Monthly Press Pack

CSS Past Papers MCQs Compilation

Paper Attempting Strategies
Quick Facts
Essay of the Month & Much More!

Volume 03
March Edition
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

Best wishes for holy month filled with

prayer and significance from team Nearpeer.
May Allah bless you abundantly during this Ramadan

2
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

Reasons To Choose
CSS with NEARPEER

01 Over 120,000+ Students

02 Quality Video Lectures

03 Access to digital classrooms

04 Top CSPs as instructors

05 Detailed assignment evaluation

06 Regularly updated lectures

07 Pakistan's first and largest online learning platform

Advanced AI-powered Chatbot to Answers your

08
Questions & confusions in less than 5 seconds.

3
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
1 Monthly Round Up 04
05

2 National 09

a. Trends in Pakistan that are a result of decades will take decades to 10

be wiped off.
b. Reimagining Urban Resilience for Sustainable Cities 14
c. Information Technology as a National Priority Is the Need of the Hour 17
for Pakistan
d. Will Pakistan’s Geostrategic Location save it from Economic Default 21

3 International 24

a. Renewable Energy and Economy 25

b. Chat GPT vs Google: Fight for Dominance 29
c. Authoritarianism Everywhere; What’s the Future of Democracy? 33
d. Russia—Ukraine standoff and the Question of the Third World 36
War

4 Monthly Review 40

5 Essay Special 61

6 Wisdom Archives 64

7 Screening Test Alert 68

*Fair Use Disclaimer

Nearpeer takes copyright infringement very seriously. Please do not involve in any piracy. Likewise, we take
all measures to avoid piracy at our end too. If you have a complain about something or find infringement
of your copyrights, please contact us right away so that we rectify any mishap to all parties' satisfaction.

4
EDITION 9
VOLUME 3
CSS | CHRONICLES

MONTHLY ROUND UP:

FEBRUARY AT A GLANCE

5
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

Dates Events

1 The governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declined to give

dates for general elections to the provincial assemblies, advising the
electoral watchdog to consult relevant authorities and take stock of
the current security and economic situation before deciding in this
regard.

2 In a move that is being seen as a significant development amid

rising political temperatures in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif convened a multiparty conference (MPC) to discuss `import-
ant challenges` being faced by Pakistan.

3 After the first round of technical talks between the International Mon-
etary Fund (IMF) team and the government concluded, Prime Minis-
ter Shehbaz Sharif observed that the lender was imposing conditions
that were `beyond our wildest dreams`.

4 Amid challenging engagements with international lending agencies

to unlock external flows for the balance of payments and flood
recovery, the Centre has cast off Punjab`s Rs400 billion health insur-
ance scheme in its present form and size, targeting the entire popu-
lation of the province, including the rich and the poor.

5 Former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who usurped power after a

coup in October 1999 and ruled Pakistan till 2008, breathed his last at
age of 79 in Dubai, after a protracted battle with a rare disease, amy-
loidosis.

6 Over three dozen pharmaceutical companies have expressed their

inability to continue production citing unavailability of raw material
and delay in their cases seeking price increase.

7 Pakistan announced its part of relief measures for the earth-

quake-hit people of Turkiye and Syria, with the government setting
up a relief fund and sending a 51-member rescue team to Istanbul,
and the prime minister set to leave for Istanbul on February 8, 2023.

8 The government put on a brave face amid a stalemate on securing

a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), needed to avert
a nearing sovereign default, as the two sides remained short of con-
cluding external financing estimates and precise domestic fiscal
measures.

9 The government said it had agreed on a set of prior actions with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to complete the ninth review of the
troubled $7bn Extended Fund Facility (EFF), but a staff-level agree-
ment (SLA) on the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies
(MEFP) remained elusive at the conclusion of the 10-day talks.

6
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

Dates Events

10 The judiciary came under fire in the upper house of parliament on

Friday over remarks given by judges the previous day, which were
seen by lawmakers as `political` and `against parliament and the
legislative processes`.

11 A middle-aged man was lynched outside a police station in Nanka-

na Sahib by a violent mob over allegations of blasphemy, prompting
the police chief to order an inquiry and suspend the Nankana DSP
and relevant SHO.

12 The second round of US-Pakistan mid-level defence dialogue begins

in Washington to consider various options for strengthening ties
between the two establishments.

13 The Lahore High Court directed the Punjab government to ensure

implementation of a 2015 verdict of the Supreme Court to enforce
Urdu as official language.

14 Despite its attempt to expedite passage of fiscal measures mandat-

ed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government was
forced to head to parliament after President Arif Alvi `advised`
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to take parliament into confidence over
the Rs170 billion in new taxes that are being levied.

15 The caretaker Punjab government, in an unprecedented move, sus-

pended the notifications issued for the creation of a new division, four
new districts and two tehsils in the province, inviting a volley of ques-
tions, ranging from its jurisdiction to intentions behind the decision.

16 Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan requested President Dr Arif

Alvi to exercise his powers and announce date for the elections of the
provincial assembly in the wake of `deliberate inaction` on part of the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

17 Security forces cleared a five-storey police compound on the port

city`s main thoroughfare in an hours-long operation during which
three militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were
killed while two policemen, one Rangers official and a citizen em-
braced martyrdom.

18 Even if the Afghan rulers demonstrate the will to counter terrorism,

they certainly don`t have the capacity to do so, Foreign Minister Bila-
wal Bhutto-Zardari said, warning that the threat will soon spill over
outside the region if the international community doesn`t get serious.

19 Pakistan must ensure that its high earners pay taxes and only the
poor get the subsidies if it wants to function as a country, the Interna-
tional Monetary Fund`s (IMF) managing director has said.

7
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

Dates Events

20 Despite clearly lacking quorum, the National Assembly after a lack-

luster debate passed the IMF-dictated Finance (Supplementary) Bill
2023, seeking to impose additional Rs170 billion taxes with minor
amendments as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar blamed the misman-
agement in the power sector and poor economic policies of the pre-
vious PTI regime mainly responsible for this economic burden on the
masses.

21 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked his ministers and advisers to

forego their salaries, benefits and luxury cars and economy class as
part of an austerity drive aimed at saving the government Rs200
billion a year.

22 Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial initiated a suo motu
proceeding to determine who has the constitutional responsibility
and authority to announce the date for election to a provincial
assembly after it was dissolved in different situations, under the Con-
stitution.

23 President Arif Alvi gave accent to the Finance (Supplementary) bill,

2023, generally known as the mini-budget, paving the way for revival
of the IMF loan programme.

24 The country`s top civil and military leadership have forged a consen-
sus that terrorism, economic revival and political stability are inter-
connected and without political stability and economic progress,
there can be no peace.

25 Mohsin Leghari of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) won the by-elec-

tion to NA-193 (Rajanpur) with a huge margin, unofficial result shows.

26 At least four people lost their lives and 16 others suffered injuries in a
bomb blast at the main market of Rakhni town of Barkhan district in
Balochistan, officials said.

27 Only days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a national

austerity plan amid a severe financial crisis, the National Assembly
was informed about the exorbitant expenditure on foreign junkets of
cabinet members and the purchase of protocol vehicles, during the
government`s first nine months in power.

28 Two soldiers and a child embraced martyrdom in separate incidents

in North Waziristan and South Waziristan, officials confirmed.

8
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

NATIONAL

9
TRENDS IN PAKISTAN THAT ARE A RESULT
OF DECADES WILL TAKE DECADES TO BE
WIPED OFF.
Bakhtawar Narejo
Feudalism
Although the feudal system
has all but vanished from
the planet, it is still present in
Pakistan. The prominent
members of our society are
the feudal lords. Islam's
principles and values, as
well as democracy, are dia-
metrically opposed to the
culture of feudal lordship
systems. In the case of Paki-
stan, feudalism refers to a
system in which landlords
control vast tracts of
land—hundreds or even
thousands of acres. It simply
means that a small number
of people own thousands of
acres of land. In fact, this
system stifles development
and eliminates social inte-
gration, which is essential to
the fabric of society.
Indeed, the feudal system is
strongly ingrained in
Pakistani society,
particularly in rural Sindh,
southern Punjab, and some
regions of Balochistan. One
side of our society lives in
the darkest hours of
materialism and suffering,
while the other side revels in
luxury and opulence. Very
dismal! However, this is what
we truly see and feel. The
Zamindari, Mahalwari, and
Ryotwari systems were
adopted by the British
conquerors in the Indian
Subcontinent because land
represented a significant
portion of their income.
Which is still rooted in
Pakistani society even after
independence. Feudalism
impedes political and
economic development by
making the minds of the less
fortunate more susceptible
to psychological terror. It
always puts pressure on
and exerts control over the
masses while denying them
access to health, education,
and even an independent
10
CSS Chronicles

life. As a result, people give

their goals and aspirations
to these "monsters" on their
lap. For the benefit of these
landowners, who turn the lives
of the peasants into a "living
hell," they crush the hopes and
aspirations of their children.

Education, stern and honest

land reforms, and effective gov-
ernment are the cure-alls for feu-
dalism's ills. The destruction of this
parasitic system should also be a
top priority for non-governmental
organizations (NGOs).

Patriarchy
It is commonly known that Pakistan has
a horribly patriarchal culture. Young girls
are supposed to get married, have kids, be
good wives, and live in isolation. Only a
small number of people—truly a minori-
ty—believe that these rules are obsolete and
foolish. Due to cultural conventions that pre-
vent them from doing so and a lack of educa-
tion, women in Pakistan struggle to successfully
integrate into urban life and enter the workforce.
Because of Pakistan's patriarchal society, women
are expected to think about how their actions,
even those regarding their careers, may affect the
family's reputation as defined by the patriarchs. A
lady is aware that breaking these social norms
could harm her family's reputation.

Sitara Akbar, who completed her 'O' Levels at the

age of 11, and Malala Yousafzai, the youngest recip-
ient of the Nobel Prize, are two examples of the child
prodigies that our culture is capable of producing.
In addition, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, who was
hailed by the media and the government as Paki-
stan's first Oscar winner, won an Academy Award for
her documentary Saving Face in 2012. These
instances demonstrate that Pakistani women
have a tremendous capacity to succeed in any
endeavour they choose.

11
CSS Chronicles
In particular, as a part of
early socialization, gender
education must be taught in
our institutions. Regardless
of their social class, males of
all age groups must be the
focus of gender education,
enlightenment, awareness,
and consciousness. Accord-
ing to a UN study, boys as
young as three years old are
looking for masculine role
models to help them feel
confident in themselves.
Without a positive role
model for gender, men
develop an exaggerated,
hypermasculine perspec-
tive of manhood and are
thus more violent. The em-
powerment of women could
be considerably increased
by reorienting masculine
ideas through gender edu-
cation. This can be accom-
plished by holding seminars
specifically for men and
introducing gender studies
at elementary, secondary,
and postsecondary institu-
tions.
Undemocratic Norms
A deeply concerning trend
has emerged in recent
months, with political parties
that, up until last year, were
adamantly promoting
themselves as the defend-
ers of democracy now em-
ploying all available mea-
sures to prevent the public
from taking part in the dem-
ocratic process. The Paki-
stan Democratic Movement
is making every effort to
maintain its hold on power
rather than letting the
people of Pakistan decide
the future of their nation.
This includes participating in
by-elections, local govern-
ment elections, accepting
the resignations of lawmak-
ers who have left the
National Assembly, and
calling for a new general
election.
Apart from being a type of
government, democracy is
a full socio-political ideolo-
gy, attitude, and system. It
upholds a number of princi-
ples that serve as the cor-
nerstone of a democratic
democracy. Expression free-
dom, tolerance, individual
autonomy, respect for the
opposition, and peaceful
coexistence are the main
tenets of these ideals.
And without the presence of
all these values, democracy
as a form of government
cannot endure in a society
for an extended period of
time for two reasons: first,
foreign political systems
that conflict with local politi-
cal and cultural norms will
ultimately be replaced by
new ones or destroyed
completely; second, such a
system does not satisfy the
needs of various smaller
groups that have vested
interests within the state to
seize political power.
Large Informal Economy
Pakistan's informal econo-
my is thought to account for
Volume 3 | Edition 9
up to 56% of the nation's GDP
(as of 2019). This implies that
it is worth approximately
$180 billion annually, which
is enormous by any stan-
dard.
The huge black economy in
the nation is intrinsically tied
to the extent and caliber of
state-executed govern-
ment. A sizable black econ-
omy is a sign of bad gover-
nance and shows that the
government did not suc-
cessfully ensure that all
enterprises and entrepre-
neurial endeavors were
included in the formal econ-
omy. Due to the fact that all
entities outside of the formal
economy do not pay taxes
to the government, this fail-
ure also results in a
decrease in tax revenue col-
lection.
The solution is to increase
the size of the formal econo-
my and this can be done by
making transparent and
efficient institutions tasked
with registering and regu-
lating businesses. Instead of
harassing businesses and
entrepreneurs, agencies like
the FBR should act as facili-
tators and make it easier for
new ventures to be regis-
tered and come under the
documentation net. This
would in turn be good for the
FBR because achieving the
tax collection target would
be easier than if they were in
the black economy.
12
 CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 6

CSS
PROMOTION OFFER

Download
NEWNEARPEER
YEAR OFFER
APP
EARLY BIRD
AND GET
Click here to avail the course

DISCOUNT
FOR ALL CSS COURSES

AVAIL DISCOUNT BY USING PROMO CODE

13
REIMAGINING URBAN RESILIENCE
FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES
Qaiser Rizvan Abbasi
T“Today it’s Pakistan, tomor-
row it could be any country”,
Antonio Guterres rightly
asserted, while witnessing
unprecedented climate-in-
duced flood devastation in
Pakistan. Impacting the lives
and livelihoods of around 33
million people, particularly
in Sindh and Baluchistan,
the torrential rains have
disastrous effects costing
the economy over $30
billion, with now $16 billion
intensely needed for flood
relief, rehabilitation, and
reconstruction, the World
Bank reported in its new
assessment.
Looking at the massive
damages caused to the
debt-ridden and teetering
socio-economic fabric of
Pakistan, it is high time for
this country in particular,
and the world in general, to
not only mobilise resources
but also promote effective
policymaking in order to
reimagine urban resilience
for designing sustainable
cities. But since Pakistan has
been facing financial hard-
ships, economic crises, and
above all, governance fault
lines, it may not be an easy
task for it to undertake
much-needed policy
reforms to encourage urban
resilience.
Enhancing urban resilience
has been increasingly
becoming a popular phe-
nomenon the world over
aimed at strengthening
cities’ governance and sys-
tems so that they can sur-
vive chronic stresses—re-
current flooding, jobless-
ness, and inefficient public
transport system; and acute
shocks—earthquakes, hurri-
canes, and terrorist attacks.
It has been surprisingly
observed that cities’ demo-
graphical profile has expo-
nentially transformed with
people moving from rural
14
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

areas to urban centers in
order to improve their
lifestyle thus, putting
immense pressure on limit-
ed infrastructural facili-
ties—education, health,
roads and transportation,
water and sanitation, elec-
tricity and energy, and most
importantly, housing.
Pakistan hosts 82 million
people in its urban areas out
of the 208 million popula-
tion, which means around
40 percent of people live in
cities. This “new normal”
requires redesigning gover-
nance methodologies of
urban areas, making cities
strong enough to effectively
respond to future risks and
dangers emanating from
climate change, urbaniza-
tion, and globalization.
toward inclusive and climate-adaptive cities. Taking the
case study of Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub and me-
tropolis, it was maintained that the city’s half population lives
in informal settlements, which are considered highly vulner-
able to floods, rains, and security. This makes Karachi the
perfect case for promoting urban planning and undertaking
development works keeping in view the rapid population
growth in the city.
For this, there is a need to encourage Public-Private Partner-
ships (PPP) involving governments, institutions, the private
sector, academia, and donor agencies which would, in turn,
chart out the robust city governance mechanism where citi-
zens’ well-being is ensured, rights are protected, security is
promised, infrastructure and public services are provided.
This way, Pakistan will be able to achieve to a certain extent,
if not fully, goal#11 of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs): Sustainable Cities and Communities (make cities
and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sus-
tainable). In the face of extraordinarily swift changes hap-
pening owing to social transformation, extensive rural-urban
migration, and the interconnectedness of cities, Pakistan has
to meet its social and development challenges in an effec-
tive manner.

