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The Dawn News of 28-Jun-24

Editorial
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PM spurned(rejected,‫)رد‬
AN attempt by the prime minister, perhaps a tad belated(late,‫)دﯾﺮ‬, to mend(repair,‫)ﻣﺮﻣﺖ‬
fences(walls,‫ )ﺑﺎڑﯾﮟ‬with the PTI has been shot down before it could take flight.

The PTI seems to be in no mood for any talks with the government until its
incarcerated(imprisoned,‫ )ﻗﯿﺪ'ﮨﻮﮔﺌﮯ‬workers and leaders, including former PM Imran Khan, have
been released by the state. In answer to PM Shehbaz Sharif’s surprise offer for dialogue, made
during the Wednesday session in the National Assembly, PTI lawmakers, one after the other,
recounted(narrated,‫ )ﺑﯿﺎن'ﮐﯿﺎ‬the indignities(humiliations,‫ )ﺗﻮﮨﯿﻦ‬they had been made to suffer by
the state.

Their anger was justified; still, it was an unfortunate response to an otherwise positive
development. It now seems the door has closed on the possibility of a quick political
breakthrough(progress,‫)ﭘﯿﺸﺮﻓﺖ‬. The acrid(bitter,‫ )ﺗﻠﺦ‬hostility(antagonism,‫ )دﺷﻤﻨﯽ‬between the
government and opposition has festered(rot,‫ )ﺑﮕﮍ'ﮔﯿﺎ‬for too long, and unless one side softens its
position, a messy(disorderly,‫ )اﻧﺘﺸﺎر‬showdown seems inevitable.

In retrospect(looking back,‫)ﻣﺎﺿﯽ'ﮐﺎ'ﺟﺎﺋﺰہ‬, the government’s biggest folly(foolishness,‫ )ﺣﻤﺎﻗﺖ‬was

believing that the PTI would eventually(finally,‫ )آﺧﺮ'ﮐﺎر‬break under the same repressive
tactics(strategies,‫ )ﺣﮑﻤﺖ'ﻋﻤﻠﯿﺎں‬used against its own leaders in the past. However, while these
tactics were initially able to cut the PTI to size, the party endured(suffered,‫)ﺑﺮداﺷﺖ'ﮐﯿﺎ‬.

Further, the Feb 8 election made clear that the Pakistani citizenry was rallying against the
tactics employed by the state. This should have been signal enough for a new government
battling for legitimacy(validity,‫ )ﺟﻮاز‬to immediately launch the reconciliation process and
prevent further victimisation(oppression,‫ )ﻣﻈﻠﻮﻣﯿﺖ‬of its political opponents(adversaries,‫)ﻣﺨﺎﻟﻔﯿﻦ‬.
It chose not to.

To make matters worse, over the past few weeks, at least two different PML-N lawmakers
signalled(indicated,‫ )اﺷﺎرہ‬that the government was now considering ‘extending’ Mr Khan’s
detention(arrest,‫)ﮔﺮﻓﺘﺎری‬, presumably(probably,‫ )ﺷﺎﯾﺪ‬through freshly(recently,‫)ﺣﺎل'ﮨﯽ'ﻣﯿﮟ‬
fabricated(manufactured,‫ )ﻣﻦ ﮔﮭﮍت‬cases. This seemed like a
deliberately(intentionally,‫ )ﺟﺎن'ﺑﻮﺟﮫ'ﮐﺮ‬provocative(instigating,‫ )اﺷﺘﻌﺎل'اﻧﮕﯿﺰ‬act by a party that still
does not realise it is on very thin ice(risky,‫)ﺧﻄﺮﻧﺎک‬.

The government should realise that intimidation(threat,‫)دﮬﻤﮑﯽ‬, coercion(force,‫ )ﺟﺒﺮ‬and fear

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tactics have only worsened the political disequilibrium(imbalance,‫ )ﺑﮯ'ﺗﻮازن‬and

precipitated(triggered,‫ )ﺳﺒﺐ'ﺑﻨﺎ‬even stronger feelings of social unrest(chaos,‫)ﺑﺪاﻣﻨﯽ‬. They have
also weakened its moral position and emboldened(encouraged,‫ )ﺣﻮﺻﻠﮧ'اﻓﺰا‬the PTI to
dictate(command,‫ )ﺣﮑﻢ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬terms.

If the prime minister is serious about turning a new page, he must ensure the release of all
political prisoners forthwith and make sure the PTI is allowed to function just like any other
political party. This simple gesture alone will earn him much-needed goodwill(kindness,‫)ﺧﯿﺮ'ﺳﮕﺎﻟﯽ‬
and help create an environment more conducive(favorable,‫ )ﺳﺎزﮔﺎر‬to talks.

On the other hand, the PTI must not set rigid conditions that may preclude(prevent,‫ )روﮐﻨﺎ‬a
meaningful dialogue. This country does not ‘belong’ to any particular political entity or political
leader: people ascribing(attributing,‫ )ﻣﻨﺴﻮب'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬to all hues of political opinion should be given
equal respect.

Talks must be welcomed and given a fair chance simply because no government can endure in
Pakistan without first securing some guarantee from its opponents on political stability.

