic
information like parentage, place and date of birth. It may also include the city or cities where you
have been living. Profession of parents and any significant aspect of first few years of life may also
be mentioned.
The second paragraph may include any significant event(s) of life that shaped your life. You may
mention any specific incidents where you overcame obstacles in your way. It includes incidents
where you took a significant decision or stand in your life.
The third paragraph contains your resume. You should mention your educational qualifications and
any skills and credentials that make you stand out from other candidates. It may include your
personality traits that make you suitable for this job. Moreover, you should describe how these skills
and traits helped you so far in your professional life.
In the fourth paragraph, conclude your autobiography with your current information. Your current
posting and responsibilities that you share in your organisation should find a place here. You can
also mention your place of living and family if any.
You can mention your goals or any motivating philosophy in last one or two lines that show your
view of life.
Dr Waheed Asghar (CSP)
WORLD IN FOCUS
NATIONAL
11-10-2012
Dawn
UK bans Bilour's entry: Federal Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has been barred by the
British government from travelling to the UK in retaliation for the bounty he offered for the murder
of a US filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
12-10-2012
Dawn
SC says govt has failed in Balochistan: The Supreme Court said the Balochistan government had
constitutionally failed to curb human rights violations, target killings and kidnappings for ransom in
the province.
12-10-2012
Dawn
IIUI finally gets president: President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed an educationist of Saudi
Arabia Prof. Dr. Ahmad Yousaf A. Al-Draiweesh as president of International Islamic University,
Islamabad (IIUI).
16-10-2012
Dawn
Pakistan, Iran vow to jointly pursue major projects: President Asif Ali Zardari called for
speeding up work on joint projects like the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, electricity transmission lines
and rail and road schemes.
During a meeting between President Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on
the sidelines of the 12th ECO summit, the two sides discussed bilateral, regional and international
issues.
16-10-2012
Tribune
Malala to receive Sitara-e-Shujaat: Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced Sitara-e-Shujaat
for Malala Yousafzai, who is currently receiving treatment in the UK after being targeted in an
attack.
17-10-2012
Dawn
Drug authority bill sails through Senate: The government succeeded in getting the Drug
Regulatory Authority (DRA) Bill passed by the Senate unanimously, though its coalition partners
said they were supporting it conditionally.
17-10-2012
Dawn
Wattoo gets PPP command in Punjab: Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, described by many in the
PPP as an 'outsider', has become party's central Punjab president to give a 'tough time' to the Sharifs
in the coming elections.
17-10-2012
The News
Sargana named NAB deputy chairman: President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed Rear Admiral
(retd) Saeed Ahmed Sargana as deputy chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
18-10-2012
Dawn
Five parties revive MMA, leave out Jamaat-i-Islami, JUI-Sami: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal
(MMA), which exists in parliament only in name, will be revived under the same banner but
without two key partners Jamaat-i- Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-1slam (Sami).
18-10-2012
The News
Hilal-i-Imtiaz Military for Brunei navy commander: President Asif Ali Zardari conferred Hilali-Imtiaz-Military upon Commander Royal Brunei Navy, First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji
Abdul Halim bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, during a special investiture ceremony held at the Aiwan-eSadr.
19-10-2012
Dawn
Beg, Durrani face legal action: The PPP finally stands vindicated after a long wait of 16 years.
The Supreme Court ruled that the 1990 general elections had been polluted by dishing out Rs.140
million to a particular group of politicians only to deprive the people of being represented by their
chosen representatives.
19-10-2012
Dawn
Peace prize for Youth: The government has instituted the National Peace Prize for Youth for
honouring the talented youths of the country who show exemplary courage or high degree of talent
by undertaking acts that make a real difference in addressing the issues relating to education and
peace in society.
20-10-2012
The News
Thousands sing anthem, break world record: Thousands of Pakistanis sang the national anthem
in Lahore to break the world record for the most people singing a national anthem simultaneously.
The Guinness World Record officials said 42,813 Pakistanis sang the anthem.
21-10-2012
Dawn
Boy makes it to Guinness: Ahmed Bodla set a new world record for kicking 617 times in three
minutes. Hailing from Peshawar, 19-year-old Bodla kicked a punching bag 617 times and was
observed by the Guinness World Record team which declared him successful.
22-10-2012
Dawn
World's largest flag record set in Lahore: Pakistan made it to the Guinness Book of World
Records with another two records, one for forming the world's largest national flag by youths and
the other a human mosaic of the Lahore Fort at the National Hockey Stadium.
About 24,200 school and college students took almost two and a half hours to complete the
formation of the national flag, breaking the previous record set in Hong Kong in 2007 by 21,726
people.
22-10-2012
Dawn
EC can't act against ISI funds recipients: The Election Commission will not act against the
politicians accused of having received funds from Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency prior to
the 1990 general election.
23-10-2012
Dawn
Dr Asim resigns Senate seat: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources
Dr Asim Hussain resigned as Senator.
24-10-2012
Dawn
Durand Line is border, says US: The Durand Line is the internationally recognised boundary
between Pakistan and Afghanistan, says the US State Department while rejecting the Afghan
government's protest over an earlier US statement on Pakistan-Afghan border.
24-10-2012
Dawn
Asif Malik new PIA chairman: Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yaseen Malik has been
appointed ex-officio chairman of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation and Captain
Muhammad Junaid Yunus Managing Director of the national airline.
29-10-2012
The News
Pakistan backs China's stand on Taiwan, Tibet, Sinkiang: The Senate Standing Committee on
Foreign Affairs expressed resolve to support Chinese stand on Taiwan, Tibet and Sinkiang issues.
Committee also condemned the miscreants for disturbing peaceful conditions in Sinkiang in the
name of Jihad as well as defaming Islam in pursue of Western vested agenda and personal gains.
30-10-2012
Dawn
Pak cricket team to tour India: The Indian government has cleared Pakistan's cricket team to
make a short tour in December for three One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches.
30-10-2012
Dawn
PTCL honoured: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has been honoured with
the prestigious 3rd Global HR Excellence Award 2012 for its outstanding achievements and
organisational performance.
30-10-2012
Dawn
Germany to help build solar energy projects: The Punjab government and German company
AEG signed a memorandum of understanding for coopera tion in solar energy projects.
Solar energy projects of at least 50 to 100 megawatts will be set up in Punjab in 2013 and 300
megawatts in 2014 under the agreement.
30-10-2012
The News
NLA renamed as National Language Promotion Department: The National Language Authority
(NLA) has been renamed as the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD).
The names of senior administrative positions have also been changed and now instead of chairman
and secretary, director general and executive directors will be written and used.
31-10-2012
Dawn
Israrul Haq elected SCBA president: Mian Israrul Haq swept to victory in the election for the
Supreme Court Bar Association and notched up the presidents slot for 2012-13. He defeated
Ahmad Awais of the Hamid Khan-led Professional Group by a comfortable margin of 287 votes.
31-10-2012
Dawn
Cabinet ratifies visa accord with India: Seven weeks after the government signed a new visa
regime with India, the federal cabinet finally ratified the agreement, thus paving the way for its
implementation by the Pakistani side.
