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Big Capital in an Unequal World: The Micropolitics of Wealth in Pakistan-Book review

By
Sherdil Khaga
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Big Capital in an Unequal World: The Micropolitics of Wealth in Pakistan-Book review

In her splendid work ‘Big Capital in an Unequal World: The Micropolitics of Wealth in Pakistan’, Rosita Armytage, an anthropologist and political scientist, explores the elites of Pakistan in a detailed manner. She conducted numerous in-depth interviews of elites to produce this extraordinary and comprehensive book. The author has also substantiated her ideas by providing a plethora of references of sociologists and political scientists.

Introducing her work, the writer briefly explains the perspective of elites regarding their own selves and also sheds some light on the division present in the elites themselves. Those, who accumulated wealth in the post-partition era, call themselves the established elites, while those, who have gotten rich in the recent times, are referred as the Navaye Raje or the new rich.

She terms volatility of political system, presence of deregulated markets, porousness of the legal system, and religion as the factors which contribute in the formation of an elite class. Writer’s thesis that the will of market is not the will of the market at all – but the shifting desires of the nation’s most powerful struck me the most in the introductory chapter.

Explaining the elite culture in the first chapter of the book, the author focuses on the dressing and demeanour. For instance, if you are wearing shalwar kameez, the traditional dress of the country, you are considered as a member of a lower class. Participating in the elites’ parties and gatherings require a certain dress code: colonial styled suits are preferred for men and western jeans and tops are preferred for women.

The second chapter provides an historical analysis of the rise of elites in the country. After partition, Quaid-e-Azam brought several of his friends, settled businessmen from Bengal and India, to Karachi. On their arrival, these wealthy men invested greatly on industrialization and setting of businesses in the country. To support her point, she mentions the case study of Dawood Habib, the founder of HBL, and the Isphani brothers, the founders of Orient air. In the beginning phase of the country, most of the elites were settled in Karachi, but with Ayub’s coup d’état, the equation changed significantly.

Ayub incentivized the people to invest on the Upper Punjab region. This resulted in the creation of a class of Punjabi elite industrialists. It also inculcated confidence of the business community in the Military. This new settled elite also served as the political support for the military in the next seven decades. This is the reason why Punjab never rose against military. Ayub’s coup d’état and relocation of investment from Karachi to Upper Punjab resulted in the creation of a new Punjabi Elite Industrialist society.

The next important era, which created a new class of elites, was of Musharraf. He fuelled the real estate industry, creating a strong connection between landowners and military officers. Overall, the economy was growing, but this growth was extractive in nature, with negative consequences that are still felt today.

In chapter 3, she tries to find the root of the elite culture in Pakistan. She concludes that the established elites have their lineage to the colonial elites. This is the main reason why this class always is in a state of nostalgia of the past. They also seek to redress the status differential that existed under the colonial heads by appropriating the colonial institutions and styles of the group that dominated them. Explaining the rise of the new elite, she focuses on the nexus between the families of the new elite with bureaucracy and the military.

In the next two chapters, she describes the whole formula of maintaining the elite strand through endogamous and consanguineous marriages, and gives a brief on the socialization of the elites. She opines that in elite marriages, age difference does not matter a lot. The prerequisites are endogamy in some cases of conservative families, husband must be rich, girl should be beautiful and, most importantly, both the contenders of the marriage should be elites, settled ones or Navaye Raje.

Exploring the socialization of elites, she mentions that to broker various deals, target guests are included in the guest lists of various parties. Moreover, facilitating them with their favourite whiskeys and providing them entertainment are some of the luring tactics of some people who serve as a mediator in connecting elites with each other.

Chapter six of the book demonstrates the extractive methods of elites through which they use state for their own purposes. This back-to-back usage of the state apparatuses for their own gains has led to formation of a prevalent belief in the populace: corruption is state backed entity. As elites have internalized the act of extra-legality, and they do not consider it as castigation rather it has become a normal day-to-day activity, the masses considers law as a political tool of elites.

Capitalistic culture gives rise to a robust middle class, whereas, the elitist culture of Pakistan is an anomalous one, where the accumulation of wealth revolves around a certain faction and the chances of creation of a rich middle class are bleak.

Consequently, legal writ of the state has lost its prestige in the eyes of the citizens. To corroborate this thesis, she gives example of the National Accountability Bureau and the case of Muhammad Ashraf Tiwana vs. Pakistan etc.

In the last chapter, comparing the elite culture of Pakistan with the capitalistic culture of the world, the author concludes that the global, mainly western, capitalistic culture gives rise to a robust middle class, whereas, the elitist culture of Pakistan is an anomalous one, where the accumulation of wealth revolves around a certain faction and the chances of creation of a rich middle class are bleak. There is no proper presence of a free market system in the country rather the money revolves in the system through the control of a faction of elites supported by the military and bureaucracy.

Undoubtedly, this book is perfect for curious readers who want to get clear knowledge of the extractive elitist culture of Pakistan. I would recommend every reader to read ‘Siyasat Ke Firoon’ by Wakeel Anjum and ‘Pakistan: the Economy of an Elitist State’ by Ishrat Hussain along with this book to deeply understand the extractive elite capture controlling the whole functioning of the economy of the state. Sadly, it can be said that Pakistan is a country of the elites, by the elites and for the elites. To rephrase George Orwell, all Pakistanis are equal but some Pakistanis are more equal than others.

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Bilawal Bhutto’s Visit to India

By
Wali Ejaz Nekokara
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Bilawal Bhutto's Visit to India

The Bilawal Bhutto’s visit to Goa for attending two days (May4-5) SCO meeting is the talk of the town. The SCO was formed to extend cooperation in the political and security domain among its members. The SCO consists of Pakistan, India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Bearing in mind the importance of SCO, Bilawal Bhutto’s visit was of great significance. This was the first visit by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister in 12 years.

Bilawal’s visit is being analyzed by different local and foreign analysts. According to an interview with the Diplomat, Michael Kugelman maintained that in terms of Pak-India relations the visit was not successful but it was important for interaction with member countries. He was of the view that Pakistan took part in the summit for engaging with key members of SCO instead of improving relations with India.  In one of his tweets, he asserted that Pakistan achieved what it wanted of this visit.

In addition to this, an assistant professor of Political Science at Tufts University in the United States, Fahd Humayun told Al Jazeera that the visit shows Pakistan’s stakes linked to multilateralism and SCO as a key platform in Asia. He further said that as India’s rhetoric against Pakistan becoming more provocative internationally, Pakistan has started looking at SCO instead of specifically focusing on relations with India. In the same vein, Sushant Singh, a senior fellow at the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, held that the arrival of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister to India in itself was a meaningful development.