Considering this, IBA Karachi

in collaboration with
UNDP-Pakistan and the
Government of Sindh hosted
an international conference:
“Reimagining Resilience: The
Transition to Sustainable
Cities” which positively
encouraged expert discus-
sion and policy recommen-
dations for Pakistan to deal
with development challeng-
es and to promote urban
resilience.

One of the key takeaways of

the conference was that
Pakistan needs to get out of
traditional governance
approaches and work out a
plan that can set a path

15
CSS Chronicles
In an attempt to build
modern, sustainable, clean
and green, affordable cities,
Pakistan will have to craft
effective urban governance
focusing on: (a) affordable
housing; (b) a sustainable
transport system; (c) inclu-
sive urbanisation; (d) pro-
tect natural and cultural
heritage; (e) promote
regional and national devel-
opment planning; (f) imple-
ment policies for ensuring
resource efficiency; (g)
strengthen local govern-
ment system and boosting
local tax collection.
It is certainly a difficult task
to ensure the systematic
and timely implementation
and execution of urban poli-
cy-making considering
institutional decay, political
instability, deepening polar-
isation, and the economic
crisis confronting Pakistan.
The ruling cliché and politi-
cal forces must build con-
sensus to align its poli-
cy-making with the
fast-changing challenges of
the 21st century, or else,
things will get out of control.
Unfortunately, Pakistan’s 75
years of turbulent political
and economic history have
little to give hope. Still one
can only hope for a better
Pakistan.
Similarly, the girls are made
meek, mild, and genteel and
the ones who are supposed
and even expected to obey
their male counterparts
without even an iota of
doubt. This unquestioned
obedience is acceptable
only if it is not in contradic-
tion to the efforts taken
towards the fulfillment of the
basic fundamental rights of
women. Thus, the family
environment, especially a
patriarchal one, massively
affects the attitude and
behavior of both men and
women which in turn plays a
key role in determining their
future roles towards each
other.
Though the whole bed of
gender plight in Pakistan is
not free from thorns, the
curse of domestic violence
takes the main seat and
holds immense attention
whenever there is a discus-
sion about gender and even
women's issues. From the
works of the Aurat Founda-
tion to woman's Day and
from the first wave of femi-
nism to the third and fourth
wave, all have been high-
lighting the core issues of
women in particular and
gender in general. The
aforementioned plight of
domestic violence in Paki-
stan unveils its seriousness
and demands to be set
aside. Pakistan needs to
regularize properly the solu-
tion to this menace. The
different legislative mea-
sures regarding the eradi-
cation of the curse of
domestic violence and the
provision of women's pro-
tection need proper imple-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
mentation. The judiciary
must be active in this case
thereby barring the perpe-
tration of domestic violence
via mending judicial walls.
The executive and adminis-
tration must ensure the pro-
vision of education and
ensure women's participa-
tion in the economic field.
The issue of women's health
exacerbates their poor
status in the domestic
arena. The patriarchal saga
can largely be turned down
by spreading public aware-
ness and education. The role
of the mosque and religious
scholars is deemed to be
the key to undoing the
scourge of domestic
violence.
In a nutshell, women are not
free from gender inequality
and gender-based impari-
ties even in their houses.
They are often mistreated
and even brought under
different forms of violence
as mentioned above, which
are triggered by multiple
reasons. The lack of educa-
tion, socio-economic em-
powerment, and the delete-
rious fabric of patriarchy
have paved the way for
domestic violence. Pakistan
needs to revamp and
reform this sector structur-
ally and uproot all the struc-
tural and deep-seated
causes of the perpetual
domestic violence. Only
then, Pakistan will properly
benefit from half of the
country’s population.
16
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS A
NATIONAL PRIORITY IS THE NEED
OF THE HOUR FOR PAKISTAN
Umme Abeeha
Information and Communi-
cation Technology (ICT) has
emerged as one of the most
significant and dynamic
sectors in Pakistan, playing
a crucial role in the country's
economic growth and
development. With its
increasing use in various
industries and fields, the
importance of IT in Pakistan
is undeniable. It can solve
many of Pakistan’s dire
problems related to health,
economy, and education. In
this article, we will discuss
the importance of IT for
Pakistan. Also, we will
discuss some policy initia-
tives that the government
must take to make the IT
industry a national priority
and reap its benefits.
The Importance of IT for
Economic Growth
The IT industry in Pakistan
has been rapidly growing
over the past decade, with
the country becoming a
major outsourcing destina-
tion for software develop-
ment and other IT-related
services. In fact, the IT indus-
try has the potential to
become a major economic
driver for Pakistan.
With an IT revolution, Paki-
stan can create new em-
ployment opportunities for
its youth. Furthermore, if the
government invests in the IT
sector and the digital litera-
cy of its citizens, it can also
attract foreign investment
and create further employ-
ment.
Pakistan was ranked the
3rd-most popular country
for freelancing in the world,
and Pakistani IT companies
are providing products and
services to the world’s larg-
est companies. So, one of
17
CSS Chronicles

the most significant contri-

butions of the IT sector to
Pakistan's economy is job
creation. According to a
report by the World Bank, the
IT industry in Pakistan is
expected to create around
100,000 new jobs by 2025.
Moreover, with the increas-
ing demand for IT services
worldwide, there is a vast
potential for Pakistan to
create even more employ-
ment opportunities in this
sector.

Furthermore, with IT, Paki-

stan can also reduce the
gender gap in the labor
force. The Gender Gap Index
places Pakistan at 135 out of
146 in terms of economic
participation. Women are
majorly unemployed, and
those who are employed
work in low-paying jobs or
as unpaid employees. With
IT, there are more and more
online job opportunities for
women.
IT has helped in the
Education Sector
Apart from its benefits to the
economy, IT has also played
a vital role in enhancing the
country's education sector.
After the COVID-19 pan-
demic disrupted traditional
classroom learning, the
importance of e-learning
has become more evident.
The government of Pakistan
has been actively promot-
ing the use of digital tech-
nologies in education, and
many private organizations have also started offering online
courses and training programs. According to a report by the
Digital Pakistan Policy, around 12 million students in Pakistan
have access to e-learning platforms, and this number is
expected to increase further in the coming years.
Another aspect of the role of IT in the education sector is that
it does not just give access to learning, but also improves its
quality.
Importance of IT in Healthcare
Another crucial area where IT has made significant contri-
butions in Pakistan is healthcare. With a growing population
and limited resources, the country's healthcare system has
faced numerous challenges. However, the use of digital
technologies such as telemedicine and electronic health
records (EHRs) has helped improve access to healthcare
services, especially in rural areas. According to a report by
the Digital Pakistan Policy, over 8,000 telemedicine consulta-
tions were conducted in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pan-
demic, highlighting the potential of this technology in
improving healthcare outcomes. By exploiting the benefits of
IT in the health sector, Pakistan can revolutionize its health
sector.

18
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

The Role of IT in In conclusion, IT has

Governance
UNESCO defines E-gover-
nance as “the public sec-
tor’s use of information and
communication technolo-
gies with the aim of improv-
ing information and service
delivery, encouraging citizen
participation in the deci-
sion-making process and
making government more
accountable, transparent
and effective”.
become a crucial sector for
Pakistan's economic growth
and development. With its
contribution to job creation,
education, healthcare, and
governance, the importance
of IT in Pakistan cannot be
overstated. As the world
becomes increasingly digi-
tal, Pakistan must continue
to invest in the IT sector to
reap its benefits fully.

IT also offers great potential

in improving governance
and transparency in Paki-
stan. The government has
already launched several
digital initiatives such as the
Ehsaas program, a digital
system for social welfare,
and the Kamyab Jawan
program, a digital platform
for youth empowerment.
These initiatives have
helped to somewhat
improve the delivery of gov-
ernment services.

The use of IT can also make

the government more
accessible to the people. For
example, when govern-
ments make their programs
and services available to the
public, it improves service
delivery. So, using e-gover-
nance, Pakistan can solve
the issue of inefficiency and
improve the quality of ser-
vice provision. So, there is
still a lot of room to further
improve the governance
sector using IT.

19
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

What Initiatives should Pakistan take to Boost its IT Sector?

Now that the importance of the IT sector is clear, let’s discuss how Pakistan
can make IT a national priority. We have made significant strides in its IT
sector, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Here are some
initiatives that Pakistan can take to boost its IT sector:

Develop a long-term IT policy Promote start-ups

Pakistan needs a comprehensive and
long-term IT policy that outlines the
government's vision and priorities for the
sector. The policy should include
measures to attract investment, promote
innovation, and develop talent.
The government should provide
incentives and support for
start-ups in the IT sector. This can
include tax breaks, access to
funding, and incubation facilities.

Invest in education and training Improve broadband infrastructure

The government should invest in education
and training programs to develop a skilled
workforce that can meet the needs of the IT
industry. This can include scholarships,
vocational training, and partnerships with
universities and companies.
To support the growth of the IT sector,
Pakistan needs to improve its broadband
infrastructure. This can include building
new fiber-optic networks, upgrading
existing infrastructure, and promoting the
use of satellite technology.

Encourage research and development Promote e-governance

Pakistan should encourage research and
development in the IT sector. This can
include funding for research projects,
partnerships between universities and
industry, and incentives for companies to
invest in R&D.
The government should promote
e-governance by developing digital
services for citizens and businesses. This
can include online portals for paying taxes,
applying for licenses, and accessing
government services.

Create a favorable business environment Expand access to finance

Pakistan needs to create a favorable
business environment for the IT sector.
This can include measures to reduce
bureaucracy, improve access to capital,
and protect intellectual property rights.
The government should work to expand
access to finance for IT companies. This can
include developing venture capital funds,
encouraging foreign investment, and
promoting public-private partnerships.

Develop partnerships with other countries Foster a culture of innovation

Pakistan can benefit from partnerships
with other countries in the IT sector.
This can include collaborations on
research and development, joint
ventures, and partnerships to
promote IT exports.
Finally, Pakistan needs to foster a culture
of innovation in the IT sector. This can
include promoting entrepreneurship,
celebrating success stories, and
encouraging the exchange of
ideas and best practices.

20
WILL PAKISTAN’S GEOSTRATEGIC
LOCATION SAVE IT FROM
ECONOMIC DEFAULT
Qaiser Rizvan Abbasi

Pakistan is on the verge of been at the heart of this the first time in 1942 in the
economic default economic crisis. However, article “Let Us Learn Our
nowadays. The is failing to Pakistan has always had Geopolitics” by Frederick L.
meet its economic needs. It greater expectations from Schuman.
is due to multiple reasons. its geostrategic location
Climate change has also which has proven to be Pakistan’s geostrategic
been the fuel to the fire. The cogent during multiple eras. location has always
spread of the Covid-19 But the political contributed to its economic
pandemic has also incompetence of the condition. The importance
contributed to the current country’s leadership never of Pakistan’s geostrategic
economic plight of the let Pakistan reap its location could be gauged
country. Pakistan has geostrategic potential at full from American Political
almost always suffered scale. The term geostrategic Scientist Stephen P. Cohen’s
economically since its implies the significance of a book, The Idea of Pakistan, in
inception of the country. country or a region with which he states that while
Incompetent political regard to its geographical history has been unkind to
leadership and bad location. The term Pakistan, its geography has
governance have always geostrategy was used for been its greatest benefit. He

21
CSS Chronicles
further states that the
country has a resource-rich
area in the northwest and
rich people in the northeast.
Pakistan faced a security
threat from its eastern
neighbor which instigated
the need for a strong
economic partnership. This
led Pakistan to ally with the
USA in the Cold War era.
Pakistan gained military and
economic in return for its
support to the USA in this
war. This spurred Pakistan’s
GDP to an average of 5.88
percent in the era of General
Zia ul Haq.
Pakistan also gained
economic benefits from its
geostrategic location during
the US-backed War against
Terrorism. This earned
Pakistan a lot of economic
benefits due to its
cooperation with NATO and
the USA. This geostrategic
location can take Pakistan out
of the recent economic crisis.
Pakistan is the gateway to the
South Asian countries for the
Central Asian resource-rich
countries. This provides the
country a great leverage in
the region. It can earn a lot of
revenue due to its
geographical location.
Pakistan can provide a way
for Central Asian and South
Asian countries to trade and
energy-related projects.
Pakistan has already
provided the route for the TAPI
gas pipeline which starts from
Turkmenistan and ends in
India.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
Pakistan’s geographical
location has also enabled it
to be a part of the
Trans-Afghan railway
project. This project can
enable Pakistan to provide a
way to trade with different
South Asian countries that
want to reach Central Asian
markets. South Asian
countries are highly
dependent on other regions
for fulfilling their energy
needs. Pakistan can also act
as the bridge between the
Middle Eastern region and
the South Asian region. This
can not only resolve
Pakistan’s economic needs
but could also help in
establishing good relations
with other regional
countries. This would
improve the soft image of
Pakistan which could lead to
reaping economic benefits
with countries around the
world. This could lead to
increasing foreign direct
investment in the country.
Furthermore, Pakistan’s
geostrategic location has
also enabled it to be a host
of the flagship project, CPEC,
of the Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI). This project
has opened myriad
opportunities for Pakistan.
The country is not only
countering its energy crisis
through this project but is
also providing it with great
infrastructure and other
projects. This can help the
country to elevate its
22
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

economic condition. Russia could be done if the causes of the failure of

and other landlocked country’s leaders and Pakistan to reap the benefits
countries could also be policymakers take the right of its geostrategic location.
linked to this project. This decisions at the right time. Pakistan needs to eradicate
would strengthen Pakistan’s Pakistan can only benefit extremism and terrorism
clout not only in the region from its geostrategic from its soil so that it can
but also around the globe. location if the country flourish and stabilize
The country can use this becomes free of corruption economically. Otherwise, it
project to uplift its economic and the ease of doing is very difficult for the
plight also by providing a business is also improved in country to get rid of the
way to South Asian the country. Instability in economic instability
countries and South East Afghanistan and increasing permanently.
Asian countries. terrorism in Pakistan are
also among the prominent
Pakistan is also a part of Iran
Pakistan and India gas
pipeline projects. This
project and other projects
like this one can also help
Pakistan to come out of the
dangers of economic
default. Hence, it would be
cogent to hold that
Pakistan’s geostrategic
location can save the
country from economic
default. However, all this