01-11-2012
Dawn
Netherlands pledges $2.5m for Balochistan: The Netherlands has announced a contribution of
$2.5 million to support the 'Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Programme' in Balochistan.
The Dutch government and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed an agreement to
this effect.
02-11-2012
The News
'India violated Indus Water Treaty in Nimoo-Bazgo hydropower project': A three-member
committee headed by Syed Raghib Abbas Shah, chairman of the Water and Power Development
Authority (Wapda), has held India responsible for building Nimoo-Bazgo hydropower project in
violation of the Indus Water Treaty and declared Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, former commissioner of
Pakistan Commission of Indus Water as innocent.
02-11-2012
Daily Times
BISP signs accord with DFID to enrol 3m children to schools: The Benazir Income Support
Programme (BISP) and UK Department for International Development (DFID) signed an
agreement on UK's contribution of 300 million in support of the largest social protection
programme in Pakistan.
04-11-2012
Daily Times
Dr Fehmida elected SAARC speakers conference chair: The Council of Speakers approved the
agenda for the 6th SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Conference, elected Dr Fehmida Mirza
as chairperson for the conference and decided the venue for the 7th SAARC Speakers Conference.
The council also decided that the next Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and
Parliamentarians will be held in Maldives in last quarter of year 2013.
05-11-2012
Dawn
Kayani hits back: Riled up over onslaught of jabs against the military, Chief of the Army Staff Gen
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani responded to the critics warning them against undermining the institutions
and behaving as the sole arbiters of the national interest.
05-11-2012
Dawn
CJ renews stance: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry emphasised that missiles and tanks
never guaranteed stability and security of a country nor were considered manifestation of a 'hard
power'.
05-11-2012
Dawn
PPL signs deal with Iraq: Iraq signed a five-year deal with Pakistan Petroleum for the company to
explore a massive tract of land believed to contain gas, the latest step in Baghdad's efforts to boost
energy output.
05-11-2012
Dawn
EU grant for Munda Dam climate impact study: The European Union (EU) has provided 1.2
million euros as grant to conduct climate change impact assessment study in Swat basin for Munda
Dam project, located in Mohmand Agency of the Federally Adminis tered Tribal Areas (FATA).
05-11-2012
Dawn
New agriculture varsity goes operational: Bahauddin Zakariya University Vice Chancellor Dr
Khawaja Alqama inaugurated classes at newly established Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of
Agriculture.
06-11-2012
The News
Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) conferred on UAE COS: The acting president, on the advice of the
prime minister, has approved conferment of Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) upon Lt Gen Hamad
Mohammed Thani Al-Rumaithi, Chief of Staff United Arab Emirates in recognition of his services
for strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.
06-11-2012
Dawn
Australian premier calls for sheep culling probe: Prime Minister Julia Gillard demanded that
Pakistan investigate and explain the killing of 21,000 Australian sheep in Karachi, described as
appalling by officials.
06-11-2012
Dawn
Aafia loses appeal against conviction: A US appeals court has upheld the conviction and 86-year
prison sentence of Aafia Siddiqui for shooting at FBI agents and soldiers after her arrest in
Afghanistan.
07-11-2012
Dawn
Letter sent at last to Swiss authorities: The government has finally dispatched a letter to Swiss
legal authorities in line with the Supreme Court's order in the NRO case, seeking revival of a graft
case which also involves President Asif Ali Zardari.
07-11-2012
Dawn
LNG import agreement signed with Qatar: Pakistan and Qatar agreed to collaborate in energy
and trade and discussed formalities for Pakistan importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
07-11-2012
The News
ADB, OFID sign risk-sharing agreement: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the OPEC
Fund for International Development (OFID) signed a risk distribution agreement to support trade in
emerging Asian countries, including Pakistan under the ADB's trade finance programme (TFP).
08-11-2012
Dawn
Ban imposed on cell phone portability: The government has banned mobile number portability
(MNP), barring cellular phone subscribers from switching over to other networks while retaining
the number issued by the first service provider.
08-11-2012
Dawn
PPSC chief takes oath: Governor Latif Khosa administered oath to new Punjab Public Service
Commission Chairman Safdar Javid Syed.
09-11-2012
Dawn
Primary literacy plan launched for 3m poor children: The government launched a four-year
literacy programme under which more than three million children of poor families, especially girls,
will get free education.
10-11-2012
Dawn
PTAs with Russia, CARs reinitiated: Pakistan has reinitiated a move to get Preferential Trade
Agreements (PTAs) and Unilateral Market Access with the Russian Federation and five Central
Asian Republics (CARs) to benefit from the land route transit facility available under the new
Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA).
10-11-2012
The News
World unites for education on Malala Day: Malala Day was observed throughout the world under
the banner of the United Nations.
International
11-10-2012
China Daily
Mo Yan of China wins Nobel Literature Prize: Mo Yan, one of China's leading writers of the past
half-century, won the Nobel Literature Prize for his writing that mixes folk tales, history and the
contemporary, the Swedish Academy announced.
At 57, he became the first Chinese national to win the prize, and the initial official reaction
indicated it would be held up as a victory for China, in sharp contrast to Beijing's angry response to
the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for dissident Liu Xiaobo. Chinese-born writer, political dissident and
exile Gao Xingian, who received French citizenship in 1997, won the Nobel Literature Prize in
2000 but it was ignored by the Chinese press at the time.
11-10-2012
The Bangkok Post
Third of world's population has Internet: UN agency: More than a third of the world's population
is online while mobile phone uptake increased by more than 600 million in 2011 to around six
billion, a UN agency said.
11-10-2012
Toronto Sun
A diamond bigger than Earth: Forget the diamond as big as the Ritz. This one's bigger than planet
Earth.
Orbiting a star that is visible to the naked eye, astronomers have discovered a planet twice the size
of our own made largely out of diamond. The rocky planet, called '55 Cancrie', orbits a sun-like star
in the constellation of Cancer and is moving so fast that a year there lasts a mere 18 hours.
11-10-2012
San Francisco Chronicle
Afghan war gets new leader: General Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine
Corps and a combat veteran who led a regiment in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, has been nominated by
President Barack Obama as his new commander to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
in Afghanistan.
12-10-2012
The Telegraph
EU wins Nobel Peace Prize: The European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting peace,
democracy and human rights over six decades in an award seen as a morale boost as the bloc
struggles to resolve its economic crisis.
12-10-2012
Top News Today
Netanyahu denies Golan pullout offer for peace with Syria: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's office denied a report that he had offered to quit the occupied Golan Heights in
exchange for peace with Syria in US-mediated negotiations last year.
12-10-2012
News Daily
US picks retired diplomat to be senior envoy in Libya: The administration of President Barack
Obama has recalled a veteran diplomat, Laurence Pope, who retired from the Foreign Service 12
years ago, to serve as the senior US envoy in Libya.
Mr Pope has been appointed as the charg d'affaires and arrived in Tripoli, the Libyan capital. His
appointment came one month after the death of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in an attack on
the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi.
12-10-2012
The New York Times
Rats recruited to hunt for TB in Mozambique: A swarm of trained rats is on its way to
Mozambique to help the country's over-stretched health system detect tuberculosis in patients. The
authorities have enlisted the much-maligned rodents to help sniff out the disease, after
Mozambique's first lady learned of their success in neighbouring Tanzania.
