Feb 01 Dawn Opinion With Urdu Translation

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01 February
Dawn Opinion With Urdu Translation 01 February 2024

Rich man’s polls? ‫ا ﻣ ﯿ ﺮ آد ﻣ ﯽ ﮐ ﮯ ا ﻧ ﺘ ﺨﺎ ﺑﺎت؟‬
Syed Sheheryar Raza Zaidi ‫ﺳﯿﺪ ﺷﮩﺮﯾﺎر رﺿﺎ زﯾﺪی‬
The writer is a lawyer. ‫ﻣﺼﻨﻒ اﯾﮏ وﮐﯿﻞ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
THE general elections to determine Pakistan’s

fortunes are just around the corner. On Feb 8, 2024, ‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯽ ﻗﺴﻤﺖ ﮐﺎ ﺗﻌﯿﻦ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ ﻋﺎم اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﺑﺎﻟﮑﻞ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ‬
the people of Pakistan will come out to vote for a ‫ ﮐﻮ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎﻧﯽ ﻋﻮام اﯾﮏ اﯾﺴﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺖ ﯾﺎ‬2024 ‫ ﻓﺮوری‬8 ‫ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
party or candidate who they believe is competent ‫اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﻮ ووٹ دﯾﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺑﺎﮨﺮ ﻧﮑﻠﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ ﺟﻮ ان ﮐﮯ ﺧﯿﺎل ﻣﯿﮟ‬
enough to rule for the next five years. Much has ‫اﮔﻠﮯ ﭘﺎﻧﭻ ﺳﺎل ﺗﮏ ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻗﺎﺑﻞ ﮨﻮ۔ ﮐﺴﯽ ﺧﺎص ﭘﺎرﭨﯽ‬
been said about the level playing field being ‫ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻟﯿﻮل ﭘﻠﯿﺌﻨﮓ ﻓﯿﻠﮉ ﺗﯿﺎر ﮐﯿﮯ ﺟﺎﻧﮯ ﯾﺎ دوﺳﺮی ﭘﺎرﭨﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
prepared for a particular party or the lack thereof ،‫اس ﮐﯽ ﮐﻤﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﮩﺖ ﮐﭽﮫ ﮐﮩﺎ ﺟﺎ ﭼﮑﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﭘﮭﺮ ﺑﮭﯽ‬
for another. Yet, Elections 2024 are no different to ‫ ﮐﮯ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮔﺰﺷﺘﮧ ﺑﺮس ﮐﮯ ﻋﺎم اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﺳﮯ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ‬2024
general elections of yesteryear. Yes, the ‘favourites’ ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ‬،‫ ﻃﺎﻗﺘﻮں ﮐﮯ 'ﭘﺴﻨﺪﯾﺪہ' ﺑﺪل ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﻮں ﮔﮯ‬،‫ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﺟﯽ ﮨﺎں‬
of the powers that be may have changed, but the ‫ﻋﺎم اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮐﮯ اﻣﯿﺮ آدﻣﯽ ﮐﮯ ﮐﮭﯿﻞ ﮐﺎ ﻣﯿﺪان ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ ﺑﻨﯿﺎدی‬
underlying idea of the general elections being the ‫ﺧﯿﺎل ﺑﺪﺳﺘﻮر درﺳﺖ ﮨﮯ۔‬
rich man’s playground continues to be true.
An election in the truest sense of the word is the

‫ﻟﻔﻆ ﮐﮯ ﺻﺤﯿﺢ ﻣﻌﻨﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ اﻧﺘﺨﺎب اﯾﮏ اﯾﺴﮯ ﻓﺮد ﮐﺎ ﻟﻮﮔﻮں ﮐﺎ‬
people’s choice of an individual who will represent
‫اﻧﺘﺨﺎب ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ ﮐﺴﯽ ﺧﺎص ادارے ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﮐﯽ ﻧﻤﺎﺋﻨﺪﮔﯽ ﮐﺮے ﮔﺎ۔‬
them in a particular body. As is customary,
‫ ﯾﻌﻨﯽ‬،‫ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﯿﻨﻮﺳﻨﮓ ﺷﺎﻣﻞ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ‬،‫ﺟﯿﺴﺎ ﮐﮧ رواج ﮨﮯ‬
elections involve canvassing, ie, reaching out to the
‫اﭘﻨﮯ آپ ﮐﻮ اﯾﮏ اﯾﺴﮯ ﺷﺨﺺ ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﻣﺎرﮐﯿﭧ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
masses to market oneself as one whose merits ‫ﺟﺲ ﮐﯽ ﺧﻮﺑﯿﺎں اس ﮐﮯ ﻣﺨﺎﻟﻔﯿﻦ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ اور اس ﮐﮯ‬
outweigh those of his or her opponents and result ‫ﻧﺘﯿﺠﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﺴﺎ ﺷﺨﺺ 'ﻣﻨﺘﺨﺐ' ﮨﻮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
in such a person being ‘elected’.
That said, in Pakistan elections have always been ‫اس ﮐﺎ ﮐﮩﻨﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ ﮐﮧ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮨﻤﯿﺸﮧ اﯾﮏ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص‬
about a particular economic class from which ‫ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ ﻃﺒﻘﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ ﮨﻮﺗﮯ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﮩﺎں ﺳﮯ اﯾﮏ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص‬
emerge individuals of a particular gender to fight it ‫ﺟﻨﺲ ﮐﮯ اﻓﺮاد اﺑﮭﺮ ﮐﺮ اﺳﮯ آﭘﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻟﮍاﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ اور اﭘﻨﮯ ﻣﺎﻟﯽ‬
out amongst themselves and to use their financial ‫ﻋﻀﻠﮧ ﮐﻮ اﺳﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﺲ ﺳﮯ اﻧﮩﯿﮟ ووٹ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬
muscle that can help them get the votes. ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺪد ﻣﻞ ﺳﮑﺘﯽ ﮨﮯ۔‬
A look at the majority of the members who have ‫ ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﺎرﻟﯿﻤﻨﭧ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﻨﺘﺨﺐ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ ارﮐﺎن‬50 ‫ﮔﺰﺷﺘﮧ‬
been elected over the past 50 years to parliament ‫ﮐﯽ اﮐﺜﺮﯾﺖ ﭘﺮ اﯾﮏ ﻧﻈﺮ ڈاﻟﻨﮯ ﺳﮯ ﯾﮧ ﺧﯿﺎل واﺿﺢ ﮨﻮ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
makes this idea clear. A big chunk of the people ‫ ﻣﺮدوں( ﻧﮯ اﻗﺘﺪار ﻣﯿﮟ ووٹ ڈاﻟﮯ ﯾﺎ‬:‫ﻋﻮام ﮐﺎ اﯾﮏ ﺑﮍا ﺣﺼﮧ )ﭘﮍﮬﯿﮟ‬
(read: men) voted into power are either large ‫ ﺷﻮﮔﺮ ﺑﯿﺮن اور ﮐﻨﺴﭩﺮﮐﺸﻦ ﭨﺎﺋﯿﮑﻮن ﯾﺎ ﭘﮭﺮ ﺑﺰﻧﺲ‬،‫ﺗﻮ ﺑﮍے زﻣﯿﻨﺪار‬
landowners, sugar barons and construction tycoons ‫ ﺟﻦ ﮐﯽ ﻗﻮﻣﯽ اور ﺻﻮﺑﺎﺋﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﺖ ﻣﯿﮟ زﺑﺮدﺳﺖ‬،‫ﻣﯿﮕﻨﯿﭧ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
or business magnates, whose foray into national ‫ﻣﺎﻟﯽ ﺗﺴﻠﻂ ﮐﯽ ﺣﻤﺎﯾﺖ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮨﮯ۔ ﯾﮧ وہ ﺟﮕﮧ ﮨﮯ ﺟﮩﺎں ﺳﮯ ﭨﮑﮍے‬
and provincial politics is backed by enormous ‫ﮐﺎ ﻋﻨﻮان آﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
financial clout. This is where the title of the piece
comes from.
The average Pakistani will have to save for years to ‫اوﺳﻂ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎﻧﯽ ﮐﻮ اﻟﯿﮑﺸﻦ ﻟﮍﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﮐﯽ ﺑﭽﺖ ﮐﺮﻧﯽ‬
contest. ‫ﭘﮍے ﮔﯽ۔‬
Meanwhile, the gender difference is appalling. Of

the total number of candidates (5,121) contesting ‫ ﺻﻨﻔﯽ ﻓﺮق ﺧﻮﻓﻨﺎک ﮨﮯ۔ ﻗﻮﻣﯽ اﺳﻤﺒﻠﯽ ﮐﯽ ﺟﻨﺮل‬،‫درﯾﮟ اﺛﻨﺎ‬
for the general seats in the National Assembly, ‫( ﻣﯿﮟ‬5,121) ‫ﻧﺸﺴﺘﻮں ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻟﮍﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ اﻣﯿﺪواروں ﮐﯽ ﮐﻞ ﺗﻌﺪاد‬
4,807 are male and only 312 are females (two ‫ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ ﮨﯿﮟ )دو اﻣﯿﺪوار ﺧﻮاﺟﮧ‬312 ‫ ﻣﺮد اور ﺻﺮف‬4,807 ‫ﺳﮯ‬
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candidates from the transgender community). For ‫ﺳﺮا ﺑﺮادری ﺳﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ(۔ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺗﻤﺎم ﺗﺮ دﻋﻮے دار ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﭘﺴﻨﺪی ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
all their claimed progressiveness, even the three ‫ ﯾﮩﺎں ﺗﮏ ﮐﮧ ﺗﯿﻦ ﺳﺮﮐﺮدہ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﻮں ﻧﮯ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ ﻧﺎﻣﺰد‬،
leading political parties have allotted only a handful ‫ﮐﺮدہ اﻣﯿﺪواروں ﮐﻮ ﺻﺮف ﻣﭩﮭﯽ ﺑﮭﺮ ﻧﺸﺴﺘﯿﮟ اﻻٹ ﮐﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
of seats to women nominees. While there are ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ‬،‫اﮔﺮﭼﮧ ﭘﺎرﻟﯿﻤﻨﭧ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص ﻧﺸﺴﺘﯿﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
reserved seats for women in parliament, there is ‫ﯾﮧ ﻇﺎﮨﺮ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺑﮩﺖ ﮐﻢ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﯿﮟ ﻋﺎم ﻧﺸﺴﺘﻮں ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
little to show that parties are taking a significant ‫ﻣﺮد اور ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ اﻣﯿﺪواروں ﮐﮯ درﻣﯿﺎن ﻓﺮق ﮐﻮ ﺧﺘﻢ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ‬
stride towards plugging the gap between men and ‫ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ‬،‫ﺟﺎﻧﺐ ﻧﻤﺎﯾﺎں ﭘﯿﺶ رﻓﺖ ﮐﺮ رﮨﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ دوﺳﺮے ﺳﺮے ﭘﺮ‬
women candidates for the general seats. At the ‫ ﻣﺎﺿﯽ‬- ‫ ﻓﯿﺼﺪ ﺑﻨﺘﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ‬46 ‫ووﭨﺮز ﮐﻞ اﮨﻞ ووﭨﺮوں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒًﺎ‬
other end, female voters make up around 46 per ‫ﺳﮯ اﯾﮏ ﺑﮩﺘﺮی ﻟﯿﮑﻦ اب ﺑﮭﯽ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ دﯾﮑﮫ ﺳﮑﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت‬
cent of the total eligible voters — an improvement ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ ﮐﻮ ﮐﺲ ﻃﺮح ﮐﻢ ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ ﺟﯿﺴﺎ ﮐﮧ وہ زﻧﺪﮔﯽ ﮐﮯ‬
from the past but one can still see how women are ‫ﮨﺮ دوﺳﺮے ﭘﮩﻠﻮ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
being shortchanged in elections as they are in every
other facet of life.
Having established that Pakistan’s general

elections have an unhealthy obsession with men at ‫اس ﺑﺎت ﮐﻮ ﻗﺎﺋﻢ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﮐﮧ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﻋﺎم اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﻣﯿﮟ‬
‫ﻣﻌﺎﻣﻼت ﮐﯽ ﺳﺮﺑﺮاﮨﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺮدوں ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اﯾﮏ ﻏﯿﺮ ﺻﺤﺖ ﺑﺨﺶ‬
the helm of affairs, we can dissect the financial
‫ ﮨﻢ اس ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻃﺎﻗﺖ ﮐﻮ ﺧﺘﻢ ﮐﺮ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﻮ‬،‫ﺟﻨﻮن ﮨﮯ‬
clout which has become the very foundation of
‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯽ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﺳﺮﮔﺮﻣﯿﻮں ﮐﯽ ﺑﻨﯿﺎد ﺑﻦ ﮔﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
Pakistan’s electoral activity.
The Election Act, 2017, hailed as a complete code

of polls in Pakistan, actually facilitates the triumph
‫ ﺟﺴﮯ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮐﮯ اﯾﮏ ﻣﮑﻤﻞ‬،2017 ،‫اﻟﯿﮑﺸﻦ اﯾﮑﭧ‬
of rich men over those with fewer resources in the
‫ درﺣﻘﯿﻘﺖ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﯿﺪان ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﻢ‬،‫ﺿﺎﺑﻄﮧ ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺳﺮاﮨﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
electoral arena. Section 132 of the Act specifies the
‫وﺳﺎﺋﻞ رﮐﮭﻨﮯ واﻟﻮں ﭘﺮ اﻣﯿﺮ آدﻣﯿﻮں ﮐﯽ ﻓﺘﺢ ﮐﯽ ﺳﮩﻮﻟﺖ ﻓﺮاﮨﻢ‬
amount a candidate is allowed to spend. As per the ‫ اس رﻗﻢ ﮐﯽ وﺿﺎﺣﺖ ﮐﺮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ‬132 ‫ﮐﺮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ اﯾﮑﭧ ﮐﺎ ﺳﯿﮑﺸﻦ‬
said law, a candidate for the National Assembly on ‫اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﻮ ﺧﺮچ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ اﺟﺎزت ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﺬﮐﻮرہ ﻗﺎﻧﻮن ﮐﮯ ﻣﻄﺎﺑﻖ‬
their own and through his supporters and political ‫ﻗﻮﻣﯽ اﺳﻤﺒﻠﯽ ﮐﺎ اﻣﯿﺪوار اﭘﻨﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ اور اﭘﻨﮯ ﺣﺎﻣﯿﻮں اور‬
party cannot spend more than Rs10 million and for ‫ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺖ ﮐﮯ ذرﯾﻌﮯ اﯾﮏ ﮐﺮوڑ روﭘﮯ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﺧﺮچ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﺮ‬
a candidate of a provincial assembly that cap is ‫ ﻻﮐﮫ روﭘﮯ‬40 ‫ﺳﮑﺘﺎ اور ﺻﻮﺑﺎﺋﯽ اﺳﻤﺒﻠﯽ ﮐﮯ اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﯾﮧ ﺣﺪ‬
Rs4m. Now contrast that with the average ‫ﮨﮯ۔ اب اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﺮﻋﮑﺲ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ ﮔﮭﺮﯾﻠﻮ اوﺳﻂ آﻣﺪﻧﯽ ﺟﻮ‬
household income in Pakistan which stands at ‫ روﭘﮯ ﮨﮯ۔‬75,000 ‫ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒًﺎ‬
around Rs75,000.
This means that for an average person in Pakistan