23
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

INTERNATIONAL

24
RENEWABLE ENERGY
AND ECONOMY
SANIA SALEEM
“We are all living together on
a single planet, which is
threatened by our own
actions. And if you don’t
have some kind of global
cooperation, nationalism is
just not on the right level to
tackle the problems, wheth-
er it’s climate change or
whether it’s technological
disruption.”
— Yuval Noah Harari
Years of progressions have
brought human civilization
to a point of threatening the
very condition that made
evolution possible: the sta-
bility of the earth’s climate.
Indicators of climate
change are gradually
becoming evident across
the globe; with the physical
manifestation of the
socio-economic impacts, it
contains. These will keep
growing until the world shifts
to a net-zero economy. Net
zero refers to the balance
between the amount of
greenhouse gas (GHG) that
is produced and the amount
that's removed from the
atmosphere. This can be
achieved through an amal-
gamation of emission
reduction and emission
removal. Presently, the
net-zero equation remains
mysterious; greenhouse gas
emissions are persisting and
are neither counterbal-
anced by removals nor is
the world prepared to
achieve a net-zero transi-
tion.
Certainly, even if the net-ze-
ro equation and national
climate pledges were
achieved, it is suggested
that warming would not be
held to 1.5°C above prein-
dustrial levels. The execution
would not be easy since it
requires a careful balancing
of shorter-term risks of
unprepared and uncoordi-
nated action with the lon-
ger-term risk of insufficient
25
CSS Chronicles

or delayed action. This could

also have a ripple effect on
impacts on the economy,
potentially creating a back-
lash from the actors
involved that would slow
down the transition. None of
this should be a surprise as
achieving net zero would
mean a fundamental trans-
formation of the world
economy. It will involve sub-
stantial amendments to the
Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7),
seven energy and land-use
affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern
arenas producing the
energy for all must be ensured by 2030.
world’s emissions i.e., power,
Accomplishing this target would require
industry, mobility, buildings,
prompt actions for building energy infrastruc-
agriculture, forestry and
ture, primarily for renewable energy technolo-
other land use, and waste.
gies.
Renewable energy sources
“The fate of people on Earth depends on
are either continuously
whether we can employ efficient and renew-
replenished by the sun or
able energies. We need to lay big plans for
include inexhaustible
small technologies.”
resources i.e., geothermal
energy. Contrastingly, fossil
— David Freeman, former head of the New York
fuels — oil, coal, and natural
Power Authority, Tennessee Valley Authority,
gas — are formed gradually
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and the
in comparison to our rate of
Lower Colorado River Authority.
use of energy. The usage of
modern renewable energy
Renewable energy can be used in various
technologies produces less
ways. Yearly, Americans spend about $1900
pollution as compared to
per person on energy purchases, which is
burning fossil fuels — espe-
approximately 8% of the average person’s
cially vis-à-vis net emis-
total expenses on goods and services per
sions of greenhouse gases.
year. Out of this amount, about 40% goes to
Indigenous renewable
pay for electricity. Energy purchases depict a
energy resources also signi-
weighty cost to society — generally and locally
fy a secure and stable
— and it is vital to spend energy dollars in a
source of energy for any
way that strengthens the economy rather
country and also serve as a
than draining it. In most cases, energy dollars
potential source of jobs and
leave the community, going to territorial utili-
economic development.
ties or the suppliers of oil or natural gas. Once
Energy plays a crucial part
spent on importing energy into the communi-
in the socioeconomic devel-
ty or state, these dollars are not accessible to
opment of a region. Accord-
foster additional economic activity. Since
ing to the United Nations
each dollar spent on imports is a dollar lost

26
CSS Chronicles
locally, these energy imports
signify a substantial loss to
local companies in terms of
income and employment.
The challenge is to meet our
unquenchable appetite for
energy while supporting
local economic progress. An
increasing number of state
and local governments are
exploring ways to keep their
energy dollars at home — for
many, the answer lies in
renewable energy invest-
ments.
There are two key reasons
why renewable energy
technologies offer an eco-
nomic benefit:
(1) They are labor-intensive;
hence they generally create
more jobs per dollar invest-
ed as compared to conven-
tional electricity generation
technologies, and
(2) They use primarily indig-
enous resources, therefore,
most of the energy dollars
can be kept at home.
According to the Wisconsin
Energy Bureau, “Investment
in locally available renew-
able energy generates more
jobs, greater earnings, and
higher output ... than a con-
tinued reliance on imported
fossil fuels. Economic
impacts are maximized
when an indigenous
resource or technology can
replace an imported fuel at
a reasonable price and
when a large percentage of
Volume 3 | Edition 9
inputs can be purchased in mental health.” The industry
the state.” As per the Bureau involving renewable energy
estimates, overall, renew- provides a wide range of
ables create three times as employment opportunities,
many jobs as created by the from high-tech manufac-
same level of spending on turing of photovoltaic appa-
fossil fuels. For states and ratuses to maintaining jobs
municipalities with inade- at wind power plants.
quate conventional energy Through the multiplier or
reserves, there is a simple ripple effect, the wages and
trade-off: either import fossil salaries earned by industry
fuels from out-of-area sup- employees have much
pliers, meaning thereby potential to generate addi-
exporting energy dollars or tional income and jobs in
develop indigenous renew- the local economy hence
able resources, creating promoting growth. The taxes
jobs for local workers in the which are paid by renew-
construction, operation, and able energy companies can
maintenance of non-fossil also strengthen the territo-
power plants and connect- ry’s economic base, ulti-
ed industries. mately reducing the burden
on individual taxpayers in
Henceforth, the advantages the community; as a matter
of renewable energy invest- of fact, generating power via
ments are becoming renewable resources con-
increasingly evident, even in tributes more tax revenue,
areas that have conven- when compared to gener-
tionally favoured fossil fuels.
“Texas is now a net energy
importer,” said Texas Land
Commissioner Garry Mauro,
speaking at the dedication
of the state's first commer-
cial wind-power project in
November 1995. “We can
accept our status as a net
energy importer ... or we can
face the challenge head-on
and serve as a model to
others by embracing new
ideas such as wind power
and solar energy — ideas
that will make Texas the
leader in renewable energy
development, energy-effi-
cient building techniques,
job creation, and environ-
27
 Volume 3 | Edition 9

ating the same amount of power

from traditional energy sources.

As an illustration, the California

Energy Commission has declared
that solar thermal power plants yield
twice as much tax revenue as con-
ventional, gas-fired plants. In some
other instances, renewable energy
investments can also enable indi-
viduals, corporations, or societies to
reduce their utility bills. For instance,
schools can cut or reduce costs by
using wind power, and electric com-
panies can provide cheaper elec-
tricity to members with photovolta-
ics. Even though the local monetary
benefits attached to renewable
energy investments are obvious, it is
also significant to consider that, in
the short run, increased dependence
on in-state energy resources could
reduce the income of energy-ex-
porting states. In the longer run, nev-
ertheless, the rewards of developing
renewable energy technologies go
far beyond the local economy —
they benefit the world at large.

“This is not a partisan debate; it is a

human one. Clean air and water,
and a livable climate are inalienable
human rights. And solving this crisis
is not a question of politics. It is our
moral obligation.”
— Leonardo DiCaprio

28
CHAT GPT VS GOOGLE:
FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE
Shahzad Akra
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has
become an increasingly
important tool in modern
society. With a growing
number of organizations
incorporating AI into their
day-to-day operations. AI
technologies are being used
in industries such as health-
care, finance, retail, and
transportation to automate
routine tasks, improve deci-
sion-making, and enhance
customer experiences. For
example, AI-powered chat-
bots have become a popu-
lar way for businesses to
interact with customers;
some language-based
models have changed the
way humans work. One such
example is Open AI’s Chat
GPT, a powerful lan-
guage-based model that
has revolutionized the digi-
tal world since its inception.
ChatGPT is a new language
model developed by
OpenAI, which uses ma-
chine-learning algorithms
to generate natural
responses to users’ inputs.
ChatGPT is designed to
create human-like conver-
sation and can be used for a
variety of purposes, such as
customer service, language
translation, personal assis-
tants, etc.
Google, on the other hand, is
a multinational technology
company that provides a
wide range of information.
Google has over a hundred
billion web pages indexed in
its database. With such a
massive database, it can
provide the most relevant
results in split seconds. That
is not the case with ChatGPT.
It offers precise answers but
is limited by its knowledge.
While Chat GPT and Google
both use artificial intelli-
gence and natural lan-
guage processing technol-
ogies, they serve different
purposes and have different
29
CSS Chronicles
strengths and limitations.
Chat GPT is primarily
designed for conversational
interactions, while Google is
designed to provide infor-
mation and services across
a wide range of domains.
Similarities Between
ChatGPT and Google AI
While there are many differ-
ences between ChatGPT
and Google AI applications,
there are also some similari-
ties. Both types of programs
are designed to help users
communicate with others,
and both use artificial intelli-
gence. It can be used to
send and receive messages,
and make phone calls,
although the Google AI
application can also be
used to make video calls.
Both programs can access
the internet, and both can
be used to search for infor-
mation.
Another similarity between
ChatGPT and Google AI
applications is that both can
be used to play games,
study, and do research work.
Both ChatGPT and Google’s
AI applications can be used
to control other devices. For
example, both can be used
to turn on lights or music.
Differences Between
ChatGPT and Google AI
There are quite a few differ-
ences between ChatGPT
and Google AI. ChatGPT is a
lot more user-friendly. You
Volume 3 | Edition 9
don’t need to be a tech
expert to use it. Also, chat
GPT has a lot more features
than Google AI. For example,
you can use ChatGPT to
create bots and integrate
them into your website or
application. Additionally,
ChatGPT offers a wide range
of customization options.
You can change the color
scheme, font size, and even
the language of the bot.
Google AI, on the other hand,
is geared more toward
developers. It’s not as
user-friendly as ChatGPT
and it doesn’t have as many
features. However, Google AI
does offer some advantag-
es over ChatGPT. For
instance, it’s better at
understanding natural lan-
guage processing and it
can be integrated with other
Google products (such as
Gmail).
Chat GPT and Cyber Crime.
The Chat GPT cannot think
for itself but is trained to
generate conversational
text that can be used for a
wide array of applications,
from writing college-level
essays and poetry in a
matter of seconds to com-
posing computer code and
legal contracts.
It is already abundantly
clear that Chat GPT has
far-ranging implications
and potential uses for edu-
cation, entertainment,
research, and especially our
30
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

workforce. However, the most

alarming ramifications of such
a vast technological leap will be
seen in areas of disinformation,
cybercrime, and terrorism
because ChatGPT carries with it
a tremendous risk of misuse.
This nascent technology
already is becoming a tool for
hackers and phishing schemes.

According to Checkpoint
Research, ChatGPT is empow-
ering low-skill hackers and
other bad actors to transform
basic phishing schemes into
more sophisticated, profes-
sional-looking attacks. In two
instances in December alone,
bad actors used ChatGPT to
create malware, or software
that is specifically designed to
damage, disrupt or gain unau-
thorized access to a computer
system. One of those bad
actors admitted it was the first
time he attempted to create
malware, and that the technol-
ogy played a significant role in
helping to create the script.

CheckPoint Research quickly

concluded that the “cybercrim-
inal community has already
shown significant interest and is
jumping into this latest trend to
generate malicious code” at an
alarming rate.

31
CSS Chronicles
Chat GPT and Human
Development
Chat GPT application will be
very good to reduce the cost
of education. As it will help
the children’s studies start-
ing from daily homework to
monthly assignments and
for housewives who are
unable to cope with their
children’s education, work,
and home.
In this age of technology,
where AI is already taking
over human jobs unemploy-
ment will further increase
with this Chat GPT tool.
Moreover, this program can
learn unknown things (RLHF)
through Reinforcement
Learning from human-pro-
vided messages or informa-
tion. This Reinforcement
Learning makes Chat GPT
more powerful and versatile.
Moreover, Chat GPT’s spe-
cialty is that it admits its
ignorance if there is no rele-
vant information available.
There are no artificial intelli-
gence, big data, and ma-
chine learning-related laws
in Pakistan, which make its
regulation quite complicat-
ed.
Will ChatGPT Revolutionize
the Internet?
ChatGPT is the new artificial
intelligence (AI) application
that can revolutionize the
internet. It can interact with
users naturally. It under-
stands human emotions
and can respond accord-
ingly. Additionally, it can also
help businesses automate
customer service tasks. For
example, if you run a web-
site that sells products,
ChatGPT can handle cus-
tomer queries automatical-
ly. So far, the reviews for
ChatGPT have been very
positive. Many believe that it
has the potential to change
the way we use the internet
forever. Only time will tell if it
lives up to the hype but, if it
does, it could truly be a
game-changer.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
Conclusion
Overall, we can see that
there are some key differ-
ences between chat GPT
and Google applications.
Chat GPT is focused on gen-
erating text, while Google AI
applications are more gen-
eral-purpose. Chat GPT is
also trained on a larger
dataset, which could poten-
tially make it more accurate.
With its ability to generate
natural language text quick-
ly and accurately, ChatGPT
can help make search
engines more efficient and
user-friendly. By allowing
users to communicate with
search engines more natu-
rally. As this technology
continues to evolve and
improve, it is likely to have a
significant impact on the
way we use search engines
to find information online.
32
AUTHORITARIANISM EVERYWHERE;
WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY?
SANIA SALEEM
According to the Freedom
House project’s 2021 Free-
dom in the World assess-
ment, 2020 saw a sharp
acceleration in the global
decline of democracy. By
their measure, fewer than a
fifth of the world’s popula-
tion now live in fully free
countries. This is part of a
longer trend of democratic
decline and rising authori-
tarianism that’s been
underway across the globe
for the last 30 years. The
world is becoming more
authoritarian as autocratic
regimes become even more
brazen in their repression.
Many democratic govern-
ments are backsliding and
are adopting authoritarian
tactics by restricting free
speech and weakening the
rule of law, a trend exacer-
bated by the Covid-19 pan-
demic.
On the Rise of
Authoritarianism
Across the Globe
The pillars of democracy do
not stand or crumble inde-
pendently. When transpar-
ency, free expression, and
the rule of law are weak-
ened, a country’s other
democratic safeguards are
undermined as well, as is the
entire rules-based interna-
tional order. And the further
a country goes down the
road toward autocracy, the
less capacity it has to
self-correct and recover.
Consider one of the most
fundamental indicators of
democratic vitality: freedom
of expression and belief. This
is the only category
assessed in Freedom in the
World that has declined
every year since 2005, with
an overall drop of 9 percent
in the average score across
the 210 countries and terri-
tories covered in the report.
In Hungary, Prime Minister
Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz
33
CSS Chronicles
Party has starkly politicized
media regulation, leaving
the sector increasingly
dominated by pro-govern-
ment outlets that smear the
leadership’s perceived
opponents. In India, press
freedom has rapidly deteri-
orated since Prime Minister
Narendra Modi took power
in 2014. Indian authorities
use laws related to national
security, defamation, sedi-
tion, and hate speech to
silence critical voices in the
media, a tactic widely em-
ployed by authoritarians.
The decline of global press
freedom has been accom-
panied by a steady erosion
in the other indicators of a
free society, most notably
government transparency
and the rule of law. Trans-
parency has been one of the
hardest-hit elements of
democratic governance
over the past 15 years. Espe-
cially during the Covid-19
Pandemic, the presidents of
Brazil and the United States
drowned out national health
authorities with false state-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
human rights violations.
Building a More Democratic
World
The displacement of global
democratic norms by
authoritarian powers and
other anti-democratic
actors can still be reversed.
But success will require a
bold, sustained response
that establishes support for
democracy and countering
ments and the promotion of authoritarianism at the
unproven treatments. The heart of each democracy’s
World Justice Project’s foreign policy, national
annual Rule of Law Index
recently reported four con-
secutive years of decline
worldwide, exacerbated in
2020 and 2021. According to
the report, Last year, a ma-
jority of the 139 countries
studied experienced
declines in seven of the
index’s eight key indicators.
Future of Democracy
The future of democracy in
an increasingly authoritari-
an world is uncertain. Many
countries have taken steps
to increase the control of the
government over its citizens,
with some even going as far
as to implement oppressive
policies and laws. The free-
dom of individuals to
express their opinions,
assemble peacefully, and
participate in civil society is
under threat in many
places. At the same time,
there are growing concerns
about the lack of account-
ability and transparency in
many governments, which
can lead to corruption and
34
CSS Chronicles
security strategy, and
domestic reform agenda. It
must also entail the partici-
pation of both governments
and an engaged and active
citizenry. Rather than long-
ing for a bygone era of
expanding freedom, demo-
cratic leaders need to con-
front the problems caused
by their past mistakes and
address weaknesses in the
international system that
authoritarians have been
able to exploit. Effective
democracy support should
not be subordinated to a
free country’s short-term
economic, military, or geo-
political interests, all of
which would actually be
best served by a long-term
rollback of authoritarian
practices. Nor can democ-
racy be imposed by forces
outside a given country.
In response to the authori-
tarian trends, there is an
urgent need for democratic
reform and the protection of
human rights. This includes
strengthening protections
for the right to freedom of
expression, the right to
peaceful assembly, and the
right to access information
and participate in civil soci-
ety. Governments should
also invest in education and
public services and ensure
that their citizens have
access to the resources they
need to participate mean-
ingfully in their societies. In
addition, there needs to be a
concerted effort to combat
corruption, ensure transpar-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
ency and accountability,
and ensure that the voices
of all citizens are heard.
Countries should also coop-
erate with each other to
promote democracy and
protect human rights
around the world. This could
include initiatives like
regional human rights
courts and the implementa-
tion of United Nations reso-
lutions and conventions. At
the same time, it is local and
diasporic human rights
defenders, grassroots civil
society organizations, and
empowered electorates
that must chart the course
and ultimately determine
their own country’s future
which is essential for build-
ing up of a more democratic
world.
35
RUSSIA—UKRAINE STANDOFF AND THE
QUESTION OF THE THIRD WORLD WAR
Bakhtawar Narejo
It is an often-quoted fact
that a spark may trigger
inflammation. At the same
time, some barring blocks
can have the capability to
inactivate the inflammatory
spark. Such a metaphorical
conceit can be dragged
down to gauge the
would-be decisive and turn-
ing point of the Rus-
sia-Ukraine standoff. It has
been more than a year that
Ukraine has become a bat-
tleground both for tradition-
al scuffle and proxy among
the powerful players in the
international arena. Such a
deleterious and complex
nature of this standoff raises
some serious concerns
regarding its future.
The analysis of world war
first at individual, national,
and state levels indicate the
scene currents which trig-
gered the war. The rise of
German power and its
alliance with the axis threat-
ened the balance of power
regime in the prevailing
international order. The
established powers felt fear
of it as they were seeing
their interests at stake. They
thought that it would chal-
lenge the status quo and
their established positions in
the international system.
This was the reason why the
allied fought to undo the
emergence of German-like
powers. This is an analysis at
the state level. At the nation-
al level, the desire for pro-
moting and standing supe-
rior of the races e.g, German,
etc, to the rest increased the
speed towards the start of
the war. The Thucydides
trap and the neo-realistic
approaches contributed to
the outbreak of world war 1
at the state-level analysis.
The same reasons went for
the eruption of the second
world war, The world war
second, though immediately
36
CSS Chronicles Volume 3 | Edition 9