13-10-2012
The Financial Express
Bangladesh 5th most disaster-prone country: Bangladesh is the fifth most natural disaster-prone
country among 173 countries in the world, according to the World Risk Report 2012.
13-10-2012
The New York Times
Painting sale sets record for living artist: Abstraktes Bild (809-4) an abstract painting, by
German artist Gerhard Richter has set a new record for the price paid at auction for the work of a
living artist, after selling for $34.2 million, Sotheby's auction house in London said.
14-10-2012
The Himalayan Times
Nepal's government launches Literate Nepal Campaign: The Nepal government has launched a
'Literate Nepal Campaign' with a view to uprooting illiteracy from Nepal by 2015.
14-10-2012
The Guardian
Austrian daredevil succeeds in space jump: Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner made a recordbreaking leap from the edge of space, landing safely in the New Mexico desert after freefalling
from more than 24 miles above the Earth.
14-10-2012
Khaleej Times
Ali Zeidan elected Libya's PM: Libya's General National Congress elected Ali Zeidan, a longtime opponent of deposed dictator Moammar Qadhafi, as prime minister, the assembly's chief said.
14-10-2012
The Botswana Gazette
Mauritania's president shot by army unit: Mauritania's president was flown to France for surgery
after the Western ally against al-Qaeda was shot by soldiers in what he said was an accident. The
shooting set the coup-prone northwest African country on edge and President Mohamed Ould Abdel
Aziz in a televised message from his hospital bed appealed to Mauritanians to keep calm.
15-10-2012
The Myanmar Times
Myanmar bars OIC from opening its office: Myanmar's president blocked the world Islamic
body, OIC, from opening an office in the country, bowing to rallies against its efforts to help
Muslims in unrest-hit Rakhine state.
15-10-2012
The Global Times Scotland to hold referendum on independence in 2014: Britain's prime
minister and Scotland's first minister signed an agreement to hold a referendum in 2014 on Scottish
independence that could lead to the United Kingdom breaking up after 300 years. Prime Minister
David Cameron and pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond inked the agreement after a
meeting at the Scottish government building St Andrews House in Edinburgh.
15-10-2012
Idaho Press-Tribune
Governing coalition wins vote and will remain in power: Montenegro's governing coalition has
won the most votes in a parliamentary election and is set to stay in power after having held power in
the Balkan country for more than two decades amid economic troubles and allegations of crime and
corruption.
15-10-2012
The Guardian
Two US scholars get Nobel Economics Prize: US scholars Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley won the
Nobel Economics Prize for their work on how to best match supply and demand that has potential
applications in organ donation, education and on the Internet.
16-10-2012
The Brisbane Times
Seven masterpieces stolen in Dutch museum heist: Seven masterpieces, including paintings by
Picasso, Matisse, Monet and Gauguin, were stolen in a pre-dawn heist at Rotterdam's Kunsthal
museum, the biggest such theft in the Netherlands in two decades.
16-10-2012
The Guardian
Planet with four suns discovered: An international team of amateur and professional astronomers
announced the discovery of a planet whose skies are lit up by four suns the first reported case of
such a phenomenon.
17-10-2012
San Francisco Chronicle
400 plants and animals added to 'threatened' list: An island-dwelling cockroach and a tiny snail
were declared extinct while 400 plants and animals were added to a threatened "Red List" as global
environment ministers met in India.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) updated its authoritative study on the
state of biodiversity on Earth, saying 20,219 species were at risk of dying out.
17-10-2012
The Guardian
Mantel makes history with second Booker prize: Hilary Mantel wrote herself into the history
books, becoming the first woman and first Briton to win the coveted Man Booker prize for fiction
twice with Bring Up the Bodies, the sequel to her acclaimed Wolf Hall.
Two men had previously done the double J. M. Coetzee who was born in South Africa and
Australia's Peter Carey.
17-10-2012
The Telegraph
Planet discovered in Earth's backyard: Astronomers have found a new planet, the closest yet
outside our solar system and just an astronomical stone's throw away at four light years, raising the
chances of finding a habitable planet in Earth's neighbourhood.
Researchers say the new planet is too close to its sun to support known forms of life, with a surface
temperature estimated at 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 Fahrenheit). But previous studies suggest
that when one planet is discovered orbiting a sun, there are usually others in the same system.
The new Earth-sized planet, announced in science journal Nature by Stephane Udry and Xavier
Dumusque at the Geneva Observatory, orbits one of the suns in Alpha Centauri, roughly 25 trillion
miles away.
18-10-2012
Sydney Morning Herald
UNSC gets new members: The United Nations General Assembly elected Argentina, Australia,
Luxemburg, Rwanda and South Korea to serve as non-permanent members on the Security Council
for a two-year term beginning on January 1, 2013.
The five will replace Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa, whose terms end on
December 31. Non-permanent members Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, and Togo will
remain on the council till the end of 2013.
18-10-2012
The Independent
Newsweek discontinues print edition, goes digital: Newsweek announced it would end an 80year run as a print magazine, taking the venerable publication all-digital in another sign of the woes
of an industry struggling in the Internet age.
19-10-2012
The Independent
Russia test-fires two ballistic missiles: Russia test-fired two nuclear-capable ballistic missiles as it
continued to hone their effectiveness amid an escalating row with the United States over space
defence and other issues.
The Russian defence ministry and a navy officials said the Topol and R-29R rockets were fired
from an underground bunker and a submerged submarine on opposite sides of the country in the
northwest and Far East.
21-10-2012
The Guardian
Voters in Iceland back new constitution: Residents of Iceland have voted for their constitution to
be rewritten in the wake of the 2008 banking crisis, electing to take greater control of natural
resources such as fish and geothermal energy, results of a referendum showed.
23-10-2012
The China Post
New air force chief is picked in reshuffle of military leaders: China has named a new air force
chief and reshuffled other top military positions before the appointment of new Communist Party
leaders in November.
The state broadcaster CCTV said that the former deputy chief of staff, Ma Xiaotian, had been made
head of the air force. General Ma is well-known as a frequent participant in the Chinese military's
overseas exchanges.
23-10-2012
International Herald Tribune
Philippines and New Zealand sign defence and energy pacts: President Benigno S. Aquino III of
the Philippines met with Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand in Wellington, after which the
two countries signed agreements that would increase the number of defence training exercises,
improve geothermal energy cooperation and begin a new working-holiday exchange programme for
a small number of workers.
25-10-2012
The Daily Star
Bangladesh rebuilds Buddhist temples: Bangladesh has started rebuilding 19 Buddhist temples
vandalised by Muslim mobs in violence triggered by anger over Facebook content that defamed the
holy Quran.
25-10-2012
Tehran Times
All Israeli settlements are illegal, declares UN rapporteur: All Israeli settlements in the West
Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been established in clear violation of international law, said
Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied territories.
25-10-2012
Kyiv Post
Ivanishvili becomes new Georgian prime minister: Georgia's parliament confirmed billionaire
Bidzina Ivanishvili as prime minister after his coalition defeated President Mikheil Saakashvili's
party at polls this month.