to be able to spend even close to the spending limit ‫اس ﮐﺎ ﻣﻄﻠﺐ ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﮏ اوﺳﻂ ﻓﺮد ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
for election to the National Assembly, they will need ‫ﻗﻮﻣﯽ اﺳﻤﺒﻠﯽ ﮐﮯ اﻧﺘﺨﺎب ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﯽ ﺣﺪ ﮐﮯ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ ﺧﺮچ‬
to save all their income for over a decade. That’s ‫ اﺳﮯ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺗﻤﺎم آﻣﺪﻧﯽ ﮐﻮ اﯾﮏ دﮨﺎﺋﯽ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬،‫ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
not even the irony. The irony is that the spending ‫ﺑﭽﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ ﺿﺮورت ﮨﻮﮔﯽ۔ ﯾﮧ ﺳﺘﻢ ﻇﺮﯾﻔﯽ ﺑﮭﯽ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﮯ۔ ﺳﺘﻢ‬
limit only applies where a candidate permits such ‫ﻇﺮﯾﻔﯽ ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﯽ ﺣﺪ ﺻﺮف اس وﻗﺖ ﻻﮔﻮ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
expenditure. If expenses are incurred for a ‫ﺟﺐ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ اﻣﯿﺪوار اس ﻃﺮح ﮐﮯ اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﯽ اﺟﺎزت دﯾﺘﺎ ﮨﻮ۔ اﮔﺮ‬
candidate which he or she does not permit, in light ‫ﮐﺴﯽ اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﯾﺴﮯ اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﯿﮯ ﺟﺎﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﻦ ﮐﯽ وہ‬
of Section 132 of the Election Act, those expenses ،‫ ﮐﯽ روﺷﻨﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ‬132 ‫ اﻟﯿﮑﺸﻦ اﯾﮑﭧ ﮐﯽ دﻓﻌﮧ‬،‫اﺟﺎزت ﻧﮩﯿﮟ دﯾﺘﺎ‬
are not considered part of the candidate’s official ‫ان اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﻮ اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﮯ ﺳﺮﮐﺎری اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﺎ ﺣﺼﮧ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬
expenses to which the limit applies. ‫ﺳﻤﺠﮭﺎ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﺟﺲ ﭘﺮ ﺣﺪ ﻻﮔﻮ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ۔‬
To add fuel to the fire, no spending limit exists for

political parties, just as long as their expenditures ‫ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﻮں ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬،‫آگ ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﻨﺪﮬﻦ ﺷﺎﻣﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
are duly accounted for, legally sourced and not ‫ ﺟﺐ ﺗﮏ ﮐﮧ ان ﮐﮯ‬،‫اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﯽ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ ﺣﺪ ﻣﻮﺟﻮد ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﮯ‬
directed towards a particular candidate. This is why ‫ ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ‬،‫اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت ﮐﺎ ﺻﺤﯿﺢ ﺣﺴﺎب ﮐﺘﺎب ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ‬
when you open your browsers to surf the internet, ‫ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ اور ﮐﺴﯽ ﺧﺎص اﻣﯿﺪوار ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮف ﻣﺘﻮﺟﮧ ﻧﮧ ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ۔‬
‫ وﯾﮉﯾﻮز دﯾﮑﮭﻨﮯ‬،‫ﯾﮩﯽ وﺟﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺟﺐ آپ اﻧﭩﺮﻧﯿﭧ ﭘﺮ ﺳﺮﻓﻨﮓ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬
01 February
watch videos or scour your television, you see ،‫ﯾﺎ اﭘﻨﮯ ﭨﯿﻠﯽ ویژن ﮐﻮ اﺳﮑﻮر ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﭘﻨﺎ ﺑﺮاؤزر ﮐﮭﻮﻟﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
various political parties advertising themselves ‫ﺗﻮ آپ دﯾﮑﮭﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﯿﮟ ﺧﻮد اﺷﺘﮩﺎرات‬
having bought valuable ad space and airtime worth ‫ﮐﺮﺗﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﻨﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ ﮐﺮوڑوں روﭘﮯ ﮐﯽ ﻗﯿﻤﺘﯽ اﺷﺘﮩﺎری ﺟﮕﮧ اور‬
millions of rupees. It is only natural then for such ‫اﺋﯿﺮ ﭨﺎﺋﻢ ﺧﺮﯾﺪا ﮨﮯ۔ اس ﺻﻮرت ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﺴﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﻮں ﮐﺎ‬
political parties to gravitate towards candidates ‫اﯾﺴﮯ اﻣﯿﺪواروں ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮف ﻣﺘﻮﺟﮧ ﮨﻮﻧﺎ ﻓﻄﺮی اﻣﺮ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ ان‬
who can finance these splurges. ‫ﺳﭙﻠﺮﺟﺰ ﮐﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯽ ﻣﻌﺎوﻧﺖ ﮐﺮ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
The purpose here is not to relegate a rich man to

the comforts of their expensive homes but to lay
bare how the ‘level playing field’ being sought by ‫ﯾﮩﺎں ﮐﺎ ﻣﻘﺼﺪ ﮐﺴﯽ اﻣﯿﺮ آدﻣﯽ ﮐﻮ ان ﮐﮯ ﻣﮩﻨﮕﮯ ﮔﮭﺮوں ﮐﯽ‬
one and all should actually be realised for ‫آﺳﺎﺋﺸﻮں ﺗﮏ ﭘﮩﻨﭽﺎﻧﺎ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﮯ ﺑﻠﮑﮧ ﯾﮧ ﺑﺘﺎﻧﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﮐﺲ ﻃﺮح 'ﻟﯿﻮل‬
aspirational women and socially challenged ‫ﭘﻠﯿﺌﻨﮓ ﻓﯿﻠﮉ' اﯾﮏ اور ﺳﺐ ﮐﻮ درﺣﻘﯿﻘﺖ ﺧﻮاﮨﺶ ﻣﻨﺪ ﺧﻮاﺗﯿﻦ اور‬
individuals rather than for the same pensioners who ‫ﺳﻤﺎﺟﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﭼﯿﻠﻨﺞ واﻟﮯ اﻓﺮاد ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﻠﻨﺎ ﭼﺎﮨﯿﮯ ﻧﮧ ﮐﮧ ان ﮐﮯ‬
continue to rule the roost in Pakistan. ‫ﻟﯿﮯ۔ ﭘﻨﺸﻨﺮز ﺟﻮ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ راج ﮐﺮ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
The writer is a lawyer.

X: @sheheryarzaidi
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2024
Years of unwisdom ‫ﺑ ﮯ ﻋ ﻘﻠ ﯽ ﮐ ﮯ ﺳ ﺎ ل‬
F.S. Aijazuddin ‫ اﻋﺰاز اﻟﺪﯾﻦ‬F.S
The writer is an author. ‫ﻟﮑﮭﺎری اﯾﮏ ﻣﺼﻨﻒ ﮨﮯ۔‬
MEMOIRS of retired Indian and Pakistani diplomats ‫رﯾﭩﺎﺋﺮڈ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎﻧﯽ اور ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎﻧﯽ ﺳﻔﺎرت ﮐﺎروں ﮐﯽ ﯾﺎدداﺷﺘﯿﮟ اﺳ‬
contain accounts of their postings to Islamabad ‫ﻼم آﺑﺎد اور ﻧﺌﯽ دﮨﻠﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﮐﯽ ﭘﻮﺳﭩﻨﮓ ﮐﮯ اﮐﺎؤﻧﭩﺲ ﭘﺮ ﻣﺸﺘﻤﻞ‬
and New Delhi, spent in professional pugilism and ‫ ﺟﻮ ﭘﯿﺸﮧ وراﻧﮧ ﭼﺎﻟﺒﺎزی ﻣﯿﮟ ﮔﺰارے ﮔﺌﮯ اور ﺳﮑﻮن ﺳﮯ ﯾﺎد‬،‫ﮨﯿﮟ‬
recollected in tranquillity. ‫ﮐﯿﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ۔‬
Former Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria’s

book Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic :‫ﺳﺎﺑﻖ ﺑﮭﺎرﺗﯽ ﮨﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﻤﺸﻨﺮ اﺟﮯ ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﮐﯽ ﮐﺘﺎب اﯾﻨﺠﺮ ﻣﯿﻨﺠﻤﻨﭧ‬
Relationship between India and Pakistan belongs to ‫دی ﭨﺮاﺑﻠﮉ ڈﭘﻠﻮﻣﯿﭩﮏ رﯾﻠﯿﺸﻦ ﺷﭗ اﻧﮉ اﻧﮉﯾﺎ اور ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن اﺳﯽ ﺻﻨﻒ‬
that genre. Its adversarial counterpart is former ‫ﺳﮯ ﺗﻌﻠﻖ رﮐﮭﺘﯽ ﮨﮯ۔ اس ﮐﺎ ﻣﺨﺎﻟﻒ ﮨﻢ ﻣﻨﺼﺐ ﺳﺎﺑﻘﮧ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮨﺎﺋﯽ‬
Pakistan HC Abdul Basit’s Hostility: A Diplomat’s ‫ ﭘﺎک ﺑﮭﺎرت ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت ﭘﺮ اﯾﮏ ﺳﻔﺎرﺗﮑﺎر‬:‫ﮐﻮرٹ ﻋﺒﺪاﻟﺒﺎﺳﻂ ﮐﯽ دﺷﻤﻨﯽ‬
Diary on Pakistan-India Relations. ‫ﮐﯽ ڈاﺋﺮی ﮨﮯ۔‬
Bisaria served in Islamabad for 20 months before ‫ ﻣﺎہ ﺗﮏ اﺳﻼم آﺑﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ ﺧﺪﻣﺎت اﻧﺠﺎم دﯾﮟ اور‬20 ‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﻧﮯ‬
being summarily ‘expelled’ in 2019 — the first ‫ اس ﺑﮯ ﻋﺰﺗﯽ‬- ‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺨﺘﺼﺮ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ 'ﻧﮑﺎﻟﮯ' ﺟﺎﻧﮯ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ‬2019
among his 24 predecessors to suffer this indignity. ‫ ﭘﯿﺸﺮوؤں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ۔‬24 ‫ﮐﺎ ﺷﮑﺎر ﮨﻮﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ اﭘﻨﮯ‬
His book is the most comprehensive survey to date

of the first seven years in a conflict that could well ‫ان ﮐﯽ ﮐﺘﺎب ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﺳﺎت ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ اس ﺗﻨﺎزﻋﮧ ﻣﯿﮟ اب ﺗﮏ ﮐﺎ ﺳﺐ‬
‫ﺳﮯ ﺟﺎﻣﻊ ﺳﺮوے ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ اﯾﮏ ﺳﻨﭽﺮی اﺳﮑﻮر ﮐﺮ ﺳﮑﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﯾﮧ‬
score a century. It is structured to cover seven
‫ ﺗﮏ ﺳﺎت دﮨﺎﺋﯿﻮں اور ﮐﭽﮫ ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﭘﺮ ﻣﺤﯿﻂ ﮨﮯ۔‬2023 ‫ ﺳﮯ‬1947
decades and some years, from 1947 into 2023. It
could carry the subtitle ‘Seven Pillars of Unwisdom’.
‫ﭘﺎک رﮨﻨﻤﺎؤں ﮐﮯ درﻣﯿﺎن ﮐﯿﻤﺴﭩﺮی ﻧﮯ‬-‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﻧﮯ ﻧﻮٹ ﮐﯿﺎ ﮐﮧ ﮨﻨﺪ‬
Bisaria notes that the chemistry between Indo-Pak
‫اﻣﯿﺪﯾﮟ ﺟﮕﺎﺋﯿﮟ۔‬
leaders raised hopes.
According to him, three ideas “of identity, territory,

‫ ﻋﻼﻗﮧ اور ﺳﻼﻣﺘﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺗﯿﻦ ﺗﺼﻮرات ﻧﮯ‬،‫ "ﺷﻨﺎﺧﺖ‬،‫ان ﮐﮯ ﺑﻘﻮل‬
01 February
and security have populated scholarship on the ‫ﺑﺮﺻﻐﯿﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ اﺳﮑﺎﻟﺮﺷﭗ ﮐﻮ آﺑﺎد ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ"۔ وہ اس ﮐﯽ داﺳﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ‬
subcontinent”. They recur in his narrative. He tells ‫دﮨﺮاﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ وہ ﮨﻤﯿﮟ ﺑﺘﺎﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ ’’ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ ﺗﻤﺎم ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎﻧﯽ‬
us that “a lesson all Indian envoys to Pakistan learn ‫ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ‬:‫ﺳﻔﯿﺮوں ﮐﻮ ﮐﺴﯽ ﻧﮧ ﮐﺴﯽ ﻣﻮﻗﻊ ﭘﺮ ﺳﺒﻖ ﻣﻠﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
at some point or the other: Pakistan policy in India ‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯽ ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ ذاﺗﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﮐﮯ‬
is driven personally by India’s prime minister”. ‫ذرﯾﻌﮧ ﭼﻼﺋﯽ ﺟﺎﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ‘‘۔‬
Since independence, India has drawn its elected

