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Home » CSS Special » THE Inundated PAKISTAN» Globalization Challenges and the ChangingRole of the State

Globalization Challenges and the Changing Role of the StateGlobalization merely signifies the cultural and economic invasion of the West. There is a lurking fear that thenew world is emerging as a crueler place conspicuous by the domination ofthe powerful over the weak.

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THE Inundated PAKISTANWednesday, September 01, 2010

The forces unleashed by globalization have changed the world and so rapid has this change been that yesterday’s experiences may have lost their relevance today, and tomorrow may represent yet another form of transformation. There is a lurking fear that the new world is emerging as a cruelerplace conspicuous by the domination of the powerful over the weak.

To some, globalization merely signifies thecultural and economic invasion of the West,as reflected in the proliferation of fast food chains and designer shops. On a parallel track, there is also an increasingrealization that the world of yesterday cannot be resurrected and consequently nostalgia for the bygone era would only prevent countries and individuals from availing the benefits of the opportunities that are now more equitably distributed than ever before.

The principal gift of globalization is the access to information and its instantaneousdissemination. As a consequence, geographical boundaries or physical location do not constrain nations and states to work closely together. Not only has this made the world flatter but also smaller and more promising.

The technological revolution which has spurred globalization has also impacted closely not only on interstate relations

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but also on the manner in which nation states conduct their internal functions. And this is the central theme of this article. The potential benefits for nation states are multiple as well as diverse.

The state bureaucracy could become considerably leaner; input for policy-making can be sourced globally and in a time-efficient manner; the speed of decision-making and work processing is now much faster; communication both in terms ofspeed and form is far more efficient.

In brief, it is now much easier than ever before for states to provide good governance to its citizens. Globalization also poses new challenges with intensifyingcompetition owing to a freer trading environment. The electronic media explosion, yet another fallout of globalization, has also led to enhanced expectations of citizens for good governance.

Functions which are generally recognized asthe exclusive responsibility of the state encompass territorial defence, diplomacy, macroeconomic management, preservation of justice and internal security, protection of the environment, provision of social andphysical infrastructure, promotion of agriculture, industry, energy, mining and service sector including banking and finance and mobilization of resources (taxation).

Although the scope of many of these functions remains unaltered, the manner in



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which these have been carried out in the past needs to be re-visited.

In Pakistan, historically – and for good reasons – national security concerns have taken precedence over social welfare concerns. The longstanding confrontation with India and the enduring suspicion aboutthe latter’s aggressive designs, compelled Pakistan to adopt this course of action.

It is now time to evaluate this policy dispassionately and objectively. If one were to recognize India’s emerging stature as a regional economic power, it becomes evident that there has been a paradigm shift in its national priorities. Territorial aggrandizement through militaryaggression no longer features among New Delhi’s priorities because, among other reasons, this could seriously jeopardize ispivotal position as a part of the global supply chain.

It follows, therefore, that New Delhi cannot possibly, as this point in time, have aggressive designs against Pakistan. At another level, the Kargil adventure has adequately demonstrated that India has the will and the capacity to ward off any irritants of this nature. Under these circumstances, Pakistan’s quest for amassing military hardware or expansion in the size of the armed forces requires to bescaled down as the foremost national priority.

In recent years, there is an increasing realization that the main threat to the



country’s national security is from within rather than from external forces. The rising intolerance and consequential internal strife suggest a society at war with itself. The obvious and immediate requirement is the strengthening of institutions and mechanisms which could help in reversing this trend thereby restoring the writ of the state.

While any lasting solution cannot be divorced from ensuring a democratic, representative government, in the short run, the internal security infrastructure needs to be strengthened.

In the area of foreign policy, interstate relations are non longer conducted in the manner they were in the past. The era of diplomatic missions being able to effectively pursue state objectives is perhaps over.

In the prevalent unipolar international order, the relative importance and clout ofstates is measured largely by their economic strength. It follows therefore that the core ingredient of contemporary diplomacy must be economic and not political.

A claim persistently propounded in Pakistanis that the visits abroad by heads of stateand senior dignitaries promote the nationalinterest. This script was reiterated threadbare during the tenure of the last aswell as the current government in order to justify the record number of foreign trips by the President and the Prime Minster.


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It would, for instance, be very difficult to determine the likely tangible benefits accruing to Pakistan from visits to countries such as Argentina or Bosnia or Poland and several others. Although the several visits to China demonstrate the significance of this bilateral equation, there is not much to show in terms of any tangible results.

Given the huge size of the Chinese economy and its consistently high growth, the opportunities for bilateral trade and Chinese investment in Pakistan remain largely untapped. The annual pilgrimage to Davos is another ‘Pakistan Special.’

No other country considers it worthwhile for its President or Prime Minister to participate in the Davos meetings with suchregularity. And to what end?

In the area of macroeconomic management, the required changes are of particular significance. In essence, the scope of activity by government needs to be redefined with the objective that the government’s role is restricted to acting as a facilitator of economic activity rather than a direct participant.

It is in this context that the privatization programme undertaken by past governments in recent years is the right agenda. At the same time, this exposes the government to the new challenges of effective regulation of private sector activity. This requires a qualitative


change in the quality of human resource andin the structure of bureaucracy.

While the government has succeeded in creating new regulatory structures like SECP, OGRA and NEPRA, Pakistan still has miles to go in order to change the mindset and attitudes of public functionaries to come to terms with this changing role of the state.

(To be continued)Zahid AshrafArticle viewed 2117 times.

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Home » CSS Special » Federal Budget 2010 » The Radcliffe Award

The Radcliffe AwardIn the words of Quaid-i-Azam, the Radcliff Award was an unjust, incomprehensible and even perverse award.

Federal Budget 2010Thursday, July 01, 2010

BackgroundThe partition plan of June 3, 1947, under the Indian IndependenceAct, inter-alia, envisaged the division of Punjab and Bengal which made it necessary to set up a Boundary Commission to demarcate the boundaries of the parts of each of these provinces into Hindu and Muslim majority districts, to be assigned to Indiaand Pakistan, respectively.

Role of RadcliffThe genesis and history of the Kashmir dispute will remain incomplete unless the perfidious role played by Sir Cyril Radcliff, apparently at Mountbatten’s behest, is recalled. Incontrovertible evidence is available that Mountbatten was very keen to see that the whole Gurdaspur district, which had a Muslimmajority, should not be assigned to Pakistan. Mountbatten’s strategy was that Punjab may be divided in such a manner that thestate of Jammu and Kashmir could join either India or Pakistan.

The renowned British writer, Aalstair Lamb in his book, ‘Kashmir,a disputed legacy’, has also established a sinister collusion between Mountbatten and the Indian Congress leadership as a result of which the Boundary Commission awarded Gurdaspur to India which culminated in the Indian intervention in Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947. In the words of Quaid-i-Azam, the Radcliff Award was an unjust, incomprehensible and even perverse award.

MembersPartition committee proposed that Sir Cyrill Radcliffe should be invited to serve as chairman of the Punjab and Bengal Boundary Commission. Radcliffe was a renowned barrister who came from England. The League and the Congress nominated two High Court judges.The genesis and history of the Kashmir dispute will remain incomplete unless the perfidious role played by Sir Cyril Radcliff, apparently at Mountbatten’s behest, is recalled.The members of Punjab Boundary Commission were Din Muhammad and Muhammad Munir on behalf of Pakistan and Mehr Chand Mahajan and Tej Singh on behalf of India while members of Bengal Boundary Commission were Abu Saleh and S.A. Rahman on behalf of Pakistan and C.C Biswas and B.K. Mukherji on behalf of India.