26-10-2012
The New York Times
Iranian filmmaker, lawyer win EU's Prize: The European Union's prize for human rights and
freedom of thought was awarded to two Iranians, a lawyer and a filmmaker who have both been cut
off from the outside world for defying the
country's leadership.
29-10-2012
Hindustan Times
India's new FM blends pedigree with erudition: Salman Khurshid, India's new foreign minister,
blends an illustrious pedigree, an impressive Oxford-based educational resume and a formidable
track record as a Congress politician who cut his teeth in the heat and dust of Uttar Pradesh politics.
29-10-2012
The Times of India
Singh overhauls cabinet; Rahul gets no post: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought
seven new faces into his cabinet in the biggest reshuffle since his re-election as he tried to revive his
party's flagging fortunes before polls due in 2014.
29-10-2012
The Washington Post
Monster storm lashes US East Coast: Almost 60 million people braced themselves for any
eventuality as Hurricane Sandy began to lash the densely-populated US East Coast, bringing tidal
waves and gusty winds while incessant rain drenched cities from Boston to Washington.
For the first time since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Wall Street also closed its
doors. Manhattan looked deserted. The government in Washington shut down. Thousands of
schools asked students to stay home.
30-10-2012
Business Recorder
Asian nations agree on $23bn projects: The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation
(CAREC) Programme nations have agreed on a plan to implement more than $23 billion in new
regional transport infrastructure projects, together with energy and trade initiatives, aimed at
creating seamless connectivity and greater prosperity in the region.
The 'Wuhan Action Plan', unveiled at the CAREC ministerial meeting in Wuhan in China prioritised
68 transport projects which will contribute to six major corridors linking the ports in eastern China
with the Caucasus and beyond, and connecting northern Kazakhstan to the trading hubs in Karachi
and Gwadar in Pakistan.
30-10-2012
The Washington Post
NY, New Jersey smothered by storm; 38 dead: The silence after the storm was eerie, as if the
monster that has been pounding the US East Coast for two days, was giving more than 50 million
terrorised residents a respite to count their losses: 38 deaths, 80 homes burned, 7.5 million homes
and shops without electricity and more than $20 billion wasted.
The president declared 'major disaster' in New York, Long Island and New Jersey, offering federal
funding for rescue and rehabilitation.
30-10-2012
The New York Times
Navy commander appointed Venezuelan defence minister: President Hugo Chavez has
appointed the commander of the Venezuelan Navy as his new defence minister, replacing a
confidant whom he has tapped as a candidate in coming regional elections.
31-10-2012
The Global Times
Taliban can run for Afghan president: election chief: The Taliban and other insurgent leaders
could stand as candidates in Afghanistan's next presidential election, to be held in April 2014, the
country's top poll official said.
President Hamid Karzai, who is serving his second term as leader of the war-torn nation, is
constitutionally barred from running in the election and no clear candidate to succeed him has yet
emerged.
31-10-2012
Khaleej Times
Libyan parliament okays new cabinet: Libya's parliament approved the country's new cabinet in
a vote of confidence but some ministers will get a second look.
01-11-2012
The Voice of Russia
Russia puts first sites on new Internet blacklist: Russian put into force a new law on the Internet
that allows the government to block websites with banned content, prompting fears that it will be
used to suppress free speech.
01-11-2012
Gulf Daily News
Fighters angry at cabinet besiege Libya assembly: Nearly 100 Libyan fighters backed by artillery
have circled and occupied the national assembly in protest over the new prime minister's cabinet
lineup.
02-11-2012
The Telegraph
New three-fingered frog discovered in southern Brazil: On a trek across this Atlantic rainforest
reserve in southern Brazil, biologist Michel Garey recalled how on his birthday in 2007 he chanced
upon what turned out to be a new species of tiny, three-fingered frogs.
03-11-2012
Daily Record
World's oldest post office honoured: A plaque has been unveiled at the world's oldest post office
to celebrate 300 years of service. Sanquhar post office in Dumfries and Galloway began as a staging
post for mail carriages in 1712.
Sanquhar is recognised as the world's oldest by both the Universal Postal Union and the Guinness
Book of World Record.
04-11-2012
Africa Review
Tawadros chosen new Coptic pope: Bishop Tawadros was chosen as new Pope of Egypt's Coptic
Christians when a blindfolded altar boy picked his name from a chalice in a ceremony invoking
divine guidance for the beleaguered minority.
05-11-2012
Daily Outlook Afghanistan
UNSC orders global curbs on Haqqani network: The UN Security Council order global
sanctions against the Haqqani militant network which has been blamed for deadly attacks in
Afghanistan.
06-11-2012
World Tribune
Putin sacks defence minister: President Vladimir Putin fired Russia's defence minister Anatoly
Serdyukov over corruption allegations, the latest twist in an unfolding saga of power, money and
suspected adultery at the heart of the Kremlin.
07-11-2012
The Washington Post
Obama gets four more years, but faces hostile House: US President Barack Obama cruised
comfortably to a second term in the White House by winning 303 of the 538 Electoral College
votes, (although main media outlets projected late in the day that he had also won the state of
Florida, with 29 votes, taking his overall tally to 332). However, Obama's popular mandate remains
thin 50 per cent against 48 per cent of his Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Mr Romney won 206 electoral votes against 270 needed to win.
08-11-2012
Then Telegraph
Interpol gets first female president: Interpol elected a French police commissioner Mireille
Balesstrazzi known for her drive against organised crime in Bordeaux and Corsica as its first female
president at its general assembly in Rome.
08-11-2012
The Telegraph
Record number of women elected to US Congress: One of America's most male-dominated clubs
is about to become a little less so, after historic election gains that will see the largest number of
women ever seated in the US Congress. As a result of vote, women beginning with the new
legislative session in January will hold 20 seats in the Senate, about one-fifth of the US
legislative chamber.
08-11-2012
The Verge
Pacific's Tokelau in world's first solar switch: The remote Pacific islands of Tokelau have
become the first territory in the world to generate their electricity entirely from solar energy, in a
project hailed as an environmental milestone.
Before the solar power grid was completed, the New Zealand-administered grouping of three coral
atolls, with a population of just 1,500, relied on diesel generators for electricity.
09-11-2012
The Guardian
Britain to end aid to India in 2015: Britain will stop all aid to India in 2015 and the assistance
budget will be reduced by around pound 200 million ($320m) until then, the international
development minister said.
09-11-2012
Florida Today
CIA chief Petraeus quits for 'personal reasons': David Petraeus, Director of the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), has resigned, citing 'personal reasons' in his resignation letter to
President Barack Obama, the White House said.
10-11-2012
Global Nation
Philippines, Canada ink defence deal: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Filipino
President Benigno Aquino signed a deal to help Manila buy military equipment to defend its
territory.
10-11-2012
Bangkok Post
Thailand, S. Korea agree to $30bn trade package: Thailand and South Korea agreed to more
than double their annual trade to $30 billion over the next five years, the kingdom's Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra said.
SPORTS
11-10-2012
The Times of India
Kumble replaces Lloyd as ICC cricket committee chief: Former Indian captain Anil Kumble was
appointed head of the influential cricket committee which helps to draw up rules on playing
issues of the ICC, replacing West Indian legend Clive Lloyd.