Maleeha Lodhi penned an article titled “No melting of the ice“, in which she expressed disappointment as this visit turned the expectations of achieving a breakthrough in Pak-India relations unrealistic. At the same time, she acknowledged Pakistan’s commitment to regional economic connectivity and cooperation.

Keeping the abovementioned analysts before us, it would safe to infer that there are two ways to analyze Bilawal’s visit: one through the India-Pak paradigm and the second is a regional paradigm. In the first case, it was a missed opportunity but in the second case, it was a positive development. It is not so logical to see the visit through the first paradigm because the chances of a thaw in relations were nearly remote.

India’s unilateral act to abolish Kashmir’s autonomous status reduced the possibilities of track II diplomacy or confidence-building measures. This visit needs to be seen from regional and multilateral perspectives. The SCO is more advantageous to Pakistan than India because of the former’s proximity to China. As China is the most influential country in the SCO, it was in favor of Pakistan attending meetings and advancing its agenda for the region’s peace and stability. 

The Indian minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar in his opening address to the meeting targeted Pakistan indirectly. He said that “There can be no justification for terrorism and it must be stopped in all forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism.”  In his speech, Bilawal Bhutto also took an indirect swipe at India when he emphasized the joint efforts to combat terrorism and cautioned against ‘weaponizing terrorism for diplomatic point-scoring.’  He urged the forum to “condemn all forms of terrorism including state–sponsored terrorism.” While making an indirect reference to India’s illegitimate move in Kashmir, Bilawal said that “unilateral and illegal measures by states in violation of international law and Security Council resolutions run counter to the SCO objectives”. Bilawal truly presented and defended Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir and Terrorism.

In one of his articles, the former ambassador of Pakistan, Najm-us- Saqib critically analyzed the diplomatic behavior of JaiShankar and Bilawal Bhutto. In response to Jaishankar’s remarks regarding cross-border terrorist activities, Ambassador Najm reminded India of the EU DisinfoLab report and dossiers on Indian cross-border illicit activities. According to Ambassador Najm, Bilawal fared well as a diplomat. He further maintained that Bilawal’s demeanor was better than that of his counterpart.

In a news conference, Jaishankar dubbed Pakistan as a ‘terrorism Industry’. Ambassador Najm took these remarks as undiplomatic and uncalled for. Mr. Najm further wrote that diplomats do not use such kind of words even in the drawing room.

Another important thing is that Bilawal should not be criticized for political point scoring. He went to attend meeting for Pakistan not for Pakistan Peoples’ Party. We may have objections to his politics and party but it was in Pakistan’s interests to be there. Pakistan did not lose anything in this summit.  Though the foreign ministry under Bilawal worked well yet it needs to do much more.

India will be hosting the G20 tourism working group summit in Indian-occupied Kashmir from 22 May to 24 May. India will utilize this opportunity to legitimize its unilateral move of revoking the special status of Kashmir. It will try to deflect the attention of member countries from the gross human rights violations occurring in Indian-Occupied Kashmir.

In this precarious situation, it is the responsibility of Bilawal as foreign minister to apprise the world community that their participation would be tantamount to legitimizing India’s illegitimate position. The participants must be aware of India’s attack on freedom of expression and crackdown on the political leadership in IOK.

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Governing The Ungovernable

By
Jinsar Ali
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About the author

The book “Governing the Ungovernable” is written by Dr. Ishrat Hussain. Ishrat Hussain is a profound economist, and writer. Moreover, he remained the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan  (SBP), advisor to the ex-prime minister  Imran Khan on institutional reforms, and worked with the International Monetary Funds (IMF) in the Middle East.

The Book

Dr. Ishrat Hussain has suggested reforms in institutions to govern the democratic governance of Pakistan. He writes that the fate of any nation is, in the hands of institutions. If institutions are strong then the government will be stable, if government is stable then the nation will be successful in any platform. He gives the reference to the book “Why Nations Fail ” that the main cause of the failure of the nation written in that book is the weakness of institutions. If institutions are weak then the nation will fail.

He writes that during the 20 years after independence, Pakistan was ahead of India, Turkey, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia in terms of economic growth and export. During these years Pakistan experienced  6 percent economic growth. The main reason for this stable economic growth was political stability, the effectiveness of the institutions, and the continuity of policies. Unfortunately, today Pakistan lacks these three factors that play a vital role in the economic growth of any country.

Sadly, he writes that the Election Commission of Pakistan, the judiciary, the Bureaucracy, the police, and so on have been politicized. Bureaucracy is working for the interests of politicians rather than for the public. The police Is subjugated to politicians and feudal lords rather than to providing security and justice to the masses. Access to justice for the common man has become difficult and myth.

Moreover, he writes that political instability has halted the economic growth of Pakistan. It has demotivated Foreign Direct Investment FDI in Pakistan. Sadly, the perpetual political instability has created a vacuum which is always filled by the Military.

In the chapter on relations with countries, Ishrat suggests that Pakistan must play a neutral role between China and America. Pakistan is not in a condition to join any block.

To make democracy strong and stable he writes that media and civil society should play their role. They must be vigilant to look for everyone. Media can play important role in making democracy more stable and transparent.

Unfortunately, Pakistan has experienced severe terrorism incidents after it’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan.  He writes that Extremism and terrorism increased after the Zia’s regime. Pakistan has lost more than seventy thousand people and loss of billions of dollars in the war against terrorism.

In the last but not the least, Dr. Ishrat Hussain provides a way for Pakistan to overcome all challenges. The local government system should be empowered because the common man will be empowered with the empowerment of the Local government. Election Commission should bring reforms, like the eligibility of the candidate, the candidate must be securitized before contesting the election, and intra-party elections should be suggested to all parties. Bureaucracy should be empowered and it  must work for the betterment of society.

However, the police, the judiciary, and the Election Commission, all need reforms from the root. Certainly, if institutions become strong, independent, and stable then the nation will become progressive and prosperous.

Final note

The book is worth reading. To understand Pakistan’s governance system, the reading of this book should be done by everyone. The book provides ways for institutional reforms. The reading of this book flourishes the ideas of readers and gives them plans for making Pakistan strong and stable.

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Book Review: End of History and the Last Man

By
Ali Yasin Khan
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Introduction

The book, the End of History and the Last Man is written by Francis Fukuyama who is an American political scientist and has received his PhD from Harvard University in political science.

Exploring the Question of History in Human Societies

The book deals with the question of history in the larger context of human societies. There is a general perception about history as the events of past that happens in a particular time and space but, in this book the author deals with the question of history in a very interesting and unique manner in a way that he tries to explore whether there exist a coherent evolution in nature of societies, as they progress from very primitive agriculture societies up through various monarchies and aristocracies and up to liberal democracies and technologically driven capitalism, that we have today.