Controversy in division of PunjabIn the division of Punjab, the award was unfair and awarded a number of Muslim majority areas to India. In Gurdaspur district two contiguous Muslim majority Tehsils of Gurdaspur and Batala were given to India along with Pathankot tehsil to provide a linkbetween India and the Stat of Jammu and Kashmir. The Muslim majority tehsil Ajnala in the Amritsar district was also handed over to India. In Jullundur district the Muslim majority areas ofZira and Ferozepur in the Ferozepur distirct, were also given to India.

Controversy in division of BengalSimilarly, in Bengal the most important question related to the future of Calcutta. It was the capital of the province. Although the Muslims formed only a quarter of the population of Calcutta, a large section of its population consisted scheduled castes thatwere allied with the Muslim League. In any case, for more than two hundred years the Muslims of Bengal had contributed to make Calcutta what it was in 1947 a centre of commerce and industry.

The city of Calcutta, the capital of the province, was the biggest industrial, commerce and educational centre. The entire development of Calcutta was based on the toil of Muslim peasantryof Bengal. East Bengal produced most of the raw material which

had to be sent to Calcutta because all factories and mills were in Calcutta. The Congress leaders were determined to get Calcuttaby all foul or fair means. Eventually, Calcutta was awarded to India ignoring the claim of the Muslim.

Ch. Muhammad Ali’s remarksChaudhry Muhammad Ali has mentioned in his book that Liaqat Ali Khan told him that Quiad-i-Azam had received very disturbing reports about the likely decision of the demarcation, particularly in Gurdaspur district, and asked him to see Lord Ismay, a senior staffer of Mountbatten to convey to him from Quaid-i-Azam that “if the boundary actually turned out to be whatthese reports foreshadowed, this would have a most serious impacton relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom whose good faith and honour were involved in this question”.Sardar Patel, in his speech in Calcutta on January 15, 1950, had disclosed that the Congress had made a condition that it would agree to the partition of India only if they did not lose Calcutta. Sardar Patel had also once disclosed that Mountbatten had entered into a secret agreement with the Congress leaders to have Calcutta assigned to India.

Ch. Muhammad Ali’s Apprehensions Accordingly, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali went to see Lord Ismay who wascloseted with Sir Cyril Radcliff. Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, therefore, decided to wait. When Chaudhry Muhammad Ali conveyed Quaid-i-Azam’s message to him, Lord Ismay “professed complete ignorance of Radcliff’s idea about the boundary and stated categories that neither Mountbatten nor he himself had ever discussed the question with him. It was entirely for Radcliff to decide; and no suggestion of any kind had been or would ever be made to him”.

Sardar Patail’s RemarksSardar Patel, in his speech in Calcutta on January 15, 1950, had disclosed that the Congress had made a condition that it would agree to the partition of India only if they did not lose Calcutta. Sardar Patel had also once disclosed that Mountbatten had entered into a secret agreement with the Congress leaders to

have Calcutta assigned to India.

Thus, no less a person than Sardar Patel himself exposed the mythof impartiality of Mountbatten and Radcliff. These are hard factsrelating to the ‘Radcliff Award’ and have been re-stated for the benefit of our people and to keep the record straight.

Perfidious AwardAt the time of the creation, Pakistan had already been squeezed as much as possible as a result of an unholy collusion between Mountbatten and the Indian Congress leaders. However, the Radcliff award was the meanest cut. This perfidious award paved the way for India’s military intervention in Kashmir.

The inhabitants of Kashmir, a valley of indescribable beauty, areunfortunately still locked in a life and death struggle for theirsurvival and their inalienable right to self-determination. They have been facing naked brutality and inhumanity during the last over fifty years. It is, therefore, the moral obligation of the international community to extend all possible help to the oppressed people of Kashmir who are still waiting for liberation from terror and injustice.

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Home » CSS Special » 2010 The Year Ahead» Causes of the Downfall of the Muslims in the Subcontinent

Causes of the Downfall of the Muslims in the Subcontinent“And hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah and be not divided amongst yourselves.”

2010 The Year AheadMonday, February 01, 2010

There were many causes that led to the decline of the Muslim Empire in the Subcontinent. A few of them are as following:

Weak Successors of AurangzebAfter the death of Aurangzeb, his incapable and weak successors had not the stamina of holding his vast empire. There began a war of Succession among his sons. After 1707 A.D. most of the Mughal rulers had indulged in luxury andindolence. They were brought up in worldly comforts and could not stand hardship. The rulers like Muhammad Shah

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Rangila loved singing and dancing more than affairs of empire.

Weak Central GovernmentA strong central government is must for strong sultanate. When the central government becomes weak there arises rebellions in the country. When the Muslim rulers lost their control on the central government, Marathas of Decan, Sikhs of Punjab and Jats of Agra and Delhi exploited the situation. They set up several independent states in their respective areas.

No Rules for SuccessionMughals had no set rules for succession.Whenever a ruler died, there appeared many royal princes to claim for the right to succession. There was a war among them. The victorious prince would slay his opponents and succeed to the throne. The nobles and army would, therefore, divide into many groups. Thisgave a strong blow to the prestige and power of the government. Many experienced generals were slain. The succession war that took place among thesons of the Shah Jehan caused a great damage to the good-will of the Mughal dynasty.

Lack of ResourcesDue to the weakness of the Mughal rulers, the provinces of Bengal, Gujrat,Deccan and Oudh became autonomous and independent. As a result, the financial resources of the government became less and the government treasure became



empty. In the last days of the Mughal rule, the emperors were the pensioners of the British administration. Due to the lack of financial resources, it had become difficult to raise huge army for defence.

Backward in EducationDuring the period of Muslim rule the education system completely depended on the religious institutions which were run by the trusts. The Britisher confiscated these trusts. As a result, the Muslims lagged behind in the field of education. They neither cooperated with the conquerors nor did they want tolearn English language which was the fate way to modern sciences. This backwardness boldly affected their economic and political life. As a resultHindus occupied high positions in government offices and left the Muslims behind in every walk of life.

Luxurious LifeThe wealth and prolonging of the Mughal rule made the Mughal princes fond of luxurious life. At the royal court, the jesters and musicians were preferred to the brave and the warrior soldiers. Whenthe nobles saw that the flatterers enjoyed more respect and were honoured with prizes as compared to anybody else they also got temptation to choose the same course.

Undue Liberal Policy of AkbarAkbar was monarch marked with grandeurs.He made a number of conquests and set up




an effective administration in his vast empire. He was however, so liberal that he married Hindu women and appointed Hindu on key posts. Thus Hindus became influential and they began to exercise their powers in state affairs. Akbar also introduced a new religion Deen-i-Ilahi which led him to take such measures as were against the tenets of Islamic faith. This policy caused a great harm to his vast empire and led iton the way to decline.

Weak Military ForceThe Muslim rulers could not perceive thecall of the time. They did not give importance to develop modern weapons andlatest techniques of warfare. The Muslimsoldiers depended on arrows and lances which were not enough to meet the new challenges. The generals had lost courage. They had become so easy-loving that they went in litters to the battle field, and were accompanied by servants and women. During the sixteenth century when the European nations reached India,they took advantage of the weakness of the Muslim army and took possession of their territories. Decline in the military force is an important cause of the decline of the Muslim rule in the subcontinent.