triggered by the belligerent

and imperial fascist and
Nazist approaches, was
dragged down by the possi-
ble imbalance in the inter-
national power corridor. This
might be fairly explained by
referring to Thucydides’ trap.

This shows that though there

might be several reasons
behind the deadly two world
form of NATO’s membership wrestling for maintaining
wars, there are reportedly a
extension to Ukraine and their unchallenged positions
few which stand above all:
some other Baltic states or towards each other. Putin
balancing the international
those of the Caucasus and Russia wants the erstwhile
balance of power structure,
EU membership to Ukraine. Soviet exalted status to have
preventing one’s hegemonic
Russia keeps harping on that an undeniable say in world
position, barring the new
NATO must not take the risk matters as was mentioned
emerging power to chal-
of mongering its nose in the in the 6000 words document
lenging the existing ones
Russian sphere of influence, at the end of the Xi-Putin
and maintaining the
but in vein and thus, Moscow meeting last year. Whereas,
unchallenged and unques-
presents this reason behind the US-led West has
tioned global position of the
its attack on Ukraine. planned to have the whole
established powers.
Eurasian region under its
The Russia-Ukraine standoff influence in addition to
The Russia-Ukraine skirmish
unveils the West-Russia weakening Russia.
is very well explained in this
way thereby unfolding its
future. Though the war is
between Russia and its
next-door neighbor Ukraine,
the war has been serving the
global competition and key
powers rivalry. The core
reason for this scuffle was
the continual extension of
western influence into the
Russian World or Russian
sphere of influence in the

37
CSS Chronicles
Therefore, these global
powers wrestling over
Ukraine might inflame
another world war as the
war has been triggering the
erstwhile cold war rivals and
contemporary east-west
rivalry. This is enough to get
into a worldwide scuffling
just like the forgone two
world wars erupted as a
result of the global power
rivalry. Russia might have an
orbit of supporters among
which Beijing takes the main
seat though it negates it
publically. Similarly, the
US-led West is also a mus-
cled alliance that can give
tough times to its arch-rival.
As an inverse logic, it might
be argued that the ongoing
Russia-Ukraine scuffle has
been blocked by many bars
from getting worst. This
cannot be a world war since
the warring parties and the
perpetrators are of
immense strength and the
intensity might be devastat-
ing if they unleash a
full-fledged war. Putting it
simpler, when the proxy
turns into traditional, the
cost might be unbearable.
Similarly, the constraints by
international law, global
peace, and global trends
exercise a strong check on
the going skirmish which
Volume 3 | Edition 9
sons: balancing the power
shit or power imbalance,
maintaining hegemony
while denying the same by
other and the desire for a un
denying say in international
affairs among others. How-
ever, some forces might
prevent it from turning into a
third world war. The latter
approach is conditioned to
a responsible and new liber-
al thought, whereas the
former is to the new realist
thought. It is solely the
choice of the warring parties
which one to choose while
keeping its durable conse-
quences in view.
might be preventing it from
turning into a full-fledged
worldwide scuffle.
While giving an ending note,
the ongoing Russia-Ukraine
standoff may turn into a
world war if its intensity gets
worst since it is hosting the
world’s powerful entities
fighting for, following their
views, some forcible rea-
38
 Download
NEARPEER APP
AND GET