Gaza’s journalists
FAR from showing any remorse over its actions, Israel is continuing its murderous(lethal,‫)ﻗﺎﺗﻼﻧﮧ‬
rampage(riot,‫ )ﻓﺴﺎد‬against Palestinian civilians across Gaza with great vigour(strength,‫)ﻃﺎﻗﺖ‬.
For those who rule Tel Aviv, every Gazan is linked to Hamas, and thus a ‘legitimate’ target. While
all segments of Palestinian society have been affected by Israel’s campaign of
extermination(annihilation,‫)ﻧﺴﻞ'ﮐﺸﯽ‬, Gaza’s journalists have been hit particularly hard. This has
been dubbed(nicknamed,‫ )ﻧﺎم'دﯾﺎ‬the deadliest(most deadly,‫ )ﺳﺐ'ﺳﮯ'ﻣﮩﻠﮏ‬conflict for journalists in
the modern era. As per the latest figures of the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 108
journalists and media workers have been killed in the war — 103 of them Palestinian. According
to the findings of the Gaza Project — a collaborative(cooperative,‫ )اﺷﺘﺮاﮐﯽ‬effort involving various
media organisations and NGOs — in many instances, Israel has intentionally targeted
Palestinian journalists. As the Guardian, which was part of the project, has written, “some within
the IDF(Israeli Defense Forces,‫ )اﺳﺮاﺋﯿﻠﯽ'دﻓﺎﻋﯽ'ﻓﻮج‬appear to have viewed journalists working in
Gaza” for outlets(channels,‫ )ﭼﯿﻨﻠﺰ‬linked to Hamas as “legitimate military targets”.

Even before the slaughter(mass killing,‫ )ﻗﺘﻞ'ﻋﺎم‬in Gaza commenced(started,‫)ﺷﺮوع'ﮨﻮا‬, Israel was
using deadly(lethal,‫ )ﻣﮩﻠﮏ‬methods against journalists in the occupied territories. The case of
Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is amongst the most high-profile;
the senior reporter was murdered by Israeli forces while in the field in Jenin in 2022. The then
Israeli prime minister had, after the tragedy, made the dubious(doubtful,‫ )ﻣﺸﮑﻮک‬suggestion that
Abu Akleh had been shot by Palestinian fighters. This notion was swiftly(quickly,‫)ﻓﻮرا‬
disproved(refuted,‫)رد‬, as all indications were that it was the Israelis that had targeted the
reporter. Al Jazeera has particularly attracted the wrath(anger,‫ )ﻏﺼﮧ‬of the Zionist
state(Israel,‫)ﺻﮩﯿﻮﻧﯽ'رﯾﺎﺳﺖ‬, as the Qatar-based broadcaster(media outlet,‫ )ﺑﺮاڈﮐﺎﺳﭩﺮ‬has been
banned from operating within Israel. Clearly, Israel does not want other voices to be heard, and
is adamant(firm,‫ )ﻣﻀﺒﻮط‬on spinning its blood-soaked(bloody,‫ )ﺧﻮن'آﻟﻮد‬campaign in Gaza as a

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‘just war’. All institutions — public and private — that claim to speak for media freedom must
insist(assert,‫ )اﺻﺮار‬that Israel be held to account for its murder of Palestinian journalists. The
excuse that the journalists were working for Hamas does not fly, as Israel can label anyone —
even children — a Hamas operative(working,‫ )ﻋﻤﻠﯽ‬and summarily execute them. If and when a
ceasefire takes effect, the families of the slain journalists need to be
compensated(reimbursed,‫)ﻣﻌﺎوﺿﮧ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬, and those responsible for their murders brought to justice.
Israel cannot be allowed to silence Palestinian voices.

Chinese industries
PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif appears to be pushing the rusty bureaucratic
machinery(inefficient administration,‫ )ﻏﯿﺮ'ﻣﻮﺛﺮ'اﻧﺘﻈﺎﻣﯿﮧ‬hard to turn nearly three dozen
MoUs(Memorandums of Understanding,‫)ﯾﺎدداﺷﺖ'ﮐﯽ'ﻣﻔﺎﮨﻤﺖ‬, signed with Chinese companies
during his recent visit to Shenzhen, into real agreements and investments. Chairing a meeting to
discuss Board of Investment matters, Mr Sharif said that promoting local as well as foreign
investment in Pakistan was a priority. His claim that a business-friendly environment was being
cultivated to facilitate the relocation of Chinese industries to Pakistan, through joint
ventures(enterprises,‫)ﮐﺎروﺑﺎر‬, will, however, soon be tested since the nation’s bureaucracy is
notorious(infamous,‫ )ﺑﺪﻧﺎم‬for stalling(delaying,‫)ﺗﺎﺧﯿﺮ‬, and is seen by foreign
firms(companies,‫ )ﮐﻤﭙﻨﯿﺎں‬as a major barrier(obstacle,‫ )رﮐﺎوٹ‬to direct investment. Some of the
policy steps being pushed by the government to allay(relieve,‫ )ﮐﻢ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬the concerns of Chinese
investors include legislation to create a one-stop shop for attracting investments in the Special
Economic Zones(dedicated business areas,‫ )ﺧﺼﻮﺻﯽ'ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ'ﻋﻼﻗﮯ‬and the establishment of a
business facilitation centre in Islamabad to remove investors’ doubts.

That said, it is Pakistan’s internal security challenges that will continue to dictate the investment
decisions of Chinese companies, notwithstanding(despite,‫ )ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد‬better business policies.
Safety of their workers in Pakistan was perhaps the most critical issue raised by Chinese
investors during their meetings with Mr Sharif. This concern was more forcefully(strongly,‫)زور'ﺳﮯ‬
raised by a senior minister of China’s Communist Party recently; while addressing the
representatives of Pakistan’s political parties in Islamabad, he identified internal security
defects as a major factor responsible for the erosion(degradation,‫ )ﺧﺎﺗﻤﮧ‬of investor confidence.
While the safety of its workers has always been a matter of concern for Beijing, the recent
targeted attacks, especially the one in Bisham(Bisham,‫)ﺑﺸﺎم‬, near the project site of the Dasu
dam, on its engineers has significantly dented(damaged,‫ )ﻧﻘﺼﺎن'ﭘﮩﻨﭽﺎﻧﺎ‬China’s confidence in our
ability to protect its interests from militant groups. Security conditions will have to be improved
in tandem(cooperation,‫ )ﺗﻌﺎون‬with the business environment to make Pakistan a destination of
choice for Chinese investors.