Lack of Naval PowerThe Muslim rulers of the subcontinent gave no importance to navy whereas the European countries had developed their fleets which established their supremacyover the coastal countries. They could



easily conquer the new territory by applying naval force. The Muslims had nonavy to defend their coastal territories. In the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean the circumstances had reached the stage that the pilgrims had to seek permission from the Portuguese before proceeding for pilgrimage. The Portuguese openly warned the Muslims that they would wreak vengeance on them at sea if the later caused any harm to them.

Foreign InvasionsDuring the reign of Muhammad Shah Rangila, India was attacked by Nadir Shah of Iran. This attack proved a severe blow to the Mughal Kingdom. The massacre carried out by the invaders in Delhi shattered the economy of the country and the Mughal Emperor altogether lost his dignity. Later, the Marathas paralysed even the remaining power of Mughals. Even in these criticalcircumstances, the courtiers continued their conspiracies. The invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali destroyed even the remaining prestige of the Mughal Kingdom.

The Third Battle of Panipat though destroyed the power of Marathas, yet it only provided the Britishers with an opportunity to make their position strong in the Subcontinent.

Internal ConspiraciesThe incompetent successors of Aurangzeb made the Royal court an area of



conspiracies. The ministers and nobles were made about key posts and monopoly on state affairs. This struggle badly upset the whole administration. Jealousyand hypocrisy ruled the country. The nobles quarrelled among themselves for power. Such a state of affairs turned the country too weak to survive.

Loss of the Spirit of JehadThe spirit of Jehad has always been the main spring of Islamic Government. Akbarcaused this spirit by preferring Hindu to Muslims. After Akbar, the requirementof fresh blood to the army from the martial races of Central Asia had been stopped. The local recruits loved life of ease. The Mughal princes were indulged in luxuries. Life and the army had become indolent. This factor weakened the Muslim army and was no longer able to defend the country.

Foreign IntriguesThe English who had come as traders tookfull advantage of the internal anarchy. They conspired with Meer Jafar and became the masters of Bengal. The gold of Bengal made their success possible inthe Anglo-French wars in the Deccan. In Mysore, they won over Meer Sadiq to betray Tipu Sultan. They used their advance military power as well as intriguing tricks to weaken the Muslim government and succeeded in their imperialistic designs. After the failureof the Independence War (1857), they putan end to the Muslim rule and brought the whole continent under their


possession.Important NoteOur next issue, March 2010, will carry an exclusive forum on Islam and Terrorism conducted by JWT team at Kinnaird College. It will also cover interviews of PMS 2009-10 topper Ali Wasim and 11th position holder Muhammad Shahrukh. Besides, the coverage will include particularly for CSS students exclusives by veteran English Professor Muzaffar Bokhari and recently qualified Muhammad Azmat Farooq of Foreign Serviceof Pakistan. The issue will also cover regular features including articles by Shamshad Ahmad, Qayyum Nizami, Dr SafdarMahmood and renowned analysts.

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Home » CSS Special » Year 2011 At A Glance» Scoring Good Marks in Islamiat Compulsory Paper

Scoring Good Marks inIslamiat Compulsory PaperThe paper of Islamiat compulsory may be termed as a mix of Islamic studiesand current affairs. Therefore, the candidates are required to have good command over the topics of Islamiat prescribed in syllabus as well as current affairs. For this purpose it is imperative to remain in touch withnewspapers and magazines, especially with religious issues which are in limelight.

Year 2011 At A GlanceWednesday, February 01, 2012

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The 100 marks paper of Islamiat compulsoryis of tremendous importance in improving the aggregate of the total marks in CSS examination. A systematic study and technical approach is required for scoringgood marks in this paper. During the last few years, the pattern of Islamiat paper has changed and study of contemporary religions and current affairs has assumed important role in the this paper. At present, the paper of Islamiat compulsory may be termed as a mix of Islamic studies and current affairs. Therefore, the candidates are required to have good command over the topics of Islamiat prescribed in syllabus as well as current affairs. For this purpose it is imperativeto remain in touch with newspapers and magazines, especially with religious issues which are in limelight. For example, the issue of women rights in the backdrop of the bill passed recently by Parliament about punishment for offences of throwing acid on women and for depriving women from their share in inheritance or the Blasphemy Law in the context of murder of Salmaan Taseer.

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For having adequate knowledge about contemporary religions it is instructive to develop understanding of their important tenets, philosphies and rituals.The candidates must be able to distinguishbetween tenets and philosophies of Islam and those of other religions. The lecturesof eminent Muslim scholars like Dr. Zakir Naik and Dr. Israr Ahmed are very useful for study of comparative religions.

The paper of Islamiat Compulsory is the only paper of CSS where the candidates aregiven the option of attempting it in Urdu or English. In my opinion English is a better choice. The candidates who opt for solving it in Urdu take it for granted which results in dismal show in the paper.Reading English books on the various aspects of Islam requires more concentration and interest which in turn develops better understanding of the subject.

Reading translation and explanation of theHoly Quran is inevitable for better understanding of Islamiat. It not only helps the candidates to solve Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) but subjective questions also. Those candidates who are having reasonable knowledge of the Holy Quran can solve the Islamiat paper in a manner better than that of those candidates who are not well versed in the Holy Quran. The candidates must be highly careful while writing verses of the Holy Quran and sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Mentioning the number of the verse




and name of Surah gives a good impression about the level of preparation. The views about Islamic issues must be supported by relevant verses of the Holy Quran and authentic sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Inverted comas for verses of the Holy Quran and sayings of the Holy Prophet(PBUH) have to be used only when one is sure about its wording.

Time management is also necessary for all papers of CSS, especially for the paper ofIslamiat as the candidates are required togive answers of five questions in additionto MCQs in this paper. Whereas in other papers the candidates are required to attempt five questions in all. Proper and reasonable time should be allocated for each question.Reading English books on the various aspects of Islam requires more concentration and interest which in turn develops better understanding of the subject.



Indulging unnecessarily in sectarian or controversial issues and writing irrelevant and out of context material hasto be avoided. The answer of each questionshould be precise but perfect and to the point. One should not express self-made unrealistic theories and statements. Liberal and secular approach about fundamental dogmas and rituals of Islam ishighly unwarranted and Islamic laws shouldbe expressed in clear and unequivocal terms without any compromise or

consideration.

Recommended Books:-1. Towards understanding the Quran by Zafar Ishaq Ansari or Translation of the Holy Quran by Molana Ashraf Ali Thanvi or by Molana Muhammad Jonaghari.2. Introduction to Islam by Md. Hameedullah or Towards Islamiat or Islamiat for CSS/PCS by Farkhanda Noor Muhammad.3. Emergence of Islam by Md. Hameedullah

Expected questions of Islamiat Compulsory



for CSS-2012.1. Differentiating between Deen and Mudhab. Elaborate the role of Islam in giving lasting solution to basic human problems.2. Explaining the role of the Holy Quran as the fundamental and most important source of Islam. How can we claim that it is in the same shape in which it was revealed and is free from tampering?3. “Islam is not complete without the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).” Elaborate.4. How can we claim that the teachings of Islam are free from stagnation and are for eternity?5. Delineate the role of Zakat with special reference to the solution of economic problems of Pakistan.6. Examine the modern concept of Equal Rights in the light of the teaching of Islam.7. The application of Islamic Shariah is equal to men and women; however some injunctions are only related to women. Explain.8. Can we declare Pakistan an Islamic State in the light of essential features that are inevitable for an Islamic State?9. Non-adherence to the guidelines prescribed by Islam for the rulers of Islamic state has led to the present Arab uprising. Analyse.10. Differentiate between Islamic and Western concepts of Human Rights.11. Whether clash of civilisation is imminent or there is a way to avoid it according to the teachings of Islam?