11-10-2012
The News
Nofil, Ahmed clinch U-14 doubles crown in Thailand: Syed Nofil Kaleem (Pakistan) and Ahmed
Mohammed (Bahrain) beat Koki (Japan) and Palm (Thailand) splendidly 6-3, 6-2 to clinch ATF
Under-14 doubles event (second leg) finals at Nothanburi Tennis Centre, Thailand.
11-10-2012
The Moscow Times
Russian President Putin awarded black belt: International Judo Federation (IJF) has awarded
Russian President Vladimir Putin, a black belt in judo, the eighth dan, one of the sport's highest
honours.
11-10-2012
The Independent
Kaltenborn becomes first female F1 principal: Indian-born Monisha Kaltenborn became
Formula One's first female team principal after taking the helm at Sauber from founder Peter Sauber
with immediate effect.
12-10-2012
USA Today
300 weeks at zenith makes Federer feel proud: Swiss legend Roger Federer has consistently
ripped up the record books during his glittering career but his latest landmark 300 weeks at
number one is one of his proudest achievements.
12-10-2012
News Day
West Indies, Zimbabwe first to receive ICC funding: West Indies and Zimbabwe have become
the first full member nations to receive ICC funding totalling $4.5m over a three-year period as part
of its Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme (TAPP) aimed at developing more
competitive teams at the highest level.
12-10-2012
Shanghai Daily
Rose beats Westwood to win World Golf Final: Justin Rose drew on memories of last month's
Ryder Cup singles defeat of Phil Mickelson to also defeat fellow England golfer Lee Westwood by
a stroke and capture the World Golf Final.
14-10-2012
The Telegraph
Djokovic downs Murray in Shanghai thriller: Novak Djokovic avenged his US Open defeat to
beat Andy Murray, saving five match points to seal a stunning victory in the Shanghai Masters final.
14-10-2012
The Globe and Mail
Azarenka wins sixth season title in Linz: World number one Victoria Azarenka claimed her sixth
title this season when she beat German Julia Goerges in straight sets at the Linz WTA tournament.
17-10-2012
Financial Express
Nazmul named new BCB president: Bangladesh has appointed ruling party lawmaker Nazmul
Hasan as the new president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
21-10-2012
Gulf Times
IBF welterweight title goes to Alexander: US southpaw Devon Alexander took the International
Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight crown with a unanimous 12-round decision over compatriot
Randall Bailey.
21-10-2012
The Japan Times
Seto sets new swimming WC record: Japanese teenager Daiya Seto set a new World Cup record in
the 400m Individual Medley final on the opening day of Berlin's short course meet.
22-10-2012
The New York Times
Armstrong stripped of seven Tour titles, banned for life: Lance Armstrong was stripped of his
seven Tour de France titles and banned for life after the International Cycling Union (UCI) ratified
the United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) sanctions against the American.
25-10-2012
The National
Hey first woman to serve on CA board: Banker Jacquie Hey broke more than a century of male
exclusivity when she was unanimously voted onto the board of Cricket Australia (CA).
29-10-2012
The Australian
Sixers maul Lions to win Champions League T20: Michael Lumb struck a belligerent unbeaten
82 as Sydney Sixers overwhelmed Highveld Lions by 10 wickets with 45 balls to spare in the
Champions League Twenty20 final at the Wanderers.
29-10-2012
Dawn
Proteas dethrone Pakistan in HK Sixes final: South Africa beat defending champions Pakistan by
37 runs in the final of the Hong Kong Super Sixes tournament in Hong Kong.
31-10-2012
Dawn
Afghan pugilist wins in country's first pro-boxing bout: A joyous Kabul crowd invaded the ring
to celebrate a local victory in Afghanistan's first professional men's boxing match, after Hamid
Rahimi beat Tanzanian Said Mbelwa in seven rounds.
Afghan fighter Rahimi took the World Boxing Organisation Intercontinental middleweight belt in
the Fight 4 Peace.
31-10-2012
Dawn
Sana's heroics in vain as India women lift Asia Cup: Skipper Sana Mir produced a splendid allround display but her efforts went in vain as India defeated Pakistan by 18 runs in the final to win
the Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup cricket tournament in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.
03-11-2012
Japan Today
Yamanaka retains WBC bantamweight crown: Japan's Shinsuke Yamanaka knocked out Tomas
Rojas of Mexico to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title.
04-11-2012
The Star
Czechs overwhelm Serbs to retain Fed Cup: The Czech Republic won a second straight Fed Cup
after Lucie Safarova gave them an unbeatable 3-1 lead over Serbia by thrashing Jelena Jankovice 61, 6-1.
05-11-2012
Dawn
Pakistan annex Asia Cup Kabaddi title: Pakistan dethroned India after beating them 40-31 in an
exciting final of the 2nd Asia Kabaddi Cup 2012 at the Punjab Stadium in Lahore.
06-11-2012
The Guardian
Federer outclasses Tipsarevic: Roger Federer chalked up yet another record when victory over
Janko Tipsarevic at the ATP World Tour Finals put him top of the list for match wins at the
traditional season-ender.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion cruised to victory over the Serbian world No. 9, taking his haul
of victims in the event to 40, one more than Ivan Lendl.
06-11-2012
Deccan Herald
Tendulkar bestowed with Australian honour: Superstar batsman Sachin Tendulkar became the
first Indian sportsman to be honoured with membership of the Order of Australia.
08-11-2012
China Daily
Hanoi wins race to host 2019 Asian Games: Hanoi won the right to host the 2019 Asian Games,
sparking celebrations among Vietnamese officials who said the decision would unlock millions of
dollars in infrastructure investment.
10-11-2012
The News
Pakistan thrash Nepal to clinch baseball crown: Pakistan claimed the baseball title of the Punjab
International Sports Festival when they trounced Nepal 15-0 in the final encounter.
10-11-2012
Daily Times
Mendis stars in Sri Lanka one-day series win: Jeevan Mendis grabbed three wickets as Sri Lanka
clinched the one-day series against New Zealand with a comfortable seven-wicket win in the fourth
match in Hambantota.
Muhammad Usman Butt
Queries of CSS Aspirants

This section has been started to guide the aspirants of competitive exams.
Experienced mentors will answer all the queries regarding CSS and PMS.
Looking for guidance,send us your Queries and our experts will answer.
1. What is the significance of drawing diagrams and figures in EDS paper?

Most important! EDS is a science paper. In science paper, you have to present your answer with
appropriate figures and diagrams in order to support your answer. Generally, half the marks are
reserved for these diagrams in each question. So you should practice drawing them as much as
possible. In paper, try to draw a neat diagram with proper labelling.
2. Should we attempt Islamiyat paper in English or Urdu in order to get more marks?
It hardly concerns the examiner. You should attempt it in language you are comfortable with. The
idea is to check your knowledge of Islamic concepts and not your language skills. English or Urdu
does not carry marks of itself; it is your effective argumentation and presentation which matters
here. So, forget about the language issue and prepare your paper in language you are comfortable
with.