39
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

MONTHLY REVIEW

40
CSS Chronicles
New drugs could
spell an end to the
world’s obesity
epidemic
Published in The Economist
Anew type of drug is gener-
ating excitement among the
rich and the beautiful. Just a
jab a week, and the weight
falls off. Elon Musk swears by
it; influencers sing its praises
on TikTok; suddenly slimmer
Hollywood starlets deny
they have taken it. But the
latest weight-loss drugs are
no mere cosmetic
enhancements. Their big-
gest beneficiaries will be not
celebrities in Los Angeles or
Miami but billions of ordi-
nary people around the
world whose weight has
made them unhealthy.
Treatments for weight loss
have long ranged from the
well-meaning and ineffec-
tive to the downright dodgy.
The new class of drugs,
called glp-1 receptor ago-
nists, seems actually to
work. Semaglutide, devel-
oped by Novo Nordisk, a
Danish pharmaceutical firm,
has been shown in clinical
trials to lead to weight loss
of about 15%. It is already
being sold under the brand
name Wegovy in America,
Denmark and Norway and
will soon be available in
other countries; Ozempic, a
lower-dose version, is a dia-
betes drug that is also being
used “off label” for weight
loss. A rival glp-1 drug, made
by Eli Lilly, an American firm,
is due to come on sale later
this year and is more effec-
tive still. Analysts think the
market for glp-1 drugs could
reach $150bn by 2031, not far
off the market for cancer
drugs today. Some think
they could become as
common as beta blockers
or statins.
The drugs could not have
arrived at a better time. In
2020 two-fifths of the world’s
population were overweight
or obese. By 2035, says the
World Obesity Federation,
an ngo, that figure could
swell to more than half, with
a staggering 4bn people
overweight or obese. People
everywhere are getting
fatter. The populations put-
ting on pounds the fastest
are not in the rich West but
in countries like Egypt,
Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
These trends are alarming
because obesity causes a
host of health problems,
including diabetes, heart
disease and high blood
pressure, as well as dozens
of illnesses such as stroke,
gout and various cancers.
Carrying extra weight made
people more likely to die of
covid-19. And then there is
the misery that comes from
the stigma associated with
being fat, which affects chil-
dren in schools and play-
grounds most cruelly of all.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
The consequences of obesi-
ty for the public purse and
the wider economy are
large. According to model-
ling by academics the
annual cost to the world
economy of excess weight
could reach $4trn by 2035
(2.9% of global gdp, up from
2.2% in 2019). That includes
both spending on health
care and working time lost
to illness and premature
deaths tied to obesity.
The world’s expanding
waistlines are not a sign of
the moral failure of the
billions who are overweight,
but the result of biology. The
genes that were vital to
helping humans survive
winters and famine still help
the body cling on to its
weight today. The super-
abundance of hard-to-re-
sist processed foods in
recent decades has brought
greater convenience and
lower costs, but also trig-
gered overeating just as
lifestyles became more
sedentary. Once the fat is
on, the body fights any
attempt to diet away more
than a little of its total
weight. Despite the $250bn
that consumers around the
world spent on dieting and
weight loss last year, the
battle to get slim was largely
being lost.
The new obesity drugs
arrived by serendipity, after
treatments meant for dia-
betics were observed to
cause weight loss. Sema-
41
CSS Chronicles
glutide mimics the release
of hormones that stimulate
a feeling of fullness and
reduce the appetite. They
also switch off the powerful
urge to eat that lurks inside
the brain, waiting to ambush
even the keenest dieter.
With the jabs already in high
demand, investors are
nearly as giddy as newly
slim users. The market capi-
talisation of Novo Nordisk,
the firm at the front of the
gold rush, has doubled in
two years, to $326bn,
making it the sec-
ond-most-valuable listed
drugmaker in the world.
Analysts expect half of
obese Americans who seek
help to be on glp-1 drugs by
the turn of the decade. But,
as with any new medicine
that holds so much promise
for so many, there are
uncertainties. Two big ones
will be safety and afford-
ability.
Consider safety first. The
newness of these drugs
means that their long-term
consequences are not yet
known. For the lower-dose
forms prescribed for diabe-
tes, the side-effects, such as
vomiting and diarrhoea,
have been mild. But others
could crop up as the drugs
are used more widely and at
higher doses. Animal studies
have shown a higher inci-
dence of thyroid cancer,
and semaglutide is associ-
ated with a rare pancreati-
tis. Little is known about the
effects of using them during
or just before pregnancy. All
this will require careful anal-
ysis through controlled lon-
gitudinal studies.
Understanding these risks
will be important, because
many patients who take the
drugs may need them for
the rest of their lives. As with
ditching a diet, stopping a
high dose of semaglutide is
associated with much of the
lost weight piling back on.
Some people even gain
more weight than they lost
in the first place.
Another preoccupation for
policymakers is cost. In
America the bill for Wegovy
runs at around $1,300 a
month; for Ozempic about
$900. Judged by such
prices, lifelong prescriptions
look forbiddingly expensive.
The longer view, however, is
more encouraging. In time,
companies may strike deals
with governments and
health providers to cover the
whole population, ensuring
high volumes in return for
low prices. The prospect of
profits is already luring
competition and spurring
innovation. Amgen, Astra-
Zeneca and Pfizer are all
working on rival drugs; Novo
Nordisk has a full pipeline of
follow-on drugs. Further
ahead still, patents will
expire, enabling the devel-
opment of lower-priced
generics.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
The shape of things to come
What to do in the mean-
time? Governments must
ensure that those who most
need the drugs get them,
leaving those taking them
for cosmetic purposes to
pay out of their own pockets.
The long-term effects must
be carefully studied. States
should keep pressing other
anti-obesity measures, such
as exercise, healthy eating
and better food labelling,
which may help prevent
people from getting fat in
the first place. But spare a
moment to celebrate, too.
These new drugs mean that
the world’s fight against flab
may eventually be won.
Why Asia – and the
World – Must Stand
With Ukraine
Published in The Diplomat
Ukraine will be glorious
again. To the wounded hills
of Ukraine, life will be
returned. The destroyed
homes and streets will be
rebuilt. Separated families
and loved ones will be
united. Ukraine will celebrate
freedom and peace along
with the rest of the world.
I have great trust in standing
together as one, totally
united. I have a firm convic-
tion in the power of freedom.
No power, authoritarian dic-
tator, or militant junta can
stand against the will of
people determined to be
42
CSS Chronicles
free. The voice of the people
and their resolve are far
more powerful than any
gunfire. Freedom is non-ne-
gotiable when it faces exter-
mination.
Freedom is an opportunity
for all; despots offer solu-
tions and opportunities that
only comfort themselves.
They claim they bring
justice, but their justice is
selective. They dictate their
chosen way of life to others.
In truth, they worry more
about the regime’s and, ulti-
mately, their own survival
and longevity. Dictators are
usually desperate, servicing
their corrupted web of
crooks and pleasing the
vultures that are flying
around them.
I know Vladimir Putin does
not tolerate freedom. I have
sat with him on many occa-
sions. He despises differenc-
es and competition. He fears
a free Ukraine. As a deep
narcissist, he cannot abide
more successful and pros-
perous neighbors. He envi-
sioned that a free, civil
Ukraine could represent a
grave danger for his regime.
The Russian aggression
against Ukraine did not
happen out of the blue. It
was a pinnacle of
long-fought rivalries
between ideas of freedom
and fists of suppression. The
dimensions of this war are
much broader, longer, and
more profound than the
geographical bounds of
Ukraine. The fiery frontline
runs throughout Africa, Asia,
America, and the Middle
East. This war is raging
between the free world and
the suppressed, between
autocracy and democracy.
Many ask why most Asian
countries tend to have a
neutral position compared
to Europe. The answer is
simple: All they can do is
watch with a heavy heart.
Sadly, the continent of Asia
is also full of self-pro-
claimed rulers. In most
cases, Asian governments
lack legitimate representa-
tion.
Ukrainians are fighting not
only for their country, but
they are also fighting for our
right to exist and be free.
Their fight is global. As a
result, our support should be
global and completely
unconditional. Ukrainian
victory will bring unprece-
dented encouragement to
all freedom-loving people
on this planet. Autocrats
everywhere will be knocked
down and devastated. If
Russia prevails, however,
dictators will march in full
swing.
We all must contribute as
we can.
The evils of this war have no
limit. The Kremlin is bringing
devastation and suffering to
the most vulnerable: chil-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
dren, elders, and families.
This horror is not solely pres-
ent in war-torn territories; it
is also found in Russia itself.
The Russian authorities are
even committing a geno-
cide against their own citi-
zens.
Putin’s so-called partial mo-
bilization brought fear and
tears to the most vulnerable.
The ethnic minorities who
live in Russia are dispropor-
tionately drafted and
thrown to the frontline. The
Buryats, Kalmycks, Tuvans,
and other marginalized
minorities have been used
as cannon fodder. The
remote regions where
ethnic minorities live have
almost run out of mili-
tary-age men. By local
accounts, the Kremlin is
committing textbook ethnic
cleansing under the um-
brella of its “special opera-
tion.”
In addition, the outspoken
and brightest in Russia are
mostly silenced. In any
nation, free-minded people
are fundamental to offering
differences and better solu-
tions. But, unfortunately, this
very part of society in Russia
has catastrophically
shrunken, if not dried out.
The remaining brave people
in Russia are still fighting
against corruption and the
deeply intimidating war
while facing torture and jail.
Therefore, the world is not
43
CSS Chronicles
against the Russian people
but against the Kremlin’s
kleptocracy and atrocities.
Some observers are disap-
pointed with Asian coun-
tries’, including Mongolia’s,
stance on the war against
Ukraine. Due to its geogra-
phy, tightly squeezed
between Russia and China,
the government of Mongolia
is forced to perform a bal-
ancing act. However, public
opinion in Mongolia is reso-
lutely against the brutal
attack against the sovereign
nation of Ukraine.
In this regard, I would like to
remind the world of a histor-
ical example. When Nazi
leader Adolf Hitler attacked
the Soviet Union, the people
of Mongolia united against
this fascist invader. They
showed solidarity with the
Soviet people and spared
nothing. Nomadic herders
sent more than half of their
livestock to the Soviet Union.
A quarter of all the horses on
the frontline during World
War II came from Mongolia.
In the days following the
war’s end, it was not rare to
see a skinny but sturdy
Mongol horse standing
together with victorious
Allied forces in the ruins of
Berlin.
Horses were logistical
lifelines, moving heavy
equipment and weaponry
through mud and rough
terrain, including mined
ground. In challenging
circumstances, Mongolian
horses were at times the
only means of transporta-
tion – and sometimes a
much-needed source of
nourishment. Mongolian
herders supplied over half a
million horses to the Soviets.
In late 1941, the Soviets
began a counteroffensive
against German forces on
the outskirts of Moscow.
During those unusually
harsh winter months, most
of the Red Army soldiers and
officers wore warm winter
uniforms made from stocks
in Mongolia. In addition, with
donations from Mongolia,
the Soviets produced col-
umns of tanks and fleets of
fighter aircraft. The govern-
ment of Mongolia donated
its gold and hard currency
reserves to the Soviet Union
for four years in a row. Mon-
golian lamb and meat
donations to the front line
outperformed those by the
Lend-Lease Act.
When Nazi Germany
attacked the Soviet Union,
Mongolians stood with their
northern neighbor as best
as they could. When Putin’s
Russia attacked Ukraine,
from day one, the people of
Mongolia stood against the
brutal invasion. My point
here is: Do what the Mongols
did. Offer support and con-
tributions to those fighting
for the right to exist.
Sadly, most of the decisions
Volume 3 | Edition 9
by the West are always one
step behind Russian
aggression in terms of sup-
porting Ukraine. Ukraine’s
President Volodymyr Zelen-
skyy, from the first days of
the war, asked not for an
escape plane but for more
weapons. War-torn Ukraine
is still begging for fighter jets
and longer-range missiles.
Ukrainians are paying the
ultimate price for freedom.
They are suffering, shedding
blood, and sacrificing every-
thing precious to them.
Ukrainians are fighting to
restore the damaged world
order. They are fighting day
and night to secure global
peace and freedom.
U.S. President Joe Biden and
German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz might have time to
wait, but a wounded Ukraine
does not.
There is no time to wait in
the face of this blatant
aggression and destruction.
Ukraine needs aircraft and
missiles to delete, deplete,
and defeat the invading
forces. Putin will only stop
fighting once he exhausts all
his arsenals. And Russian
aggression will only stop
with its defeat.
As one family, as humanity,
we all must support Ukraine
because its people are
paying the ultimate price.
We must stand shoul-
der-to-shoulder with
44
CSS Chronicles
Ukraine, not only until its
total liberation but also until
its complete rebuilding.
No one in this day and age
should ever attempt what
Putin is doing in Ukraine. As a
result, Ukraine’s victory is a
non-negotiable for the
global community, to prove
that war is obsolete.
If Ukraine stops fighting,
freedom and the free world
will face continuous intimi-
dation and further extermi-
nation. However, if Ukraine is
victorious, freedom will pre-
vail. The whole of humanity
will pass the test of time and
the test of dignity. The free
world has no right to lose.
Iran’s growing
weapons transfers to
Africa
Published in Arab News
Iran’s arms smuggling to
Africa has been ongoing for
years. A cat-and-mouse
game has been taking
place, with the international
community tracing Iranian
weapons transfers ever
since the 1983 Beirut bomb-
ing that killed hundreds of
Americans. Significantly for
Europe and the West, Iran
seems to be increasing its
activities in Africa. Iranian
arms sales in Africa, particu-
larly in certain regions, are
beneficial to Russia and
China and run counter to
Western interests.
Iran’s weapons production
is increasingly sophisticat-
ed. It moves from market to
market, depending on
buyers and the pervasive-
ness of the environment.
Iran’s increasing partner-
ships with China and Russia
make Tehran increasingly
seek new interests in Africa,
especially regarding
Moscow and its proposed
base in Sudan. The Iranian
merchant shipping industry
is also seeking to increase
its capacity to sail around
the East Coast of Africa to
the Gulf of Guinea. Weapons
get mixed up in this trade
flow.
Iranian foreign policy
toward African states is
undergoing a sharp
increase in activity and out-
reach. Foreign Minister Hos-
sein Amir-Abdollahian visit-
ed Mali and Tanzania last
year and Mauritania this
year, opening new lines of
diplomatic and ship-
ping/trade opportunities.
Weapons get mixed into
such activities, as was
witnessed during the days
when Iran had arms facto-
ries in Sudan under Omar
Bashir.
With Yemen becoming an
increasingly difficult market
to sell in because of increas-
ing interdiction by Arab Gulf
partners, Tehran is funneling
more weapons into the Horn
of Africa, specifically Punt-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
land. Such a move by
Tehran runs counter to a
multitude of interests. Last
week, an agreement was
signed between Somalia,
Qatar, Turkey, the UAE, the
UK and the US to support
Somalia’s efforts in the fight
against weapons smug-
gling.
The seaborne Iranian arms
transport system uses the
same route that has been
run for decades by maritime
shippers and traders. The
arms network that runs
along the southern part of
the Arabian Peninsula into
the Horn of Africa is tough to
police. Prohibitions of Iranian
weapons shipments help
but delivery outside of the
Bab Al-Mandab Strait
makes for a wider maritime
space to police.
Iran has sold weapons to
many African countries.
Research shows Iranian
ammunition is in service
with a range of entities,
including government
forces (Guinea, Ivory Coast,
Kenya and Sudan), warring
civilian communities
(Kenya, South Sudan and
Uganda) and rebel, insur-
gent and militia groups
(Ivory Coast, Darfur, the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo, South Sudan and
Niger). There is a strong
history of Iranian arms fall-
ing into the “wrong hands.”
Research shows that Iranian
ammunition is in service
45
CSS Chronicles
with factions aligned with
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic
Maghreb operating in Niger.
Transfers of Iranian ammu-
nition have contravened UN
sanctions on Ivory Coast
and plausibly violated UN
embargoes on the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo
and Darfur. There is no
evidence to suggest the
direct involvement of Iran in
these violations, but the
potential is there. Why play
with fire?
According to a 2012 report
by Conflict Armament
Research, “with the excep-
tion of Khartoum-aligned
forces in Darfur and South
Sudan, the regional sources
of this ammunition are
unclear. In the Ivory Coast
case, ammunition deliveries
certainly transited the terri-
tory of Burkina Faso and
match the types of ammu-
nition circulating in Darfur.” It
remains to be seen what
happens as China and
Russia boost their involve-
ment in African affairs. Iran
acts as a fifth column
source when necessary.
In a meeting with his Sene-
galese counterpart Aissata
Tall Sall, Amir-Abdollahian
this week emphasized the
importance of Africa in Iran’s
foreign policy and the
important position of Sene-
gal in Africa. Senegal is a key
country on the continent, as
the African Union was until
last month led by Senega-
lese President Macky Sall
and the UN’s mission in Libya
is headed by prominent
Senegalese diplomat
Abdoulaye Bathily. Com-
bined with Tehran’s relations
with Mali and Algeria, in
addition to Mauritania, there
is a growing Iranian pres-
ence in the Sahel, especially
in Libya’s “underbelly.” North
Africa is a key Iranian focus,
particularly the areas
around Libya.
The state-to-state level
matters for Iran in Africa.
Tehran’s close ties with Alge-
ria are a particularly import-
ant factor. Algeria’s relation-
ship with the Palestinians is
key for Tehran, giving it an
added voice, especially
during today’s troubling situ-
ation in Israel and the Occu-
pied Territories. Tehran is
able to go to other countries
and perhaps weaponize the
issue if necessary.
Israel’s growing interactions
with the Horn of Africa
states, particularly Somalia
and Sudan, brings up ques-
tions about the intersection
with Iranian arms sales. Teh-
ran’s arms sales can set the
stage for a confrontation
within these states. Does
Iran want to upset the
Somali political landscape
with weapon sales in
Somaliland as a way to
garner access to the tip of
the peninsula and earn
greater influence?
Volume 3 | Edition 9
Overall, Iran’s arms transfers
to the African continent
serve a number of purposes,
which signal that Tehran
continues its elicit revenue
practice, while facing mo-
rality issues at home.
War and peace: How
Germany and France
lost the plot in
Ukraine
Published in TRT World
Macron and Scholz’s efforts
to find a negotiated settle-
ment between Kiev and
Moscow have seemingly
backfired due to a poor
understanding of the situa-
tion.
European politics has
become a comedy show of
sorts in recent days when
we observe how France and
Germany’s leaders are
tackling the problem of the
Ukraine war – which they
badly want to end – and
also President Zelenskyy,
who western elites are
seeing more and more as
part of the problem, rather
the solution.
Recently these two leaders
spoke with Zelenskyy and
urged him to begin peace
talks with Putin. His
response, according to
social media, was that
“there’s nothing to negotiate
and no one in Moscow to
negotiate with..”.
46
CSS Chronicles
The French and German
presidents, Emmanuel
Macron and Olaf Scholz, are
barely hiding the fact these
days that they need Zelen-
skyy to start peace talks with
the Russian president. The
problem with that is their
own oxymoronic logic which
goes with the idea that they
want peace. But at the same
time, they also want a stron-
ger Ukraine to emerge from
it, which they can claim as
theirs when the dust settles.
In many ways, some military
pundits might compare this
to the British attack on
Arnhem in the Netherlands
during WWII, where their
soldiers took on too much
and dreamt too big. A Bridge