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Home » CSS Special » Obama's Indian Visit And Pakistan » How to be prepared for Islamic History

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How to be prepared for Islamic HistoryOne has to take in his mind that CSS is not an examination to get a degree.

Obama's Indian Visit And PakistanWednesday, December 01, 2010

Introduction and importanceIslamic History is really a scoring subject and helps the candidates to get them allocated in the top groups of the CSS. One has to take in his mind that CSS is not an examination to get a degree but it is an exam where one has to compete with hundreds and thousands of candidates till the final allocation is done.

Problems of the candidatesSo, the candidates should be very careful in preparing this subject as far as the



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scoring pattern is concerned. After the dismal result of Islamic History in 2010, the candidates start switching their subjects from one to another without pinpointing where the fault lies. If the candidates keep changing their subjects itwould require more time and a new subject is difficult to be prepared. Therefore, one needs to consult why he is getting lowmarks in this subject instead of changing the subjects.

Tips to prepare Islamic HistoryIn this context, it is necessary to learn how to prepare. The first thing is to consult the syllabus and the past 5-year papers. It means one is on the track and he knows the latest trend of the exams. The next step is to make short notes and correct dates should be memorized as it isa subject of history.

The next step is to understand the question. As it happened in 2010 Paper I, when a question about Hijrah was asked andthe students were confused what is Hijrah.Some answered it as the beginning of Hijriand some students in other context. Hence,when the candidates do not know the exact answer how he can expect higher marks in this subject. Understanding of the question is the prerequisite to attempt this paper.The first thing is to consult the syllabusand the past 5 year papers. It means one is on the track and he knows the latest trend of the exams.Paper presentation and important authorsWhereas the presentation of the paper is



concerned, add more and more quotations from P.K.Hitti, R.A. Nicholson, Syed AmeerAli. Insert correct dates and the best method to secure higher marks is to get your paper checked by an expert of this paper. The expert will tell the candidatesabout the drawbacks and solutions to theseproblems. Here is the list of important questions for Paper I & II.

List of important questionsIf we see the syllabus and past 5 years papers, following questions are very important:Paper I A brief view of the major civilizations of the world Socio-political and economic conditions of the world before the dawn ofIslam Makkan life and difficulties confronted by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) Hijrat to Madinah, causes, effects andconsequences. The Charter of Madinah; its historicalvalue like political, economic, social, civic etc Battles; Badr, Uhad, Khandaq, Treaty of Hudibiya, Fall of Makkah, Khyber, expedition to Tabuk Farewell Pilgrimage of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) The Holy Prophet as a reformer, teacher and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) etc. Administration of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A); Ridda wars, expansion of the state, character and




battles. Hazrat Umar (R.A); Major battles, administration Hazrat Uthman (R.A) Hazrat Ali (R.A) Umayyad Dynasty; Amir Muiwaiyah, Tragedy of Karbela, Walid Bin Abdul Malik,Umar II, causes of the downfall of the Umayyad and administration of the Umayyad.

Abbasids Dynasty; Haroon-ar-Rasheed, Mamun, causes of the downfall of the Abbasids, contribution in the field of Science and Literature, short notes on philosophers, physicians, historians etc.

Paper II Conquest of Spain; causes and effects. Conquest of North Africa and how did Islam penetrate in North Africa. A brief account from Abdul Rehman Al Dakil to Abdur Rehman III. A brief study of the Muslims rule in different part of Spain. Contribution in Social and natural sciences like Architecture, Calligraphy, Painting, Music etc. Contribution of seminaries. How these advanced sciences reached Europe and consequently Renaissance Movement in Europe. Ottoman Empire, important caliphs likeMuhammad the Conqueror, Sulemain the Magnificent, Ottoman Tanzimat, administration and causes of the downfall of the Ottoman Empire.

AnalysisIn the end, I suggest that the candidates



should read the entire syllabus because there are some topics where subjective point of view is not important but emphasis should be on objective portion asthey are really important. Usually, Islamic History candidates do not focus onobjective type that is a major mistake. One has to read all the objectives from Islamiat and Islamic History MCQs.

Candidates had better read all the caliphsof Umayyad Dynasty though two or three areimportant but the rest are asked in objective questions and the candidates areconfused to see the name of the caliph. Sorevise and read all the caliphs of Umayyads, Abbasids, Umayyads in Spain and Muslim dynasties in different parts of theworld.

For further guidance: [email protected]

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Home » CSS Special » Hope We Still Have » Population Bomb

Population BombMost educated people in Pakistan agreewith the fact that the country’s population has been growing at an alarming rate during the past few decades. Pakistan was only the second country after India that started an official family planning programme about 50 years ago, while many other Asian and Arab countries did so later.

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Even though in Islam there is no bar in using birth control methods, our religious leadership has vehemently opposed family planning, due to the belief that family planning is against Islamic teachings.

Since the 1990s, the UN has organised a fewconferences where Muslim clerics from various countries have given their views onthis subject. There have also been publications on this issue, which clearly indicate that there has been consensus among early scholars of Islam that Quranic verses or the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) don't forbid or say anything against family planning. But apparently, religious leaders associated with the two major Islamic parties in Pakistan, think otherwise – perhaps due to lack of knowledge.

In the March 31 Geo TV programme, The GreatDebate – anchored by Hamid Mir and Iftekhar





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Ahmed – efforts were made to get the views of eight major political parties about thisimportant subject. First of all, the initiative taken – pointing out the repercussions of excessive population growth in Pakistan and openly discussing family planning in the presence of a young mixed audience – by both the journalists and particularly Geo TV should be commended.

While representatives of the PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, MQM, PTI and ANP were very encouraging about providing access to family planning services to women, one fails to understand why representatives of JUI-F and the Jamaat-e-Islami (supposed to hold the most knowledge about Islamic teachings) continue to oppose family planning, which they have been doing since the 1930s. It's unfortunate that not only their representatives but also most ulema and pesh imams are of the same view – that family planning is contrary to Islamic injunctions.

The role of clerics at the village level isindeed very crucial, since those who are less educated, and have very little knowledge about Islamic teachings, seek guidance from these so-called clerics on matters such as whether they should use family planning methods or if it is appropriate to marry their daughters off atpuberty (which is also not encouraged in Islam according to Imam Abu Hanifa). Indeedthree countries that have had successful family planning programmes are all Muslim majority states – Iran, Indonesia and



Bangladesh. These countries have managed touse their clerics to promote family planning services.

On the other hand, over the past decade, while top Pakistan officials from Population Welfare Ministry have visited these countries several times and have evenhad clerics accompany them, they have been largely unsuccessful in reaching out to menin the rural areas. Thus, those in our rural areas end up with an average of five children per woman as opposed to two to three children in families living in the rural areas of Iran, Bangladesh and Indonesia. During the Geo TV programme, therepresentative of the Jamaat-e-Islami had no answer when asked about the Bangladeshi Jamaat not opposing family planning activities in Pakistan.