The Concept of Liberal Democracy

Fukuyama argues that liberal democracy comes much closer to fit in human nature that perhaps all prior forms of government, that came and collapsed, communism to be the latest example, failed at.
The author then turns his attention to explain the basic concept and logic behind the liberal democracy.

Liberal democracy simply is the multiparty election system coupled with economic prosperity with the surety of fundamental human constitutional rights to all.

The author gives an account of various countries that have embarked upon attaining liberal democracy and shows the world wide trend of gradual shift from other prior forms of governments to the democratic governments.

The question arises as of why this trend of shifting to democratic governments started or what were the reasons behind its happening. This is answered by the author in a very good way. The author provides two explanations for it.

Economic Development and Stable Democracy

The first explanation has to do with the economics. There is a correlation between stable democracy and economic development which Fukuyama explains by giving example of Western Europe, Japan and North America, where all of them are highly advanced technologically capitalist and stable democracies. The author explains that how a country industrializes and how it develops economically that leads to a creation of urban classes, with certain awareness of education, and that is how a kind of literate middle class is produced with a demand for liberal democracy.

The Philosophical Driving Force behind Democracy

The second explanation is philosophical in nature and as philosophy is all about logic and reason so is this explanation. Fukuyama explores the driving force that directs society on the pathway of the want for democracy a non economic cause. The author goes back in history and starts with German philosopher, Hegel.

Hegel had a theory of history of how human societies progress to higher forms of organizations that is based on struggle for recognition, a completely non economic goal. For Hegel, one caveman wanted the other caveman to recognize him. The want of human beings for the recognition as a human being with dignity was what lead to the first bloody battle that ultimately ended up in the relation of master and slave, and resulted in proving to be an essential driving force behind democratic revolutions, in his case, The French Revolution.

Hegel lived in early nineteen century and he considered the French Revolution to be the end of history as it was a revolution that favored principles of liberty and equality.

The author then highlights Marx’s concept about the end of history. Apart from the believe that capitalism would be the endpoint of historical evolution, Marx shared Hegel’s opinion. For Marx, Hegel’s view did not resolve the class struggle and therefore his presumed communism would be the “End of History” instead.

Fukuyama further argues that the question of history has been addressed in the past by various greatest thinkers in a way that whether there exist such a thing as progress, in which human societies have evolved. The thinking and contributions of various other thinkers such as Fredrick Nietzsche, Aristotle and Plato have also been discussed in this 2nd explanation of want for democracy. It is in the core of our humanity that we want recognition by others and it is what makes us unique.

Thumos: The Desire for Recognition

There is a very unique and interesting scenario created by Fukuyama where he argues that if a human society reaches its ultimate form of End of History, where all human beings are same, satisfied and their want for recognition has been satisfied, there will be no difference left in a dog and a human being because the uniqueness of human being as a specie will be vanished and they will be like other animals, as they biologically are.

In the book there is a small digression which explains Plato’s Republic and the debate of Socrates about his just city and its Guardians which is highly fascinating.
For Socrates, there are three parts of human soul. The desiring part, dealing with our needs, the calculating part, dealing with logic and reason and the third part called Thumos. Thumos is a Greek word that means self esteem, dignity or simple the demand for recognition.
Fukuyama derives two new concepts from Socrates’s concept of thumos. The first one is Isothumia, the desire of being equal to others, and Megalothumia, the desire of being greater then others. For Fukuyama it is this Magalothumia because of which the tyrants always want to be recognized as greater.


Moreover, the author also sheds light on the fall of communism and the resilience of capitalism, which he calls as the marriage between capitalism and democracy leading towards liberal democracy and, argues that liberal democracy is an end of history, not to be confused with happening of events but the end of history in the context of further directional progress by human societies, as for the last 200 years we have seen no further progress in this regard.

Conclusion

Picking a book for reading is highly relative phenomena which predominantly depends upon the taste of the reader. For a book to start and continue reading till the end, it needs some qualities i.e. highly fascinating method of expression, eloquent use of vocabulary, clarity and the grip factor, and the book, “The End Of History and the Last Man” is perhaps in complete accordance with all those qualities.

The Bottom-line is that the book is highly fascinating and a must read for anyone having interest in the past as it depicts the picture of the past in a very good manner and as a student of history you can come to know about the history behind where we stands today as a human civilization.

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Redistribution of Resources for Collective Good

By
Suleman Yousaf
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Introduction: Inequality and Tragedy in Pakistan

“A stampede at a Ramadan food distribution centre in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi has killed at least 11 people, all women and children,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

Pakistan is often portrayed as a country with a small number of wealthy individuals amidst widespread poverty. The net worth of the top 1% of the wealthiest has increased at an exponential rate since the inception, unlike the rest of the 99% who have witnessed only a minimal increase.

All banking systems, business models, stocks, and investments seem profitable to the wealthiest with enough cash in hand. They know well that the risk factor becomes negligible when monopoly guards its investors’ interests.

Unsustainable Wealth Accumulation and Individualism

However, this model of accumulating wealth is unsustainable and ultimately destructive. The pursuit of individual gain at the expense of the collective good fosters selfishness and ultimately results in a zero-sum game.

Adam Smith would likely be dismayed to see the invisible hand of the market, which he believed would lead to a trickle-down of wealth, being used to justify the considerable wealth accumulation among the top 1%.

Today, wealth is all but equally distributed in Pakistan and anywhere else in world. The most astonishing fact is that society has found ways to rationalize such unequal distribution by equating greater wealth with better services and living standards.

This mindset is rooted in social Darwinism, which promotes the idea that humans must compete to survive and improve their position in life, or else be ready to be condemned to death, much like the earlier mentioned stampede at a Ramadan food center.

The model seems unsustainable at best and destructive at worst. The former lacks not only the motivation for the collective good but also brews selfish traits leading to the accumulation of wealth. The very model of competition is unsustainable and ultimately leads to a breakdown in the collective good.

Redefining Parameters for Judging Value and Worth

One solution to this problem is to redefine the parameters to judge the value, motive, and worth of essential commodities. Paper money should not be the only measure of wealth. Instead, we should tie social good to currency in a way that is more sympathetic and less self-centered. For example, assigning value to the good that is done for others, rather than to the commodity itself.

If A delivers a bag of commodities to B, the value of the good done to B by the commodities should be considered when determining the value of the service provided by A. In this way, the satisfaction of the consumer is what holds value, rather than the commodity itself. Both social good as well as motivation to do more will go hand in hand. The rich will stay rich but not at the cost of the poor.