Published in Dawn, June 28th

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Opinion
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Implementing PHC primer
SINCE the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978, there has been much rhetoric from the World Health
Organisation (WHO) about primary healthcare, but little organised and specific guidance from it
on how to practically implement PHC in the context(background,‫ )ﺳﯿﺎق‬of different countries.
However, it appears that the WHO PHC Special Programme(World Health Organization Primary
Health Care Special Programme,, based at the organisation’s headquarters, has done a good job
by finally producing the first volume of the PHC global report titled Implementing the Primary
Health Care Approach: a Primer.

It goes without saying that no country can improve its vital health indicators, prevent diseases
and address the determinants(factors,‫ )ﻋﻮاﻣﻞ‬of health without qPHC(quality primary health
care,‫)ﻣﻌﯿﺎری'ﭘﺮاﺋﻤﺮی'ﺻﺤﺖ'ﮐﯽ'دﯾﮑﮫ'ﺑﮭﺎل‬. It is the foundation of universal health coverage, and yet we
spend(expend,‫ )ﺧﺮچ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬around 70 per cent of our health budget on tertiary-level healthcare,
which is primarily curative(healing,‫)ﺷﻔﺎﺋﯽ‬. Basically, we continue to treat in big hospitals at a very
high cost what could be prevented at the PHC level at a very low cost. We treat the failure of
PHC in big hospitals with the help of specialists. One doesn’t need to be Aristotle to understand
this simple fact; yet nothing changes. There are many reasons for this tragedy(disaster,‫)ﺳﺎﻧﺤﮧ‬,
ranging(spanning,‫ )وﺳﻌﺖ‬from the political economy to education, the training of health
professionals, and many others. But the fact remains that, in our minds, we
equate(compare,‫ )ﻣﻮازﻧﮧ‬PHC with poor healthcare for poor people. PHC is less sexy, less
remunerative(profitable,‫)ﻣﻨﺎﻓﻊ'ﺑﺨﺶ‬, and away from the power centres of healthcare.

In 1978, the WHO and Unicef(United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund,‫)ﯾﻮﻧﯿﺴﯿﻒ‬
joined hands to convene(assemble,‫ )ﺟﻤﻊ'ﮨﻮﻧﺎ‬an international conference on PHC in Kazakhstan,
which was then a part of the communist Soviet Union. The same conference was
reorganised(restructured,‫ )دوﺑﺎرہ'ﺗﻨﻈﯿﻢ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬in 2018 to commemorate(honor,‫ )ﯾﺎد'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬the 40th
anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration(Alma-Ata statement,. In the intervening four decades,
Alma-Ata had become Almaty, and the Soviet republic the independent republic of Kazakhstan,
driven by a market economy. In these 40 years, a selective PHC approach based on
vertical(upright,‫ )ﻋﻤﻮدی‬and unsustainable(unmaintainable,‫ )ﻧﺎ'ﻗﺎﺑﻞ'ﺑﺮﻗﺮار‬health programmes had
pushed aside(apart from,‫ )ﻋﻼوہ‬the holistic(overall,‫ )ﮐﻞ'ﻣﻠﯽ'ﺟﻠﯽ‬PHC approach, which had active
community engagement(involvement,‫)ﺷﻤﻮﻟﯿﺖ‬.

In recent years, however, under the leadership of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the
dynamic(active,‫ )ﻣﺘﺤﺮک‬WHO director general, a resurgence of PHC has been witnessed in the
organisation. Dr Tedros set up a special programme on PHC, which started drilling deeper
into(examining closely,‫ )ﮔﮩﺮاﺋﯽ'ﺳﮯ'ﺟﺎﻧﭽﻨﺎ‬the theory and practice of PHC around the world. A series
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of documents was produced at the time of the Almaty conference(Almaty meeting,‫)اﻟﻤﺎﺗﮯ'ﮐﺎﻧﻔﺮﻧﺲ‬,

and now this wonderful(great,‫ )ﺷﺎﻧﺪار‬work has been produced.

A global report on PHC implementation(execution,‫ )ﻧﻔﺎذ‬serves as an excellent reference work.

It is co-produced by the WHO and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. It
is a work of significance and edited by six editors, including a dear former WHO colleague from
Pakistan, Dr Khalid Faraz, with 69 authors from all continents. This almost 500-page,
comprehensive(complete,‫ )ﻣﮑﻤﻞ‬work is divided into three parts and 17 chapters. Part one is
about the PHC approach — its foundations, history and concepts; part two is about
implementation; and part three deals with the impact on performance. Each chapter, under the
three parts, follows the same template(model,‫)ﻧﻤﻮﻧﮧ‬, which consists of five sections — key
messages, introduction, evidence review, country illustrations(examples,‫ )ﻣﺜﺎﻟﯿﮟ‬and conclusion.

As an example, the chapter on health financing under part two (implementation), begins by
providing a list of 12 key messages, which in a way summarises the chapter. One of the key
messages, for example, is that using pooled funds to pay for PHC (and avoiding out-of-pocket
payments(direct payments,‫ ))ﺟﯿﺐ'ﺳﮯ'اداﺋﯿﮕﯿﺎں‬is more equitable(fair,‫)ﻣﻨﺼﻔﺎﻧﮧ‬.

The introduction explains the key health financing functions: revenue(income,‫ )آﻣﺪﻧﯽ‬collection;
pooling(collecting,‫ ;)ﺟﻤﻊ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬allocation; purchasing; coverage(inclusion,‫ )ﺷﻤﻮﻟﯿﺖ‬policies from
financing perspective; and purchasing arrangements.