PMs from the same democratic pool, installed by ‫ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن ﻧﮯ اﭘﻨﮯ ﻣﻨﺘﺨﺐ وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﮐﻮ اﺳﯽ‬،‫آزادی ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺳﮯ‬
popular vote. The PM’s authority is unequivocal, ‫ ﺟﻮ ﻣﻘﺒﻮل ووﭨﻮں ﺳﮯ ﻧﺼﺐ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﭘﯽ‬،‫ﺟﻤﮩﻮری ﭘﻮل ﺳﮯ ﻧﮑﺎﻻ ﮨﮯ‬
except in the instance of the paloo-tied control ‫ ﺳﻮاﺋﮯ اس ﮐﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺳﻮﻧﯿﺎ ﮔﺎﻧﺪﮬﯽ ﻧﮯ‬،‫اﯾﻢ ﮐﺎ اﺧﺘﯿﺎر ﻏﯿﺮ واﺿﺢ ﮨﮯ‬
exercised by Sonia Gandhi during PM Manmohan ‫ﭘﯽ اﯾﻢ ﻣﻨﻤﻮﮨﻦ ﺳﻨﮕﮫ ﮐﮯ دور ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﺎﻟﻮ ﺳﮯ ﺑﻨﺪﮬﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﮐﻨﭩﺮول ﮐﺎ‬
Singh’s tenure. In contrast, leadership in Pakistan ‫ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ ﻗﯿﺎدت ﮔﻮرﻧﺮ‬،‫اﺳﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﮐﯿﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ۔ اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﺮﻋﮑﺲ‬
has passed from governors general, to nominated ‫ ﻣﻨﺘﺨﺐ وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﮐﮯ‬،‫ ﻧﺎﻣﺰد ﯾﺎ ﺧﻮد ﺳﺎﺧﺘﮧ ﺻﺪارت‬،‫ﺟﻨﺮل ﺳﮯ‬
or self-appointed presidencies, to selected PMs. ‫ﭘﺎس ﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﮯ۔‬
Many of them have articulated their views on

foreign policy. None has done so as poetically as ‫ان ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ ﮐﺌﯽ ﻧﮯ ﺧﺎرﺟﮧ ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ ﭘﺮ اﭘﻨﮯ ﺧﯿﺎﻻت ﮐﺎ اﻇﮩﺎر ﮐﯿﺎ‬
the late PM A.B. Vajpayee: “The tools of diplomacy ‫ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﺮﺣﻮم ﭘﯽ اﯾﻢ اے ﺑﯽ ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮح ﺷﺎﻋﺮاﻧﮧ اﻧﺪاز ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﺴﯽ ﻧﮯ‬
‫ اور‬،‫ آﻧﮑﮭﯿﮟ‬،‫ "ﺳﻔﺎرت ﮐﺎری ﮐﮯ اوزار اﻟﻔﺎظ‬:‫ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﯿﺎ۔ واﺟﭙﺎﺋﯽ‬
are words, eyes, and signs;/ Words, eyes, and signs;
/‫ اور ﻧﺸﺎﻧﯿﺎں؛ ﻧﯿﺰ ﮐﺎﻧﭩﮯ اور ﭼﺎﻗﻮ؛‬،‫ آﻧﮑﮭﯿﮟ‬،‫ اﻟﻔﺎظ‬/‫ﻧﺸﺎﻧﯿﺎں ﮨﯿﮟ؛‬
plus forks and knives;/ First you shake hands,/
"‫ ﭘﮭﺮ ﺗﻮﺑﮧ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺮوڑو۔‬/،‫ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﺗﻢ ﻣﺼﺎﻓﺤﮧ ﮐﺮو‬
Then wring them in repentance.”
Bisaria notes that personal chemistry between

‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﻧﻮٹ ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ ﺑﺮﺻﻐﯿﺮ ﮐﮯ رﮨﻨﻤﺎؤں ﮐﮯ درﻣﯿﺎن ذاﺗﯽ‬
subcontinental leaders has often raised their
‫ "رﮨﻨﻤﺎؤں‬:‫ﮐﯿﻤﺴﭩﺮی ﻧﮯ اﮐﺜﺮ ان ﮐﮯ ﻟﻮﮔﻮں ﮐﯽ اﻣﯿﺪوں ﮐﻮ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﯾﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
people’s hopes: “Duos of leaders had held great
‫ ﺿﯿﺎ اور‬:[…] ‫ﮐﯽ ﺟﻮڑی ﻧﮯ ﮐﺎﻣﯿﺎﺑﯿﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺑﮍے وﻋﺪے ﮐﯿﮯ ﺗﮭﮯ‬
promise of breakthroughs […]: Zia and Rajiv, Benazir
،‫ ﺷﺮﯾﻒ اور واﺟﭙﺎﺋﯽ‬،‫ ﺷﺮﯾﻒ اور ﮔﺠﺮال‬،‫ ﺑﮯ ﻧﻈﯿﺮ اور راﺟﯿﻮ‬،‫راﺟﯿﻮ‬
and Rajiv, Sharif and Gujral, Sharif and Vajpayee,
‫ اﯾﺴﺎ ﻟﮕﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺗﻌﻤﯿﺮی ﻣﺸﻐﻮﻟﯿﺖ‬،‫ﯾﮩﺎں ﺗﮏ ﮐﮧ ﺷﺮﯾﻒ اور ﻣﻮدی‬
even Sharif and Modi, seemed to signal new phases
‫ﮐﮯ ﻧﺌﮯ ﻣﺮاﺣﻞ ﮐﺎ اﺷﺎرہ ﮐﺮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
of constructive engagement.”
He recalls: “In the 1960s, Rajeshwar Dayal managed

to persuade Nehru to give Ayub Khan a chance,
‫ راﺟﯿﺸﻮر دﯾﺎل ﻧﮩﺮو ﮐﻮ‬،‫ ﮐﯽ دﮨﺎﺋﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ‬1960’’ :‫وہ ﯾﺎد ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
despite Nehru’s instinctive suspicion of the dictator. ،‫اﯾﻮب ﺧﺎن ﮐﻮ ﻣﻮﻗﻊ دﯾﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻗﺎﺋﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﺎﻣﯿﺎب ﮨﻮ ﮔﺌﮯ‬
Natwar Singh became an advocate for Zia in the ‫ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد اس ﮐﮯ ﮐﮧ ﻧﮩﺮو ﮐﮯ ڈﮐﭩﯿﭩﺮ ﭘﺮ ﻓﻄﺮی ﺷﮑﻮک و ﺷﺒﮩﺎت ﺗﮭﮯ۔‬
1980s despite Mrs Gandhi’s aversion to him. ‫ ﮐﯽ‬1980 ‫ﻣﺴﺰ ﮔﺎﻧﺪﮬﯽ ﮐﮯ ان ﺳﮯ ﻧﻔﺮت ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد ﻧﭩﻮر ﺳﻨﮕﮫ‬
Pakistan’s envoy Jehangir Qazi, through his quiet ‫دﮨﺎﺋﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺿﯿﺎء ﮐﮯ وﮐﯿﻞ ﺑﻦ ﮔﺌﮯ۔ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ اﯾﻠﭽﯽ ﺟﮩﺎﻧﮕﯿﺮ‬
diplomacy with Advani, managed to get the Agra ‫ اﯾﮉواﻧﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺧﺎﻣﻮش ﺳﻔﺎرت ﮐﺎری ﮐﮯ ذرﯾﻌﮯ‬،‫ﻗﺎﺿﯽ‬
Summit of 2001 in place giving Musharraf a chance ‫ ﮐﯽ آﮔﺮہ ﺳﻤﭧ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺸﺮف ﮐﻮ اﭘﻨﺎ ﻣﻘﺪﻣﮧ ﭘﯿﺶ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ‬2001
to make his case.” ‫ﻣﻮﻗﻊ ﻓﺮاﮨﻢ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﺎﻣﯿﺎب ﮨﻮﺋﮯ۔‬
He singles out Vajpayee for his “sincerity and

balanced approach” towards Pakistan. Amongst ‫اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ واﺟﭙﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﻮ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﮐﮯ "ﺧﻠﻮص اور‬
Pakistani leaders, he thinks “Zia was perhaps the ‫ ان‬،‫ﻣﺘﻮازن ﻧﻘﻄﮧ ﻧﻈﺮ" ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻧﻤﺎﯾﺎں ﮐﯿﺎ۔ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎﻧﯽ رﮨﻨﻤﺎؤں ﻣﯿﮟ‬
most consummate diplomat for Pakistan who tried ‫ﮐﮯ ﺧﯿﺎل ﻣﯿﮟ "ﺿﯿﺎء ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺷﺎﯾﺪ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﻗﺎﺑﻞ‬
to sweet-talk India while running a nuclear ‫ﺳﻔﺎرت ﮐﺎر ﺗﮭﮯ ﺟﻨﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﭘﻨﺠﺎب ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﭩﻤﯽ‬
programme and a jihad” in India’s Punjab. ‫ﭘﺮوﮔﺮام اور ﺟﮩﺎد ﭼﻼﺗﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن ﺳﮯ ﻣﯿﭩﮭﯽ ﺑﺎﺗﯿﮟ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬
‫ﮐﯽ ﮐﻮﺷﺶ ﮐﯽ"۔‬
Bisaria remembers PM Singh’s remarks in 2006
that “borders cannot be redrawn, but we can work ‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﯽ اﯾﻢ ﺳﻨﮕﮫ ﮐﮯ رﯾﻤﺎرﮐﺲ ﮐﻮ ﯾﺎد ﮐﯿﺎ ﮐﮧ‬2006 ‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﻧﮯ‬
towards making them irrelevant [,] just lines on a ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﮨﻢ ان ﮐﻮ ﻏﯿﺮ‬،‫"ﺳﺮﺣﺪوں ﮐﻮ دوﺑﺎرہ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﮭﯿﻨﭽﺎ ﺟﺎ ﺳﮑﺘﺎ‬
01 February
map”. Singh’s sponsorship of the Satish Lambah/ ‫[ ﺻﺮف ﻧﻘﺸﮯ ﭘﺮ ﻻﺋﻨﯿﮟ"۔‬،] ‫ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺑﻨﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
Tariq Aziz plan came as close to a working formula ‫ﭘﺎک‬-‫ﻃﺎرق ﻋﺰﯾﺰ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﮯ ﮐﯽ ﮐﻔﺎﻟﺖ ﮨﻨﺪ‬/‫ﺳﻨﮕﮫ ﮐﯽ ﺳﺘﯿﺶ ﻻﻣﺒﺎ‬
for Indo-Pak ties as the two nations will ever reach. ‫ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ ﻓﺎرﻣﻮﻟﮯ ﮐﮯ اﺗﻨﮯ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ ﭘﮩﻨﭽﯽ ﺟﺲ‬
On taking over, PM Modi shelved it. In former HC ‫ﻃﺮح دوﻧﻮں ﻣﻤﺎﻟﮏ ﮐﺒﮭﯽ ﺑﮭﯽ ﭘﮩﻨﭽﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ۔ اﻗﺘﺪار ﺳﻨﺒﮭﺎﻟﺘﮯ ﮨﯽ‬
Shivshankar Menon’s words, “the two countries fell ‫ﭘﯽ اﯾﻢ ﻣﻮدی ﻧﮯ اﺳﮯ روک دﯾﺎ۔ ﺳﺎﺑﻖ اﯾﭻ ﺳﯽ ﺷﯿﻮﺷﻨﮑﺮ ﻣﯿﻨﻦ ﮐﮯ‬
into a repetitive pattern or dance of engagement ‫ "دوﻧﻮں ﻣﻤﺎﻟﮏ اﯾﮏ ﺑﺎر ﺑﺎر ﭼﻠﻨﮯ واﻟﮯ اﻧﺪاز ﯾﺎ‬،‫اﻟﻔﺎظ ﻣﯿﮟ‬
and disruption”. ‫ﻣﺼﺮوﻓﯿﺖ اور ﺧﻠﻞ ﮐﮯ رﻗﺺ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﮍ ﮔﺌﮯ"۔‬
It is to Bisaria’s credit that, despite being “more of a

Europe and Russia hand”, he accepted the ‫ "زﯾﺎدہ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﯾﻮرپ اور روس‬،‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﮐﻮ ﯾﮧ ﮐﺮﯾﮉٹ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ‬
Islamabad assignment with courage. He describes ‫ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ اﺳﻼم آﺑﺎد ﮐﯽ ذﻣﮧ داری ﮨﻤﺖ‬،‫ﮐﺎ ﮨﺎﺗﮫ" ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد‬
his life there as “never lonely”. “Followed ‫ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﻗﺒﻮل ﮐﯽ۔ وہ وﮨﺎں اﭘﻨﯽ زﻧﺪﮔﯽ ﮐﻮ "ﮐﺒﮭﯽ ﺗﻨﮩﺎ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ" ﮐﮯ‬
everywhere, watched closely, photographed on cell ،‫ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ ﺳﮯ دﯾﮑﮭﺎ‬،‫ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺑﯿﺎن ﮐﺮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ "ﮨﺮ ﺟﮕﮧ ﮐﯽ ﭘﯿﺮوی ﮐﯽ‬
phones by swarms of men in shalwar kameez, ‫ﺷﻠﻮار ﻗﻤﯿﺾ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺮدوں ﮐﮯ ﮨﺠﻮم ﻧﮯ ﺳﯿﻞ ﻓﻮن ﭘﺮ ﺗﺼﻮﯾﺮ‬
Indian diplomats become either peaceniks or ‫ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎﻧﯽ ﺳﻔﺎرت ﮐﺎر ﯾﺎ ﺗﻮ اﻣﻦ ﭘﺴﻨﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺟﺎﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﯾﺎ‬،‫ﮐﮭﻨﭽﻮاﺋﯽ‬
hawks [:] seldom left in the middle.” "‫[ ﺷﺎذ و ﻧﺎدر ﮨﯽ ﺑﯿﭻ ﻣﯿﮟ رہ ﺟﺎﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬:]
Bisaria offers his successor nine unequal pillars of