By implementing this model, we can incentivize the production and delivery of essential commodities to people, rather than merely selling them for profit. The satisfaction of the people would serve as the currency that would add to the wealth of the company, thereby ensuring that both social good and motivation to do more are aligned. The rich can still maintain their wealth, but not at the expense of the poor.

Initially, this mechanism could be implemented for the delivery of essential goods to the most vulnerable sections of society, such as the poor. Food, water, education, and shelter are capabilities that should be universal, as per Nussbaum’s capabilities model. Making social good contingent with currency will definitely help bridge the gap between theory and practice in sustainable development.

Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice: Nussbaum’s Capabilities Model

The quality of life will be improved regardless of material wealth possession, and everyone will be able to live a fulfilling life, as advocated by the likes of Martha Nussbaum, and others. Initially, this mechanism can be implemented for fundamental consumer goods. At the domestic level, the Social Return on Investment (SROI) will serve as a means to make the transaction possible. It is worth noting that the estimated global economic cost of malnutrition is $3.5 trillion per year, and yet only $330 billion per year is required to eliminate malnutrition and hunger globally by 2030, as highlighted by the World Food Program.

Collaboration between Public and Private Sectors

To make this model work, collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential. They can work together to structure financial incentives that promote the delivery of essential goods for the social good. For example, when a child is not malnourished, it saves costs on health services, which can be redirected to incentivize producers for delivering commodities for the social good.

Benefits of Meeting Fundamental Needs for Social Good

Furthermore, meeting fundamental needs, such as nutrition and well-being, has a positive impact on an individual’s cognitive abilities and productivity, which in turn benefits the economy. By tying commodity worth to the satisfaction and need it fulfills, producers can receive compensation in exchange for the social good their products do for consumers. This allows consumers to consume according to their needs, without financial constraints. In this model, accumulation of wealth for producers would be based on continually giving more, maintaining a balance between wealth inflow and outflow.

Conclusion

The vision is for a society where equitable distribution of resources is prioritized over material wealth, making collective good an integral part of economic transactions. Such a system can create a more just and sustainable economic model, promoting social well-being and reducing inequality.

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Book review- Downfall; Lessons for Our Final Century

By
Ali Yasin Khan
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Introduction

Downfall, Lessons for Our Final Century Ilhan Niaz CSCR, 2022 128 pages. The book, Downfall; Lessons for Our Final Century is written by Dr. Ilhan Niaz who is a Professor in the department of History at Quaid I Azam Unisversity, Islamabad.

Historical background

The book in actual fact is a collection of the author’s written essays. Amidst the Covid-19 crises, that hit the world very harshly, the author embarked upon publishing this book, considering the disease as a wakeup call from nature that something is seriously wrong with the human doings that need to be corrected and if not paid heed to, humans as a species will suffer a lot till the end of this century.

Downfall primarily drives attention to the problem of human’s inability to think rationally in the long run, as a result of which we are heading towards our collapse by the end of this century. The book can be divided into two main parts.

The first part deals with the historical background that provides reasons for where we stand today, while the second part deals with economics and alternatives for future as a way out. The historical accounts also explains the inability of humans to think wisely with respect to their future

Ibn e Khaldun

The author starts with ibn e Khaldun, a philosopher of human history. For Khaldun, the environment in which human beings live and the human psychology have greater influence over human’s minds, as a result of which they are always wrong in long term thinking and which is why the proneness to decline in future increases. Khaldun’s philosophy is important to understand the short-sightedness of human beings which serves the bases for their habit of short term gains.

Thomas Malthus and John Stuart Mill

The author then diverts the reader’s attention towards the predictions of two important philosophers of the past, Thomas Malthus and John Stuart Mill, highlighting current world’s problems regarding economics, growth and GDP. He starts with Malthusian constraints about the final outcome of growth, in this case the certain point of earth beyond which it would not sustain more growth.

This is then followed by the outcome predicted by John Stuart Mill as a result of continued growth, which is the replacement of growth oriented stage by a stationary phase and the equal redistribution of resources. Mill suggests that the redistribution of resources will lead to ultimate human happiness.

Darwin

The next personality that the author focuses on is Darwin. According to Darwin, humans are not invincible and as 99 percent of life on earth has been replaced by another life, same will be the fate of human beings. It can be said that if humans, who have evolved in their environment, tries to bring disturbances to that, they are not going to survive in the changed environment.

The idea that the author wants to emphasize on is that it is actually possible for us to predict the future outcomes from different historical patterns predicted by various philosophers, thinkers, and scientists and most probably we are heading towards that by the end of this century.

Economics and Alternatives for the Future

The second part of the book deals with the present day problem of infinite growth. An Infinite growth on a finite world always sounds absurd but this is what the fact is as far as human actions are concerned. In the past, different thinkers had agreed on one single point that is growth, though all having their own understandings about the final outcome.

So today if they are Marxists or Classical economists or even environmental economists, all of them have a single common aim of growth and, as mentioned above, the problem with the growth is that there is a fixed capacity of earth and beyond that it cannot sustain human needs inordinately.

The author is of the view that the dominant factor that leads to the idea of infinite growth is the problem of optimism. In this regard the author gives a very interesting example from Candide, a novel of Voltaire, where candid is a young man who constantly suffers but he is always reminded by Professor Pangloss that they are living in the best possible world of all times, giving him a sense of optimism. This is the problem from which the world suffers today in a way that the top 1 percent of population, that receives most of the GDP, gives this idea of false optimism that growth is good and in future, somehow, we would be able to come up with certain solutions to deal with the apocalyptic situation predicted by the people in the past, reference our technological and scientific development.

Solutions

In the end the author provides several solutions in the conclusive part of the book. So for example the author talks about the importance of thinking in historical terms, limitation of growth oriented intentions, pessimism in place of constant optimism, paying heeds to what the wise people suggests, including philosophers, academia and scientists and a need for a common global solution to deal with the alarming situation that we are about to suffer very shortly.

The Interaction of Solon of Athens and Croesus of Lydia

There is a very interesting small digression in the book that makes the book highly unique and highly interesting. The interaction of Solon of Athens and Croesus of Lydia is a must-read part of the book with respect to one’s interest in history.

Conclusion

The bottom-line is that the book is highly interesting and very important for anyone belonging to the specie of Homo sapiens because it has addressed the question of their survival to the next century. The alternatives provided by the author is the need of an hour and we can definitely survive as a specie to the next century, provided that those mentioned alternatives are somehow implemented.