3. Is it OK to wear Abaya in interview? I've heard they discourage it.
Absolutely wrong perception! Each year so many girls wearing Abaya get passed in CSS
examination and some of them get fairly high scores. Even during Common Training Programme,
one finds many female colleagues wearing Abaya. There is no restriction on any dress. However,
you should be in professional attire avoiding excessive jewellery or fancy dress. Interview is your
chance to present yourself in best possible manner. Spend some time on yourself and ask opinion of
your family members or close friends about your looks. With Abaya or without it, you should look
good.
4. How should I attempt English Essay paper?
English Essay is the most important paper in CSS. More often than not, it is the only paper which
determines your fate in this examination. In essay paper, you are given a choice of around 10 topics
and you have to attempt only one of them. If we look at the English essay topics asked in previous
exams, relate to only one aspect of the issue that the candidate may have prepared. You have to
make a distinction between the issue that you have prepared and the specific aspect of that issue
being asked in the paper. Those candidates who reproduce crammed material irrespective of the
specificity of the topic asked are likely to annoy the examiner. Thus, relevancy of your essay is the
most crucial factor in determining your scores in this paper. Moreover, your essay must contain up-
to-date information presented with a logical flow and symmetry as required by the topic. You
should also focus on your written skills related to basic English grammar, punctuation and sentence
construction.
5. I have studied Arts subjects throughout my educational career. Which subjects should I opt
for CSS to get higher scores?
You may select any History subject (Indo-Pak, British, Islamic). With a thorough study and good
approach, you may fetch good marks in History. Similarly, Journalism, Public Administration,
Sociology, International Law, Mercantile Law and regional languages are good options. Key to
success is selecting a subject which you can understand well and then its thorough preparation.
6. What should be the strategy for Current Affairs paper?
Current Affairs paper is a tricky one as there is no well-defined syllabus for it. For a comprehensive
preparation, you may divide this subject in four segments: Foreign Relations of Pakistan;
International Organisations; Domestic Scenario and Problems; and International Issues. Prepare
Pakistan's foreign policy and relations with all neighbouring states, US, Muslim world, and West in
general. In international organisations, UN, OIC, ASEAN, SAARC, ECO, SCO, European Union
and NAM are important. For domestic affairs, study role of various institutions (parliament,
judiciary, army and intelligence agencies, media, political and religious parties and civil society),
issues related to Pakistan economy and its various sectors (agriculture, industry, exports, tourism,
etc.), terrorism and national security issues, energy crisis, etc. I would also advise you to consult
various newspapers and websites for preparation of notes. Thus, by adopting a comprehensive
approach to prepare this paper, you'll be confident in Current Affairs paper.
7. Should we be assigning roles in Command Tasks in Psychological Examination?
Unless you have been specifically asked to do so in your task, assigning roles in Command Tasks is
generally not desirable for a number of reasons. It creates confusion as most of your fellows would
not be prepared for this as you would be breaking the news onto them. Furthermore, it may cause
unnecessary delay as to reminding people of their particular role. Moreover, it may affect the
quality of arguments/suggestions coming up from your subordinates. For instance, a candidate has a
very good suggestion related to one particular aspect but you assign him/her a different role. So
where it puts him/her in trouble for thinking for another suggestion, but it also loses one valuable
suggestion for your command task. Thus, assigning roles, if not specifically asked, is likely to prove
counterproductive.
8. I've heard that one MUST present a moderate view in Islamic Studies paper in order to get
passed. How far is this true?
Unfortunately, this is one of those myths and false notions presented to the candidates that they
must give a so-called moderate and enlightened view on issues related to Islam. These notions are
false and absurd. There is no room for ambiguity in Islam. Give your clear-cut view on the issue
asked in paper but do not forget to support your answer with effective arguments, references and
examples. The examiner is more concerned with your argumentation and explanation. You should,
apart from basic concepts of Islam, focus on contemporary problems faced by Muslim Ummah.
JWT Desk
Vocabulary In News II
ex-officio: by virtue of one's position or status
Asif Yaseen Malik has been appointed ex-officio chairman of PIA.

bar: block, restrict, thwart, obstruct, impede
Myanmar bars OIC from opening its office.
vandalise: damage, despoil, ravage, raze, wreck
Bangladesh has started rebuilding 19 Buddhist temples vandalised by Muslim mobs.
pedigree: lineage, descent, extraction, ancestry
India's new foreign minister blends an illustrious pedigree and a formidable track record as a
Congress politician.
erudition: knowledge, bookishness, intellectuality, savvy, studiousness
He will be remembered by his students for his erudition.
seamless: smooth, easy, unbroken, undisturbed
CAREC nations have agreed on a plan aimed at creating seamless connectivity and greater
prosperity in the region.
daredevil: daring, bold, adventurous, audacious, death-defying
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner made a record-breaking leap from the edge of space.
heist: burglary, robbery, larceny, pilferage, theft
Seven masterpieces were stolen in a pre-dawn heist at Rotterdam's Kunsthal museum.
hone: acuminate, polish, enhance, upgrade, refine
Russia continued to hone effectiveness amid an escalating row with the United States.
rapporteur: (One who is designated to give a report, as at a meeting) reporter, commentator,
representative
Richard Falk is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied territories.
meticulously: correctly, flawlessly, precisely, scrupulously, veraciously
The US space shuttle Endeavour began its final journey in a meticulously planned trip.
charge d'affaires: temporary in charge of a diplomatic mission in the absence of ambassador
Laurence Pope has been appointed as the charge d'affaires in Tripoli.
venerable: respected, august, revered, esteemed
Newsweek would end an 80-year run as a print magazine, taking the venerable publication alldigital.
gusty: windy, stormy, blustering, tempestuous, inclement, squally
Hurricane Sandy brought tidal waves and gusty winds.
belligerent: aggressive, fiery, contentious, combative, unfriendly
Michael Lumb struck a belligerent unbeaten 82 in the Champions League Twenty20 final.
pugilist: boxer, prizefighter
Afghan pugilist wins in country's first pro-boxing bout.
eerie: formidable, ghostly, spooky, uncanny, weird, The silence after the storm was eerie.
smothered: overwhelmed, surrounded, shrouded, inundated, submerged
NY, New Jersey were smothered by storm.
Stalwart: loyal, faithful, staunch, constant, resolute
Mohamed Morsi sacked prosecutor general a day after a court acquitted stalwarts of the old regime.
zenith: top, climax, pinnacle, apex, acme, vertex
300 weeks at zenith makes Federer feel proud.
southpaw: left-handed, lefthander, lefty
US southpaw Devon Alexander took the IBF Welterweight crown.
maul: beat, batter, thrash, flail, lacerate,
Sixers maul Lions to win Champions League T20.
chide: criticize, lecture, admonish, berate, blame
She chided him for not replying to her letters.
confound: astonish, bewilder, dumbfound, flabbergast,
Muhammad Usman Butt
ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF STATE, REVENUE

AND ELECTIONS
Islamic concept of state is that of a welfare state, which concentrates on the
welfare and well-being of people, where rulers are custodians of public rights
and property. There is no room for aristocracy, immunity and infallibility in
Islamic concept of state and the rulers are having double responsibility and
accountability. Firstly, like other Muslims they are accountable to Allah
Almighty for all of their worldly deeds and secondly, unlike ordinary Muslims,
they are also accountable to the people who are having powers to depose and
punish them if they happen to be unjust, corrupt, oppressive, cruel and
transgressors of the Islamic injunctions.