wisdom: cross-border security, coincidence of ‫ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ اﭘﻨﮯ ﺟﺎﻧﺸﯿﻦ ﮐﻮ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ ﮐﮯ ﻧﻮ ﻏﯿﺮ ﻣﺴﺎوی ﺳﺘﻮن ﭘﯿﺶ‬
leadership, safe diplomacy, the role of global forces ‫ ﻣﺤﻔﻮظ ﺳﻔﺎرت‬،‫ ﻗﯿﺎدت ﮐﺎ اﺗﻔﺎق‬،‫ ﺳﺮﺣﺪ ﭘﺎر ﺳﯿﮑﯿﻮرﭨﯽ‬:‫ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
and multilateral institutions, aspirations of the ‫ ﻋﻮام ﮐﯽ‬،‫ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ ﻗﻮﺗﻮں اور ﮐﺜﯿﺮ ﺟﮩﺘﯽ اداروں ﮐﺎ ﮐﺮدار‬،‫ﮐﺎری‬
people, quarantining territorial disagreements, ‫ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﻏﯿﺮ‬،‫ ﻋﻼﻗﺎﺋﯽ اﺧﺘﻼﻓﺎت ﮐﻮ ﻗﺮﻧﻄﯿﻦ ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬،‫اﻣﻨﮕﯿﮟ‬
accepting Pakistan’s volatile structure of ‫ اﻗﻠﯿﺘﯽ ﻣﺴﺎﺋﻞ اور ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت‬،‫ﻣﺴﺘﺤﮑﻢ ﻃﺮز ﺣﮑﻤﺮاﻧﯽ ﮐﻮ ﻗﺒﻮل ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬
governance, minority issues and economic aspects .‫ﮐﮯ اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﭘﮩﻠﻮؤں‬
of the relationship.
Peering into August 2047, when India and Pakistan ‫ ﺟﺐ ﮨﻨﺪوﺳﺘﺎن اور ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن‬،‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺟﮭﺎﻧﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ‬2047 ‫اﮔﺴﺖ‬
will celebrate a centenary of independence from ‫ ﺑﺴﺎرﯾﮧ ﻧﮯ‬،‫اﯾﮏ دوﺳﺮے ﺳﮯ آزادی ﮐﯽ ﺻﺪ ﺳﺎﻟﮧ ﺟﺸﻦ ﻣﻨﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ‬
each other, Bisaria sees three scenarios: “Business ‫ " ﻣﻌﻤﻮل ﮐﮯ ﻣﻄﺎﺑﻖ ﮐﺎروﺑﺎر؛ ﻣﺸﺮوط اﻣﯿﺪ‬:‫ﺗﯿﻦ ﻣﻨﻈﺮﻧﺎﻣﮯ دﯾﮑﮭﮯ‬
as usual; conditional optimism; and conditional ".‫ﭘﺮﺳﺘﯽ؛ اور ﻣﺸﺮوط ﻣﺎﯾﻮﺳﯽ‬
pessimism.”
‫ﺟﻮ ﻟﻮگ ﺷﻤﺎﻟﯽ آﺋﺮﻟﯿﻨﮉ ﭘﺮ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ واﻟﯽ ﺟﺪوﺟﮩﺪ ﮐﻮ ﯾﺎد ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
Those who recall the struggles over Northern
‫اﻧﮩﯿﮟ اس وﻗﺖ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺮﻃﺎﻧﻮی وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﺟﺎن ﻣﯿﺠﺮ ﮐﺎ ﺟﻮاب ﯾﺎد‬
Ireland may remember the response of the then
‫ﮨﻮﮔﺎ ﺟﺐ ان ﺳﮯ ﭘﻮﭼﮭﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ ﮐﮧ آﺋﺮش ﺳﻮال ﮐﺎ ان ﮐﺎ ﺣﻞ ﮐﯿﺎ‬
British PM John Major when he was asked what his
‫ "ﮨﻢ ﺗﯿﻦ ﭼﯿﺰوں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ اﯾﮏ ﮐﺮ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﮨﻢ ﭘﯿﭽﮭﮯ ﮐﯽ‬:‫ﺗﮭﺎ‬
solution for the Irish question was: “We can do one
‫ ﯾﺎ ﺟﮩﺎں ﮨﯿﮟ وﮨﯿﮟ رہ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﻧﮧ ﮨﯽ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ‬،‫ﻃﺮف ﺟﺎ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
of three things. We can go backwards, or stay
"‫ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ ﮨﮯ۔ ﯾﺎ ﮨﻢ آﮔﮯ ﺑﮍھ ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
where we are. Neither is a policy. Or we can go
forward.”
By the end of February, there should be a new

‫ﻓﺮوری ﮐﮯ اواﺧﺮ ﺗﮏ اﺳﻼم آﺑﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﮏ ﻧﺌﯽ ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ )ﻗﯿﺎم ﻧﻮاز‬
government (conceivably led by Nawaz Sharif) in
،‫ ﻣﺘﻮﻗﻊ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬،‫ ﺗﮏ‬2024 ‫ﺷﺮﯾﻒ ﮐﯽ ﻗﯿﺎدت ﻣﯿﮟ( ﺑﻦ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ۔ ﺟﻮن‬
Islamabad. By June 2024, predictably, Narendra
‫ﻧﺮﯾﻨﺪر ﻣﻮدی ﺗﯿﺴﺮی ﻣﺪت ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ واﭘﺲ آ ﺟﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ۔ وہ ﮨﻤﯿﮟ ﮐﺲ‬
Modi will have returned to serve a third term. In ‫ ﯾﺎ‬،‫ ﺗﺎرﯾﺦ ﻣﯿﮟ دﮬﻨﺴﯽ ﮨﻮﺋﯽ‬،‫ ﭘﯿﭽﮭﮯ ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮف‬:‫ﺳﻤﺖ ﻟﮯ ﺟﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﮯ‬
which direction will they take us: backwards, mired ‫آﮔﮯ؟‬
in history, or forward?
The writer is an author.

www.fsaijazuddin.pk
01 February
The return of Nawaz Sharif ‫ﻧ ﻮ ا ز ﺷ ﺮﯾ ﻒ ﮐ ﯽ و اﭘﺴ ﯽ‬

Khurram Husain ‫ﺧﺮم ﺣﺴﯿﻦ‬
The writer is a business and economy journalist. ‫ﻣﺼﻨﻒ ﮐﺎروﺑﺎری اور اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺻﺤﺎﻓﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
OF all the comebacks he has mounted since his ‫ ﺳﺎل ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ اﻗﺘﺪار ﺳﮯ اﭘﻨﯽ ﭘﮩﻠﯽ ﺑﮯ دﺧﻠﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ‬30
first ouster from power more than 30 years ago, the ‫ ان ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ ﺗﺎزہ ﺗﺮﯾﻦ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ‬،‫ﺳﮯ اس ﻧﮯ ﺟﻮ ﺑﮭﯽ واﭘﺴﯽ ﮐﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
latest one has been the most improbable. ‫زﯾﺎدہ ﻧﺎﻣﻤﮑﻦ ﮨﮯ۔‬
The odds that Nawaz Sharif will be forming the next

government after the Feb 8 elections are rising, ‫ ﻓﺮوری ﮐﮯ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻧﻮاز ﺷﺮﯾﻒ ﮐﯽ اﮔﻠﯽ ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ ﺑﻨﻨﮯ‬8
although it cannot be known with any certainty at ‫ ﺣﺎﻻﻧﮑﮧ اس ﻣﺮﺣﻠﮯ ﭘﺮ ﯾﻘﯿﻦ ﺳﮯ‬،‫ﮐﮯ اﻣﮑﺎﻧﺎت ﺑﮍﮬﺘﮯ ﺟﺎ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
this stage. Even if he is not the prime minister ‫ﮐﭽﮫ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﮩﺎ ﺟﺎ ﺳﮑﺘﺎ۔ اﮔﺮ وہ ﺧﻮد وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺗﻮ ﺑﮭﯽ‬
himself, chances are whoever assumes the position ‫اﻣﮑﺎﻧﺎت ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ ﺟﻮ ﺑﮭﯽ ﯾﮧ ﻋﮩﺪہ ﺳﻨﺒﮭﺎﻟﮯ ﮔﺎ وہ ان ﮐﯽ آﺷﯿﺮﺑﺎد‬
will do so with his blessings. ‫ﺳﮯ ﮐﺮے ﮔﺎ۔‬
The tide has been turning in his favour in slow

motion for months now, but the coming weeks will
see an acceleration. It began with the ‫ﺟﻮار اب ﻣﮩﯿﻨﻮں ﺳﮯ ﺳﺴﺖ رﻓﺘﺎر ﻣﯿﮟ اس ﮐﮯ ﺣﻖ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﺪل رﮨﺎ‬
‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ آﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ ﮨﻔﺘﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ اس ﻣﯿﮟ ﺗﯿﺰی ﻧﻈﺮ آﺋﮯ ﮔﯽ۔ اس ﮐﺎ‬،‫ﮨﮯ‬
announcement of the date of his return to Pakistan
‫آﻏﺎز ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒًﺎ ﭘﺎﻧﭻ ﺳﺎل ﮐﯽ ﺟﻼوﻃﻨﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ان ﮐﯽ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن واﭘﺴﯽ‬
after almost five years of exile. Next came the day
‫ﮐﯽ ﺗﺎرﯾﺦ ﮐﮯ اﻋﻼن ﺳﮯ ﮨﻮا۔ اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻻﮨﻮر ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﮐﯽ واﭘﺴﯽ‬
of his return and first rally in Lahore, in which he laid
‫ ﺟﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ ﻣﮩﻨﮕﺎﺋﯽ اور ﺑﮯ‬،‫اور ﭘﮩﻠﯽ رﯾﻠﯽ ﮐﺎ دن آﯾﺎ‬
out his credentials as the prime minister most ‫روزﮔﺎری ﺳﮯ ﻟﭙﭩﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﻣﻠﮏ ﮐﯽ ﺗﺮﻗﯽ اور ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ‬
suited to deliver development and growth for a ‫زﯾﺎدہ ﻣﻮزوں وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ اﭘﻨﯽ اﺳﻨﺎد ﭘﯿﺶ ﮐﯿﮟ۔‬
country wracked by inflation and unemployment
Then came the brief interlude of bargaining for

distribution of party tickets, seat adjustments with ‫ دوڑ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺷﺎﻣﻞ دﯾﮕﺮ‬،‫اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﭘﺎرﭨﯽ ﭨﮑﭩﻮں ﮐﯽ ﺗﻘﺴﯿﻢ‬
other parties in the running, and laying down the ‫ اور آﻧﮯ واﻟﮯ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ‬،‫ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺘﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺳﯿﭧ اﯾﮉﺟﺴﭩﻤﻨﭧ‬
order of battle for the coming electoral contest. And ‫ﻣﻌﺮﮐﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺟﻨﮓ ﮐﯽ ﺗﺮﺗﯿﺐ ﻃﮯ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺳﻮدے ﺑﺎزی ﮐﺎ‬
as the last of the doubts over whether or not the ‫ﻣﺨﺘﺼﺮ وﻗﻔﮧ آﯾﺎ۔ اور اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﯾﺎ ﻧﮧ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ‬
elections would be held were finally removed, once ‫ اﯾﮏ ﺑﺎر ﺟﺐ ﺳﭙﺮﯾﻢ‬،‫ﺷﮑﻮک و ﺷﺒﮩﺎت ﮐﮯ آﺧﺮی دور ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬
the Supreme Court stripped his main rival, the PTI, ‫ ﭘﯽ ﭨﯽ آﺋﯽ ﺳﮯ اس ﮐﺎ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ‬،‫ﮐﻮرٹ ﻧﮯ ان ﮐﮯ ﻣﺮﮐﺰی ﺣﺮﯾﻒ‬
of its election symbol, the campaigning began. ‫ ﺗﻮ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﮩﻢ ﺷﺮوع ﮨﻮ ﮔﺌﯽ۔‬،‫ﻧﺸﺎن ﭼﮭﯿﻦ ﻟﯿﺎ‬
Listen to his campaign speeches and you will see

the strategy at play here. He is doing two things in ‫ان ﮐﯽ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﯽ ﺗﻘﺎرﯾﺮ ﺳﻨﯿﮟ اور آپ ﮐﻮ ﯾﮩﺎں ﭘﺮ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ‬
his rallies. First is connecting with voters and the ‫ﻋﻤﻠﯽ ﻧﻈﺮ آﺋﮯ ﮔﯽ۔ وہ اﭘﻨﮯ ﺟﻠﺴﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ دو ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﭘﮩﻼ‬
second is asserting the old patronage machines ‫ووﭨﺮوں ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺟﮍﻧﺎ اور دوﺳﺮا ﭘﺮاﻧﯽ ﺳﺮﭘﺮﺳﺘﯽ ﮐﯽ ﻣﺸﯿﻨﻮں ﭘﺮ‬
that run the rural or peri-urban constituencies he ‫زور دﯾﻨﺎ ﺟﻮ دﯾﮩﯽ ﯾﺎ ﭘﯿﺮی ﺷﮩﺮی ﺣﻠﻘﻮں ﮐﻮ ﭼﻼﺗﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﻦ ﭘﺮ اس‬
has mainly focused his campaign energies on so ‫ﻧﮯ اب ﺗﮏ اﭘﻨﯽ ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﯽ ﺗﻮاﻧﺎﺋﯿﻮں ﮐﻮ ﺑﻨﯿﺎدی ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﻣﺮﮐﻮز ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
far. To voters he is asking questions like ‘how much ‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺟﺐ‬2017' ‫ووﭨﺮوں ﺳﮯ وہ ﺳﻮاﻻت ﭘﻮﭼﮫ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﺟﯿﺴﮯ ﮐﮧ‬
did one roti cost when I left in 2017? How much ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮯ ﭼﮭﻮڑا ﺗﻮ اﯾﮏ روﭨﯽ ﮐﯽ ﻗﯿﻤﺖ ﮐﺘﻨﯽ ﺗﮭﯽ؟ ﺑﺠﻠﯽ ﮐﺎ اﯾﮏ‬
was one unit of electricity? How much did you pay ‫ﯾﻮﻧﭧ ﮐﺘﻨﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ؟ آپ ﻧﮯ اﯾﮏ ﮐﻠﻮ ﭼﯿﻨﯽ ﮐﯽ ﮐﺘﻨﯽ ﻗﯿﻤﺖ دی؟ ﯾﻮرﯾﺎ‬
for a kilo of sugar? How much for a bag of urea ‫ﮐﮭﺎد ﮐﮯ اﯾﮏ ﺗﮭﯿﻠﮯ ﮐﺎ ﮐﺘﻨﺎ؟‬
fertiliser?’
The message Nawaz is sending out is to climb onto

his bandwagon, because soon it will be the only ‫ﻧﻮاز ﺟﻮ ﭘﯿﻐﺎم دے رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ وہ ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ وہ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺑﯿﻨﮉ وﯾﮕﻦ ﭘﺮ ﭼﮍھ‬
‫ ﮐﯿﻮﻧﮑﮧ ﺟﻠﺪ ﮨﯽ ﯾﮧ ﺷﮩﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ واﺣﺪ ﺷﻮ ﮨﻮﮔﺎ۔‬،‫ﺟﺎﺋﮯ‬
01 February
show in town.
The list of products he reads out varies from one