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Violence and violent situations-A Critical Analysis

By
Maria Mansab
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Introduction

This essay examines violent situations through a critical lens. I have about seven examples of violence from various parts of the world. and analyzed these situations’ causes critically. What causes this? What effects are these instances having?

Violence

Violence is defined as “the act of using force or coercion to damage, kill, destroy, or injure people.” Without the permission of others, violence occurs. Physical, psychological, ideological, global, environmental, sexual, verbal, chemical, religious, ethnic, and sectarian violence can all take many different forms.

I will outline the terms I used to describe violence in my project.

Physical violence:

Physical abuse is characterized as “any purposeful act that intentionally causes pain or trauma to another person or animal through bodily contact.” It typically affects children, but it can also affect adults, as in cases of spousal abuse or workplace violence.

Psychological Abuse:

A person submitting or exposing another person to conduct that may cause psychological trauma, such as anxiety, persistent depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is known as “psychological abuse” (also known as psychological violence, emotional abuse, or mental abuse).

Conflict or war violence:

A conflict involving the use of force of arms, such as between parties inside one nation or between nations; war as in land, sea, or air a situation or time of armed conflict or ongoing military operations: The two countries were at war.

Violence on a global scale:

Global violence occurs when someone is harmed or destroyed via the use of force or compulsion.

Ideological Violence:

Violent extremism refers to the attitudes and behaviors of those who endorse or employ violence to further their own political, religious, or ideological objectives. This covers acts of terrorism and various types of communal and politically motivated violence.

Identical violence:

Identical violence is the act of killing someone based only on their identification.

Environmental aggression:

Capitalist economies abuse nature by using and extracting natural resources in an unsustainable way.

Religious violence:

It is a word used to describe situations in which religion is either the target or the source of violent action. The violence that is inspired by or in response to religious concepts, scriptures, or precepts is known as religious violence.

The violence that is specifically inspired by racial animosity and interethnic strife is referred to as “ethnic violence.” The two terms are frequently used interchangeably or, when it is politically convenient, one is substituted for the other when referring to political violence.

Sectarian strife, often known as sectarian violence, is a type of intergroup conflict that exists within a country or society between various factions of the same philosophy or religion. Religious division frequently contributes to sectarian conflict.

Chemical violence

It is defined as “the employment of chemical weapons or other means to destroy some nation, state, or other entity.” The impacts of chemical weapons are long-lasting.

Example 1

One of the worst assaults on the Indian Army resulted in the deaths of 17 men. After infiltrating the base in Uri, close to the Line of Control with Pakistan, four militants have been verified dead. Fears that the death toll will climb were stoked by the fact that more than 30 soldiers were hurt, many of them gravely.

Pakistan’s spokeswoman for the foreign office, Nafees Zakaria, quickly denied the charge after Singh made it. “India accuses Pakistan right away without conducting any research.” This is unacceptable,” Zakaria told Reuters. A large number of other former soldiers called for anti-terror operations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Analysis:

This incident occurred because Kashmiris want their state, which India currently occupies, back. The Indian army used numerous destructive tactics to exterminate the Kashmiris. Kashmiris backed Pakistan and wanted Pakistan to be in charge of administering Kashmir. Therefore, this is the war between Muslims and Hindus in Pakistan and India.

Although India wants the state of Kashmir as much as Pakistan does, it is also because of the greedy propensity of humans to desire more and more. After this occurrence, everyone blamed Pakistan, claiming that Pakistan was to blame for it since it sponsors and participates in terrorism. They blamed Pakistan for everything without providing any concrete evidence, which Pakistan denied. Without concrete evidence, I believe we cannot hold anyone accountable.

Thus, ultimately, we can support our claim. The fact that innocent persons were slain in this tragedy, as well as innocent Kashmiris, is, however, really awful news. We are first and foremost human beings before becoming Muslims, Hindus, etc. Thus, taking decisive action against terrorism is necessary.

I am affected by this incident because, on both sides, innocent people are being killed in the name of so-called state and peace. Also, it’s a well-known proverb that “if you burn the fire, a bit of flame will also fall into your home.”

The contentious rivalry between the two brothers is violence.

Example 2

The missiles were fired in retaliation for a chemical weapons assault on Tuesday and were directed toward the Shayrat air base near Homs. President Donald Trump made the official announcement of the action, claiming that the targeted airfield was the source of the chemical attack on rebel-held territory.

He also appealed to other countries to resist Syria’s embattled president. “Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad attacked innocent citizens with chemical weapons on Tuesday. Assad killed innocent men, women, and children by using lethal nerve poison.

For so many people, it was a slow and cruel death. “In this incredibly wicked attack, even adorable kids were brutally slain, Trump stated. Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, stated on Thursday that Russia had broken a 2013 agreement to secure Syrian chemical weapons, adding that Moscow was either involved in or unable to keep that arrangement.

Analysis:

This incident of violence occurred as a result of the growth of terrorist groups in Syria that aim to harm both the country’s people and the state. The US launched a missile attack on Syria in retaliation for its president’s attack on Syria’s innocent citizens. Washington claims that terrorist organizations and the use of chemical weapons both occur in Syria. But my argument is that America is also using chemical weapons and killing members of the opposition party in this situation. What happened to humanity? While standing on one platform as a symbol of peace, you killed the people on the other.

The loss is not from individuals but from nature. Not only does nature suffer, but there are also casualties among the animals. It also contributes to air pollution. Chemical weapons have such potent effects that they lingered in the area that was hit. What is the fault of nature, animals, and helpless children, even though they are not aware of it? In actuality, America invented every type of chemical weapon ever used on the globe. Hence, we should stop this hypocrisy.

Example 3

On May 25, 2016, a transgender lady named Alisha who had been shot in Pakistan passed away from her wounds. After the rape, she was shot seven times. As Alisha was taken to the hospital, hospital staff members disagreed about whether to place her with a male or female patient. Men within the hospital also made fun of her, and police officers declined to take her case.

Analysis:

This incident of violence occurred because transgender people are stigmatized in Pakistan as beggars and are thought to be cursed. And we are unable to understand their true status in the Quran and Islam. The Quran has verses that are in their favor, and Sharia also grants them the ability to own property.

So, who are we to take their rights away if Allah has granted them recognition and rights? I find this story quite troubling because the murderer first sexually assaulted the victim before shooting her seven times. It irritates me how you can rape a transgender person.

Example 4

In response to a missile fired into Israel from the Palestinian territory, the Israeli army launched hundreds of airs and tank strikes over northern Gaza, injuring at least four Palestinians.

Analysis:

Israel and Palestine’s conflict is a battle of ideologies. It has a lengthy past. This event occurred as a result of their opposing ideologies. Jerusalem is the holiest site for both Jews and Muslims in Palestine. They both desire this hallowed spot and desire to worship here. Yet, my argument is that what kind of faith is it that states that other people should be killed? Innocent people are being killed so frequently.