Too Far was a Hollywood
movie which summed up
the zealous adventure
which failed to push the
German positions back and
take the bridges.
It’s a similar story to what
these EU giants are setting
out to achieve with the
Ukraine war.
Zelenskyy is and always has
been the real stumbling
block when it comes to kick-
starting peace talks. And
nothing much has changed
of late, except that US Presi-
dent Joe Biden is starting to
panic in Washington as it is
clear the egregious amount
of money which was previ-
ously shovelled to Ukraine is
going to slow down in 2023,
due mainly to Republicans
controlling the House and
an election race kicking off.
This will leave him am-
bushed by blue-collar work-
ers asking him how he blew
100 billion dollars on a coun-
try they can’t find on a map
while a growing cost-of-liv-
ing crisis takes more victims,
puts more families on the
streets and kills more of the
old.
Biden and his allies have
warned Zelenskyy that time
is running out and that the
latest tranche of cash has to
get real results. Their think-
ing is that if he can make
more gains on the battle-
field, this will stand him in
good stead for negotiating
later on. The nightmare sce-
nario for Biden is that the
2024 presidential elections
are fought on a single issue
– Ukraine – and that this will
reinstate Trump or anyone
else officially nominated by
the Republican Party. The
Americans take a slightly
different view of the timeline
and what they expect com-
pared to the EU.
It’s more of a drawn-out
torture for Macron and
Scholz, whose mishandling
of Zelenskyy is comical.
Vexed by this recalcitrant
attitude, Zelenskyy was
offered an incentive which,
when viewed in a clear light,
gives analysts and observ-
Volume 3 | Edition 9
ers a clue as to how the
West managed to impale
itself in Ukraine and how
Western sanctions are actu-
ally punishing EU citizens
more than Russians.
Scholz and Macron offered
to supply Zelenskyy with
even more weapons plus a
gilt-edged offer of NATO
‘defence pact’ if he starts
peace talks with Putin. How
could Scholz and Macron
think these incentives would
help negotiate peace with
Putin?
And given Putin’s position
now, it would take a miracle
anyway to negotiate with
Zelenskyy with or without
these ‘incentives’.
For Ukraine, even if we are to
humour the West in its opti-
mism, there is a window of
opportunity to make a small
impact on the battlefield,
perhaps at the end of
summer if the 100 tanks
promised will arrive. But this
is a very optimistic view-
point, given that even the
tank crews will be rookies
and the 2000 km ‘border’
between Russian and forces
is too large for these tanks to
have any real impact.
The truth about the tanks’
hyped-up story is that they
will only be used in a defen-
sive capacity. And that’s
even if they arrive, as some
analysts are very sceptical
that Biden will even send the
47
CSS Chronicles
30 or so promised M1
Abrams. Many believe it is
just one more smokescreen
created by the American
President, who knows that
this latest batch of military
aid is probably the last.
Given that, Kremlin will no
doubt seize the window of
opportunity to go ahead
with a spring offensive with
new tanks rolling off the pro-
duction lines. A key fact
about tanks: the West has a
shortage and an extended
delivery period. Russia
doesn’t, as it produces
around 200 a year. And now,
with China and Iran piling in
with more assistance in the
form of buying Russian
energy, ditching the dollar
and, if reports are to be
believed, providing military
hardware to add to Russia’s
arsenal, it’s little wonder why
there is panic setting in both
the US and EU leaders.
Macron and Scholz are wait-
ing for the first card to fall on
the continent, which will
almost certainly be the UK
when Prime Minister Rishi
Sunak will have to scale
back spending on Ukraine
before the next winter sets in
around November in the UK.
Around about the same
time, western leaders will
likely be struggling to
explain to voters how poor
people are going to get it in
the neck even more as the
tank plan has backfired big
time when Russia showcas-
es its ‘tank buster’ robotic
mini tanks, which are
already arriving in Donbas.
And for the Leopard IIs and
Challenger tanks? Who will
buy them after this PR disas-
ter? More money and jobs
lost in the West. The Ma-
cron-Scholz peace plan
definitely needs a rethink.
How to win the hot
war in Ukraine and
the cold war that will
follow it
Published in The Economist
After a year there is so much
to mourn. The dead, on both
sides. The living, scattered
across Europe by Russian
missiles. The world’s poor,
struggling to buy bread. But,
addressing his nation this
week, Vladimir Putin was
unrepentant.
Ukraine’s allies can congrat-
ulate themselves that they
have done their part to
counter Mr Putin’s remorse-
less assault—though, with its
courage and resolve,
Ukraine itself deserves most
credit. They have converged
on two principles: that
Ukraine must win, and that it
is for President Volodymyr
Zelensky to define what
victory means. When he
visited Kyiv on Tuesday,
President Joe Biden was
living proof of America’s
commitment.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
Yet even the worthiest prin-
ciples have a way of wear-
ing thin, as Mr Putin well
knows. He believes that the
West will tire and, with the
possibility of a new Ameri-
can president in 2025 and
stronger backing from
China, he may yet be proved
right. His speech this week
made clear that he is mobil-
ising Russia for a war
that—hot or cold—could last
a generation.
In the fighting and in the
long years of the heavily
armed stand-off that
comes afterwards, Ukraine
will prevail only when Mr
Putin—or, more likely, his
successor—concludes that
further aggression would
gravely weaken him at
home. Western leaders
need to signal their resolve
to Russia and to prepare
their own people for the
confrontation ahead. That is
why they should mark the
second year of fighting by
going beyond generalities
and committing themselves
to a credible blueprint for a
long struggle.
The first task is to under-
stand what is at stake. Some
Europeans still harbour the
belief that a peace deal
could restore the world to its
state on February 23rd 2022.
In fact Russia, Ukraine and
the West are locked in a
contest between rival sys-
tems. The West believes that
sovereign Ukraine should be
48
CSS Chronicles
free to become a prosper-
ous, democratic nation. Mr
Putin denies Ukraine’s exis-
tence, and says that the
Russian civilisation is at war
with the West. It is a war that
will test the resolve and
power of both sides.
The second task is to gain
the advantage on the bat-
tlefield. Russia’s and
Ukraine’s spring offensives
will show whether either side
can take territory. Russia’s
assault has already begun,
and does not seem to be
making ground. Ukraine’s is
likely in April or May. The
Ukrainian army’s stated aim
is to restore the borders of
1991 by seizing Crimea and
the four provinces Mr Putin
annexed in September.
It should take all it can. The
strategic reason for this is
that a rump Ukraine would
be impoverished and hard
to defend. The east and
south of the country are
sources of minerals and
crops, and centres of indus-
try. Unhindered access to
the Black Sea provides safe
passage for Ukrainian
exports. The political reason
is that the more territory
Russian forces surrender,
the clearer it is that the war
was futile—and the harder it
will be for Mr Putin or his suc-
cessor to justify re-invading
Ukraine with a new army.
Should Ukraine’s ambitions
include Crimea? In principle,
yes. It lies within the coun-
try’s recognised borders. It
controls access to Ukraine’s
coast. It is also the territory
that Mr Putin most priz-
es—and hence whose liber-
ation would best drive home
his defeat. In practice,
Crimea will be hard to take.
Mr Putin may issue a credi-
ble threat to use nuclear
weapons. Mr Zelensky had
better be sure of success: a
failed assault could end up
rallying ordinary Russians
behind their leader.
The stronger Ukraine’s terri-
torial position, the stronger it
will be in the cold war after
the fighting is exhausted.
This could come in a formal
peace agreement, but more
probably a ceasefire, like the
70-year-old stand-off
between North and South
Korea. Either way, Mr Putin
will not simply give up, so
Ukraine will require a credi-
ble guarantee of its security.
Ideally that would entail
membership of nato. Mr
Putin is hard to deter,
because America does not
want to begin a war with
Russia—and rightly so. nato
membership lowers the risk,
by turning the tables on Mr
Putin. It commits its mem-
bers in advance to treat an
attack on one country as an
attack on all. If Mr Putin
invaded, he would be the
one choosing a superpower
war.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
At the recent Munich Securi-
ty Conference several coun-
tries said they were in
favour—even France may be
open to the idea. However,
nato membership requires
consensus. If that is unat-
tainable, Ukraine would
need bilateral guarantees
and lots of arms, so that it is
like a European Israel, too
indigestible for another Rus-
sian invasion to make sense.
Whatever happens, Ukraine’s
need for weapons will endure
for at least a decade and
possibly longer. Just now it is
firing roughly as many shells
in a month as America can
produce in a year. Its spring
campaign needs munitions,
spare parts, air-defence sys-
tems, long-range artillery
and, ultimately, aircraft. Post
war, it will require an entire
arsenal of nato-quality
weaponry.
Politicians insist they have
woken up to these needs,
but are being slow to act.
They need to change their
outlook. Western countries
have to accept that they
can no longer afford peace-
time production levels of
arms—not just to support
Ukraine but also to defend
themselves. Threats
abound. They need to signal
a long-term restocking of
munitions, invest in surge
capacity and do more pro-
curement alliance-wide so
as to create a robust indus-
try.
49
CSS Chronicles
The long fight
Western powers can also
signal their commitment
with multi-year budgets for
financial support. That mat-
ters because, if the
Ukrainian economy does not
thrive, then democracy will
not thrive either. Gradually,
the country’s defences
would weaken.
Aid is essential, obviously.
Given that America has pro-
vided the lion’s share of the
weapons, much of that
should come from Europe.
But private capital is essen-
tial, too, and that will flow
into Ukraine only if it is seen
to be a good place to invest.
As in Israel and South Korea,
which have both thrived
despite their neighbours’
decades-long hostility,
Ukraine’s greatest resource
is its people. Throughout this
war, they have shown that
they are enterprising and
creative. It is vital that, when
the fighting ends, the
women and children who
fled west do not stay put, but
choose to rejoin their part-
ners.
And Ukraine has to over-
come a history of corruption
and political capture. Here
the promise of membership
of the eu can help. The pro-
cess of accession is a health
regime for a country’s insti-
tutions. So long as Ukraine’s
candidacy is handled in
good faith by eu members, it
could be transformative.
Formal negotiations on
accession should begin
during 2023.
As the war enters its second
year, some ask whether
Ukraine is worth all this
effort. Isn’t the cost-of-living
crisis more urgent? Or
climate change? Imagine if
the money spent on weap-
ons could finance develop-
ment instead.
It is right to regret the war,
but unwise simply to wish
away Mr Putin’s aggression.
A Russian victory in Ukraine
would frog-march the world
Volume 3 | Edition 9
down a bleak path where
might is right and frontiers
are drawn by violence. It
may hasten the next, even
worse, confrontation in
Europe. And it would deepen
a widespread sense that
Western power, and the uni-
versal values it sustains, are
in steep decline.
Ukraine’s victory, by con-
trast, would bring hope that
a sovereign democracy
need not bow to its much
larger, dictatorial neighbour.
It would be a world that took
heart from the resolve and
courage of Mr Zelensky and
the Ukrainian people.
Who’s afraid of a
Chinese balloon?
Published in Al Jazeera
Sometimes on this planet of
ours, militaries do silly
things.
There was that time in 2021,
for example, that the United
States army accidentally
stormed a sunflower oil fac-
tory in Bulgaria. That same
year, the Italian armed
forces erroneously blew up
a chicken coop in northern
Italy.
A bit farther back, in the
Battle of Karansebes of 1788,
the Austrian army acciden-
tally attacked itself, resulting
in some 10,000 casualties.
Now, another bizarre military
50
CSS Chronicles
stunt has been pulled on the
world stage — but on pur-
pose.
On February 4, a US fighter
jet shot down what the
United States insists was a
Chinese “spy balloon” off the
coast of South Carolina;
according to China, it was
merely a weather balloon
that had blown off course.
The airborne object was
taken out with a Sidewinder
missile — which, at $400,000
a pop, was also the weapon
of choice a week later as the
US military went about
frenetically shooting up
more unidentified stuff in the
sky.
Belligerent and huffy pro-
nouncements ensued from
the US political establish-
ment, and President Joe
Biden refused to apologise
for downing the Chinese
balloon — while Aviation
Week floated the suggestion
that one of the unidentified
items might have been a
cheap balloon reported
missing by the Northern
Illinois Bottlecap Balloon
Brigade, a hobbyist club.
In response to the fate of the
Chinese balloon, China’s top
diplomat Wang Yi catego-
rised US behaviour as
“almost hysterical” and
urged the US “not to do such
preposterous things simply
to divert attention from its
own domestic problems”.
To be sure, the US suffers
from an abundance of
terrestrial issues that are
rather more existentially
perilous than a balloon off
the coast of South Carolina.
These range from the lack of
a functioning healthcare or
education system to the
ongoing epidemic of home-
lessness to the fact that
mass shootings might as
well be declared an official
national pastime.
On February 18, a gunman in
a rural Mississippi town
fatally shot six people — the
latest episode in a nev-
er-ending horror show. But,
hey, China is the real threat
to American “safety and
security”.
It meanwhile bears empha-
sising that, even if the Chi-
nese balloon was indeed
conducting surveillance
rather than meteorological
operations, the US reaction
is still pretty “preposterous”
given the country’s own
stellar track record of sur-
veilling everyone and every-
thing in the world. This
includes decades of partic-
ularly aggressive spying
against China itself, from the
Cold War era of U-2 spy
planes up to the present
day.
Of course, the US’s unilater-
ally endowed right to act as
Big Brother-in-Chief extends
to the practice of spying on
US citizens, too — speaking
Volume 3 | Edition 9
of “domestic problems”.
Take the CIA, which on top of
all the energy it expends
committing misdeeds
abroad somehow also
manages to find the time to
engage in the unlawful
mass surveillance of Ameri-
cans, with no proper over-
sight or safeguards against
violations of privacy.
Then there is the FBI, which
as the American Civil Liber-
ties Union notes has a “long
history of abusing its nation-
al security surveillance
powers”, starting with the
COINTELPRO programme
during the Cold War that
“targeted numerous non-vi-
olent protest groups and
political dissidents with
illegal wiretaps, warrantless
physical searches and an
array of other dirty tricks”.
Now in the “war on terror”
era, the FBI has shown even
greater dedication to
dismantling basic civil liber-
ties. Muslim communities
have been especially perse-
cuted with relentless unwar-
ranted surveillance and
plenty of “other dirty tricks”
— like when the agency
opted to spend heaps of US
taxpayer money paying
informants to entrap unsus-
pecting folks in FBI-manu-
factured terror plots.
Last but not least, the
National Security Agency
(NSA) has done its own bit
for “national security” by
51
CSS Chronicles
presiding over the secret
and illegal mass surveil-
lance of Americans, includ-
ing the interception of
phone and internet com-
munications.
Amid all the ruckus over the
Chinese balloon, I spoke with
a former employee of vari-
ous prominent defence
companies contracted by
the NSA and the Pentagon,
who requested anonymity.
He speculated that Biden
was simply endeavouring to
appear “tough on defence”
with his aerial escapades in
order to satisfy the more
trigger-happy sectors of the
establishment.
After all, there is nothing
tougher than blowing up a
balloon with a $400,000
missile.
The balloon’s “guts” are cur-
rently being analysed at the
FBI laboratory in Quantico,
Virginia, where they were
transported after being
recovered off the Atlantic
coast. Whatever the ulti-
mate diagnosis is, it is safe
to assume that we have not
seen the end of the prepos-
terousness, particularly
given the utterly
jam-packed nature of the
sky these days, where one
can take one’s pick of
potential airborne menaces.
But freaking out about a
Chinese “spy balloon” also
discounts all the literal aerial
terror that is Made in the USA
— from bombing and straf-
ing Afghanistan and Iraq to
saturating the heavens with
armed drones. In 2011, a CIA
drone strike on Yemen
extrajudicially murdered
Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, a
16-year-old US citizen.
Now that the military prece-
dent has been set for franti-
cally blasting balloons and
random unidentified objects
out of the sky — and as
Made-in-USA panic fuels an
atmosphere of bellicose
Sinophobia — it’s time for a
reality check.
In other words, you might
say, it is time to burst Ameri-
ca’s balloon.
UK finally starts
rebuilding bridges
with the EU
Published in Arab News
Former British Prime Minister
Boris Johnson won the
December 2019 general
election on the promise that
he had an “oven-ready
deal” to “get Brexit done.”
But while the UK did leave
the EU in January 2020,
Johnson’s deal included a
deeply contentious protocol
governing the special trade
status of Northern Ireland.
New Prime Minister Rishi
Sunak’s successful negotia-
tion of an amended deal
with European Commission
Volume 3 | Edition 9
President Ursula von der
Leyen is thus a welcome
development — one that
could mark a turning point
in UK-EU relations.
Brexit was an irresponsible
act of self-sabotage that
not only wrecked the UK’s
economic and political rela-
tions with the EU, but also
threatened the fragile
peace in Northern Ireland. It
was only in 1998 that —
thanks to the US-brokered
Good Friday Agreement —
Northern Ireland escaped a
violent three-decade-long
conflict between Protestant
“unionists,” who mostly wish
to remain in the UK, and
Catholic “nationalists,” who
mostly want to join the
Republic of Ireland.
Johnson’s insistence that
the UK would leave the EU
single market and customs
union and adopt its own
trade rules, import tariffs
and product regulations
required the erection of cus-
toms barriers between the
UK and the EU. But there was
broad agreement that
imposing a land border
between Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland
would undermine the Good
Friday Agreement.
Johnson’s “solution” was to
allow Northern Ireland to
remain in the EU single
market for goods and
bound by EU customs rules,
while denying that this
52
CSS Chronicles
would result in any trade
barriers within the UK — that
is, between Great Britain
(England, Scotland and
Wales) and Northern Ireland.
But that was not true: the
Northern Ireland protocol
required inspections and
document checks at British
ports on all goods shipped
from Britain to Northern
Ireland.
The economic disruption
has been considerable, with
political consequences to
match. Many unionists and
Brexiteers were furious that
Northern Ireland had been
separated from the rest of
the UK and remained sub-
ject to EU law. Johnson’s
response was as ill-advised
as his original plan. Shortly
before his forced resigna-
tion last year, he introduced
legislation to unilaterally
override the Northern
Ireland protocol that he
himself had negotiated,
threatening a trade war with
the EU.
Sunak’s revised deal — the
“Windsor Framework”—
does not eliminate all these
tensions, but it goes a long
way toward easing them.
While there will still be cus-
toms checks on goods sent
to Northern Ireland from
Britain that are destined for
Ireland and the rest of the
EU, trusted traders, such as
UK supermarket chains, will
be able to ship produce to
their Northern Ireland stores
without any checks. Medi-
cines licensed in the UK but
not yet approved in the EU
will be available in Northern
Ireland. Mail parcels and
pets will be able to cross the
Irish Sea unimpeded.
This is a coup for Sunak. With
patient diplomacy, honest
dealing and technocratic
attention to detail, he
secured a much better deal
than Johnson did and
restored a modicum of trust
between the UK and the EU.
Already, the EU has invited
the UK to rejoin its €95
billion ($101 billion) Horizon
Europe program, which
funds research and innova-
tion, and France is promis-
ing closer cooperation with
the UK to stem an influx of
migrants in flimsy boats
crossing the English Channel.
Within the UK, however,
political conflicts are likely to
persist. Extremists in North-
ern Ireland’s Democratic
Unionist Party may reject the
deal and continue to boy-
cott the province’s pow-
er-sharing government,
thereby leaving it suspend-
ed. Some Brexit hard-liners
within Sunak’s Conservative
Party might also oppose it,
because the deal leaves
Northern Ireland under the
partial jurisdiction of the EU.