It was interesting to listen to representatives of the PPP and the PML-Q, two women members of the outgoing parliament who are well known for their support to family planning initiatives overthe past three to four decades. They blamedlack of political will for the poor performance of the family planning programme in Pakistan. One wonders what stopped these two – having been in the corridors of power, each for over a decade,and also having served as ministers – from convincing their respective leaders to making population planning a top priority.

Since 1999, neither the sole military rulernor the elected government paid any heed tothis crucial issue. During the last 15




years, use of family planning methods amongwomen of reproductive age in Pakistan remained at about 30 per cent. Most of these women are educated, living in urban areas and are doing so either through the efforts of NGOs or on their own. On the other hand, since 1980, use of contraception among married women has doubled in Iran to 73 per cent, in Bangladesh to 60 per cent and in Indonesia to 58 per cent.

Consequently, whereas in 1980 there were 10million more people in Pakistan than in Bangladesh, now there are 30 million more people in Pakistan. Similarly, Indonesia had 50 million more people than Pakistan inthe year 2000. With a much higher growth rate, Pakistan's population will exceed that of Indonesia by 2030. Thus, Pakistan will have the distinction of being the largest Muslim country in the world – with a substantial proportion of the population illiterate and poor.Unfortunately, there is little possibility that Pakistan's population growth rate willdecline in the near future, since the Ministry of Population Welfare has ceased to exist at the federal level after the 18th amendment and at the provincial level,there is hardly any activity. In a seminar held in Bhurban recently, attended by the representatives of the four provincial governments (from the departments of healthand population welfare), it was pointed outthat there is no integration in the activities of the two departments as both have independent ministers and secretaries.Each has its own domain and is not willing



to accept the other as an important actor in the delivery of contraceptives.

This not only wastes limited resources, butdelivery of contraceptives also gets affected due to departmental conflict and lack of monitoring. It was also pointed outby the experts present at the Bhurban meeting that in countries where family planning has been a success story, there isonly one minister and a secretary in chargeof both population and health while there are two directorates each responsible for its own activities.

Ideally, the same model should be adopted in Pakistan. The function of the family planning directorate should be limited to publicity and motivation and that of the health directorate in the provision of services. Of course, NGOs should also play an important role in reaching out to women living in rural areas. Hopefully, the representatives of the major political parties will take this into consideration.

If they fail to do so, then five years later we will be discussing how to handle 220 million people instead of the approximately 190 million we have today. Perhaps some political parties will be happy that the vote bank will be over 105 million then. However, most will be much more demanding than they are now. The NewsNewspaper ArticlesArticle viewed 558 times.






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Home » CSS Special » TERRORISM A GRAVE THREAT TO PAKISTAN » Why our Universities are no Match to Oxford or Harvard?

Why our Universities are no Match to Oxfordor Harvard?It is a sad fact that our universities are still no match to the universities like Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Yale or Stanford which always make it to theprestigious list of world’s Top 10 universities.

TERRORISM A GRAVE THREAT TO PAKISTANSunday, September 01, 2013

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When it comes to choosing a university for aMaster's degree or PhD or even an undergraduate programme nowadays, Western universities are greatly preferred. One dreams of studying at Harvard or become a Yale graduate, but, why people don't look upto our universities?

A number of students particularly mention the superior infrastructure in Western universities such as better research facilities, state-of-the-art libraries and well-equipped laboratories. These things, according to most students, play a significant role in the quality of education. Students are attracted by the libraries in universities, the commitment and professionalism of university staff, andthe dialogue-based pedagogy.

Unfortunately, the quality of education in Pakistan is marred with a declining trend. Most public sector colleges have substandard

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education and insufficient infrastructure. The universities, too, lag far behind the Western universities. An immediate reason for this imbroglio is the lack of academic freedom. Our universities are not completelyfree of administrative control or, at least,bureaucratic influence. The chancellor is still a high state functionary. In case of provincial universities, it is the provincial governor while for the federal universities it is the President of Pakistan. The vice chancellor is his nomineethat means the bureaucrats have a major say in his appointment.

While the provincial governments exercise administrative control over university affairs, financial control is exercised by the Centre. But, there is no coordination between them. Most often the governments order to increase student intake without increasing the budget to provide facilities for them. The powerlessness of the administration before the bureaucracy creates hurdles in smooth functioning of a university. As many as seven Pakistani universities made it to the 2013 list of top 250 Asian universities while three other universities among the top 200 world universities in agriculture and forestry. Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad (QAU) secured 119th position among top 250 Asian varsities whileNational University of Science and Technology Islamabad (NUST) was declared 120th, Agha Khan University Karachi (AKU) between 151-160, Lahore University of Management Sciences Lahore (LUMS) between 191-200, University of Engineering &




Technology Lahore (UET), University of Karachi and University of the Punjab Lahore between 201-250 are now in top 250. On the contrary, World's most prestigious universities are autonomous and free of all influences of bureaucracy. This makes academics confident, independent and fearless.

Most Pakistani universities are staffed by the people who cannot be considered the cream of the nation because most top achievers opt for civil service or go into engineering or medical profession. Being a professor is not the first priority since noincentives are offered. Teaching is not a lucrative job in Pakistan. Hence universities do not get the best human resources. To aggravate the situation, thereis lack of proper teacher training centres. The incompetent and inadequately trained teachers are unable to impart proper knowledge to the students.

On the contrary, the professionalism of the professors and their absolute commitment arethe highlights when we see the Western universities.

“The professors here are committed. They areconstantly involved in the process of enlightenment and impart the best of their knowledge to the students. I see in them thespirit and skill of teaching,” says Ahsan Riaz, a Pakistani PhD student at the University of Toronto.

There exists an anti-participatory environment in our universities. Where Western institutions have a positive



attitude and an overall environment conducive to student support, Pakistani universities are bound by low teacher-student ratios leading to lack of individualized interaction among teachers and students. Students, therefore, are unable to push themselves for an effective learning environment.

Muhammad Ilyas Khan, a Leicester PhD studentsays in “A comparative glance at universities in Pakistan and the UK”:

“This reflects a philosophy of education which is really based on constructivism and where the professor does not consider himself the source of all knowledge but works with the student in a two-way process of knowledge creation and development. This is, besides others, the feature that universities in Pakistan need to adopt, if we in fact want our universities to be real centres of knowledge, creation and innovation.”

Most of the Pakistani universities are teaching centres, rather than being research-oriented institutions. It is generally believed that universities are supposed to teach and not to conduct research. The staff members see themselves as lecturers and not as someone who eagerly involves himself with the students in quest of knowledge. They merely disseminate information produced by others without doingcreative, original research themselves. The key behind success of Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge or Yale is extensive research in every field. The students who are engaged in



research are more in touch with latest developments often making genuine discoveries and receiving recognition for their work.

Along with recruiting trained teachers, it is high time Pakistani universities update their syllabi as well. The memory—based education must be replaced by conceptual study. Furthermore, the stereotype system ofevaluation must be reinvented. Pakistan has abundance of talent. This state has produced, and will be producing, prodigies like Arfa Karim and Asiya Arif.

Modern ideas, science, technology and the idea of education on scientific lines need to be introduced. The education sector should be provided autonomy as well.