Humans come first, followed by Muslims and Hindus. So, it’s fine if one person is acting improperly, but you should act similarly in return. What happened to humanity? Religion should be respected, but not at the expense of other faiths. What happened to humanity? Religion should be respected, but we shouldn’t denigrate it for our satisfaction. The fact that animals are now superior to us means that we are no longer truly animals. We are the devil.

Example 5

KASUR: Haseeb Amir, the primary suspect in the Kasur child abuse controversy, has admitted to abusing the kids and filming it. In a statement to the police, the key suspect in the child abuse case reportedly acknowledged sexually abusing youngsters and recording it on film, according to SP Investigation Kasur’s Nadeem Abbas. After making their films, they also blackmailed their parents.

Analysis:

The Kasur scandal is a particularly horrific violent occurrence in Pakistani history. Numerous children have experienced maltreatment. Also, after abusing the kids, the criminals recorded films of them blackmailing their parents and then disappeared. Here, humanity has completely declined. In the beginning, you mistreated them solely to fulfill your ambitions.

You also create videos and, when that is insufficient, use blackmail to acquire what you want. These kids’ futures have been completely wrecked. Their entire life became a stigma or sin for them, affecting not just their youth. After being abused, the majority of kids turn to prostitution and end up in trouble. And perhaps some will act similarly toward others.

So begins the unstoppable chain of criminal activity. Because this occurrence took place under official government control, the majority of individuals were either aware of it, participated in it, or supported it. You committed a heinous act by abusing helpless youngsters. I believe that the perpetrator, Hasseb, was a devil.

Example 6

A delegation from the Pakistan People’s Party led by Senator Sherry Rehman protested the execution of social activist Khurram Zaki, who was well-known for his candid criticism of extremist organizations in Pakistan, a few weeks ago at the National Press Club in Islamabad. The demonstration, however, was in opposition to the sectarian targeting of yet another Shia Muslim in Pakistan, in addition to the death of a social activist.

Analysis:

Sectarianism is a very common idea in Pakistan today. Between Muslims and Sunnis, there is tension. This idea of sectarianism is what led to the violent incident mentioned above. Khurram Zaki’s death is terrible news for us since everyone has the right to freedom, to speak their mind, and to practice their religion. We can’t force our faith or views on other people.

The Muslim Sunni had killed Khuram. In Pakistan, it is rather frequent for Shia to murder Sunnis and the other way around. So, the killings keep happening in succession. We are developing into religious experts who categorize people as Muslims or Kafir.

We are free to do whatever we like, but the so-called religious scholar within us will awaken if someone else wants to do something. Muslims of both Sunni and Shia sects are equally entitled to life.

Example 7

On April 13 at the AWKUM campus, a violent crowd beat, shot, and threw journalism student Mashal Khan from the second floor of his hostel due to blasphemy accusations.

Analysis:

This occurrence took place at Mardan University. A violent mob from his university brutally murdered the journalist, Mashal Khan. This situation is quite unsettling. They beat him, shot him, and hurled him from the second floor before killing him in a very horrible manner. We don’t have the authority to impose our laws. Every person has the right to practice their religion.

They accused him of blasphemy. If we look at how Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have changed through time, we can see that they are all based on what is known as the laws and regulations of orthodox religion. In actuality, the decision-makers at that time just expressed their personal views.

The other people didn’t offer them any advice. We don’t have the authority to punish other people. It’s okay if someone breaks the law because there are laws in place. They have the power to decide and punish. I believe that before we can examine others, we must first understand ourselves.

My Conclusion:

I found that this initiative helped me a lot in my search for the most heinous acts in our culture. and to examine these instances to understand their causes, contributing elements, and effects. Content analysis is a simple and affordable research technique. a tool that is more effective when used in conjunction with other research techniques like interviews, observation, and the use of historical data.

Analysis of historical material can be quite beneficial, especially for identifying trends across time. The evaluation of media reports contributed to the development of in-depth analyses of daily occurrences and opened the door to improved communication.

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Judiciary or Legislature-Sovereignty Belongs To?

By
Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen
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0

As tensions between the government and the Supreme Court continue to rise, the political situation in the country has entered a new, more perilous, and less predictable phase. After deeming the Election Commission’s decision to postpone the votes to October unconstitutional and illegitimate, the Supreme Court ordered elections for the Punjab Assembly to be held on May 14.

The government’s announcement that it will not follow the Supreme Court’s order sets the two institutions on a collision course. It’s bad enough that the executive branch is at odds with the presidency and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

All of this stems from the ongoing struggle for control between the coalition led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Imran Khan.

In this power struggle between the two main organs of the state, no one is here to highlight the actual limitation of the Legislature and Judiciary under the supreme law of the land. PDM-led coalition group are giving firewall speeches in the parliament that (Parliament Ki Salmiyat Khatray Ma Hai) the parliament’s supremacy is in danger. In order to debunk this constructed myth of censored media and fury speeches, we have to answer some important questions.

1. Is Parliament a supreme body of the state?

According to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, the Parliament is the highest legislative institution. The Pakistani Parliament consists of two chambers, the National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). It has the authority to pass laws. The Constitution also stipulates an independent judiciary with judicial review authority to ensure that the laws enacted by the Parliament are consistent with the Constitution.

2. Can any organ of the state declare itself as the supreme body of the state to do whatever they want?

The 1973 Constitution of Pakistan prohibits the Legislature from declaring itself the supreme governmental body. The Pakistani Constitution includes checks and balances between the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary to ensure that no branch has unlimited power. The Constitution and national legislation regulate the Legislature, one of three branches of government.

It cannot declare itself supreme and defy the Constitution and law. The Constitution also allows an independent judiciary to assess the Legislature and other institutions of government. It is to verify compliance with the Constitution and national legislation. The judiciary could rule legislative overreach unlawful and invalid.

3. What is Judicial Review?

JUDICIAL REVIEW is the procedure by which a supreme court interprets a statute and determines its constitutionality. If the judiciary determines that a given piece of legislation violates a constitutional provision, it may invalidate the legislation.

In nations where a documented and federal constitution restricts the powers of parliament, the situation is different. For instance, the Supreme Court can invalidate legislation passed by Congress if it deems it to be unconstitutional in United States.

The Constitutional Court in Germany has the authority to invalidate both conventional laws and constitutional amendments that are incompatible with the fundamental nature of the constitution.