The opportunistic Johnson,
who is still agitating for a
return as prime minister, will
undoubtedly attempt to
foment opposition.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
To be sure, the Windsor
Framework still seems set to
be approved by the UK Par-
liament. But if votes from
opposition Labour MPs are
what clinches that outcome,
Sunak’s standing in the
Conservative Party would be
diminished. Renewed civil
war among the Tories would
hurt their already disas-
trously low poll ratings,
increasing the chances that
jittery Conservative MPs will
ditch Sunak before the next
general election, due by
January 2025.
If, however, Sunak succeeds
in overcoming opposition to
his deal, his political stand-
ing could be greatly
enhanced, with the public
viewing him as a bold leader
willing to face down his par-
ty’s extremists in order to
advance the national inter-
est. His chances of pulling
off a shock victory in the next
election, though still slim,
would rise.
For the EU, the new deal on
Northern Ireland is less
important, but still signifi-
cant. Following the Brexit
referendum in 2016, the EU
was gripped by fears that a
populist wave would lead to
more “exits,” and possibly
even the union’s eventual
collapse. But most Europe-
ans have come to view
Brexit as a disaster. Not even
far-right populists like
France’s Marine Le Pen
advocate following in the
53
CSS Chronicles
UK’s footsteps today.
The economic threat that a
post-Brexit UK could under-
mine the EU single market
by cutting taxes and slash-
ing regulation has also
receded. When Sunak’s pre-
decessor Liz Truss
announced huge unfunded
tax cuts last autumn, inter-
est rates spiked and the
pound plunged, forcing her
resignation. Given this, the
EU can afford to take a more
flexible and accommodat-
ing approach toward the UK
(to its credit, that is precisely
what it has been doing).
While Europe has more
urgent matters to attend to
than the outstanding details
of Brexit, not least the
Ukraine war and accompa-
nying energy crisis, the EU
and the UK need to collabo-
rate more closely on these
challenges, where possible.
This makes the Northern
Ireland deal all the more
valuable. After seven long
years of blowing up bridges
with the EU, the UK may
finally have begun the long
work of rebuilding them.
Is there a way out?
Published in Dawn News
PAKISTAN has encountered
many difficulties in the past,
including a near meltdown
of its economy in 1968; a real
or engineered breakdown of
the political system, which
ultimately led to martial law
in 1958, 1977 and 1999; as
well as security crises as
seen in the public uprising of
1968, the mutiny in a part of
the country in 1970, nation-
wide street agitation in 1977
and the war against terror-
ism from 2004 to 2017 fought
almost across the entire
country.
We did suffer from a fatal
blow during the politi-
cal-cum-security crisis of
the early 1970s when the
country was truncated. But
except for the tragedy of the
fall of East Pakistan in 1971,
we as a nation faced most
of these crises valiantly.
What we are witnessing
today is the unprecedented
convergence of all types of
crises — economic, political
and security. We can add to
this the unprecedented
environmental havoc this
country faced in the form of
heavy rains and floods in
2022, and whose challenges
continue to be faced even
today in several parts of
Balochistan, Sindh and
south Punjab.
As the world is smarting
from the colossal damage
caused by the Covid-19
pandemic and is facing a
severe economic downturn,
its impact is also bearing
down on Pakistan, directly
and indirectly. This is the
state of, what some people
Volume 3 | Edition 9
call, poly-crises being faced
by Pakistan today.
In a modern state, all crises
are managed by the politi-
cal leadership of the coun-
try. What makes the crises in
Pakistan today extremely
worrisome is the domination
of the political crisis over all
other challenges and the
resulting distraction from
finding solutions to the more
important economic and
security issues.
The present crisis is defined
by an extreme degree of
polarisation and deep divi-
sions. Although Pakistan has
seen political polarisation in
the past, as in the period
leading up to the 1970 gen-
eral election and the after-
math of the post-1977 elec-
tion, the current fissures
seem to be deeper than
ever before. These divisions
are no more confined to the
political arena; they have
spread to the judiciary and
other sensitive institutions,
while the civil bureaucracy
has already been politicised
for some time.
Many people ask why there
is so much political turmoil
in the country and why
nothing is being done by the
political leaders and other
powerful players to address
the situation. A possible
answer is that these, in large
part, are ‘withdrawal symp-
toms’ akin to a situation
when long-time addicts are
54
CSS Chronicles
denied their favourite form
of addiction.
After withdrawal, the addicts
feel restless, become dys-
functional, and turn violent,
even suicidal. They are
unable to appraise their
condition, let alone make
efforts to improve. They may
scramble here and there,
even beg, borrow and steal
to get back to their addic-
tion, but they are generally
not in a position to seek sys-
tematic treatment of this
condition.
Most politicians in Pakistan
have been addicted to the
establishment’s patronage
— we can call it interference
— for the last 70 years of its
existence, as the recently
retired army chief Gen
Qamar Bajwa admitted in
his farewell address.
Politicians in Pakistan are
not accustomed to taking
independent decisions.
Whenever they have tried to
do that, and try they did,
they were heavily punished
and made examples of.
President and later prime
minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
probably enjoyed the great-
est level of independence as
he took over the govern-
ment when the military was
at its weakest immediately
after the military debacle in
Dhaka.
He sacked a number of
senior-most military officers
and later fired the army and
air force chiefs too. He was
too competent and experi-
enced to be anything but
independent. For this, he
was made to pay dearly and
was sent to the gallows.
Benazir Bhutto tried to com-
promise but probably not
enough. Nawaz Sharif argu-
ably tried the maximum
number of times to assert
his authority as prime minis-
ter but faced dismissal,
imprisonment, exile and
finally dismissal-cum-dis-
qualification for life. Imran
Khan was ‘on the same
page’ with the military for
the better part of his
44-month reign as prime
minister but was eventually
punished for insisting on
retaining his choice of
Punjab chief minister and ISI
chief.
The politicians, whether in
government or in opposi-
tion, conformed to this state
of interference and almost
always looked towards the
establishment to dictate
policy and provide firm sup-
port to implement it through
all branches of the state.
Only one example will suf-
fice to illustrate the extent of
the elected politicians’
dependence on the estab-
lishment; Imran Khan
recently confessed, sheep-
ishly by his standards, that
his government had been
using ‘agencies’ (read: ISI)
Volume 3 | Edition 9
to get enough legislators in
parliament to pass a law or
even the annual budget.
It now seems that with the
change of guard in the army
last November, the military
has either started seriously
practising its promised
dissociation from politics or
significantly reduced it.
The current political turmoil
exists arguably because our
politicians are not receiving
their usual dose of ‘interfer-
ence’ and don’t know how to
manage their politics with-
out the establishment’s
‘steadying hand’. Both the
government and opposition
led by Imran Khan have
openly approached the
establishment to help them
deal with the current
impasse.
The greatest question for
democracy in Pakistan in
2023 is whether or not the
establishment sticks to its
current position of staying
out of the political arena,
even in the face of much
pleading by politicians and
the pressures of an econo-
my near default. If they do,
there will be chaos, upheav-
al, agitation and even
violence during the next two
to three years.
However, the political class
will learn how to handle its
own affairs without a strong
guide but within the param-
eters of the Constitution. Till
55
CSS Chronicles
then, it seems, we may have
to bear with the withdrawal
symptoms.
Islam and the
feminist movements
Published in Express Tribune
Year 1848 marked the
inception of feminist move-
ments as women gathered
in New York to demand
voting rights. Suffragists
went on asking equal wages
and an entire change of
customary attitudes
towards women in political,
social and economic
spheres. The movement
gained support and has
now spread globally — from
developed to developing
countries — achieving
significance.
Divided into four waves, the
movement kept coming
with new postulates. In the
first one, women called for
voting rights, political repre-
sentation and education; for
gender equality and end to
violence in the second one;
legal reforms and progres-
siveness in the third; and
end to discrimination in the
fourth. It is to wonder why
Islam is not accredited for
pioneering these waves for it
voiced for all the aforemen-
tioned demands centuries
earlier.
Mary Wollstonecraft is cele-
brated as the founder of
feminism as she, in 1792,
advocated for women edu-
cation and civil rights
through her writings. But
what seems bigotedly
ignored in the pages of
history is that some 1,200
years before Wollstonecraft
rose her voice for the cause
of women, a female child
was even devoid of the right
to live and was buried alive
just minutes after birth. And
the revered soul who fought
and succeeded in its aboli-
tion goes unnoticed. In a
society where female infan-
ticide was rampant, Prophet
Muhammad (peace be
upon him) prophesied
heaven for the one raising
daughters well and termed
them God’s gift.
Islam is often labeled as
anti-feminist while it goes
ignored that its first believer
and financier was Khadija
and first martyr was Sumai-
ya. The first wave of femi-
nism centred around
demands for women’s role
in legislation and leadership
in the early 19th century, but
history fails to notice how
Zainab binte Ali, a grand-
daughter of Prophet Mu-
hammad (PBUH), assumed
the leadership role at Kar-
bala centuries ago. Two
amongst the few believers
who took the pledge of alle-
giance at al-Aqabah were
women, meaning they were
part of the decision-making
and pursuance. Women
believers also accompanied
Volume 3 | Edition 9
men at wars, right in the
battlefield and in assistance
or planning.
A prophet is by birth a
prophet, however it is at a
certain stage that he
announces prophethood.
Therefore, all his life, he
never goes astray; hence his
entire life serves as a role
model. Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) worked for Khadija
as a tradesman with
impressive honesty. This
indicates the Holy Prophet’s
(PBUH) support for busi-
nesswomen and how one
should deal with them in all
fairness — the foremost
demand raised in the
second feminist wave.
Amongst the demands in
the third wave was gender
neutrality in speech and
writings. Words like mankind
was successfully substituted
for humanity, chairman for
chairperson, etc. Worthy to
notice is that the Quran,
revealed 1,400 years ago, is
throughout gender-neutral.
It generally addresses “Ya
ayuhan naas” translating to
“O humans” or at other
places it specifies its
address on the basis of ide-
ology i.e. “O you who
believe”, but never does it
address as “O men”.
The Quran commenced with
the word “read” and
discussed paper and pen
right after. It has necessitat-
ed the believers to learn and
56
CSS Chronicles
says, “Could those who don’t
know be equal to those who
know.” The Holy Prophet
(PBUH) in a gender-neutral
saying made it mandatory
for every believer to obtain
knowledge. He would set
public meetings with believ-
ing women so he could
teach them about the reli-
gion. He rewarded freedom
to war captives after they
spent some time teaching
Muslim girls and boys and
declared learning as virtue.
The Prophet (PBUH) pre-
pared his wives and other
believing women to be his
representatives in knowl-
edge. He delegated the
authority to convey on his
behalf and declared teach-
ing an exalted profession.
Islam holds women in high
esteem. The Quran uses the
word “wahi” for revelation
and it doesn’t necessarily
have to be a whole book.
The Holy Book says the
Almighty had sent revela-
tions to the mother of Jesus
and the mother of Moses.
Prophet Muhammad’s
(PBUH) progeny is traced by
his daughter Fatima who is
held in towering admiration.
The Prophet (PBUH) would
stand in her respect and
admonished the believers to
seek his happiness in the
happiness of Fatima and
vice versa.
For a mother, the Prophet
(PBUH) said heaven lies
beneath her feet. For a
daughter, the Prophet
(PBUH) promised heaven.
For a wife, the Prophet
(PBUH) said to men that the
best amongst you are those
who are best to their wife.
For a sister, the Prophet
(PBUH) commanded love
and strictly ordered for her
property rights to be taken
due care. Islam is first
amongst the world religions
to grant property rights and
heirship to women and
safeguards it with all means
possible.
The Prophet (PBUH) in his
last address shunned all
sorts of discrimination on
the basis of class, creed and
colour. This has been in the
charter of demand of the
black feminism.
One must look into the
authentic sources for accu-
rate learning. It could be
that some cultural affilia-
tions have hindered the
viewing of the rightful pic-
ture. Therefore, there could
be no denying that it was
actually Islam that coined
the feminist ideas. However,
as any code of conduct has
yays and nays, similarly, the
Quran ordains the good and
forbids the vices. Clauses of
the fourth wave which speak
on queer-meaning delin-
quent behaviour are totally
in contradiction and there-
fore abandoned while the
rest are but the voice of
Islam.
Volume 3 | Edition 9
It could be that some cultur-
al affiliations have hindered
the viewing of the rightful
picture.
AI and democracy:
risks and rewards
Published in The Nation
Democracy is a form of gov-
ernment where citizens
have a say in the deci-
sion-making process
through their elected repre-
sentatives. Artificial Intelli-
gence (AI) and technology
are changing the world we
live in at an unprecedented
pace. These advancements
have transformed our lives
and are increasingly having
a significant impact on the
way democracies function.
The question of whether
technology and AI will be
beneficial or detrimental to
democracy is complex. One
of the most significant ben-
efits of technology and AI for
democracy is the improve-
ment of access to informa-
tion.
Technology has made it
easier to obtain information
on political processes,
voting records, and the
activities of elected repre-
sentatives. This transparen-
cy has helped citizens to
hold their governments
accountable and to make
informed decisions about
political issues. Technology
and AI can enhance citizen
engagement by enabling
57
CSS Chronicles
greater participation in the
decision-making process.
For instance, social media
platforms and online forums
allow citizens to express
their opinions and concerns
to policymakers, while online
voting platforms enable citi-
zens to participate in voting
processes without the need
for physical presence. Tech-
nology and AI can also help
to promote greater trans-
parency and accountability
in a democracy. For exam-
ple, online databases can
make it easier to track politi-
cal donations and spending,
while AI-powered tools can
help to detect corruption
and fraud. One of the most
significant risks of technolo-
gy and AI for democracy is
the potential for information
manipulation. Social media
platforms, for instance, have
been criticised for their role
in spreading fake news, pro-
paganda, and hate speech.
These platforms use AI algo-
rithms to curate news feeds,
and these algorithms can
be used to manipulate
public opinion and under-
mine democratic processes.
The Cambridge Analytica
scandal is a high-profile
example of how data mining
and profiling can be used to
manipulate public opinion in
politics. Cambridge Analyti-
ca, a British political con-
sulting firm, was hired by the
Trump campaign during the
2016 US Presidential election
to use data from Facebook
to target voters with tailored
political ads. The scandal
exposed the risks of collect-
ing and using data without
the knowledge and consent
of users and raised con-
cerns about the role of data
mining and profiling in poli-
tics.
AI can be used in political
campaigns to analyse voter
data and preferences and
to identify trends and pat-
terns in voting behaviour.
This can help political par-
ties to tailor their messages
and campaign strategies to
appeal to different groups of
voters. However, there are
also concerns that this type
of data analysis could be
used to manipulate public
opinion and undermine the
democratic process. As AI
becomes more advanced, it
may play an increasingly
important role in deci-
sion-making processes in
politics. For example, AI
could be used to analyse
policy proposals, evaluate
the effectiveness of different
strategies, and forecast the
outcomes of different sce-
narios. However, there are
also risks that AI could be
biased, or that its deci-
sion-making processes
could be opaque and diffi-
cult to understand. As AI
becomes more powerful, it
has the potential to disrupt
traditional political struc-
tures and power relation-
ships. For example, AI-pow-
ered tools could be used to
Volume 3 | Edition 9
organise political move-
ments and coordinate pro-
tests and demonstrations.
This could challenge the
existing power structures
and lead to a more decen-
tralised and grassroots
approach to politics.
One of the most significant
threats is the possibility of
governments abusing tech-
nology to control their
people. Governments
around the world have
always been looking for
ways to maintain their
power and control over their
citizens. With the advent of
AI, they have a new tool at
their disposal that can be
used to keep a watchful eye
on the population. This can
lead to a scenario where
privacy is a thing of the past,
and people’s every move is
monitored. The use of AI in
surveillance can have detri-
mental effects on society. It
can lead to the erosion of
democratic norms, where
people are afraid to express
their views or engage in
political activities for fear of
being monitored. This can
have a chilling effect on free
speech, which is the corner-
stone of any democracy.
For example, In China, the
“social credit system” is like
a persistent online nanny,
constantly monitoring citi-
zens’ behaviour and hand-
ing out grades like a tough
elementary school teacher.
This AI program assigns
58
CSS Chronicles
each person a score based
on their actions, which can
affect their ability to travel,
buy a house, or even get a
date. But while the Chinese
government hails this
system as a marvel of
modern technology, it raises
serious concerns about
neglecting democratic
norms. After all, the social
credit system is essentially a
way for the government to
control citizens’ behaviour
and punish those who devi-
ate from the norm—even if
the “norm” is subject to the
whims of those in power.
Imagine if your entire life
was reduced to a single
number, like a credit score,
that determined your
access to basic necessities
like transportation, housing,
and employment. And
imagine that this number
was determined not just by
objective factors like your
income or credit history, but
also by your social
behaviour—like who you
associate with, what you say
online, and how you behave
in public. It’s easy to see how
such a system could be
abused by those in power to
suppress dissent, punish
minorities, or reward loyal-
ists. And because the social
credit system is run by an AI
program, there’s little room
for transparency, account-
ability, or even appeal. In a
true democracy, citizens
have the right to freedom of
speech, association, and
thought. They have the right
Volume 3 | Edition 9
to dissent, to challenge the impact of AI on democ-
authority, and to live their racy is a complex and ongo-
lives as they see fit—as long ing conversation that will
as they don’t harm others. require ongoing dialogue,
The social credit system, research, and collaboration.
however, turns these demo- By working together, we can
cratic ideals on its head. It’s harness the power of AI to
a tool of authoritarian con- strengthen and uphold
trol, not a mechanism for democratic norms, while
citizen empowerment. mitigating any negative
impacts that may arise.
The impact of AI on democ-
racy and democratic norms
is complex and multifacet-
ed, with both positive and
negative effects. On one
hand, AI can help to
increase efficiency, trans-
parency, and accuracy in
democratic processes, such
as election monitoring and
vote counting. However,
there are also concerns that
AI could be used to manipu-
late public opinion and
undermine the democratic
process, as well as exacer-
bate existing inequalities
and biases. It is clear that
the impact of AI on democ-
racy will depend on how it is
developed and deployed.
Policymakers, researchers,
and technologists must
work together to ensure that
AI is used in a responsible
and ethical manner that
respects and upholds dem-
ocratic values and princi-
ples. This may involve devel-
oping new regulatory
frameworks, promoting
transparency and account-
ability in AI systems, and
ensuring that the benefits of
AI are distributed fairly
across society. Ultimately,
59
 Volume 3 | Edition 9