constituency to another, depending on its urban or ‫وہ ﻣﺼﻨﻮﻋﺎت ﮐﯽ ﺟﻮ ﻓﮩﺮﺳﺖ ﭘﮍﮬﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ وہ اﯾﮏ ﺣﻠﻘﮯ ﺳﮯ دوﺳﺮے‬
rural character. And for each product whose price ‫ اس ﮐﮯ ﺷﮩﺮی ﯾﺎ دﯾﮩﯽ ﮐﺮدار ﮐﮯ ﻟﺤﺎظ‬،‫ﺣﻠﻘﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
he asks for, he asks the attendees how much they ‫ وہ‬،‫ﺳﮯ۔ اور ﮨﺮ اﯾﮏ ﭘﺮوڈﮐﭧ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺟﺲ ﮐﯽ ﻗﯿﻤﺖ وہ ﻣﺎﻧﮕﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
are paying for that commodity today. ‘Who did this ‫ﺣﺎﺿﺮﯾﻦ ﺳﮯ ﭘﻮﭼﮭﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ وہ آج اس ﺷﮯ ﮐﯽ ﮐﺘﻨﯽ ﻗﯿﻤﺖ ادا ﮐﺮ‬
to you?’ he asks them. ‘Who committed this ‫رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ’’ﺗﻤﮩﺎرے ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﯾﮧ ﮐﺲ ﻧﮯ ﮐﯿﺎ؟‘‘ وہ ان ﺳﮯ ﭘﻮﭼﮭﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
cruelty?’ he continues. ‘You should go and ask ‫'ﯾﮧ ﻇﻠﻢ ﮐﺲ ﻧﮯ ﮐﯿﺎ؟' وہ ﺟﺎری رﮐﮭﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ’’ﺗﻢ ﺟﺎ ﮐﺮ ان ﺳﮯ ﭘﻮﭼﮭﻮ‬
them, whoever did this, why did they do this to you!’ ‘‘!‫ اس ﻧﮯ ﺗﻤﮩﺎرے ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اﯾﺴﺎ ﮐﯿﻮں ﮐﯿﺎ‬،‫ ﺟﺲ ﻧﮯ ﺑﮭﯽ ﯾﮧ ﮐﯿﺎ‬،
It’s a crafty message. From 2017 till now, the

country has seen an unprecedented surge in
inflation. We can debate what caused this. I have ‫ ﺳﮯ اب ﺗﮏ ﻣﻠﮏ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﮩﻨﮕﺎﺋﯽ‬2017 ‫ﯾﮧ اﯾﮏ ﻣﮑﺮوہ ﭘﯿﻐﺎم ﮨﮯ۔‬
written my own views on this numerous times ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﻏﯿﺮ ﻣﻌﻤﻮﻟﯽ اﺿﺎﻓﮧ دﯾﮑﮭﻨﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ آﯾﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﮨﻢ اس ﭘﺮ ﺑﺤﺚ ﮐﺮ‬
already. But for campaign purposes, it is not ‫ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ اس ﮐﯽ وﺟﮧ ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﺑﮭﯽ ﻣﺘﻌﺪد ﺑﺎر اس‬
necessary to go into why it happened. All he has to ‫ﭘﺮ اﭘﻨﮯ ﺧﯿﺎﻻت ﻟﮑﮫ ﭼﮑﺎ ﮨﻮں۔ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻘﺎﺻﺪ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اس‬
do is point out that it happened. And by making ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﺟﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ ﺿﺮورت ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ اﯾﺴﺎ ﮐﯿﻮں ﮨﻮا۔ اﺳﮯ ﺻﺮف ﯾﮧ ﺑﺘﺎﻧﺎ‬
2017 the starting point, he can glide over the fact ‫ ﮐﻮ ﻧﻘﻄﮧ آﻏﺎز ﺑﻨﺎ ﮐﺮ وہ اس ﺣﻘﯿﻘﺖ ﭘﺮ‬2017 ‫ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﯾﮧ ﮨﻮا ﮨﮯ۔ اور‬
that the bulk of this inflation came during the period ‫روﺷﻨﯽ ڈال ﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ ﮐﮧ اس ﻣﮩﻨﮕﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﺎ ﺑﮍا ﺣﺼﮧ اس دور ﻣﯿﮟ‬
when Shehbaz Sharif was prime minister. ‫آﯾﺎ ﺟﺐ ﺷﮩﺒﺎز ﺷﺮﯾﻒ وزﯾﺮ اﻋﻈﻢ ﺗﮭﮯ۔‬
For narrative purposes it doesn’t matter. “I have

missed you” he said in one of his campaign ‫ﺑﯿﺎﻧﯿﮧ ﻣﻘﺎﺻﺪ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اس ﺳﮯ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ ﻓﺮق ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﭘﮍﺗﺎ۔ "ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮯ آپ‬
speeches. “I have been away too long, and it hurts ‫ﮐﻮ ﯾﺎد ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ" اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ اﭘﻨﯽ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﮯ اﯾﮏ ﺧﻄﺎب ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﮩﺎ‬
me to see all that you have had to suffer while I was ‫ اور ﻣﺠﮭﮯ وہ ﺳﺐ‬،‫۔ "ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﮩﺖ ﻃﻮﯾﻞ ﻋﺮﺻﮯ ﺳﮯ دور رﮨﺎ ﮨﻮں‬
‫دﯾﮑﮫ ﮐﺮ ﺗﮑﻠﯿﻒ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ آپ ﮐﻮ ﻣﯿﺮے دور رﮨﺘﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﺑﮭﮕﺘﻨﺎ ﭘﮍا‬
away.” The campaign message is crafted to first
‫۔" ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﮯ ﭘﯿﻐﺎم ﮐﻮ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ اس ﺑﺎت ﺳﮯ ﻣﺮﺑﻮط ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ‬
connect with what is hurting voters the most: the
‫ﻟﯿﮯ ﺗﯿﺎر ﮐﯿﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ووﭨﺮوں ﮐﻮ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﮐﺲ ﭼﯿﺰ ﮐﻮ‬
difficulty in making ends meet. In Hafizabad, for
،‫ ﺧﺘﻢ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ دﺷﻮاری۔ ﻣﺜﺎل ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬:‫ﻧﻘﺼﺎن ﭘﮩﻨﭻ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
example, a small industrial town with a large
‫ اﯾﮏ ﭼﮭﻮﭨﮯ ﺳﮯ ﺻﻨﻌﺘﯽ ﺷﮩﺮ ﺟﺲ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺤﻨﺖ‬،‫ﺣﺎﻓﻆ آﺑﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ‬
working class, he told the rally-goers “there would
‫ اس ﻧﮯ رﯾﻠﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺟﺎﻧﮯ واﻟﻮں ﺳﮯ‬،‫ﮐﺶ ﻃﺒﻘﮯ ﮐﺎ اﯾﮏ ﺑﮍا ﻃﺒﻘﮧ ﮨﮯ‬
be no unemployment in Hafizabad today had I not
‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻧﮧ ﮨﭩﺎﯾﺎ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﺗﻮ آج ﺣﺎﻓﻆ آﺑﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ‬2017 ‫ﮐﮩﺎ ﮐﮧ "اﮔﺮ ﻣﺠﮭﮯ‬
been removed in 2017!”
"!‫ﺑﮯ روزﮔﺎری ﻧﮧ ﮨﻮﺗﯽ‬
In Sialkot, he promised to build a new motorway
connecting that city with Lahore, after pointing out
2020 ‫ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ ﻋﻤﺮان ﺧﺎن ﮐﮯ دور ﺣﮑﻮﻣﺖ ﻣﯿﮟ‬،‫ﺳﯿﺎﻟﮑﻮٹ ﻣﯿﮟ‬
all the deficiencies in the current one which was ‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﭨﺮﯾﻔﮏ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﮐﮭﻮﻟﯽ ﺟﺎﻧﮯ واﻟﯽ ﻣﻮﺟﻮدہ ﻣﻮﭨﺮوے ﻣﯿﮟ‬
opened to traffic in 2020, during Imran Khan’s ‫ﻣﻮﺟﻮد ﺗﻤﺎم ﺧﺎﻣﯿﻮں ﮐﯽ ﻧﺸﺎﻧﺪﮨﯽ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ اس ﺷﮩﺮ ﮐﻮ ﻻﮨﻮر‬
tenure. In Mansehra, he promised a railway stop ‫ﺳﮯ ﻣﻼﻧﮯ واﻟﯽ اﯾﮏ ﻧﺌﯽ ﻣﻮﭨﺮ وے ﺑﻨﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ وﻋﺪہ ﮐﯿﺎ۔ ﻣﺎﻧﺴﮩﺮہ‬
once the revamped railroad under the CPEC ML1 ‫ ﭘﺮاﺟﯿﮑﭧ ﮐﮯ ﺗﺤﺖ دوﺑﺎرہ ﺗﻌﻤﯿﺮ ﺷﺪہ‬CPEC ML1 ‫ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ‬،‫ﻣﯿﮟ‬
project is completed — it is an $8 billion-plus ‫ ﯾﮧ‬- ‫رﯾﻞ روڈ ﻣﮑﻤﻞ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ اﯾﮏ رﯾﻠﻮے اﺳﭩﺎپ ﮐﺎ وﻋﺪہ ﮐﯿﺎ‬
project. In Vehari, he casually threw in a medical ‫ اس ﻧﮯ اﺗﻔﺎق ﺳﮯ‬،‫ ﺑﻠﯿﻦ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﮐﺎ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﮧ ﮨﮯ۔ وﮨﺎڑی ﻣﯿﮟ‬$8
college, saying that is what Tehmina Daultana ‫اﯾﮏ ﻣﯿﮉﯾﮑﻞ ﮐﺎﻟﺞ ﻣﯿﮟ ﯾﮧ ﮐﮩﮧ ﮐﺮ ﭘﮭﯿﻨﮏ دﯾﺎ ﮐﮧ ﺗﮩﻤﯿﻨﮧ دوﻟﺘﺎﻧﮧ ﻧﮯ‬
asked for her constituency. “Ok, we will give you a ‫ ﮨﻢ ﺗﻤﮩﯿﮟ ﻣﯿﮉﯾﮑﻞ ﮐﺎﻟﺞ دﯾﮟ‬،‫اﭘﻨﮯ ﺣﻠﻘﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﯾﮩﯽ ﮐﮩﺎ۔ "ﭨﮭﯿﮏ ﮨﮯ‬
medical college, but first get the votes and win!” "!‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ووٹ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮐﺮو اور ﺟﯿﺘﻮ‬،‫ﮔﮯ‬
Which brings us to the second plank in his strategy:

leveraging the power that he believes is about to ‫ اس‬:‫ﺟﻮ ﮨﻤﯿﮟ ان ﮐﯽ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ ﻋﻤﻠﯽ ﮐﮯ دوﺳﺮے ﺗﺨﺘﮯ ﭘﺮ ﻟﮯ آﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
come into his hands to work the patronage ‫ﻃﺎﻗﺖ ﮐﺎ ﻓﺎﺋﺪہ اﭨﮭﺎﻧﺎ ﺟﺲ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﮐﺎ ﺧﯿﺎل ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﭘﻨﺠﺎب‬
machines of Punjab, and rebuild his relationships ‫ﮐﯽ ﺳﺮﭘﺮﺳﺘﯽ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ واﻟﯽ ﻣﺸﯿﻨﻮں ﮐﻮ ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ان ﮐﮯ ﮨﺎﺗﮫ‬
01 February
with the dominant political families of this ‫ اور اس ﮔﮭﻨﺎؤﻧﯽ ﺻﻮﺑﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻏﺎﻟﺐ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ‬،‫ﻣﯿﮟ آﻧﮯ واﻻ ﮨﮯ‬
bellwether province. ‫ﺧﺎﻧﺪاﻧﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اﭘﻨﮯ ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت ﮐﻮ دوﺑﺎرہ اﺳﺘﻮار ﮐﺮﻧﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
In rural and small-town constituencies especially,

political families are important. Nawaz knows this ‫دﯾﮩﯽ اور ﭼﮭﻮﭨﮯ ﺷﮩﺮوں ﮐﮯ ﺣﻠﻘﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺧﺎص ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ‬
better than anybody else, and he and his coterie ‫ اور‬،‫ﺧﺎﻧﺪان اﮨﻢ ﮨﻮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﻧﻮاز ﯾﮧ ﺑﺎت ﮐﺴﯽ اور ﺳﮯ ﺑﮩﺘﺮ ﺟﺎﻧﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
have the detailed knowledge of who is who, where ،‫وہ اور ان ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮭﯿﻮں ﮐﻮ اس ﺑﺎت ﮐﺎ ﺗﻔﺼﯿﻠﯽ ﻋﻠﻢ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﮐﻮن‬
and for how much. The message he is sending out ‫ﮐﮩﺎں اور ﮐﺘﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﮨﮯ۔ ﺟﻮ ﭘﯿﻐﺎم وہ اب ﺑﮭﯿﺞ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ وہ ﮨﮯ اﭘﻨﮯ‬
now is to climb onto his bandwagon, because soon ‫ ﮐﯿﻮﻧﮑﮧ ﺟﻠﺪ ﮨﯽ ﯾﮧ ﺷﮩﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ واﺣﺪ ﺷﻮ ﮨﻮﮔﺎ۔‬،‫ﺑﯿﻨﮉ وﯾﮕﻦ ﭘﺮ ﭼﮍﮬﻨﺎ‬
it will be the only show in town.
Then there is his manifesto and the larger

macroeconomic promises made in it, like reviving ‫اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ان ﮐﺎ ﻣﻨﺸﻮر ﮨﮯ اور اس ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﮍے ﺑﮍے ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ وﻋﺪے‬
GDP growth to six per cent, resolving the circular ‫ ﺟﯿﺴﮯ ﺟﯽ ڈی ﭘﯽ ﮐﯽ ﺷﺮح ﻧﻤﻮ ﮐﻮ ﭼﮫ ﻓﯿﺼﺪ ﺗﮏ‬،‫ﮐﯿﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
debt, and so on. For now, though, his persona is ،‫ اﺑﮭﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬،‫ وﻏﯿﺮہ۔ ﺗﺎﮨﻢ‬،‫ ﮔﺮدﺷﯽ ﻗﺮﺿﮯ ﮐﻮ ﺣﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬،‫ﺑﺤﺎل ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬
‫ اور ووﭨﺮز اور ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ‬،‫اس ﮐﯽ ﺷﺨﺼﯿﺖ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﮩﻢ ﮐﮯ وﻋﺪوں‬
invested in campaign promises, and connecting
‫ اور ان ﮐﯽ زﻧﺪﮔﯿﻮں ﺳﮯ دوﭼﺎر ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ‬،‫ﺧﺎﻧﺪاﻧﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺟﮍﻧﮯ‬
with voters and political families, and promising
‫ﻣﺴﺎﺋﻞ ﮐﮯ ﺣﻞ ﮐﺎ وﻋﺪہ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻟﮕﯽ ﮨﻮﺋﯽ ﮨﮯ۔‬
them a resolution of the economic issues plaguing
their lives.
Next come the elections. After that the summoning