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Home » CSS Special » WHAT AILS PAKISTAN TODAY? » Country with Vast Resources but Poor Economy

Country with Vast Resources but Poor EconomyPakistan is, undoubtedly, a developingcountry but with a dwindling economy. We have a large country and big population, fertile plains, rivers, abundant minerals and natural resources, but still we lag far behind

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in every field. There are multifacetedreasons behind the poor economy of ourcountry.

WHAT AILS PAKISTAN TODAY?Tuesday, October 01, 2013

When Pakistan came into being on August 14,1947, all the industries were located in Indian Territory and Pakistan, in the earlydays, faced numerous problems. Quaid-e-Azamstarted to cope with the challenges. He urged his countrymen to work for their country. He dedicated all his efforts to uplift the economy of Pakistan that's why he inaugurated the State Bank of Pakistan on 1st July 1948.

Sixty-seven years have passed since our independence but still we haven't been ableto get rid of the monster of “corruption”. It is indeed the greatest impediment in theway of economic development and prosperity.





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Every one of us is aware of the corruption,in every field may it be the military or the civilian governments. It is only the corruption which has adversely affected oureconomy to the extent that we, despite being rich in resources, are not at par with the developed nations.

The examples of Pakistan Steel Mills and PIA, once the backbone of our country's economy, have turned into a tale of misery.All of our institutions now present a sorrystate of affairs and the major reason behind is 'corruption'. National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is a shameful event in the history of our country. This black ordinance was promulgated to give the legal cover to the corruption made by the bigwigs of our political elite and, how ironic is the factthat the major beneficiaries were both civilians and army personnel. Thanks to theever-vigilant Supreme Court of Pakistan that NRO was never ratified by the parliament.

The incumbent government of Nawaz Sharif has come up with tall promises to eradicatecorruption and it is quite encouraging thatsteps have been taken in this regard. The poor but patriot Pakistanis have attached great hopes and expectations from Nawaz Sharif as they had given a huge mandate to PML (N) in May 11, 2013 elections.

A peep into our past history makes it vividly evident that the ruling elite have left no stone unturned to loot and plunder the national exchequer especially the



dictators. Now it is high time for the government to rebuild the country's economyand that too on strong footings now. There was never such pressing need that the elected representatives take concrete stepsand utilize their energies and skills to make the impossible possible.

Another major cause of this debacle can be attributed to the chequered history of democracy in Pakistan. Since independence, we as a nation have been deprived of the democracy because the democratic process was intermittently intervened by the military adventurers. Pakistan was still a nascent state when our beloved leader and the founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam went to the eternal abode. This was an irreparable loss to the nation as it created a leadership vacuum that has not been filled till today. Continuation of strong democracy promises the economic benefits. Political instability is also responsible for our poor economy because the self-interested dictators made such economic policies which favoured them and prolonged their regime. As a matter of fact, if we had been on the path of democracy since 1947, our economic conditions, and political maturity would have been absolutely different.

Recently, for the first time in our historywe have witnessed a smooth transition of civilian government. Undoubtedly, Pakistan is a developing country. Although we have abundant natural resources, we don't have modern technology to exploit them. Foreign companies extract our natural resources




just to benefit their own countries while giving the locals minimum royalty. If our government sincerely starts to explore the hidden wealth then our economic condition can substantially improve. By doing so we can stand on our own feet and be in a position to grant loans to other countries but who will dare take these steps? Pakistan is calling as it is the time to dosomething, otherwise we will perish.

The security dilemma can also be termed a reason behind our economic woes. Our eastern and western borders have always remained under threat. The security situation at present is precarious because of extreme insurgency in FATA and Afghanistan. This has hampered our economy besides a loss of around 50,000 civilian and security personnel over the last decade. The heinous acts of terrorism have paralysed our economy. There is no denying the fact that energy supply is indispensable in boosting the economy but Pakistan is facing acute energy crisis mainly because during the last twenty years, no government has paid proper heed to this sector as a result our economy has been in limbo. How unfortunate is the fact that still we have not developed any sound mechanism to collect taxes. Our tax machinery's lack lustre and apathetic attitude encourages tax evasion. The attitude of tax collectors must be hard andfor that purpose, proper attention of the government is essentially required.



Another cause is the neglect of agriculturesector by almost all governments. Pakistan has a lot of potential in agriculture and our government must properly plan to build dams and reservoirs without playing politics to bring more and more land under cultivation to produce a lot and in turn multiply our exports.

It is a grim reality that in our country everyone has some vested interests. Hardly any leader is sincere with the country in the truest sense of the world. Unfortunately, personal interests are givenpreference over state interests. If we start giving importance and preference to the state interest, then we will move forward in every sphere otherwise it would all go up in smoke.

We don't have an Aladdin's lamp in our hands that may make our economy strong enough to compete with the economy of developed countries immediately. However, our government can take initiatives


practically. Being an underdeveloped country, our gravest problem and the biggest obstacle in our way to development is corruption. The government must take harsh steps to eradicate this evil. If our leaders sincerely and dedicatedly work for Pakistan then that day is not far when we would be called a prosperous and developed nation. Many of our political leaders have their assets out of Pakistan. The incumbentgovernment must strive to bring them into our own country. If the government successfully overcomes this problem then surely economic prosperity and development will take roots.

For healthy economy, political stability and promotion of democracy are crucial. Therecent transition of democracy from one elected government to another is a good omen. A true democracy enhances trade and investment in any country. As a matter of fact, political stability, amicable relations with neighbouring nations, ensuring proper law and order within the boundaries, ensuring supremacy of constitution, systematic and urgent end of energy crisis, emancipating meritocracy will certainly boost up the economy of our country.

It is a matter of misfortune that we produce a lot of raw materials but don't have industries to utilize them. European and other developed nations purchase cheap raw material from us and sell the finished good at high prices in our own country.

Our newly-elected government must plan


systematically and execute them nicely and,if needed, ruthlessly. If our leaders do not take steps today then we will remain entangled in the jaws of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). We have to rely on our own resourcesand must start to work from today to be in a good position to assist and donate the developing countries within few years.

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Home » CSS Special » War for Peace » ARAB RULE in Pakistan

ARAB RULE in PakistanIt is believed that the Arab conquerors stepped in the land of present-day Pakistan through the province of Sindh in 92 AH, and established their first-ever state, under the marvellous leadership of Muhammad bin Qasim.

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But, the great warrior Muhammad bin Qasim and his regiment were not the first to tread on the land of Sindh and to make it their dwelling place, because the trade relations, by sea and land simultaneously, have been established between Arabia and India long ago. It is said that the ProphetSolomon (AS) used to get gold, silver, ivory and peacocks imported from “Sindh andHind” (India).

Early Arab Attempts to conquer the land of Pakistan

After the emergence of Islam in the Arab Peninsula, the map of the world changed within a span of years, and the trade relationships between the Subcontinent and Arabia got a new impetus. During the years of the caliphate of Hazrat Umar (634-45 AD), Muslims penetrated into Iran and occupied the Arabian Gulf which was a greatIranian trade hub as well as a harbour of



trade-ships leaving for the Subcontinent, China and Alexandria in Egypt. This geographical change caused the opening up of the political relations between the Subcontinent (Pakistan) and Arabia which culminated, at last, in the conquest of Sindh by the Arabs.Since the year 15 AH, some Arab commanders started attacking the Subcontinent. The manoeuvrings continued even in the reigns of Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali until they succeeded in capturing the Province of Makran in the south-west of Baluochistan.