The section on evidence first explains PHC expenditures(spending,‫ )اﺧﺮاﺟﺎت‬and how they are
measured, and provides global PHC trends. For example, government spending on PHC by all
countries is not more than one-third of the total government health spending, ranging between
26pc and 22pc in low- and low-middle-income countries respectively, and out-of-pocket
spending on PHC makes up the largest share of the total spending on PHC in L&MICs(low and
middle-income countries,‫)ﮐﻢ'اور'درﻣﯿﺎﻧﯽ'آﻣﺪﻧﯽ'واﻟﮯ'ﻣﻤﺎﻟﮏ‬, which is a big barrier to timely care,
besides pushing people into poverty(deprivation,‫)ﻏﺮﺑﺖ‬. The chapter provides a large number of
studies from various countries to show the fragmentation(disintegration,‫ )ﭨﻮٹ'ﭘﮭﻮٹ‬in PHC
financing and how countries are struggling to ensure adequate funds and effective financing
flows for PHC.

The examples provided are of the Philippines and India and show how
earmarking(allocating,‫ )ﻣﺨﺼﻮص'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬tobacco taxation and imposing health and education
taxation in these countries respectively has improved financing for PHC. The examples of
Tanzania, China, Ukraine, Estonia and Afghanistan are also provided in terms of financing PHC
by employing different approaches. At the end of the chapter, there is a list of around 80
references which cover more or less all the important sources of evidence on health financing
for PHC from across the world.

All the 17 chapters are produced in the same pattern, covering almost all major topics in PHC.
These include: ‘the PHC approach: an introduction’; ‘historical overview and
unrealised(unachieved,‫ )ﻏﯿﺮ'ﺣﺎﺻﻞ‬potential of PHC’; ‘PHC: definitions, terminology(terms,‫اﺻﻄﻼ‬
)‫ ﺣﺎت‬and frameworks(structures,‫‘ ;’)ڈﮬﺎﻧﭽﮯ‬the PHC approach: rationale(reasoning,‫ )ﻣﻨﻄﻖ‬for

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orienting health systems’; ‘integrating(including,‫ )ﺷﺎﻣﻞ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬public health and primary care at the
core of the PHC approach’; ‘PHC-oriented models of care’; ‘health governance’; ‘health and care
workforce’; ‘health financing’; ‘medicines and pharmaceutical(medicinal,‫ )دواؤں'ﺳﮯ'ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ‬services’;
health technologies’; ‘health infrastructure’; ‘information systems and digital solutions’; ‘the
impact of PHC on efficiency and quality of care’; ‘the impact of PHC on equity, access and
financial protection’; ‘the impact of PHC on resilience(flexibility,‫ )ﻟﭽﮏ‬and environmental
sustainability(durability,‫ ;’)اﺳﺘﺤﮑﺎم‬and ‘implementing the PHC approach: summary and
conclusions’.

This is a great reference work on various aspects of the implementation of PHC with a special
focus on L&MICs. Every student, teacher and practitioner(professional,‫ )ﻣﺎﮨﺮ‬of PHC must have it.
I hope the next volume in this series drills deeper into(explores,‫ )ﮔﮩﺮاﺋﯽ'ﻣﯿﮟ'ﺟﺎﻧﺎ‬specific
operational issues in the public, for-profit and not-for-profit private health sector in L&MICs.

The writer is a former SAPM on health and currently a professor of health systems & population
health at Shifa Tameer-i-Millat University. The report can be accessed at
https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/publications/i/implementing-the-primary-health-care-
approach-a-primer

Educating the privileged

THE state of education in Pakistan is nothing short of a crisis. Arguably, 95 per cent of school-
age children are either not in schools or receiving substandard(inferior,‫ )ﻣﻌﯿﺎری‬education. Most
conversations and reforms, consequently(thus,‫)ﻧﺘﯿﺠﺘﺎ‬, focus on the circumstances of the
majority, and particularly out-of-school children. But, what also matters is the education of the
remaining 5pc, approximately(roughly,‫ )ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒﺎ‬three million children, studying in institutions
capable(able,‫ )ﻗﺎﺑﻞ‬of giving excellent education. A nation’s fate hinges(depend,‫ )اﻧﺤﺼﺎر‬on the
character and capacity of what Martin Luther King Jr calls a “creative dedicated minority”.
Today, 95pc of kids are not getting a good education partly because of the decisions of a
privileged(favored,‫ )ﻣﺮاﻋﺎت'ﯾﺎﻓﺘﮧ‬minority of yesteryear. The fate of the country over the coming
decades will depend significantly(notably,‫ )ﻧﻤﺎﯾﺎں'ﻃﻮر'ﭘﺮ‬on the choices of those who will become
the elite in the coming years.

Privileged here refers not only to those who are directly in power but also to the
intellectual(scholarly,‫)ﻋﻠﻤﯽ‬, civil and economic notables(dignitaries,‫ )اﻋﻠﯽ'ﺷﺨﺼﯿﺎت‬who influence
public and private decision-making. Societies are almost always under elite(noble,‫)اﺷﺮاﻓﯿﮧ‬
capture, with a small group wielding(holding,‫ )ﭘﮑﮍﻧﺎ‬disproportionate power to decide or influence
policy and resource distribution. The real question, then, is about the nature of these elites. Ali
Mazuri, a Kenyan philosopher, bifurcates them: the elite of leisure(free time,‫ )ﻓﺎرغ'وﻗﺖ‬and the
elite of labour. The elite of leisure “minimises social commitment(dedication,‫ )ﻋﮩﺪ‬and
exertion(effort,‫ )ﮐﻮﺷﺶ‬and is placed in a situation in which it can pursue(chase,‫ )ﭘﯿﭽﮭﺎ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬a life of
comfort without worrying about social disapproval(rejection,‫)رد‬. Elite of labour, on the other
hand, is one which finds it necessary to justify its elite status by providing effective leadership
and by setting an example of hard work through its own behaviour and performance”.