‫ ﺻﺪر‬،‫اﮔﻠﮯ اﻟﯿﮑﺸﻦ ﮨﻮں ﮔﮯ۔ اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻧﺌﯽ ﭘﺎرﻟﯿﻤﻨﭧ ﮐﯽ ﻃﻠﺒﯽ‬
of the new parliament, the invitation by the
‫ﮐﯽ ﺟﺎﻧﺐ ﺳﮯ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ووٹ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ واﻟﯽ ﭘﺎرﭨﯽ ﮐﻮ آﮔﮯ‬
president to the party with the largest votes to step ،‫ ﻗﺎﺋﺪ اﯾﻮان ﮐﺎ اﻧﺘﺨﺎب‬،‫ﺑﮍﮬﻨﮯ اور اﭘﻨﯽ اﮐﺜﺮﯾﺖ ﺑﻨﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ دﻋﻮت‬
forward and form their majority, the election of the ‫وﻓﺎﻗﯽ ﮐﺎﺑﯿﻨﮧ ﮐﯽ ﺗﻘﺮری۔‬
Leader of the House, the appointment of the federal
cabinet.
By then, close to nine months would have passed ‫ﺗﺐ ﺗﮏ ﻧﻮ ﻣﺎہ ﮐﮯ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ ﮔﺰر ﭼﮑﮯ ﮨﻮں ﮔﮯ ﮐﮧ ﻧﻮاز ﮐﯽ ﺟﻼوﻃﻨﯽ‬
since word first wafted past us of Nawaz’s ‫ﺳﮯ واﭘﺴﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎرے ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﮩﻠﯽ ﺑﺎر ﮨﻢ ﭘﺮ ﺑﺎت ﮨﻮﺋﯽ۔ اور ﻋﻤﺮان‬
imminent return from exile. And Imran Khan’s woes ،‫ ﺳﺰاؤں‬،‫ ﻣﻘﺪﻣﺎت‬،‫ﺧﺎن ﮐﯽ ﭘﺮﯾﺸﺎﻧﯿﺎں ﮐﺌﯽ ﮔﻨﺎ ﺑﮍھ ﺟﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﯽ‬
would have multiplied manifold, buried under an ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﺲ وﻏﯿﺮہ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺮﻓﺎﻧﯽ ﺗﻮدے‬،‫ ﮔﺮﻓﺘﺎرﯾﺎں‬،‫ اﻧﺤﺮاف‬،‫ ﻧﺎاﮨﻠﯽ‬،‫اﭘﯿﻠﻮں‬
avalanche of cases, convictions, appeals, ‫ﺗﻠﮯ دب ﺟﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﮔﯽ۔‬
disqualifications, defections, arrests, leaks, and so
on.
The tide is turning, in slow motion. Nawaz Sharif ‫ﺟﻮار ﮐﺎ رخ ﺳﺴﺖ رﻓﺘﺎر ﻣﯿﮟ ﮨﻮ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﻧﻮاز ﺷﺮﯾﻒ واﭘﺲ آ ﭼﮑﮯ‬
has returned and will now cement his position in ‫ﮨﯿﮟ اور اب اﻗﺘﺪار ﻣﯿﮟ اﭘﻨﯽ ﭘﻮزﯾﺸﻦ ﻣﻀﺒﻮط ﮐﺮﯾﮟ ﮔﮯ۔ ﺑﮍا ﺳﻮال‬
power. The big question is whether he will find the ‫ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﮐﯿﺎ وہ اﭘﻨﮯ وﻋﺪوں ﮐﺎ ﻧﺼﻒ ﺗﮏ ﭘﮩﻨﭽﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ وﺳﺎﺋﻞ‬
resources to deliver even half of what he is ‫ﺗﻼش ﮐﺮ ﭘﺎﺋﮯ ﮔﺎ۔ ﯾﮧ دﯾﮑﮭﺘﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﮐﮧ اس ﻧﮯ ﻧﻤﻮ ﮐﻮ ﺑﺤﺎل ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬
promising. Given how heavily he has invested ‫ آﺋﯽ اﯾﻢ اﯾﻒ ﮐﮯ ﻧﺌﮯ‬،‫ﻣﯿﮟ ﺧﻮد ﮐﻮ ﮐﺘﻨﯽ ﺑﮭﺎری ﺳﺮﻣﺎﯾﮧ ﮐﺎری ﮐﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
himself in reviving growth, his commitment to a ‫ﭘﺮوﮔﺮام ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اس ﮐﯽ واﺑﺴﺘﮕﯽ ﭘﯿﭽﯿﺪہ ﮨﻮ ﺟﺎﺋﮯ ﮔﯽ۔ ﻧﻮاز‬
new IMF programme will become complicated. ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﺗﺮﻗﯽ اور روزﮔﺎر ﻧﮩﯿﮟ آﺳﮑﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬،‫ﺷﺎﯾﺪ واﭘﺲ آ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﻮں‬
Nawaz may have returned, but growth and
employment may not follow.
The writer is a business and economy journalist.

khurram.husain@gmail.com
X: @khurramhusain
01 February
Climate finance geopolitics ‫ﻣ ﻮ ﺳ ﻤ ﯿﺎ ﺗ ﯽ ﻓﻨﺎ ﻧ ﺲ ﺟ ﯿ ﻮ ﭘ ﻮﻟ ﯿ ﭩ ﮑ ﺲ‬
Ali Tauqeer Sheikh ‫ﻋﻠﯽ ﺗﻮﻗﯿﺮ ﺷﯿﺦ‬
The writer is an Islamabad-based climate change ‫ﻣﺼﻨﻒ اﺳﻼم آﺑﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﻘﯿﻢ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺗﺒﺪﯾﻠﯽ اور ﭘﺎﺋﯿﺪار ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬
and sustainable development expert. ‫ﮐﮯ ﻣﺎﮨﺮ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
THE lines of distinction between climate finance ‫ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺲ اور رواﯾﺘﯽ ﺗﺮﻗﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺴﻨﮓ ﮐﮯ درﻣﯿﺎن ﻓﺮق‬
and traditional development financing have been ‫ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ‬،‫ﮐﯽ ﻟﮑﯿﺮﯾﮟ دﮬﻨﺪﻻ دی ﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ اس ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ‬
blurred. Concurrently, national and provincial roles ‫ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت ﺗﮏ رﺳﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ ﻗﻮﻣﯽ اور‬
and responsibilities in Pakistan to access ‫ﺻﻮﺑﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﺮدار اور ذﻣﮧ دارﯾﺎں اﮔﺮ ﮔﮍﺑﮍ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﺗﻮ اﻟﺠﮫ ﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
international climate finance have become ‫ ﺑﺸﻤﻮل اﯾﻒ ڈی آﺋﯽ اور ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ‬،‫ﺗﻤﺎم ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت‬
muddled, if not messy. All international finance, ‫ ﺗﯿﺰی ﺳﮯ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ ﻣﺎﺣﻮﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯿﻮں اور ﺟﻐﺮاﻓﯿﺎﺋﯽ‬،‫ﺗﺠﺎرت‬
‫ﺳﯿﺎﺳﺖ ﮐﺎ اﯾﮏ آﻟﮧ ﺑﻨﺘﺎ ﺟﺎ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
including FDI and international trade, is fast
becoming an instrument of global climate policies
and geopolitics.
Pakistan is in the process of rethinking its

strategies to access climate financing. Several
‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺴﻨﮓ ﺗﮏ رﺳﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ‬
federal ministries and provincial departments have
‫ﻋﻤﻠﯿﻮں ﭘﺮ ﻧﻈﺮ ﺛﺎﻧﯽ ﮐﺮ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﺘﻌﺪد وﻓﺎﻗﯽ وزارﺗﻮں اور ﺻﻮﺑﺎﺋﯽ‬
concurrently begun to assume institutional
‫( ﺗﮏ‬ICF) ‫ﻣﺤﮑﻤﻮں ﻧﮯ ﺑﯿﮏ وﻗﺖ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت‬
responsibilities to access international climate
‫رﺳﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ادارہ ﺟﺎﺗﯽ ذﻣﮧ دارﯾﺎں ﺳﻨﺒﮭﺎﻟﻨﺎ ﺷﺮوع ﮐﺮ دی ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
finance (ICF). But it is not always clear where ‫ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﯾﮧ ﮨﻤﯿﺸﮧ واﺿﺢ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﻮﺗﺎ ﮐﮧ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻋﻄﯿﮧ دﮨﻨﺪﮔﺎن اﭘﻨﯽ‬
bilateral donors fit in their priorities or strategies, ‫ اور ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن‬،‫ﺗﺮﺟﯿﺤﺎت ﯾﺎ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ ﻋﻤﻠﯿﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﮩﺎں ﻓﭧ ﮨﻮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
and how financial flows will be shaped by ‫ﮐﯽ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ ﺟﻐﺮاﻓﯿﺎﺋﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﺖ ﮐﮯ ذرﯾﻌﮯ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺑﮩﺎؤ ﮐﺲ ﻃﺮح‬
Pakistan’s global geopolitics. ‫ﺗﺸﮑﯿﻞ ﭘﺎﺋﮯ ﮔﺎ۔‬
Economic growth, development, and

macroeconomic stability sans environmental and ،‫ﻣﺎﺣﻮﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ اور آب و ﮨﻮا ﮐﮯ ﺧﺪﺷﺎت ﮐﮯ ﺑﻐﯿﺮ اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬
climate concerns are a notion of yesteryear. ‫ اور ﻣﯿﮑﺮو اﮐﻨﺎﻣﮏ اﺳﺘﺤﮑﺎم ﭘﺮاﻧﮯ ﺳﺎل ﮐﺎ ﺗﺼﻮر ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ‬،‫ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬
Ecological and economic priorities in the past were ‫ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺣﺼﻮل ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﺎﺿﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺎﺣﻮﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ اور اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی‬
decoupled to achieve economic development, but ‫ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ اب ﻧﮩﯿﮟ۔‬،‫ﺗﺮﺟﯿﺤﺎت ﮐﻮ ﺟﻮڑا ﮔﯿﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ‬
no longer.
The rationales have merged now. Emissions

reduction has an economic rationale. Pollution-free ‫دﻟﯿﻠﯿﮟ اب ﺿﻢ ﮨﻮ ﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ اﺧﺮاج ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﻤﯽ ﮐﺎ اﯾﮏ ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ ﺟﻮاز‬
societies are healthier. Likewise, trade relations ،‫ﮨﮯ۔ آﻟﻮدﮔﯽ ﺳﮯ ﭘﺎک ﻣﻌﺎﺷﺮے ﺻﺤﺖ ﻣﻨﺪ ﮨﻮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ اﺳﯽ ﻃﺮح‬
with the EU, UK and US are increasingly becoming ‫ ﺑﺮﻃﺎﻧﯿﮧ اور اﻣﺮﯾﮑﮧ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺗﺠﺎرﺗﯽ ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت ﺗﯿﺰی‬،‫ﯾﻮرﭘﯽ ﯾﻮﻧﯿﻦ‬
subservient to their carbon-reduction interests and ‫ﺳﮯ ان ﮐﮯ ﮐﺎرﺑﻦ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﻤﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻔﺎدات اور ﭼﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺑﮍﮬﺘﯽ‬
growing trade and technology wars with China. ‫ﮨﻮﺋﯽ ﺗﺠﺎرﺗﯽ اور ﭨﯿﮑﻨﺎﻟﻮﺟﯽ ﮐﯽ ﺟﻨﮕﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺗﺎﺑﻊ ﮨﻮﺗﮯ ﺟﺎ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
Healthy ecosystems are essential for sustainable ‫ﺻﺤﺖ ﻣﻨﺪ ﻣﺎﺣﻮﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻧﻈﺎم ﭘﺎﺋﯿﺪار اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﺿﺮوری‬
economic growth. As they have become ‫ ﺗﻤﺎم ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺲ ﺗﻌﺮﯾﻒ ﮐﮯ‬،‫ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﭼﻮﻧﮑﮧ وہ ﻻزم و ﻣﻠﺰوم ﮨﻮ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
inseparable, all finance has by definition become ‫ﻟﺤﺎظ ﺳﮯ ﮐﻼﺋﻤﯿﭧ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺲ ﺑﻦ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
climate finance.
Fiscal space for development financing is at its

lowest ebb. No respite is on the horizon of ‫ﺗﺮﻗﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺴﻨﮓ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﺎﻟﯽ ﮔﻨﺠﺎﺋﺶ اﭘﻨﮯ ﮐﻢ ﺗﺮﯾﻦ ﺳﻄﺢ ﭘﺮ ﮨﮯ۔‬
policymakers who are hard-pressed to deliver a ‫ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ ﺳﺎزوں ﮐﮯ اﻓﻖ ﭘﺮ ﮐﻮﺋﯽ ﻣﮩﻠﺖ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ ﺳﻤﺎﺟﯽ‬
socioeconomic turnaround. Recognising that many ‫اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺗﺒﺪﯾﻠﯽ ﮐﯽ ﻓﺮاﮨﻤﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﺌﮯ ﺳﺨﺖ دﺑﺎؤ ﮐﺎ ﺷﮑﺎر ﮨﯿﮟ۔ اس‬
specialised ICF windows can be accessed, some ‫ﺑﺎت ﮐﻮ ﺗﺴﻠﯿﻢ ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺑﮩﺖ ﺳﮯ ﺧﺼﻮﺻﯽ آﺋﯽ ﺳﯽ اﯾﻒ‬
‫ ﮐﭽﮫ وﻓﺎﻗﯽ وزارﺗﻮں‬،‫وﻧﮉوز ﺗﮏ رﺳﺎﺋﯽ ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮐﯽ ﺟﺎ ﺳﮑﺘﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
federal ministries and provincial departments have
‫اور ﺻﻮﺑﺎﺋﯽ ﻣﺤﮑﻤﻮں ﻧﮯ اس ﺧﻼ ﮐﻮ ﭘﺮ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ دوڑ ﺷﺮوع ﮐﺮ دی‬
begun to race to fill the void.
01 February
‫ﮨﮯ۔‬
All finance has by definition become climate
finance. ‫ﺗﻤﺎم ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺲ ﺗﻌﺮﯾﻒ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻄﺎﺑﻖ ﮐﻼﺋﻤﯿﭧ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺲ ﺑﻦ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
While the national climate finance strategy is in the