Early Arab raids on Sindh

15 AH: The first Arab army attacked the land of Pakistan under the command of Usmanbin Abil aas Al-saqafi, the governor of Oman and Bahrain, in the reign of Hazrat Umar.

23 AH: Seven years later, four Arab generals, namely Hakam al-Taghlibi, Shihab al-Mazni, Suhail bin Adi and Abdullah bin Utbah, again marched on Makran and capturedit. When they tried to enter the land of Sindh, they were stopped by a Hindu commander Raasil who resisted fearlessly onthe bank of Indus River. After getting rid of Raasil, they planned to cross the river,but were called back again by the Caliph Umar.

29 AH: Another expedition was sent under the command of Hakeem bin Jablah by the Governor of Iraq to survey the land and people of Sindh as instructed by the CaliphUsman.




39 AH: During the Caliphate of Hazrat Ali, a force of 1000 men was sent to quell the rebellion from the people of the city of Kalat in Balochistan.

42 AH: The people of Kalat again started posing threats to the Arab state. A commander namely Haris Al-abdi along with his regiment was sent to tackle the problem. But he was killed and the Arab army had to retreat.

44 AH: To avenge the killing of Haris al-Abdi, Muhallab bin Abi Sufrah was appointednew governor of Makran who severely attacked on Kalat and subdued the populace.He was the first Muslim general who had entered the sub-continent through the Pass of Khyber.

46 AH: The people of Kalat killed Abdullah bin Sawwar, the new governor of Makran, andrepulsed the Arab army.

51 AH: The region of Kalat was rapidly going out of the hands of the Arabs. Rashidbin Amr Al-Hadeedi was appointed as new governor. He kept on fighting for whole year. On his returning back to Makran in 53AH, he was killed by the Meds near the cityof Sehvan Sharif in Sindh.

56 AH: Sinan bin Salma attacked Kalat but he, too, was killed.

59 AH: Munzir bin Jarood al-Abdi was appointed as the governor. He was, at last,able to establish a regular cantonment in



Kalat. Besides this, he conquered the cities of Buqan and Khuzdar in Balochistan.

75 AH: Hajjaj bin Yousuf’s rise to the position of viceroy-ship of Iraq and Eastern Provinces happened to be turning point in the history of the region. He re-opened the issue of the Sindh after it had been put into cold storage in the reign of Abdul Malik bin Marwan ( 65-75 AH). Had there not been the threat of

“Allafi Brothers”- the enemies of the Umayyad Dynasty, who had fled to the land of the Sindh, collected a band of supporters and got the protection of Raja Dahir-, Hajjaj would have left the issue ofthe Sindh un-attended. He sent Saeed bin Aslam Al-kilabi to fight them, but they gothim killed and started growing stronger andstronger, and, by the year 80 AH, occupied the whole Province of Makran.

85 AH: Hajjaj deputed Majaah bin Misar to teach them the lesson. No sooner had he reached Makran than the enemies fled away and took refuge in the court of Raja Dahir.

90 AH: The first direct naval attack on Debul from Iraq under the command of Abdullah Al-Sulami took place. The apparentcause of the attack was the “incident of Debul” which so gravely affected the Arab Umayyad politics that Hajjaj had to conquerthe whole province of the Sindh now called Pakistan. Famous Hindu historian KS Lal says:



“The king of Ceylon had sent to Hajjaj bin Yousaf Sakafi, the governor of the eastern provinces of the Caliphate, eight vessels filled with presents, Abyssinian slaves, pilgrims and the orphan daughters of some Muslim merchants who had died in his dominions, but the vessels were attacked and plundered by pirates off the coast of Sindh. Hajjaj sent a letter to Dahir demanding reparation, but Dahir replied that the pirates were beyond his control and he was powerless to punish them.”

Besides this, there are some facts which cannot be ignored. They are:

1. The lower strata of the Hindu society, like Jats and Medes, were hostile to the Hindu ruler. They had been forbidden to ride in saddles, wear fine clothes and to uncover the heads.

2. The Buddhists which formed the bulk of the population were “averse to fighting andwere always eager to make submission to theinvader without even a show of resistance.”

3. The king of Sindh, Raja Dahir, was


unpopular and was considered to be a usurper’s son because after the death of the last Shudra King, Sahasi, his throne was seized by Chach, the father of Dahir.

Hajjaj sent his army to fight the culprits,but they were defeated and a lot of Arab warriors including their commander were killed.

91 AH: Hajjaj was not ready to digest the defeat so easily. Next year he sent anotherwell-supported army under the command of Budail bin Tahfah Al-bajli, but, too, was severely punished by the son of Raja Dahir.The commander of the Arab army was mercilessly killed.

An Organised Arab Conquest

92 AH: The consecutive defeat of the Arab army at the hands of the Hindus shook the policy-making circles in the Umayyad administration. Hajjaj sent to the Caliph adetailed report of the events demanding permission for a full-fledged military operation to conquer the Sindh. Caliph Waleed bin Abdulmalik, after showing reluctance initially, approved the plan. Soa huge army, with 6000 Syrian horse, 6000 men, a camel corps of 3000 and a baggage train of 1500 camel, was sent, under the command of Muhammad bin Qasim, a cousin andson-in-law of Hajjaj

An Overview of the Arab Strategy

The Arab military establishment exercised amarvellous multi-pronged strategy to occupy

the land now called Pakistan. Here is a quick look at the major two phases of the military operation:

A. On the Western Side of the Indus

Muhammad bin Qasim landed on Makran in 92 AH and started occupying the cities situated on the western bank of the Indus. The first major victory achieved was in 93 AH when the city of Debul was occupied after a protracted fighting and all the Arab prisoners including women were released. Next came the turn of the city oftoday’s Hyderabad which was captured without any resistance. The Arab army then advanced to the city of Sahvan Sharif whichwas subjugated after a complete siege of seven days. Before crossing the River, the Arab Conquerors also took the cities of Boodhia and Bhakkar.

B. On the Eastern Side of the Indus

The crossing of the Indus by the Arab army proved to be decisive step in the ensuing war between the Arab Muslims and the Hindus. Had Raja Dahir stopped the Arabs atthe bank of the River, the situation would have been quite different. He let the Arab army cross the river easily which proved fatal not only for him but also for his kingdom. The Arabs made him the first victim of their onslaught. They besieged his city of Rawar for days and a bloody warcontinued between the armies till he was killed in the holy month of Ramazan, 93 A.H.

After the death of Raja Dahir, all other citadels of the Sindhhies, like Alwar, Brahmanabad, Harawar, Basmand and swandhri,were no more than a wall of sand. They all were occupied one by one in 94 AH.

... To be continuedJWT DeskArticle viewed 322 times.





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Home » CSS Special » Quest for Quality Education » ARAB RULE in Pakistan

ARAB RULE in PakistanIn the first part of this article — published in JWT's March 2014 issue — a narration of Arab invasion in present-day Pakistan was presented. This piece contains the Arabs' advancement to Punjab and Kashmir along with a brief discourse on the reasons which obligated their success that has indelible marks on the lives of the inhabitants of the Subcontinent.