The power of judicial review is utilised differently in distinct political systems. In nations such as the United Kingdom, where the constitution is mainly unwritten and unitary in nature and parliament is sovereign, the courts can declare an act of parliament to be incompatible with the constitution, but they cannot invalidate a law for being incompatible with the constitution. In other terms, the judiciary is limited to constitutional interpretation.

Power of Judicial Review

In our political system, does the judiciary have judicial review? If yes, how far does this power reach?

Pakistan, like India and the United States, has a federal constitution that divides authority between the center and the provinces. In accordance with Article 142 of the Constitution 1973, the federal legislature may legislate on subjects listed in the federal legislative list and the concurrent legislative list.

Similarly, provincial legislatures have the authority to legislate on matters within their jurisdiction. According to the law, neither parliament nor a provincial legislature can usurp the legislative authority of the other.

No law against fundamental rights

The constitution also limits the authority of both the federal and provincial legislatures. In the first instance, no law may be passed that violates any of the fundamental rights granted to citizens by the constitution.

In this regard, Article 8 of the constitution states, “Any law or custom or usage having the force of law that is inconsistent with the rights granted by this [Chapter 1] shall be null and void to the extent of such inconsistency.”

No law in contradiction with Islam

In the second instance, no law can be enacted that contradicts Islamic precepts. In this regard, Article 227 of the constitution states, “All existing laws shall be brought into conformity with the injunctions of Islam as outlined in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and no law shall be enacted that is contrary to these injunctions.”

No law in contradiction with constitution

Third, parliament cannot pass laws that contradict the constitution, the nation’s supreme legislation. Thus, parliament has four basic legislative limits. It cannot legislate on provincial matters except under a state of emergency, and its laws must comply with fundamental rights, Islamic injunctions, and the constitution.

From these limitations on the legislative competence of the legislature proceeds the power of judicial review. The superior judiciary can invalidate a parliamentary act that exceeds its legislative authority for any of the four reasons enumerated in the previous paragraphs.

In other terms, Pakistan’s parliament is not sovereign. Rather, its authority is constrained by the constitution’s enumerated provisions. If these powers are abused, the judiciary can be called upon to address the aggrieved party’s complaints.

As one former US Supreme Court justice stated, “We [judges] are under the constitution. However, the constitution is what we claim it to be.” The judiciary does not create laws but rather interprets them, both ordinary and constitutional. If judges determine that a statute is unconstitutional, it must be expunged from the statute book.

Judiciary only for interpretation

A constitutional amendment’s validity cannot be challenged in court. Courts are limited to interpreting the constitution. Does this indicate that a simple two-thirds majority vote in parliament is enough to modify the federal character of the constitution, end the parliamentary form of government, or strip citizens of basic rights like the right to life or right to vote?

Article 239 allows parliament to “amend” the constitution. “Amend” means to add or remove words. Any constitutional amendment must be inside its core framework to be modest. Thus, parliament can only make modest amendments to the constitution.

The courts interpret the constitution and decide whether a constitutional amendment adheres to its fundamental nature. If a constitutional amendment defaces the constitution, the courts might urge parliament to repeal it as supra vires.

Even though the courts possess the power of judicial review, it cannot be exercised arbitrarily. If parliament’s ability to enact laws is not unlimited, then the courts’ ability to review those laws is also not unlimited. The judiciary, like other state departments, is bound by the constitution.

They can interpret and invalidate laws, but only the federal and provincial legislatures can make laws. Courts cannot constitutionalize the unconstitutional. Hence proved that Sovereignty or supremacy is located neither in parliament nor in the judiciary but in the constitution.

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The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy-Book Review

By
Usman Akhtar
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0

Introduction

In the new Israeli-Hamas struggle, the United States relentless help for Israel shows notable highlights of the U.S. international strategy towards it. Numerous researchers, strategy writers, and pragmatists have addressed what clarifies the unequivocal US support for Israel for forty years. The Israel Lobby and the U.S. Foreign Policy is a work of John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt in 2007. The book is a lengthy rendition of “Israel Lobby”, an article distributed in 2006 by the London Reviews of Books.

While the article got appreciation from a few, it stays the focal point of debate as well. The book gets a lot of analysis dependent on biases, verifiable blunders, and the Anti-Semitism approach. The writers plan to address two inquiries through this book: does the uncommon connection between Israel and the U.S. fuel hostility to American feelings in the Middle East?;

If the careless U.S. support for Israel isn’t driven by either public interest or moral compass, what clarifies the purpose of an ‘exceptional relationship’?

The writers have characterized the Israeli campaign as a collection of academicians, legislators, researchers, or other government authorities that attempt to impact the U.S. international strategy in light of a legitimate concern for Israel.

Writers also propose that there is no focal position or pioneer that administers the entryway. It is contended that the Israeli Hall impacts the U.S. international strategy such that it overcomes the public interest of both the U.S. what’s more, Israel. The writers have called attention to the fact that not all American Jews are a piece of the Israeli hall.

Unique Relationship between Israel and the United States

The title exactly exemplifies the possibility of the book in a shortsighted and designated manner. Furthermore, the substantial segment of the book separates it into two sections: ‘The United States, Israel, and the Lobby’; ‘The Lobby in real life’ containing eleven parts.

The substance of every section is reflected in the presentation and ends separately. The initial segment of the book gives exact and hypothetical proof to help the writers’ case on the extraordinary connection between Israel and the U.S. It additionally presents fundamental recorded and contemporary motivations to comprehend the advancement of the Israel-U.S. relationship since the virus war and its Independence in 1948.

The writers give a few occurrences from the Bush Administration and the Lebanon fiasco, to the Iraq battle among others as they present the case for unequivocal U.S. support for Israel. Writers contend that this country is a risk as it imperils U.S. relations with the Arab world and furthermore disturbs the U.S. partners.

Careless support of U.S

The writers proceed to say that U.S.’s careless help against the Palestinian cause drives illegal intimidation and persuaded Al-Qaeda pioneers like Osama Bin Laden to spread enemy of American feelings in the Islamic world. The book additionally guarantees that the U.S. support for Israel did not depend on fair qualities.

Writers contend that in the past the United States has conflicted with popularity-based and non-majority rule countries the same to seek after its public interest.

The writers underscore the political, prudent, and military guide given to Israel by giving a few exact confirmations and reports given by the CIA and monetary specialists. They likewise elaborate upon the settlement and development of the West Bank.

Moreover, they likewise give data on events where the U.S. upheld Israel in the UNSC and UNGA on a few disputable issues that might sabotage the interests and majority rule upsides of the U.S. around the world.

American Realists and the Israel Lobby

The second piece of the book sets up the usual methodology of the Israel Lobby. The writers clarify how the Israel Lobby controls public talk. They likewise propose that all official applicants might vary in general yet talk in a similar voice with regard to the interests of Israel.