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For now, it seems the education of the privileged in Pakistan is driven by economic goals of
lucrative(profitable,‫ )ﻣﻨﺎﻓﻊ'ﺑﺨﺶ‬jobs inside or outside the country. The entire system works under
the shadow of economics, which transforms education primarily into an investment that needs
to be recouped(recovered,‫ )وﺻﻮل'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬in due course. This is a recipe for creating the elites of
leisure, in Mazuri’s terms.

What kind of education is likely to turn this privileged group of 3m children into an elite of labour?

What kind of education is likely to turn a privileged group of 3m children into an elite of labour?

As a conversation starter, I propose(suggest,‫ )ﺗﺠﻮﯾﺰ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬the following: To begin with, there should

be no compromise on the quality of scientific, mathematical, artistic(creative,‫ )ﺗﺨﻠﯿﻘﯽ‬and
literary(literature,‫ )ادﺑﯽ‬education. However, this academically(educationally,‫)ﻋﻠﻤﯽ'ﻃﻮر'ﭘﺮ‬
rigorous(strict,‫ )ﺳﺨﺖ‬education should happen in the crucible(test,‫ )ﮐﭩﮭﺎﻟﯽ‬of equity and
emancipation(liberty,‫)آزادی‬. For example, economics education should question the highly
skewed(biased,‫ )ﺟﺎﻧﺒﺪاراﻧﮧ‬distribution of wealth and control over resources, the causes of poverty,
and the link between wealth and politics. Integrated in the teaching of technology must be the
moral questions it raises, its social consequences, and its link with economics. Literature
should go beyond canon(principle,‫ )اﺻﻮل‬and include writers who bring to the
forefront(vanguard,‫ )ﺻﻒ'اّول‬the lives of the dispossessed(deprived,‫ )ﻣﺤﺮوم‬and
exploited(used,‫)اﺳﺘﺤﺼﺎل‬. All this and more to help the young grasp(understand,‫ )ﺳﻤﺠﮫ‬the
historical and contemporary(modern,‫ )ﺟﺪﯾﺪ‬structures and power relations shaping the visible
state of the world.

This segues into nurturing(caring,‫ )ﭘﺮورش‬empathy(compassion,‫)ﮨﻤﺪردی‬, which is the

seam(join,‫ )ﺟﻮڑ‬stitching(sewing,‫ )ﺳﻼﺋﯽ‬academic tools with the realities of the
downtrodden(oppressed,‫)ﻣﻈﻠﻮم‬. Beyond books, this can be done through projects and research,
which can help get in the shoes of those whose lives need to be touched with a spark of
hope(hope,‫)اﻣﯿﺪ‬. It will show that material success and failures are almost never
individualistic(personal,‫)اﻧﻔﺮادی‬. Social structures and moral luck(chance ethics,‫ )اﺧﻼﻗﯽ'ﻗﺴﻤﺖ‬play
a key role in what one achieves. For Aristotle, educating the mind without educating the heart
was no education. For us, it is a recipe for producing clever monsters.

There is much stress on the ideal of critical(important,‫ )اﮨﻢ‬thinking. Arguably, the best roads to
critical thinking are philosophy and history. The former helps raise first-order questions and
scrutinise(examine,‫ )ﺟﺎﻧﭻ‬the premise(assumption,‫ )ﻣﻔﺮوﺿﮧ‬of knowledge claims, while the latter
helps create a cognitive(mental,‫ )ذﮨﻨﯽ‬distance from the present, the here and now, allowing for
its critical interrogation. These should be a significant part of education.

Excellent communication skills with a desire to speak honestly and courageously(bravely,‫)ﺑﮩﺎدری‬

is yet another ability that the privileged should have. exposure(revelation,‫ )اﻧﮑﺸﺎف‬to those who
spoke truth to power, from biblical(scriptural,‫ )ﻣﻘﺪس‬prophets to modern-day whistle-
blowers(informants,‫)ﻣﺨﺒﺮ‬, can be very inspiring for young idealistic minds. An equally important
area is physical health and fitness. A life of social responsibility is often born of physical hard
work.

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A major educational concern these days is the dwindling(decreasing,‫ )ﮐﻢ'ﮨﻮﻧﺎ‬attention

span(duration,‫ )ﻣﺪت‬and decreasing capacity to memorise. Without the ability to pay attention,
no great achievement is possible in any field. halting(stopping,‫ )روﮐﻨﺎ‬the weakening of these
capacities should also be an aim of education. Here, meditative(reflective,‫ )ﻏﻮروﻓﮑﺮ‬habits and
the prudent(wise,‫ )داﻧﺸﻤﻨﺪاﻧﮧ‬use of screen time, particularly in early education, is of
immense(huge,‫ )وﺳﯿﻊ‬value.

Until not too long ago, the talk of the educated was punctuated(interrupted,‫ )وﻗﻔﮯ‬with
apt(suitable,‫ )ﻣﻨﺎﺳﺐ‬quotes from memory. Many difficult situations are dealt with through citing
a befitting couplet(pair of lines,‫ )دوﮨﺮی'ﻻﺋﻨﯿﮟ‬that dissolves the tension. The tradition of learning
great literature by heart is dying out because of the conflation(combination,‫ )ﻣﻼپ‬of
memorisation with regurgitation(repetition,‫)اﻋﺎدہ‬. The latter is a problem, the former a gift which
needs to be nurtured and enjoyed.