making, the ministries of climate, finance, and ،‫ﺟﺐ ﮐﮧ ﻗﻮﻣﯽ آب و ﮨﻮا ﮐﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ ﻋﻤﻠﯽ ﺗﯿﺎر ﮨﻮ رﮨﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
planning are setting up specialised climate finance ‫ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت اور ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﮧ ﺑﻨﺪی ﮐﯽ وزارﺗﯿﮟ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص‬،‫ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ‬
units. They share the same challenges in finding ‫ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﯾﻮﻧﭩﺲ ﻗﺎﺋﻢ ﮐﺮ رﮨﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ وہ ﺗﺮﺑﯿﺖ ﯾﺎﻓﺘﮧ اﻓﺮاد‬
trained personnel, commissioning technical studies, ‫ اور ﮔﺮاﻧﭧ ﻣﺼﻨﻔﯿﻦ‬،‫ ﺗﮑﻨﯿﮑﯽ ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﮧ ﺷﺮوع ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬،‫ﮐﻮ ﺗﻼش ﮐﺮﻧﮯ‬
and looking for grant writers. The most stubborn ‫ﮐﯽ ﺗﻼش ﻣﯿﮟ اﯾﮏ ﺟﯿﺴﮯ ﭼﯿﻠﻨﺠﻮں ﮐﺎ اﺷﺘﺮاک ﮐﺮﺗﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﺳﺐ‬
challenge is clarity of purpose for each undertaking ‫ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﺳﺨﺖ ﭼﯿﻠﻨﺞ ﮨﺮ اﯾﮏ ﮐﺎم ﮐﮯ ﻣﻘﺼﺪ ﮐﯽ وﺿﺎﺣﺖ اور‬
and how best to avoid overlaps. ‫اوورﻟﯿﭙﺲ ﺳﮯ ﺑﭽﻨﮯ ﮐﺎ ﺑﮩﺘﺮﯾﻦ ﻃﺮﯾﻘﮧ ﮨﮯ۔‬
Likewise, some provinces have begun to identify

specific policy options ranging from carbon trading ‫ ﮐﭽﮫ ﺻﻮﺑﻮں ﻧﮯ ﮐﺎرﺑﻦ ﭨﺮﯾﮉﻧﮓ ﺳﮯ ﻟﮯ ﮐﺮ ﮐﺎرﺑﻦ ﭨﯿﮑﺲ‬،‫اﺳﯽ ﻃﺮح‬
‫اور ﻟﯿﻮﯾﺰ ﺗﮏ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ آﭘﺸﻨﺰ ﮐﯽ ﻧﺸﺎﻧﺪﮨﯽ ﮐﺮﻧﺎ ﺷﺮوع ﮐﺮ‬
to carbon taxes and levies. Punjab, for example, has
‫ ﭘﻨﺠﺎب ﻧﮯ اﭘﻨﯽ ﺳﺒﺰ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺣﮑﻤﺖ‬،‫دی ﮨﮯ۔ ﻣﺜﺎل ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬
progressed in finalising its green financial strategy
‫ﻋﻤﻠﯽ اور اس ﮐﮯ ﻧﻔﺎذ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﯾﮏ اﯾﮑﺸﻦ ﭘﻼن ﮐﻮ ﺣﺘﻤﯽ ﺷﮑﻞ‬
and an action plan for its implementation. In KP, a
‫ اﯾﮏ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺴﻨﮓ‬،‫دﯾﻨﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﯿﺶ رﻓﺖ ﮐﯽ ﮨﮯ۔ ﮐﮯ ﭘﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ‬
climate financing framework and climate
‫ﻓﺮﯾﻢ ورک اور ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺳﺮﻣﺎﯾﮧ ﮐﺎری اور ﻧﻔﺎذ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﮯ ﺑﻨﺎﺋﮯ‬
investment and implementation plans have been ‫ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ دوﻧﻮں ﺻﻮﺑﮯ ﮐﺎرﺑﻦ ﭨﺮﯾﮉﻧﮓ ﻣﺎرﮐﯿﭧ ﻣﯿﮟ داﺧﻞ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ‬
developed. Both provinces are probing the ‫اﻣﮑﺎن ﮐﯽ ﺗﺤﻘﯿﻘﺎت ﮐﺮ رﮨﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
possibility of entering the carbon trading market.
While endeavours at the federal level are mostly

undertaken with support from multilateral ‫اﮔﺮﭼﮧ وﻓﺎﻗﯽ ﺳﻄﺢ ﭘﺮ ﮐﻮﺷﺸﯿﮟ زﯾﺎدہ ﺗﺮ ﮐﺜﯿﺮاﻟﻄﺮﻓﮧ ﺗﺮﻗﯿﺎﺗﯽ‬
development banks (MDB), in the provinces, it is ‫ ﯾﮧ‬،‫ ﺻﻮﺑﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ‬،‫( ﮐﮯ ﺗﻌﺎون ﺳﮯ ﮐﯽ ﺟﺎﺗﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ‬MDB) ‫ﺑﯿﻨﮑﻮں‬
primarily bilateral financing that is helping them ‫ﺑﻨﯿﺎدی ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻣﺎﻟﯽ اﻋﺎﻧﺖ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ اﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﻧﺌﮯ ﺧﻄﻮں ﭘﺮ‬
tread new terrains. So far, none of the federal ‫ وﻓﺎﻗﯽ اﯾﺠﻨﺴﯿﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ‬،‫ﭼﻠﻨﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺪد ﻓﺮاﮨﻢ ﮐﺮ رﮨﯽ ﮨﮯ۔ اﺑﮭﯽ ﺗﮏ‬
agencies has leveraged itself to convene them for ‫ﺳﮯ ﮐﺴﯽ ﻧﮯ ﺑﮭﯽ ﺑﮩﺘﺮ ﮨﻢ آﮨﻨﮕﯽ اور ﮨﻢ آﮨﻨﮕﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ان ﮐﻮ ﺑﻼﻧﮯ‬
better coordination and synergy. ‫ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﭘﻨﺎ ﻓﺎﺋﺪہ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ اﭨﮭﺎﯾﺎ۔‬
Overall, Pakistan’s share of international finance is

minuscule. The economic loss and damage of ‫ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﺎ ﺣﺼﮧ ﺑﮩﺖ‬
$30.1 billion inflicted by the 2022 floods was more ‫ ﺑﻠﯿﻦ ڈاﻟﺮ ﮐﺎ ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ‬30.1 ‫ ﮐﮯ ﺳﯿﻼب ﺳﮯ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ واﻻ‬2022 ‫ﮐﻢ ﮨﮯ۔‬
than the total disbursement by all UNFCCC (United ‫ﻧﻘﺼﺎن اور ﻧﻘﺼﺎن ﯾﻮ اﯾﻦ اﯾﻒ ﺳﯽ ﺳﯽ ﺳﯽ )اﻗﻮام ﻣﺘﺤﺪہ ﮐﮯ‬
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) ‫ﻓﺮﯾﻢ ورک ﮐﻨﻮﻧﺸﻦ آن ﮐﻼﺋﻤﯿﭧ ﭼﯿﻨﺞ( ﮐﮯ ﻓﻨﮉز ﺳﮯ ان ﮐﮯ ﻗﯿﺎم ﮐﮯ‬
funds since their inception: the Global Environment ‫ ﮔﻠﻮﺑﻞ اﻧﻮاﺋﺮﻣﻨﭧ‬:‫ﺑﻌﺪ ﺳﮯ اب ﺗﮏ دﯾﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ ﺗﻤﺎم ﻓﻨﮉز ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﺗﮭﺎ‬
Facility (1991), Adaptation Fund (2001), and the ‫ اور ﮔﺮﯾﻦ ﮐﻼﺋﻤﯿﭧ‬،(2001) ‫ اﯾﮉاﭘﭩﯿﺸﻦ ﻓﻨﮉ‬،(1991) ‫ﻓﯿﺴﯿﻠﭩﯽ‬
Green Climate Fund (2014). ‫(۔‬2014) ‫ﻓﻨﮉ‬
According to some estimates, they have collectively

disbursed about $22bn globally. Pakistan has ‫ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﯽ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ ﺳﻄﺢ‬،‫ﮐﭽﮫ اﻧﺪازوں ﮐﮯ ﻣﻄﺎﺑﻖ‬
accessed less than $1bn from all these three funds 30 ‫ ﺑﻠﯿﻦ ڈاﻟﺮ ﺗﻘﺴﯿﻢ ﮐﯿﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻧﮯ ﮔﺰﺷﺘﮧ‬22 ‫ﭘﺮ ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒًﺎ‬
in the last 30 years. Clearly, the gap between ‫ ﺑﻠﯿﻦ ڈاﻟﺮ ﺳﮯ ﮐﻢ ﺗﮏ رﺳﺎﺋﯽ‬1 ‫ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ان ﺗﯿﻨﻮں ﻓﻨﮉز ﺳﮯ‬
Pakis tan’s investment needs for resilience and ‫ ﻟﭽﮏ اور ﮐﻢ ﮐﺎرﺑﻦ ﮐﯽ ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬،‫ﺣﺎﺻﻞ ﮐﯽ ﮨﮯ۔ واﺿﺢ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬
low carbon development cannot be met by the ‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯽ ﺳﺮﻣﺎﯾﮧ ﮐﺎری ﮐﯽ ﺿﺮورﯾﺎت ﮐﮯ درﻣﯿﺎن ﻓﺮق ﮐﻮ‬
present climate finance ecosystem. ‫ﻣﻮﺟﻮدہ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻣﺎﺣﻮﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﻧﻈﺎم ﺳﮯ ﭘﻮرا ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﯿﺎ ﺟﺎ‬
‫ﺳﮑﺘﺎ۔‬
As against this, the MDBs are the largest lenders of
Pakistan. Their portfolio will grow steeply in the ‫ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﮯ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ ﺑﮍے ﻗﺮض دﮨﻨﺪہ‬MDBs ،‫اس ﮐﮯ ﺑﺮﻋﮑﺲ‬
‫ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ان ﮐﺎ ﭘﻮرٹ ﻓﻮﻟﯿﻮ اﮔﻠﮯ ﺗﯿﻦ ﺳﮯ ﭼﺎر ﺳﺎﻟﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﮩﺖ ﺗﯿﺰی‬
01 February
next three to four years as all eight MDBs have ‫ ﻧﮯ ﺣﺎل ﮨﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﯿﺮس‬MDBs ‫ﺳﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﮯ ﮔﺎ ﮐﯿﻮﻧﮑﮧ ﺗﻤﺎم آﭨﮫ‬
recently announced to ‘align’ their portfolios with ‫ﻣﻌﺎﮨﺪے ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ اﭘﻨﮯ ﭘﻮرٹ ﻓﻮﻟﯿﻮ ﮐﻮ 'ﺳﯿﺪھ' ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ اﻋﻼن ﮐﯿﺎ‬
the Paris Agreement. The IFC and IMF have also ‫ﮨﮯ۔ آﺋﯽ اﯾﻒ ﺳﯽ اور آﺋﯽ اﯾﻢ اﯾﻒ ﻧﮯ ﺑﮭﯽ ﺷﺪﯾﺪ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯽ واﻗﻌﺎت‬
begun to champion private sectors’ transition and ‫ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﻧﺠﯽ ﺷﻌﺒﻮں ﮐﯽ ﻣﻨﺘﻘﻠﯽ اور ﻣﯿﮑﺮو اﮐﻨﺎﻣﮏ اﺳﺘﺤﮑﺎم ﮐﻮ‬
macroeconomic stability with extreme weather ‫ﻓﺮوغ دﯾﻨﺎ ﺷﺮوع ﮐﺮ دﯾﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
events.
The IMF has developed its own Climate Policy

Assessment Tool, known as CPAT, for the rapid ‫ ﺟﺴﮯ‬،‫ ﻧﮯ اﭘﻨﺎ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯽ اﺳﺴﻤﻨﭧ ﭨﻮل ﺗﯿﺎر ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ‬IMF
quantification of impacts of climate-mitigation ،‫ اﺧﺮاج‬،‫ ﻗﯿﻤﺘﻮں‬،‫ ﺗﻮاﻧﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﯽ ﻃﻠﺐ‬،‫ ﮐﮯ ﻧﺎم ﺳﮯ ﺟﺎﻧﺎ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ‬CPAT
policies, including on energy demand, prices, ‫ ﻣﻘﺎﻣﯽ ﻓﻀﺎﺋﯽ‬،‫ ﮔﮭﺮﯾﻠﻮ اور ﺻﻨﻌﺘﻮں‬،‫ ﺟﯽ ڈی ﭘﯽ‬،‫ ﺑﮩﺒﻮد‬،‫ﻣﺤﺼﻮﻻت‬
emissions, revenues, welfare, GDP, households and ‫ ﺳﻤﯿﺖ ﻣﻮﺳﻤﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺗﺨﻔﯿﻒ ﮐﯽ ﭘﺎﻟﯿﺴﯿﻮں ﮐﮯ اﺛﺮات ﮐﯽ‬،‫آﻟﻮدﮔﯽ‬
industries, local air pollution, and many more. The ‫ ﻓﻠﯿﮓ ﺷﭗ‬.‫ﺗﯿﺰی ﺳﮯ ﻣﻘﺪار درﺳﺖ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ۔ اور ﺑﮩﺖ ﺳﮯ‬
flagship Public Investment Management ‫ ﺟﻮ ﮐﮧ ﻃﻮﯾﻞ ﻋﺮﺻﮯ ﺳﮯ‬،‫ﭘﺒﻠﮏ اﻧﻮﯾﺴﭩﻤﻨﭧ ﻣﯿﻨﺠﻤﻨﭧ اﺳﯿﺴﻤﻨﭧ‬
Assessment, which has long been used to assess ‫اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺗﺮﻗﯽ ﮐﯽ ﺗﻤﺎم ﺳﻄﺤﻮں ﭘﺮ ﻣﻤﺎﻟﮏ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﻧﻔﺮاﺳﭩﺮﮐﭽﺮ‬
infrastructure governance practices for countries at ،‫ﮔﻮرﻧﻨﺲ ﮐﮯ ﻃﺮﯾﻘﻮں ﮐﺎ ﺟﺎﺋﺰہ ﻟﯿﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﺳﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﮨﻮﺗﯽ رﮨﯽ ﮨﮯ‬
all levels of economic development, has become a ‫( ﺑﻦ ﮔﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬PIMA-PIMA (C ‫اﯾﮏ ﮐﻼﺋﻤﯿﭧ‬
Climate PIMA (C-PIMA).
It involves an assessment of institutions of public