Netflix series has also portrayed the equivalent. In the House of Cards, a Vice-Presidential competitor got substantial analysis since he distributed an article in light of a legitimate concern for Palestine in school days.

The writers likewise feature that if anybody attempts to denounce the Israeli interests or questions the unequivocal U.S. help the entryway marks the individual as a Jew-hater or hostile to Semitists. It likewise catches the strength of Israel Hall and its extraordinary treatment rather than some other entryway in the country.

The book mirrors the pragmatist approach of writers that underlines the public interest of the U.S. It very well sets up the way that the extraordinary connection between two countries can’t adjust to their public advantages. The writers have been extremely persuasive all through as they give significant proof to demonstrate why Israel is an obligation to the U.S.

The writers contend that the Israel hall overwhelms and shapes the U.S. international strategy in the Middle East. One can comprehend the pragmatist standard of the absence of trust between countries when the writers put across models wherein Israel sold U.S. military innovation to China.

To add more, regardless of the U.S. dangers to Israel, the last option kept on creating atomic weapons and ensured U.S. researchers don’t assess the weapons and their possibilities.

Would it be advisable for you to peruse the book?

The writing is a decent work to comprehend the recorded conditions behind the US-Israel relations. The book comprehends different methods of delicate power and tact. It clarifies how outsiders can turn out to be amazing if not checked. It might be said that the Jews in the U.S. are entirely solid, to the point that they, in the long run, rule the public talk in the interests of Israel, a nation so little in size and power when contrasted with the U.S.

The writers have made legitimate hypothetical and genuine guides to build up the strength of Israel’s anteroom and its hardware against the U.S. public interests. Notwithstanding, they don’t stress much on the aggregate interests of Israel and the U.S. in the Middle East. The book additionally stays missing on the commitment of Israel’s entryway to the public interests of the U.S.

The writers have effectively tested the careless U.S. backing of Israel and given appropriate motivations to address it as well. The book additionally assists with understanding the extraordinary guide Israel has gotten since its Independence in 1948.

Furthermore, the writers offer clarification on how unfamiliar guides can blow up in unstable areas like the Middle East. To finish up, the book is a well-informed piece of writing for researchers and understudies of International Relations.

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Military Operation: Delaying Elections or Fighting Terrorism?

By
Usman Akhtar
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0

Pakistan has decided to launch new military operation nationwide, especially in areas bordering Afghanistan. The country on the brink of economic and political crisis will again have a tussle with its own people. The need to launch this operation has been under discussion since the breakdown of negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group in the previous year.

Interestingly, the decision was made the day after PM Shehbaz Sharif held a national security committee meeting to reject the verdict of Supreme Court regarding elections date. The operation will give the PDM government a chance to delay elections citing the security situation as a reason. It is also to be determined what implications this operation will have on the IMF bailout program.

When entire world is putting emphasis on economic stability and cooperation among the state and citizens, Pakistan is launching a military operation. We have not learnt from history and our mistakes. The operations like Zarb e Azab and Rad ul Fasad brought huge damage to the state in the form of insurgencies, economic turmoil, and political unrest.

The timing of every event is particularly important in order to analyze it. Pakistan in contemporary times is going through the internal conflicts. The political unrest, sky rocketing inflation, flour crisis, and lastly rising unemployment among the people. In such a situation how is this possible to launch a full-fledged war against our own people?

Repercussions of such operations

According to the UNHRC reports of 2009, approximately 0.5 million people (about half the population of Waziristan) were displaced and fled to different cities and provinces. Leaving behind ruins of their beloved ones and their land. It is yet to be analyzed whether the decision to launch the military operation is based on political interests or it is necessary to launch it.

The PDM government is facing a lot of challenges. The economy is crippling day by day, with hyperinflation, all time lowest foreign reserves, and now the supreme court has announced the date for the elections. In such a situation the PDM government has left with no option to delay the elections.

On the other side, Pakistani military especially Army is facing a lot of criticism due to the allegations of its unconstitutional involvement in political affairs and running the public office. The decision to launch the operation is critically being opposed by the opposition and allies of the PDM government. The decision was not presented in front of the national assembly’s standing committee. It was solely taken by PM and NSC without the consent of other parliamentarians.

Economic default

Such decisions in critical times where a lot should be done to eradicate inflation and political disputes, perpetuate the mindset of political elite. It depicts how concerned government and policy makers are towards the poor and marginalized population. What benefits this military operation will have, yet to be determined.

PM Shehbaz Sharif often says that IMF is giving tough time to Pakistan. This is crucial to understand What consequences will it have if IMF considering impacts of this operation refuses to give $1billion? A country already at the brink of default is not able to bear the cost of such military operations.

It is particularly important to discuss and bring reforms towards counter-terrorism strategies. The use of multi-faceted soft power policy is crucial to implement rather than launching military operations. This is particularly important given the ongoing threat of terrorism from organizations like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has also led to a loss of trust in both the political and military establishment.

Effective counter-terrorism policies

Therefore, it is essential to address these challenges and prioritize the implementation of effective counter-terrorism policies to ensure the safety and security of the country and its citizens.

The world has witnessed the effectiveness of soft power when US led NATO forces peacefully evacuated Afghanistan. Using soft power creates a better image of the military and government. It helps to cope with insurgencies and freedom movements.

If instead of military operations Pakistan has used the soft power, it would have benefitted it with low cost and effective results, with less or zero human capital loss, a low ratio of insurgencies and sense of deprivation among the youth of Balochistan and KPK, positive image in World politics, better trade policies with Neighbours like India, Iran, and Afghanistan.

I know most of the readers will think I am being optimistic and undermining reality, but we must admit that reality comes with us, and we are the ones, who by making policies that are favorable to both the people and the economy will turn today’s terrific reality into tomorrow’s better reality.

The PDM government is using delaying tactics by approving such military operations to avoid elections. They must consider how it will impact the commoners in the country where poor are in large queues to get free flour, where poor are committing suicide to fight hunger. Pakistan has suffered a lot in the past due to exercise of hard power and military operations.

Conclusion

It is time to reform the policies and design them in a way that they can be easy to implement. Government’s focus should be on economic and political stability rather than inviting another chaos to the nation. A multifaceted and effective counterterrorism policy should be formulated and implemented, which solely focuses on addressing the root causes of terrorism, strengthening intelligence capabilities, improving border security, and enhancing law enforcement and judicial systems.

Such a policy should prioritize the use of soft power strategies and diplomatic efforts to prevent the spread of extremism and radicalization, while also addressing the underlying social, economic, and political grievances that contribute to terrorism.

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