The concept of state according to Islam is that of a commonwealth of all the Muslims living as a
community under the guidance and directives of a supreme executive head called Imam or Caliph.
If there is no such commonwealth, then Islam does not prohibit existence of independent Islamic
states. Islam has used the Arabic word UMMAH for the Muslim Commonwealth, that literally
means a community, tribe or nation. In the Holy Quran the word Ummah has been used in different
ways. For example, in verse No.38 of Surah Al-Anaam / Chapter Livestock, it has been used for
groups of birds and animals. In verse No.120 of Surah-al Nahl / Chapter the Bee Abraham or Hazrat
Ibrahim alone has been declared as Ummah and in verse No.213 of Surah al Baqarah / Chapter the
Cow, Mankind has been termed as Ummah. Generally, this word is used for the Muslim community
in Islamic history and literature; as declared by Allah Almighty in verse No.110 of Surah Al-eImran / Chapter the Family of Imran which states, You (the Muslims) are the best Ummah/nation
brought forth for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.
Similarly, in verse No.143 of Surah Al-Baqarah / Chapter the Cow also, this word has been used for
Muslim community.
Islamic concept of state is that of a welfare state, which concentrates on the welfare and well-being
of people, where rulers are custodians of public rights and property. There is no room for
aristocracy, immunity and infallibility in Islamic concept of state and the rulers are having double
responsibility and accountability. Firstly, like other Muslims they are accountable to Allah Almighty
for all of their worldly deeds and secondly, unlike ordinary Muslims, they are also accountable to
the people who are having powers to depose and punish them if they happen to be unjust, corrupt,
oppressive, cruel and transgressors of Islamic injunctions.
Islam prescribes that the election of caliph and formation of government has to be based on
consultation. Consultation is an important attribute of Muslim life as the Allah Almighty says about
Muslim in verse No.38 of Surah Shura / Chapter Consultation, Who obey their Lord and establish
Prayers; who conduct their affairs by consultation and spend out of what We have bestowed upon
them.
Islam prescribes that the election of caliph and formation of government has to be based on
consultation. Consultation is an important attribute of Muslim life as the Allah Almighty says about
Muslim in verse No.38 of Surah Shura / Chapter Consultation, Who obey their Lord and establish
Prayers; who conduct their affairs by consultation and spend out of what We have bestowed upon
them.
The election of four rightly-guided Caliphs was also based on consultation. After the demise of
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was elected
as the first Caliph of Muslims on the basis of consultation when the absolute majority of Muslims
accepted him the best one to lead Muslim Ummah. Then, on account of consultation carried out by
Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) with important companions of Holy Prophet
(PBUH), he appointed Hazrat Umar-e-Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) as his successor and
the second Caliph of Muslims. During his last days Hazrat Umar (RA) constituted a committee of
six important companions of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and directed Muslims to choose one of them as
Caliph and again on the basis of consultation one of those six great companions, Hazrat Usman-eGhani (may Allah be pleased with him) was elected as the third Caliph of Muslims. After the tragic
martyrdom of Hazrat Usman-e-Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Ali Murtaza (may
Allah be pleased with him) was elected as fourth Caliph of Muslims on account of consultation.
Islam has left it to the discretion of people to choose a good system of government for them that
suits them based on consultation. For example, if democracy is beneficial for them they may opt for
it as it is based on consultation but one thing is to be noted that according to Islam only those
people are to be consulted in the election of Caliph who possess intellectual and real political/tribal
authority and Islam does not equate the vote of a PhD holder with an illiterate person. That's why,
democracy is highly successful in those countries where the people are literate as well as mature
and are not dominated by certain selfish cartels. On the contrary, in countries where majority of the
people do not have the caliber and potential to be consulted due to low literacy rate, democracy has
failed to deliver as their elective representatives are not elected on the basis of integrity and true
leadership qualities but on ethnic, linguistic, tribal, family and monetary lines.
When elected, the Caliph acquires certain powers and he can exercise those powers as per the
standards set by Islam. The Caliph or Ameer of Muslims has enormous administrative powers,
however taking into consideration the well-being of people he can delegate some of his
administrative powers to ministers, advisors and governors of provinces chosen by him on account
of their experience, integrity and piety. The Caliph is not authorised to nominate his offspring as
successors in government. That's why, the first four rightly-guided Caliphs did not appoint their
sons or relatives as their successors in government because caliphate is not a hereditary one. The
Caliph or Amir does not have legislative powers and if he happens to be a jurist, he enjoys only that
juristic authority which is enjoyed by an ordinary jurist. On one occasion Hazrat Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) was giving instructions that the dower be limited to a small amount. A woman
rose from the audience and said how could do you do that when in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, the
limit of dower has not been fixed. The Caliph acknowledged his mistake, saying, Umar has erred
and a woman has said the right thing. He rescinded his orders.
For the purpose of providing justice to the people, the caliph can appoint judges and demarcate their
jurisdiction but in the eyes of law he is equal to an ordinary citizen of state and does not possess any
immunity as enjoyed by the president and governors of provinces in Pakistan according to the
constitution of 1973. During his Caliphate, the fourth Caliph of Muslims Hazrat Ali Murtaza (may
Allah be pleased with him) brought a suit against a Jew over the custody of an armor belonging to
him before Qazi named Shuraih and the Qazi decided the case/suit against the Caliph as he was not
having qualified witnesses although that armor was his property. The Caliph or Amir is also having
disciplinary powers. He can enforce chastisement with a view to compel observance of religious
injunctions and public decorum. The first Caliph of Muslims Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be
pleased with him) declared holy war against those tribes who refused to give Zakat after demise of
the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
The Caliph or Amir must be true representative of people who is always aware of the problems of
people, that's why Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to inspect different areas of
Muslim empire in disguise in order to ascertain problems of people and he used to say, Even if a
dog dies within territorial jurisdiction of my government, I would be held accountable for it. The
Caliph or Amir is not the owner but the custodian of public property and national exchequer. He is
also the guardian of those orphans and destitutes who are having no guardian and it is one of his
responsibilities to arrange proper and suitable marriages of adult destitute girls of Muslim state. The
Caliph is not authorised to lead luxurious and royal life on the expense of national exchequer. All
the four rightly-guided orthodox Caliphs led very simple lives having no royal palaces, personal
attendants and guards.