investment management that are key to ‘climate- ‫اس ﻣﯿﮟ ﻋﻮاﻣﯽ ﺳﺮﻣﺎﯾﮧ ﮐﺎری ﮐﮯ اﻧﺘﻈﺎم ﮐﮯ اداروں ﮐﺎ ﺟﺎﺋﺰہ‬
aware’ infrastructures. The release of the next IMF ‫ﺷﺎﻣﻞ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ 'آب و ﮨﻮا ﺳﮯ آﮔﺎہ' اﻧﻔﺮاﺳﭩﺮﮐﭽﺮ ﮐﯽ ﮐﻠﯿﺪ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﻣﺎرچ‬
tranche to Pakistan in March 2024 will hinge on our ‫ ﮐﯽ‬IMF ‫ ﮐﯽ اﮔﻠﯽ ﻗﺴﻂ ﮐﺎ اﺟﺮاء‬IMF ‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﻮ‬2024
compliance with the commitments made in C-PIMA, ‫ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﯿﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ وﻋﺪوں ﮐﯽ‬PIMA-C ‫وﯾﺐ ﺳﺎﺋﭧ ﭘﺮ ﭘﻮﺳﭧ ﮐﺮدہ‬
posted on IMF website. ‫ﮨﻤﺎری ﺗﻌﻤﯿﻞ ﭘﺮ ﻣﻨﺤﺼﺮ ﮨﮯ۔‬
Ironically, the IMF, like MDBs, has had limited

success in increasing the ownership for reforms ‫ ﮐﻮ اﺻﺮار ﮐﮯ‬IMF ‫ ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮح‬MDBs ‫ﺳﺘﻢ ﻇﺮﯾﻔﯽ ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ‬
‫ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد اﺻﻼﺣﺎت ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﻠﮑﯿﺖ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺤﺪود ﮐﺎﻣﯿﺎﺑﯽ ﻣﻠﯽ‬
despite insistence. If the election manifestos of the
‫ ﭘﯽ ﭘﯽ ﭘﯽ اور ﭘﯽ ﭨﯽ آﺋﯽ ﮐﮯ اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﯽ‬،(‫ﮨﮯ۔ اﮔﺮ ﻣﺴﻠﻢ ﻟﯿﮓ )ن‬
PML-N, PPP and PTI are any indicator, they have not
‫ ﺗﻮ اﻧﮩﻮں ﻧﮯ آﺋﯽ اﯾﻢ اﯾﻒ ﮐﺎ ذﮐﺮ ﺗﮏ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ‬،‫ﻣﻨﺸﻮر ﮐﻮﺋﯽ اﺷﺎرے ﮨﯿﮟ‬
even mentioned IMF, let alone acknowledged and
‫ اﺳﭩﯿﻨﮉ ﺑﺎﺋﯽ ارﯾﻨﺠﻤﻨﭧ ﮐﮯ ﺗﺤﺖ ﮐﯿﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ ﻗﻮﻣﯽ وﻋﺪوں ﮐﻮ‬،‫ﮐﯿﺎ‬
endorsed national commitments made under the
‫ﺗﺴﻠﯿﻢ اور ﺗﻮﺛﯿﻖ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﻮ ﭼﮭﻮڑ دﯾﮟ۔‬
Stand-By Arrangement.
The World Bank and IMF align their financing flows ‫ورﻟﮉ ﺑﯿﻨﮏ اور آﺋﯽ اﯾﻢ اﯾﻒ ﭘﯿﺮس ﻣﻌﺎﮨﺪے ﮐﮯ ﻣﻘﺎﺻﺪ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ‬
with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. In fact, ‫ ﺗﻤﺎم‬،‫اﭘﻨﮯ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺴﻨﮓ ﮐﮯ ﺑﮩﺎؤ ﮐﻮ ﺳﯿﺪھ ﻣﯿﮟ رﮐﮭﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ درﺣﻘﯿﻘﺖ‬
all eight MDBs have now committed to globally ‫ ﻧﮯ اب ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ ﺳﻄﺢ ﭘﺮ اﭘﻨﮯ اﻧﺪرون ﻣﻠﮏ ﭘﻮرٹ ﻓﻮﻟﯿﻮ‬MDBs ‫آﭨﮫ‬
coordinating their in-country portfolios. ‫ﮐﻮ ﻣﺮﺑﻮط ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ ﻋﮩﺪ ﮐﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
In Pakistan, the ADB and World Bank are now

committed to proactively communicating and ‫ اور ورﻟﮉ ﺑﯿﻨﮏ اب اﭘﻨﮯ ﭘﻮرٹ ﻓﻮﻟﯿﻮز ﮐﻮ ﻓﻌﺎل‬ADB ،‫ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﻣﯿﮟ‬
coordinating their portfolios. This will be useful for ‫ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ راﺑﻄﮯ اور ﮨﻢ آﮨﻨﮕﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﭘﺮﻋﺰم ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﯾﮧ ﺑﮩﺘﺮ ﮨﻢ آﮨﻨﮕﯽ‬
better synergy. It, however, also poses the ‫ ﯾﮧ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت ﮐﮯ ﮐﺎرﭨﻼﺋﺰﯾﺸﻦ‬،‫ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻣﻔﯿﺪ ﮨﻮ ﮔﺎ۔ ﺗﺎﮨﻢ‬
increased risk of cartelisation of international ‫ اﮔﺮ ﻋﻼﻗﺎﺋﯽ‬،‫ﮐﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﺘﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﺧﻄﺮے ﮐﺎ ﺑﮭﯽ ﺑﺎﻋﺚ ﺑﻨﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ‬
finance, making countries like Pakistan overly ‫ﺟﻐﺮاﻓﯿﺎﺋﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﺖ ﮐﯽ ﺳﯿﺎﺳﯽ ﺳﺮ ﮔﺮﻣﯿﺎں ﻣﻀﺒﻮط ﮨﻮ ﺟﺎﺗﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ‬
vulnerable if the political headwinds of regional ‫ﺗﻮ ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﺟﯿﺴﮯ ﻣﻤﺎﻟﮏ ﮐﻮ ﺣﺪ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﮐﻤﺰور ﺑﻨﺎ دﯾﺘﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
geopolitics become stronger.
Finally, while MDB projects are large, bilateral ‫ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻋﻄﯿﮧ‬،‫ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﮯ ﺑﮍے ﮨﯿﮟ‬MDB ‫ ﺟﺐ ﮐﮧ‬،‫آﺧﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ‬
donors have much smaller financial buckets. They ‫دﮨﻨﺪﮔﺎن ﮐﮯ ﭘﺎس ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎﺗﯽ ﺑﺎﻟﭩﯿﺎں ﺑﮩﺖ ﭼﮭﻮﭨﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ وہ اﮐﺜﺮ ﺑﮍے‬
01 February
often aspire to add to technical know-how, rather ‫ﺑﻨﯿﺎدی ڈﮬﺎﻧﭽﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﻮں ﮐﮯ ﺑﺠﺎﺋﮯ ﺗﮑﻨﯿﮑﯽ ﻣﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت ﻣﯿﮟ‬
than large infrastructural projects. Working with ‫اﺿﺎﻓﮧ ﮐﺮﻧﮯ ﮐﯽ ﺧﻮاﮨﺶ رﮐﮭﺘﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ان ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﻧﺴﺒﺘًﺎ ﭼﮭﻮﭨﮯ‬
them on a cascade of relatively smaller projects is ‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﻮں ﭘﺮ ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮﻧﺎ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ ﺷﻌﺒﻮں اور ﺻﻮﺑﻮں ﻣﯿﮟ ﺗﮑﻨﯿﮑﯽ‬
pivotal to enhancing technical capacities in various ‫ﺻﻼﺣﯿﺘﻮں ﮐﻮ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﮨﻢ ﮨﮯ۔ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻋﻄﯿﮧ دﮨﻨﺪﮔﺎن ﮐﻮ‬
sectors and in the provinces. It is in our interest to ‫اﺳﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﮐﺮﻧﺎ ﮨﻤﺎرے ﻣﻔﺎد ﻣﯿﮟ ﮨﮯ ﺧﺎص ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﮐﯿﻮﻧﮑﮧ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ‬
tap bilateral donors particularly because bilateral ‫ دو ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﺗﺠﺎرت اور دو‬،‫ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺑﻮں ﮐﺎ ﻣﻘﺼﺪ اﮐﺜﺮ اﻗﺘﺼﺎدی ﺗﺮﻗﯽ‬
projects are often aimed at promoting a ‫ﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻗﺮض اور ﺳﺮﻣﺎﯾﮧ ﮐﺎری ﮐﮯ اﻣﺘﺰاج ﮐﻮ ﻓﺮوغ دﯾﻨﺎ ﮨﻮﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
combination of economic growth, bilateral trade,
and bilateral lending and investments.
This technical engagement can also serve as an ‫ﯾﮧ ﺗﮑﻨﯿﮑﯽ ﻣﺼﺮوﻓﯿﺖ ﺗﯿﻦ درﺟﻦ ﺳﮯ زﯾﺎدہ ﺧﺼﻮﺻﯽ ﻣﻘﺼﺪ واﻟﯽ‬
enabler to access over three dozen special purpose ‫ ﮔﺎڑﯾﻮں ﺗﮏ رﺳﺎﺋﯽ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ اﯾﮏ اﮨﻞ ﮐﺎر ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ ﺑﮭﯽ ﮐﺎم ﮐﺮ‬ICF
ICF vehicles that the UK, Germany, France, EU and ‫ اور ﮐﺌﯽ دﯾﮕﺮ ﻧﮯ‬EU ،‫ ﻓﺮاﻧﺲ‬،‫ ﺟﺮﻣﻨﯽ‬،‫ﺳﮑﺘﯽ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ ﮐﮧ ﺑﺮﻃﺎﻧﯿﮧ‬
several others have created, nationally or by pooling ‫ﻗﻮﻣﯽ ﺳﻄﺢ ﭘﺮ ﯾﺎ ﭘﯿﺮس ﻣﻌﺎﮨﺪے ﮐﮯ ﻣﺨﺼﻮص اﮨﺪاف ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ‬
resources for specific Paris Agreement goals. ‫وﺳﺎﺋﻞ ﺟﻤﻊ ﮐﺮ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻨﺎﺋﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔‬
More than anything else, the strategic objective of

‫ ﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ دوﻃﺮﻓﮧ ﻃﻮر ﭘﺮ‬،‫ﮐﺴﯽ ﺑﮭﯽ ﭼﯿﺰ ﺳﮯ ﺑﮍھ ﮐﺮ‬
engaging bilaterally with parties is to augment trade
‫ﻣﺸﻐﻮل ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﺎ ﺗﺰوﯾﺮاﺗﯽ ﻣﻘﺼﺪ ﺗﺠﺎرﺗﯽ ﺗﻌﻠﻘﺎت ﮐﻮ ﺑﮍﮬﺎﻧﺎ اور‬
relations and to build their stakes in regional
‫ﻋﻼﻗﺎﺋﯽ اﺳﺘﺤﮑﺎم اور ﭘﺎﮐﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯽ آب و ﮨﻮا ﺳﮯ ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺳﻤﺎرٹ‬
stability and Pakistan’s climate-smart development.
‫ ﯾﮧ ﻋﺎﻟﻤﯽ‬،‫ڈوﯾﻠﭙﻤﻨﭧ ﻣﯿﮟ اﭘﻨﺎ ﺣﺼﮧ ڈاﻟﻨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﺳﺐ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ‬
After all, it is global polarisation that is leading the
‫ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺠﺎﺋﮯ ﺑﯿﻦ اﻻﻗﻮاﻣﯽ ﻣﺎﻟﯿﺎت ﮐﮯ‬UNFCCC ‫ﭘﻮﻟﺮاﺋﺰﯾﺸﻦ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ‬
flow of international finance, rather than the
‫ﺑﮩﺎؤ ﮐﯽ ﻗﯿﺎدت ﮐﺮ رﮨﺎ ﮨﮯ۔‬
UNFCCC.
The writer is an Islamabad-based climate change

and sustainable development expert.

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Dawn Opinion With Urdu Translation 01 February 2024

THE general elections to determine Pakistan’s

An election in the truest sense of the word is the

Meanwhile, the gender difference is appalling. Of

Having established that Pakistan’s general

The Election Act, 2017, hailed as a complete code

This means that for an average person in Pakistan

To add fuel to the fire, no spending limit exists for

The purpose here is not to relegate a rich man to

The writer is a lawyer.

Former Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria’s

His book is the most comprehensive survey to date

According to him, three ideas “of identity, territory,

Since independence, India has drawn its elected

Many of them have articulated their views on

Bisaria notes that personal chemistry between

He recalls: “In the 1960s, Rajeshwar Dayal managed

He singles out Vajpayee for his “sincerity and

It is to Bisaria’s credit that, despite being “more of a

Bisaria offers his successor nine unequal pillars of

By the end of February, there should be a new

The writer is an author.

The return of Nawaz Sharif ‫ﻧ ﻮ ا ز ﺷ ﺮﯾ ﻒ ﮐ ﯽ و اﭘﺴ ﯽ‬

The odds that Nawaz Sharif will be forming the next

The tide has been turning in his favour in slow

Then came the brief interlude of bargaining for

Listen to his campaign speeches and you will see

The message Nawaz is sending out is to climb onto

The list of products he reads out varies from one

It’s a crafty message. From 2017 till now, the

For narrative purposes it doesn’t matter. “I have

Which brings us to the second plank in his strategy:

In rural and small-town constituencies especially,

Then there is his manifesto and the larger

Next come the elections. After that the summoning

The writer is a business and economy journalist.

Pakistan is in the process of rethinking its

Economic growth, development, and

The rationales have merged now. Emissions

Fiscal space for development financing is at its

While the national climate finance strategy is in the

Likewise, some provinces have begun to identify

While endeavours at the federal level are mostly

Overall, Pakistan’s share of international finance is

According to some estimates, they have collectively

The IMF has developed its own Climate Policy

It involves an assessment of institutions of public

Ironically, the IMF, like MDBs, has had limited

In Pakistan, the ADB and World Bank are now

More than anything else, the strategic objective of

The writer is an Islamabad-based climate change

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