The biggest barrier to such an education for the privileged is the conscious(aware,‫ )ﺷﻌﻮری‬or
subconscious(unaware,‫ )ﻻﺷﻌﻮری‬threat of power sharing — the daughter of my servant might get
ahead of(outpace,‫ )آﮔﮯ'ﻧﮑﻠﻨﺎ‬my son. But this threat is misguided. Societies with a better quality of
life are also high on equity and distribution of resources. Both, the moral imperative that all
humans deserve equal opportunities to fulfil their potential, and the practical consideration that
no one is safe until all are safe, call for an elite that works for the wider society and not against
it. Privilege brings responsibility. As Nyerere noted, education should aim not for a better life,
but for making a better world.

The writer is dean of the Institute for Educational Development, Aga Khan University.

Defying nature
IT seems that the guardians of our morality(ethics,‫ )اﺧﻼﻗﯿﺎت‬believe a major threat to Pakistan’s
existence comes from its transgender(non-binary,‫ )ﻏﯿﺮ'ﺛﻨﺎﺋﯽ‬citizens. A
considerable(significant,‫ )ﮐﺎﻓﯽ‬section of religious scholars is unable to explain how a small
community of 10,478 (census 2023) vulnerable(susceptible,‫ )ﮐﻤﺰور‬souls can pose a danger to
some 240 million who constitute the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

With their lively(vivacious,‫ )زﻧﺪہ'دل‬imagination, they conjure(create,‫ )ﺗﺨﻠﯿﻖ‬up all sorts of

hypothetical(theoretical,‫ )ﻓﺮﺿﯽ‬situations that they believe will destroy the moral
fibre(character,‫ )اﺧﻼﻗﯽ'ﮐﺮدار‬of the nation. It is strange that those who actually resort(turn
to,‫ )رخ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬to both illegal and immoral actions escape the wrath(anger,‫ )ﻏﺼﮧ‬of our religious
scholars. When have they called a conference or uttered(spoken,‫ )ﺑﻮﻻ‬a word of
condemnation(criticism,‫ )ﻣﺬﻣﺖ‬when women are gang-raped, little girls sexually
abused(mistreated,‫ )ﺑﺪﺳﻠﻮﮐﯽ‬and murdered, and thousands of young women
trafficked(smuggled,‫ )اﺳﻤﮕﻞ‬in an illegal multimillion-dollar trade with the
connivance(collusion,‫ )ﻣﻠﯽ'ﺑﮭﮕﺖ‬of the police? Does their silence on such matters indicate a
tacit(implied,‫ )ﺿﻤﻨﯽ‬acceptance(approval,‫ )ﻗﺒﻮﻟﯿﺖ‬of these horrific(terrifying,‫ )ﺧﻮﻓﻨﺎک‬crimes? But
when there is talk of the constitutional rights of the transgender community, it throws them into
a state of moral panic(fear,‫)ﺧﻮف‬. Is this not bizarre(strange,‫?)ﻋﺠﯿﺐ‬

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In a convention held recently in Karachi, a section of the clergy(priests,‫ )ﻣﺬﮨﺒﯽ'رﮨﻨﻤﺎ‬lost no time in

denouncing(criticizing,‫ )ﻣﺬﻣﺖ‬some provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights)
Act, 2018, that has been in force for the last six years. To put the record straight, it must be
mentioned that this Act has been approved by the Council of Islamic Ideology, while the
Supreme Court accepted the principle of self-determination in matters of gender
identity/expression in 2012 and Nadra has been issuing CNICs in accordance with the court’s
ruling.

The aim, it seems, is to reverse(undo,‫ )اﻟﭩﻨﺎ‬the few gains the transgender persons had managed
to win after a hard struggle. We saw some fundamentalist(extremist,‫ )ﺑﻨﯿﺎد'ﭘﺮﺳﺖ‬elements
belatedly(late,‫ )دﯾﺮ'ﺳﮯ‬file a petition in the Federal Shariat Court challenging the 2018 Act and
labelling it un-Islamic. In 2023, the court gave a verdict turning down(refusing,‫ )اﻧﮑﺎر‬the self-
determination clause and requiring a transgender person’s gender to be identified by a medical
board. Transgender persons understandably(reasonably,‫ )ﺳﻤﺠﮭﺪاری'ﺳﮯ‬consider this
violative(breaching,‫ )ﺧﻼف'ورزی‬of their dignity(respect,‫)ﻋﺰت‬.

These are trying times for trans persons.

Now, these elements are claiming that they had been ‘deceived(cheated,‫ ’)دﮬﻮﮐﮧ‬and that the
‘nation is a victim of a big “fitna”’. These are serious charges against the Supreme Court that
had set the ball rolling for the transgender community at a time when internationally the
trend(fashion,‫ )رﺟﺤﺎن‬had been to reform gender recognition laws. According to TGEU
(Transgender Europe), “Self-determination is growing in popularity(fame,‫ )ﻣﻘﺒﻮﻟﯿﺖ‬as a model.
Gender self-determination(independence,‫ )ﺧﻮد'ﻣﺨﺘﺎری‬means that a person can change gender
marker and name on official documents through an easy administrative process. The change is
based on the person’s self-determined gender identity. No third party is required.”

Since the government has mercifully(kindly,‫ )رﺣﻢ'دﻟﯽ‬appealed against the FSC(Federal Shariat
Court verdict, these conservative(traditionalist,‫ )ﻗﺪاﻣﺖ'ﭘﺴﻨﺪ‬elements are in a fix. They now want
the government to withdraw its appeal. They even speak of launching a movement against the
law protecting the rights of the transgender community. According to the participants of the
convention, the Act is a guise(mask,‫ )ﻧﻘﺎب‬to encourage(motivate,‫)ﺣﻮﺻﻠﮧ'اﻓﺰاﺋﯽ‬
homosexuality(same-sex relations,‫ )ﮨﻢ ﺟﻨﺲ'ﭘﺮﺳﺘﯽ‬and obscenity(vulgarity,‫)ﻓﺤﺎﺷﯽ‬.