Download
NEARPEER APP
AND GET

60
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

ESSAY SPECIAL

61
 A MAN CAN BE DESTROYED
BUT CANNOT BE DEFEATED
I. Introduction
Thesis: Man is equipped with multifarious
capacities. He overcomes the impossibilities
with his sheer determination. His possibilities
end only with his death. Once man makes a
resolve or sets for a mission; he completes
that mission.
II. How can a man be never defeated?
• Man is the vicegerent of God on Earth.
• Man is the crown of all creation.
•Firm resolve, conscience, reason and
wisdom differentiates man from other crea-
tures.
• Physical and corporal hurdles are mere
morale booster for a man.
• Failure is a stepping-stone to success for a
man.
III. Illustrations
• Scientific and technological progress;
exploring galaxies.
• Various indigenous freedom fighters and
revolutions.
1. Che Guevara (Latin America)
2. Nelson Mandela (Africa)
3. Bhagat singh (Sub-continent)
4. Quaid-c-Azam

• Environmental determinism morphed into • Nation's fight against blatant terrorism

possibility by man’s formidable character. depicts man’s character that he can't be
destroyed.
• Unflinching mental strength defines man’s 1. Pakistani Nation.
abilities. 2. Syrians
3. Palestenians
• Man’s managerial and organizational 4. Kashmiris
capabilities. • Contemporary prominent personalities
1. Muneeba Mazari(a handicapped young
• Heaps of opportunities are at mankind’s woman, disseminating awareness and
disposal. inspiration despite all odds)
2. Stephen Hawkings
• A Man transforms impossible into "I'm pos- 3. Malala Yousafzai
sible" with his relentless determination.
IV. Conclusion

62
 IF WE TAKE CARE OF TODAY,
TOMORROW WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF
I. Introduction
Thesis: Men live in time while animals live in
the moment. Man lives simultaneously in the
past, present and the future. He has regrets
of the past while apprehensions of the future.
Past impinges on the present while the future
molds the present. Experience enables man
to learn from it. Past experiences enable man
to rectify the mistakes in the present;
therefore molding the future. Hence
everything depends on the present.
II. Extent of the Issue
• Future goals and ambitions depend on our
working in the present.
• Present alters the future if one alters his
attitude in the present.
• Past mistakes can be avoided in the
present.
• Policies embedded in past-outdated
theories, ineffective in the present, shall bring
no change in the future.
• Present blurs the past regrets if countered
affection.
• Present has the ability to diminish future
apprehensions if one follows a proper plan
and executes it.
• Nations who streamline their efforts in the
present, while avoiding past mistakes at the
same time, achieve what they aspire, e.g.,
Japan after World War Il.
III. Causes
• Man lives in time while animals live in the
moment.
• Present has effects on future and past alike
• On the other hand, future apprehensions
and past regrets affect the present.
• Present holds the key to unlock the future
door of success.
• Those who do not learn from history and
rectify their mistakes in the present are
bound to repeat those mistakes.
• If one doesn't learn from the past, he will
have to relive the past.
• Present is the only time of action.
IV. Lessons from the Adage
• Nations must have vision and foresight.
• Our attitudes must be pragmatic.
• In International politics, new alliances are
being forged so nations should be proactive.
• Old policies must be revived
V. Conclusion
63
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

WISDOM ARCHIVES

64
 INVENTING PAKISTAN
Published in Dawn
Pakistan’s raison d’être as a
nation-state has three positions.
At the time of the country’s inception in 1947, the state sought to invent
a history in which Islam had arrived in India in the 8th century and,
therefore, Pakistan was an evolutionary outcome of that arrival. The
country was thus said to be the result of ‘cultural unity’ — the culture
being Islam (Shumaila Hemani, University of Alberta, 2011).

The founders of Pakistan and sub-sectarian diversity archaeology”.

and the leaders of the coun-
try’s fledgling state
described Islam as a pro-
gressive faith with a univer-
sal culture. The founders
were largely repulsed by the
idea of an Islamic theocracy
though, or an ‘Islamic Levia-
than’ as senior judge Justice
Muhammad Munir
described it in 1954.
Nevertheless, the state was
convinced that the univer-
sality of Islamic culture
would keep the Muslim ma-
jority of Pakistan united,
despite the ethnic, sectarian
present within this majority.
But it was also necessary to
rationalise the country’s
existence in the context of
the region that it was situat-
ed in.
Major symbols of Muslim
rule in India, between the
13th and 19th centuries, were
in regions that had become
part of the Republic of India.
According to Shumaila
Hemani, in 1951, when an
ancient site was discovered
in Sindh, the state tried to
resolve the dilemma by
making a “nationalist use of
The site was called Bhan-
bhore. Those who discov-
ered it claimed that it was
the first Hindu region that
was conquered by the Arab
armies led by Muhammad
bin Qasim in the early 8th
century. The historian
Manan Ahmed Asif sees this
claim as a continuation of a
distortion engineered by
British scholars in colonial
India. Qasim’s presence in
Sindh was brief and he was
largely forgotten until his
resurrection in the 19th cen-
tury as a ‘conqueror’.

65
Manan posits that Qasim’s
image as an Islamic con-
queror vanquishing Hindus
to lay the roots of Islam in
India was largely derived
from a flawed translation of
the 13th century book
Chachnama. According to
Manan, the book “is less a
history of the 8th century
and more a political theory
for the 13th century.” Yet, 19th
century British historians
treated it as ‘a book of con-
quest’. What’s more, Qasim
really does not figure much
in it.
Manan laments that Hindu
and Muslim historians
adopted distorted 19th cen-
tury British accounts of
Qasim. The British did it to
portray the Muslims as a
warrior race, Hindu nation-
alists did it to describe the
Muslims as violent outsiders,
and Muslim nationalists did
it to establish Islam’s
ancient presence in the
region. The fact is, Qasim
was largely an insignificant
blip in the region’s history.
In the late 1950s, when the
Bengalis of erstwhile East
Pakistan began to demand
majority rule in the country,
a second position was
shaped. Bengalis were in a
majority compared to other
ethnic groups. The early
elites largely consisted of
Punjabis and Urdu-speakers
of West Pakistan.
According to Hemani, this is
when the ‘Indus thesis’ was
evoked. The thesis under-
stood people settled along
the River Indus (in West
Pakistan) as descendants of
the Indus Valley Civilisation
(IVC) that existed 5,000
years ago. The thesis postu-
lated that the descendants
had evolved into becoming
different ethnic groups but,
once they began to adopt
Islam after the 13th century,
they became culturally
homogenous.
This thesis was first formed
by the British author Sir Mor-
timer Wheeler, who pub-
lished it in the shape of a
1947 book, Pakistan as 5,000
Years Old. It was initially
ignored. However, a decade
or so later, when Indian cul-
ture and history began to be
perceived as historically rich
and ancient in Europe and
the US, the Pakistani state
dialled up the Indus thesis
during the Gen Ayub Khan
dictatorship (1958-69).
To frame Pakistan’s history
as being equally ancient,
IVC sites were turned into
tourist spots. Artefacts from
ancient sites along the Indus
were placed in museums.
The country began being
explained as the evolution-
ary consequence of various
ancient civilisations that
had existed in the region
that became Pakistan.
Rather, West Pakistan, along
the Indus.
However, the position based
on the Indus thesis started
66
to be sidelined when East
Pakistan broke away in 1971.
In 1972, a new government
headed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
organised a conference to
formulate a new raison
d’être. Intellectuals, histori-
ans and artists were invited
to come up with a new posi-
tion.
A new position did emerge. It
was influenced by a book
written in 1964 by the scholar
Jamil Jalibi. In it, he had
concluded that there was no
Pakistani culture as such,
but it could be created if one
was willing to see the coun-
try as a guldasta or a bou-
quet of different cultures.
The Urdu poet Faiz Ahmad
Faiz held similar views and
was present at the confer-
ence.
But whereas Jalibi had put
Urdu and Islam at the centre
of his guldasta, Faiz saw
Islam and Urdu as just two
aspects of a larger national
body that was made up of
various equally significant
ethnic and religious cultures
and languages. Seeing the
regime tilting towards
adopting this position, those
who opposed it began to
publish a series of critiques
of it in newspapers.
The regime backtracked.
When noted historian Ishtiaq
Hussain Qureshi declared, in
1972, that “countries come
and go, but religions stay”, it
became clear that Pakistan
was to return to the first
position. But this time, Islam
as the glue for cultural unity
was not to be provided by
South Asian history. The
country’s existential roots
were now to be looked for in
Arabia.
Though some of Faiz’s ideas
were incorporated by the
Bhutto regime to appropri-
ate ethnic cultures, the
larger project was to gradu-
ally introduce ‘Islamic laws’.
This project peaked in the
1980s during the Gen Ziaul
Haq dictatorship, leading to
the creation of a wa-
tered-down version of the
once-dreaded ‘Islamic Levi-
athan’.
But once the project took
root, it triggered the birth of
problematic outcomes: the
1974 ouster of the Ahmadi-
yya from the fold of Islam,
the controversial 1986 Blas-
phemy Laws, the unchecked
growth of violent sectarian
organisations and then of
militant anti-state Islamist
groups.
These have been pushing
the state into a corner for
quite some time now.
The third position that was
rejected can still be relevant
as an option. It needs to be
re-looked at without the
paranoid post-1971 eyes
that suspected it of being
‘secular’ and overtly depen-
dent on ethnic cultures. We
urgently require a fresh
point of view and this posi-
tion just might be it.
67
 CSS | CHRONICLES VOLUME 3 EDITION 9

MCQS COMPILATION

68
 Volume 3 | Edition 9

Islamic Studies
1. The phrase “Muhammad is the messenger 6. The book of Hadith, Kitaab-ul-Aathaar,
of Allah” is stated in which Surah or chapter was compiled by
of the holy Quran? (A) Imam Abu Haneefa (R.A)
(A) Ya-Seen (B) Imam Shafi (R.A)
(B) Muhammad (C) Imam Ahmad bin Hambal (R.A)
(C) Muzzammil (D) Imam Malik (R.A)
(D) Fath
7. The first migration of the Companions and
2. Islamic calendar (Hijra) commenced from relatives of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
(A) 622 AD was to
(B) 620 AD (A) Makkah
(C) 621 AD (B) Madina
(D) None of these (C) Ethopia
(D) Baghdad
3. At what age Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
received the first wahi (the first Quranic 8. Which famous Ghazwah is mentioned in
verses were revealed)? surah Al-Imran?
(A) 30 (A) Ghazwah Ohad
(B) 35 (B) Ghazwah Badar
(C) 40 (C) Ghazwah Khaibar
(D) 45 (D) Ghazwah Khandaq

4. What was the name of Imam Bukhari 9. Eid Prayer (or Salat al-Eid) is
(R.A)? (A) Wajib
(A) Muhammad bin Ismaeel (B) Fard
(B) Muhammad Ismaeel (C) Sunnah
(C) Muhammad Ibaheem (D) Mustahib
(D) Ismaeel bin Ibraheem
10. Which surah starts without “Bismillah” ?
5. The book of Hadith, Al-Muwatta, was (A) Al-Baqarah
compiled by (B) An-Nisa
(A) Imam Abu Haneefa (R.A) (C) Al-Tauba
(B) Imam Shafi (R.A) (D) Al-Ikhlas
(C) Imam Ahmad bin Hambal (R.A)
(D) Imam Malik (R.A)

69
 Volume 3 | Edition 9

Pakistan Affairs
1. What language is spoken in Qalat and its 6. Which kind of system of government was
surrounding areas of Balochistan? introduced in 1973 constitution?
(A) Balochi (A) Socialist
(B) Barahvi (B) Presidential
(C) Saraiki (C) Mixed
(D) Hindko (D) Parliamentary

2. Pakistan is separated from Tajikistan by 7. The Pakistan Resolution was presented on

Afghanistan’s narrow corridor called 23 March 1940 by
(A) Tibet Corridor (A) Quaid-e-Azam
(B) Tribal Corridor (B) A.K. Fazlul Haque
(C) Makran Corridor (C) Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
(D) Wakhan Corridor (D) Sir Aga Khan

3. Pakistan tested nuclear weapons on 8. “Quit India” Movement in 1942 was started
(A) 24 May 1998 by
(B) 26 May 1998 (A) Mahatma Gandhi
(C) 28 May 1998 (B) Quaid-e-Azam
(D) 30 May 1998 (C) Chaudhry Rehmat Ali
(D) Jawaharlal Nehru
4. “Pakistan Day” is celebrated throughout
Pakistan each year on 9. The objective resolution on the “Aims and
(A) 23 March Objectives of the Constitution” was passed
(B) 14 August on
(C) 6 September (A) 12 March 1948
(D) 25 December (B) 23 March 1948
(C) 12 March 1949
5. The Muslim League passed Lahore (D) 23 March 1949
Resolution, popularly known as Pakistan
Resolution, on 10. Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister
(A) 12 April 1940 of Pakistan, was assassinated in Rawalpindi
(B) 12 April 1947 on
(C) 23 March 1940 (A) 16 October 1950
(D) 23 March 1947 (B) 16 October 1951
(C) 16 October 1952
(D) 16 October 1953

70
 Volume 3 | Edition 9

Current Affairs
1. Gazprom is one of the largest natural gas 6. What price is considered as a benchmark
companies in the world. It belongs to price in the oil industry?
(A) Russia (A) Opec Basket
(B) Qatar (B) Mars US
(C) Venezuela (C) Brent Crude
(D) Saudi Arabia (D) WTI Crude

2. Who is the current Prime Minister of 7. The benchmark oil price in the United
Malaysia? States is
(A) Muhyiddin Yassin (A) Opec Basket
(B) Mahathir Mohamad (B) Mars US
(C) Najib Razak (C) Brent Crude
(D) Ismail Sabri Yaakob (D) WTI Crude

3. The T-Twenty 2021 World Cup champion 8. How many countries are the members of
is: AUKUS pact?
(A) Pakistan (A) 3
(B) New Zealand (B) 4
(C) Australia (C) 5
(D) None of these (D) 6

4. Who is the current Minister of Foreign 9. Which of the following country is NOT the
Affairs of Russia? member of AUKUS pact?
(A) Vladimir Putin (A) Australia
(B) Sergey Vyazalov (B) New Zealand
(C) Sergei Lavrov (C) United States
(D) None of these (D) United Kingdom

5. Alliance among Brazil, Germany, India 10. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
and Japan to support each other’s bid for was launched into the space on
permanent seat on the United Nations (A) 19 December 2021
Security Council (UNSC) is called (B) 21 December 2021
(A) Alliance 4 (C) 23 December 2021
(B) G 4 (D) 25 December 2021
(C) Big 4
(D) None of these

71
BEST WISHES FOR Current
HOLY MONTH FILLED Islamic Pakistan
MCQ Affairs
WITH PRAYER AND Studies Affairs
SIGNIFICANCE FROM
TEAM NEARPEER 1 D B A
MAY ALLAH BLESS 2 A D D
YOU ABUNDANTLY 3 C C C
DURING THIS
4 A A C
RAMADAN
5 D C B
6 A D C
7 C B D
8 A A A
9 A C B
10 C B D

72