Islam also provides sources of revenue generation in an Islamic state such as Zakat, Ushr, Khiraj,
Jizya, Khums and Fay. Zakat is levied on all those financially stable Muslims who remain in
possession of a certain amount of wealth and financial commodities for one year. At the end of year,
it is obligatory upon them to spend a specified portion of it in charity as Zakat under certain heads
elucidated in verse No.60 of Surah Al-Tawbah / Chapter the Repentance. The Caliph or Amir is
having the authority to appoint officials for the purpose of collecting Zakat. Ushr is the Zakat levied
on production of agricultural land belonging to Muslims. It is 10% of total production if the land is
un-irrigated and 5% of total production if land is irrigated one. Khiraj is a tax levied on production
of agricultural land belonging to non-Muslims. Its limit is not fixed however it must not be
excessive. Jizya or poll tax is a tax that is levied on non-Muslim subjects living in an Islamic state
known as Zimmis on account of their security/protection in Islamic state. This tax must be
proportionate to their living standard and cannot be levied on female, children, aged and disabled
people. Khums means one-fifth and according to Islam, booty or spoils of war are divided into five
parts, four parts are distributed among those who took part in the holy war and one-fifth is
deposited in national exchequer as Khums. Fay is that amount or property which is acquired from
non-Muslims without war e.g. if a non-muslim state sues for peace without going to war and agrees
to give certain monetary considerations. In this case the hostilities have to cease at once. The
revenue generated from the said sources has to be deposited in national exchequer and has to be
utilized for the welfare of people and not on the perks and privileges of rulers.
Atta ur Rehman Khilji
Can Nasir Jamshaid Become Another Wasim

Akram?
Peeping through the Past-Nasir & Wasims club mates monologue

I noticed that Nasir's shot selection was amazing but he was not playing with a straight bat. I
advised him to play with a straight bat first and then to go for huge shots.
He had a learning attitude and was very respectful to the seniors, as it was the culture of Ludhiana
club that we inherited from Saud Khan and Wasim Akram. Nasir started following the instructions
immediately.
I, Wasim and Nasir have never played together but I have played with Wasim at the start of my
career and with Nasir at the end of my career under the guidance of one coach, Saud Khan, from
one club, Ludhiana.
I was watching Nasir Jamshaid's match winning innings against Australia and was praising his
outstanding performance in the T-20 World Cup against New Zealand, Bangladesh and in the match
against mighty Aussies when Wasim Akram's comments turned me nostalgic by saying, I and
Nasir Jamshaid have one thing in common. We have been playing from the same Ludhiana cricket
club and were trained by the same coach Mr. Saud Khan. But I and Nasir never played together.
I too have a few things in common with these two heroes of Pakistan cricket. I, Wasim and Nasir
have never played together but I have played with Wasim at the start of my career and with Nasir at
the end of my career under the same coach Saud Khan from the same club.
Wasim Akram's statement reminded me of the golden old days. I was junior to Wasim and senior to
Nasir. Wasim used to visit the Ludhiana club as a Super Star in the mid, 90s; the very period when I
started my cricketing career from the legendary all-rounder's clubLudhiana club.
Wasim was the first playing-hero of my generation. Wasim was very respectful to his seniors,
especially Saud Khan who was his first mentor. Wasim would always give useful tips to the fast
bowlers of the club in his short visits. Being a part of Ludhiana club, I would always own those two
deliveries which bowled Allan Lamb and Chriss Lewis out of the World Cup 1992 as if I bowled
them out and earned world cup for Ludhiana club. I played for many years from the very club. It
was a fun playing in presence of a legend and under the coaching of his mentor. Telling the tales of
Wasim's success and Saud Khan's coaching style would always be a matter of pride and pleasure. I
would proudly say that I and Wasim have two things in common and that was the club and the
coach. Wasim and Saud Khan have played with Imran Khan in different phases of their careers and
were blessed with the same attitude. This attitude travelled through generations of Ludhiana club
and reached Nasir.
Being a part of Ludhiana club, I would always own those two deliveries which bowled Allan Lamb
and Chriss Lewis out of the World Cup 1992 as if I bowled them out and earned world cup for
Ludhiana club.
I still remember I played from the very club for many years. Towards the end of Wasim's career, he
almost stopped coming to the club but Saud Khan was quite regular in his visits. As he was a very
ambitious cricketer and a professional coach, he would always keep himself updated with the
changes in modern cricket. What made him different from others was his vision which he
successfully transferred to the young cricketers. I still remember the on-field aggression of an offthe-field cool, calm and cooperative human.
Saud Khan has a charismatic personality, and for fast bowlers, he appears as a magnet. Cricketers in
general and fast bowlers of local and international fame in particular still visit him to learn the
techniques of handling batsmen of modern cricket and especially to have a dose of optimism. He
never gave up. He never tells his players to give up. He is never hopeless and he never tells his
players to be hopeless until the last ball is delivered or the tournament is over.
Sadly, Pakistan does not have a strong system of grooming the talented youth into professional
cricketers. In the absence of professional coaches and in the presence of too many Khaleefay, the
balloon of real talent gets deflated right at the club level.
However, Saud Khan has a history of developing raw talent into professional and zealous cricketers.
He has experienced setbacks in his shining days. He understands the pain when someone tells him
that they have been dropped because of the poor performance. He empathises with those and
grooms the bereft who share their gloom tale with the legendary coach, of not getting selected at the
highest level in spite of being the best amongst their peers.
He is the one who nurtured the likes of prolific Wasim Akram, Ijaz Ahmad, Ata-ur-Rahman, Zahid
Fazal, Abdul Rauf, Ashfaq Ahmad, Nasir Jamshaid and many others. Saud Khan remains a ray of
hope for the next generation.
I was also one of them who kept on dreaming of playing for Pakistan as long as I played with him.
He has been a quality-conscious coach and to be part of his team was always a great experience.
One fine day, I received a call from my coach (Saud Khan) who asked me to join Ludhiana club's
team at Punjab University ground for a match against daily khabrain. I played the match and we
outclassed our opponent in that friendly match. With the help of Yasir Jamshaid's unbeaten century,
we put a handsome total of 274 runs on board and defended it successfully. I sent Khabrain's 5
batsmen home in a 200 runs victory. We went back to the club next day and were celebrating our
outstanding performance when Yasir's younger brother Nasir arrived and asked Yasir to come with
him for a routine knocking. I noticed that Nasir's shot selection was amazing but he was not playing
with a straight bat. I told him to play with a straight bat first and then to go for huge shots. He had a
learning attitude and was very respectful as it was a culture of Ludhiana club that we inherited from
Saud Khan and Wasim Akram. He started following the instructions immediately. He was playing
shots with straight bat now, managing his footwork successfully, enjoying his cricket and thanking
back 'the coach'.
Saud Khan has a charismatic personality, and for fast bowlers, he appears as a magnet. Cricketers
in general and fast bowlers of local and international fame in particular still visit him to learn the
techniques of handling batsmen of modern cricket and especially to have a dose of optimism.
I and Yasir started discussing the match as we were still haunted by our performance. Nasir started
performing in later years but when he started his journey, he never looked back and kept moving
until he became a reliable resource of Pakistani team.
A Ludhiana club cricketer Wasim Akram did not forget fighting back when he was playing final of
the world cup in 1992. He inherited this Never-Give-Up attitude from Saud Khan. Then, Saud Khan
inspired the zeal of never-give-up to Nasir Jamshaid; and now Nasir is showing heroics with his
resilience and determination. Being a member of Wasim Akram's club and student of Saud Khan, it
is his responsibility to earn next world cup for Pakistan and not to give a chance of any hard luck
to the umpires this time. As Ramiz said, he is the only cultured batsman of the world cup. I am
sure the way he is playing and enjoying his cricket, he can do wonders in coming the days of
Pakistan cricket.
Ahmad Fuad
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