These are trying times for the transgender community. A large number of them have been
singled out(selected,‫ )ﻣﻨﺘﺨﺐ‬and killed since 2021, when the hate campaign against them
reached fever pitch(climax,‫)ﻋﺮوج‬. They feel insecure(unsafe,‫)ﻏﯿﺮ'ﻣﺤﻔﻮظ‬, and this has
hampered(hindered,‫ )رﮐﺎوٹ‬their progress. After the passage of the 2018 Act, the rights activists
failed to sustain(maintain,‫ )ﺑﺮﻗﺮار'رﮐﮭﻨﺎ‬their campaign to create awareness about the transgender
community. Social prejudice(bias,‫ )ﺗﻌﺼﺐ‬against them has still to be rooted
out(eradicated,‫)ﺧﺎﺗﻤﮧ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬. Many religious parties have taken advantage of this situation and are
whipping up(stirring,‫ )اﺷﺘﻌﺎل'دﻻﻧﺎ‬hatred(loathe,‫ )ﻧﻔﺮت‬against non-binary(genderqueer,‫)ﻏﯿﺮ'ﺛﻨﺎﺋﯽ‬
people.

I feel sad and call up Bindiya Rana, the pioneer(innovator,‫ )ﭘﮩﻞ'ﮐﺮﻧﮯ'واﻻ‬of the transgender
movement in Pakistan. She is depressed(sad,‫)اﻓﺴﺮدہ‬. “Three transgender persons have been
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murdered recently,” she tells me. “And do you know who their killers were? They were her own
siblings, who have no love for their sister.” Bindiya feels that the Transgender Persons Act
needs to be strengthened and not undermined(weakened,‫)ﮐﻤﺰور'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬. It should have a provision
for punishing parents who abandon(desert,‫ )ﭼﮭﻮڑ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬a transgender child before s/he reaches
adulthood(maturity,‫)ﺑﻠﻮﻏﺖ‬. But here are some conservative(traditionalist,‫ )ﻗﺪاﻣﺖ'ﭘﺴﻨﺪ‬elements
trying to make life more difficult for them.

I agree and point out(indicate,‫ )اﺷﺎرہ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬that the real danger comes from bigotry(prejudice,‫)ﺗﻌﺼﺐ‬
and obscurantism(opposition to enlightenment,‫)ﺗﺎرﯾﮏ'ﺧﯿﺎﻟﯽ‬. Those born with birth defects
cannot hurt this country.

Bindiya remains calm and has no harsh(severe,‫ )ﺳﺨﺖ‬words for her tormentors(oppressors,‫)ﻇﺎﻟﻢ‬,
who reject her humanity. After all, she is God’s creation, and what she has been denied is
compensated(repaid,‫ )ﻣﻌﺎوﺿﮧ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬by her generosity(kindness,‫ )ﺳﺨﺎوت‬of spirit(soul,‫ )روح‬and
sagacity(wisdom,‫)داﻧﺎﺋﯽ‬. Bindiya reminds me of the words of the transgender protagonist(main
character,‫ )ﻣﺮﮐﺰی'ﮐﺮدار‬of Arundhati Roy’s book, Ministry of utmost(highest,‫ )زﯾﺎدہ‬Happiness: “The
word Hijra … meant a Body in which a Holy Soul lives.”

Death-worth rule
ASK anyone what a human life is worth, and answers would range between ‘priceless’,
‘incalculable(immeasurable,‫’)ﻧﺎﻗﺎﺑﻞ'ﺣﺴﺎب‬, and ‘more than all the gold in the world’.
incurable(incapable of being cured,‫ )ﻧﺎﻗﺎﺑﻞ'ﻋﻼج‬nihilists(pessimists,‫ )ﻋﺪم'وﺟﻮدﯾﺖ‬would say
‘worthless’, and the philosophical-minded would lead you astray(lost,‫ )ﮔﻢ'ﺷﺪہ‬with
gems(jewels,‫ )ﺟﻮاﮨﺮات‬like ‘every breath is a transaction, decide the price and pay the cost’.

Philosophy and romanticism(idealism,‫ )روﻣﺎﻧﻮﯾﺖ‬aside, this is a practical question that

governments and organisations grapple(struggle,‫ )ﺟﺪوﺟﮩﺪ‬with daily.

That one’s life is not considered equal in worth to someone else’s is an

unsettling(disturbing,‫ )ﭘﺮﯾﺸﺎن'ﮐﻦ‬realisation(understanding,‫ )ﻓﮩﻢ‬and sounds
unfair(unjust,‫)ﻏﯿﺮ'ﻣﻨﺼﻔﺎﻧﮧ‬. But then, such is the nature of our existence. It was reported in the
media recently that families of five foreign workers killed in a terrorist attack in Kohistan some
months back would each receive a little more than half a million US dollars in compensation
from the government. Going by the exchange rate, this would roughly(approximately,‫ )ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒﺎ‬equal
a little less than Rs14 crore per family. Meanwhile, the family of the Pakistani driver who was
also killed in the attack would get Rs2.5 m. The huge gap between the two amounts
notwithstanding(despite,‫)ﺑﺎوﺟﻮد‬, both are insufficient(inadequate,‫ )ﻧﺎﮐﺎﻓﯽ‬because the victims and
relations and emotions associated with them are irreplaceable(unique,‫)ﻧﺎﻗﺎﺑﻞ'ﺗﺒﺪﯾﻞ‬. However,
from another perspective(viewpoint,‫)ﻧﻘﻄﮧ'ﻧﻈﺮ‬, the driver and his family were
shortchanged(cheated,‫)دﮬﻮﮐﮧ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬. Unfortunately, life is more complex than emotions; all else
being ‘unequal’ applies more to it than the ceteris paribus(other things being
equal,‫ )ﺑﺎﻗﯽ'ﺷﺮاﺋﻂ'ﻣﺴﺎوی‬so often referred to by economists.

It can take the authorities several years to process claims and determine compensation. Why?
Because the concerned bodies have the unenviable(unattractive,‫ )ﻧﺎﭘﺴﻨﺪﯾﺪہ‬task of determining
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the ‘worth’ of each life lost. Economic and non-economic losses are considered. The former
consists of losses in expected income in case of death or decreases resulting from
disability(impairment,‫)ﻣﻌﺬوری‬. The non-economic losses include pain, trauma(shock,‫)ﺻﺪﻣﮧ‬, and
short- to long-term psychological impacts. To assess economic losses, factors like the victim’s
age, academic qualification, means of livelihood, income at the time of death/disability, health
condition, and life expectancy(life span,‫ )ﻋﻤﺮ‬are all factored in to extrapolate(infer,‫)ﻧﺘﯿﺠﮧ'ﻧﮑﺎﻟﻨﺎ‬
their earnings from what is determined to be their expected working life.

It can take several years to determine compensation.

Depending upon local laws and other factors, more or different factors may be thrown in or
removed from the equation. Back to the incident in Kohistan, a 30-year-old driver earning, let us
assume, Rs35,000 a month will not earn more than a 50-year-old engineer earning Rs5m a
month possibly for the next 10 years, assuming 60 to be the age of
superannuation(retirement,‫ )ﭘﯿﻨﺸﻦ‬for both. Of course, these formulae assume that the driver
would remain that and will not branch out into(diversify,‫)ﺷﺎخ'ﭘﮭﯿﻼﻧﺎ‬
entrepreneurship(business,‫ )ﮐﺎروﺑﺎر‬and that the engineer would retain his ability to construct
hydropower projects for another 10 years. Hopefully, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge by
now as to how your life may be worth more than mine when it comes down to hard-
core(dedicated,‫)ﮐﭩﺮ‬, economic number crunching(calculating,‫)ﺣﺴﺎب'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬.

Before condemning this or that socioeconomic(financial,‫ )ﻣﻌﺎﺷﯽ‬framework, let us bear in

mind(remember,‫ )ﯾﺎد'رﮐﮭﻨﺎ‬that even in the old tribal(clan,‫ )ﻗﺒﺎﺋﻠﯽ‬codes, still practised today, a
chief’s blood money(compensation,‫ )ﺳﺮدار'ﮐﯽ'دﯾﺖ‬is many times higher than that of his family
members, whose lives are considered far dearer than those of a tribe member.

Victim compensation is a specialised field; in developed economies, its calculation is entrusted

to VC attorneys, and individual determinations are made by courts or boards of funds set up by
governments in the aftermath(consequences,‫ )ﻧﺘﺎﺋﺞ‬of losses from calamities(disasters,‫)آﻓﺎت‬,
disasters, wars, or acts of terrorism. One such VC fund was formed

in 2001 in the aftermath of the twin-tower(doppelgänger,‫ )دوﮨﺮی'ﻋﻤﺎرﺗﯿﮟ‬attacks in New York. Its

initial ambit(scope,‫ )داﺋﺮہ‬lasted till 2004. As more types of damages, losses, and trauma that
could be covered under the fund came to the fore(front,‫ )ﺳﺎﻣﻨﮯ‬with time, new pieces of
legislation were enacted(passed,‫ )ﻧﺎﻓﺬ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬to provide legal cover for the ongoing nature of claim
filing and settlements(agreements,‫)ﺗﺼﻔﯿﮯ‬. Currently, the fund’s tenure(term,‫ )ﻣﺪت‬extends to
2090.

In our local context, while laws, procedures, and protocols to deal with almost any
eventuality(possibility,‫ )اﻣﮑﺎن‬exist, implementation depends on
officialdom’s(bureaucracy,‫ )ﺳﺮﮐﺎری'ادارے‬whims(fancies,‫ )ﺧﻮاﮨﺸﺎت‬and political
expedience(convenience,‫)ﻣﺼﻠﺤﺖ‬. Every fire or rain deluge(flood,‫ )ﺳﯿﻼب‬results in business and
trade bodies exhorting the government to compensate for their losses. Why, one must ask,
should the government pick up(collect,‫ )اﭨﮭﺎﻧﺎ‬the tab(bill,‫ )ﺑﻞ‬for their decision to
forego(relinquish,‫ )ﭼﮭﻮڑ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬insurance(coverage,‫ ?)ﺑﯿﻤﮧ‬When moveable assets like vehicles are
lost or damaged, do we ask the government to compensate for them? Either they are insured or
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they are not. Why should it be any different for other types of assets? Governments should
incentivise(motivate,‫ )ﺗﺮﻏﯿﺐ'دﯾﻨﺎ‬the insurance sector and encourage employers to
enlist(recruit,‫ )ﺑﮭﺮﺗﯽ'ﮐﺮﻧﺎ‬their workforce. Faiz Ahmad Faiz rued the voiceless multitudes: “No
plaintiff(complainant,‫)ﻣﺪﻋﯽ‬, no witnesses; the blood of the down-to-earth, sustains it.”

The writer is a poet. His latest publication is a collection of satire essays titled Rindana

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