Quest for Quality EducationTuesday, April 01, 2014

The Arabs in Punjab

After conquering Alwar, the 50000-strong

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Arab army headed towards Multan, the then capital of the Punjab. On his way, they subdued a number of other cities — Uch Sharif being the most prominent of them. At Multan, they fought bravely and routed a big Hindu force to capture the city. Here is an excerpt from the Chach Nama:

“He fixed his residence at Multan, with nearly 50,000 choice horsemen, as a permanent force equipped with all the necessary arms and instruments of war.”

Expedition to Kashmir

It is further written in Chach Nama:

“He next sent Abu Halim Shaibana with 10,000 cavalry to Kanuj, with a decree of the Khalifah inviting the people to share the blessings of Islam, to submit and makehomage to him, and to pay the tribute for the public treasury. Muhammad Kasim himself marched out with his army to the frontiers of Kashmir, called Panj Nahiyat and arrived at the place where Dahar’s father, Chach Selaij, had planted a fir tree (or a white poplar) and branded a mark on it. Muhammad Kasim fixed a fresh boundary mark there.”

Muhammad bin Qasim had reports that some Hindu princes along with the Allafi Brothers had taken refuge in the region ofKashmir. Nevertheless, when he was reaching near the border of Kashmir, he had to come back under the Caliph’s order and was arrested and then sent back enchained to Iraq where he miserably died



in a prison in 96 AH. Thus, one of the greatest generals of Arab-Islamic history fell prey to the palatial politics as the new Viceroy of Iraq under the new Caliph Sulaiman bin Abdul Malik (95-99 AH.) was determined to replace all officers appointed by Hajjaj, a crony of the previous Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik, with his own people.

Causes of the Arab Conquests

Many a historian is still amazed at the speed and the swiftness of the Arab forcespenetrated into the territories of Punjab and Kashmir. They tried their hard to findthe causes that predicated their success. A careful analysis of the events of these conquests reveals the two major causes behind their thundering victories: first, the splendid strategy of the Arabs, and, second, the blatant operational blunders on the part of Raja Dahir and his men.

1. The Splendid Arab StrategyThe Arabs adopted an excellent strategy that was devoid of any militaristic fault.Hence, their enemies could not resist. Letus discuss some major planks of their strategy:

a. Well-planned VictoriesThe conquest of the Sindh was not a suddenadventure; it was a well-planned operationpreceded by a series of border raids – since the time of Hazrat Umar up to the days of Walid bin Abdul Malik –aimed at finding necessary information of the area.




b. Making Makran the Central BaseIn contrast to the previous experiences, the Arab strategists this time made Makran— located in the southwest of Balochistan — as their central base for further manoeuvrings. The base was equipped with all facilities where army brigades from Basra, Kufa and Syria were stationed.

c. Sublime PreparationsThe level of preparation at the time of Hajjaj was so perfect that the provision of smallest things like sowing-needles andthreads was not ignored. Similarly a method of courier system was also in placewhereby the communication from Sindh to Baghdad would reach within 7 days. Death of Muhammad bin QasimIt is said that when the Caliph Walid sentfor Suryadevi and Parmaldevi, the daughters of Dahir, he first selected the elder for the honour of sharing his bed, but the damsel protested that she was unworthy, for Muhammad had dishonoured both her and her sister before sending them to his master. Walid, transported with rage, wrote with his own hand an order directing that the offender, wherever he might be when the message reached him, should suffer himself to be sewn up in a raw hide and thus dispatched to the capital.

When the order reached the young hero it was at once obeyed. He caused himself to be sewn up in the hide, the contraction ofwhich as it dried would crush him to death, enclosed in a box and sent to Damascus. The box was opened in the



presence of the Caliph and Suryadevi, and Walid pointed proudly to the corpse as evidence of the obedience which he was able to exact from his servants. Suryadevi, having read him a homily on theduty of investigating all complaints made to him before issuing orders on them, confessed that her accusation was false, that Muhammad had scrupulously respected her honour and that of her sister, but that she had had no other means of avenging her father's death. (The Cambridge History of India)

Chach Nama states:When Muhammad Kásim received this order onhis arrival at Udhápur, he at once asked his men to put him into a fresh hide. Thiswas done and the living parcel was placed in a box and carried away. Muhammad Kásim thus in a short time breathed his last. After his death the governors, appointed to different divisions of the country, remained in charge of them.d. Modern WeaponryThe local Hindu army was no match for the Arab forces at armament. The Arabs were armed to the teeth and they also had lethal and sophisticated weapons like the catapult called “Aroos” which was operatedby five hundred men. The Hindus had no answer for this.

e. Unmatched Courage and Endurance The Arabs were imbued with the belief thatthey were fighting for the cause of Allah.This emotion filled them with valour, courage and endurance throughout their testing times. Only one instance is



sufficient to prove their bravery and gallantry. Despite poor health, deteriorated psychological conditions, paucity of food, fodder and livestock for fifty days — when they were to cross the Indus River — they stood resolved and committed to their cause. A famous a Hinduhistorian, V.D. Mahajan, has rightly said:

“The spirit of adventure and fanaticism also helped them to win. They were inspired to fight harder as they felt thatthey were fighting for the cause of Islam.”

f. Penetration in the EnemyThe Arabs always treated the peaceful local population very leniently and mercifully. They also got the natives appointed for various local jobs like policing and revenue-collection, etc. Their acts overwhelmed the local populace so much that at Multan, Arab army reached fifty thousand, but only tenth of it was the Arabs.

1. Blunders of Raja DahirOn the other hand, Raja Dahir cannot be absolved of the responsibility for the total defeat he along with his forces had to taste on the hands of the Arabs. He, defending his soil, committed military blunders. Some of them are as follows:

(a) On hearing the arrival of the Arab army at Makran, he did not come out to stop them there. He remained in his capital waiting for them to come. He had been deluding himself that he would crush


them as he did with the previous invaders.

(b) He let the Arab army cross the Indus freely ignoring the advice of the Allafi Brothers to stop them at any cost.

Post-Bin Qasim EraAfter the death of Muhammad bin Qasim, theArabs, though, kept on ruling the area nowcalled Pakistan, but the majority of the governors appointed after Ibn Qasim could not achieve much, nor they could further expand the area of the Umayyad Caliphate. They, however, remained busy quelling the rebellions and riots caused by some Hindu warlords who had fled away during Ibn Qasim era, but now returned and reoccupiedsome regions of the Sindh. All this tumbling and deterioration on the part of the Arabs was for two reasons, firstly, with the emergence of many an opposition parties of the Umayyad Dynasty, the political structure of the Arab state underwent prominent changes which divertedthe attention of the strategists to some other activities, thus, the process of expansion came to a halt. Secondly, the tribal feuds between the Umayyad aristocracy contributed a lot in restricting the Arab forces only to the area captured during Ibn Qasim reign. Had there not been tribal clashes, the Arab army would have advanced further and further.JWT DeskArticle viewed 300 times.

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Home » CSS Special » War for Peace » JIHAD REALITIES AND MISCONCEPTIONS

JIHAD REALITIES AND MISCONCEPTIONSMan has always longed for peace: war

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per se has never been his cherished ideal. Yet wars have always been an undeniable fact of life. Notwithstanding the human desire for peace, at times wars do become indispensable.

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However, opinions differ as to when wars could be justified on moral grounds and when they are just a matter of sheer transgression. In tune with its claim to universality, both in terms of time and space, Islam has propounded its own everlasting concept of war, based on Divinewisdom and consideration of human welfare. Unfortunately, however, over a period of time, Islam's position on war has been shrouded in confusion and misguided misinterpretations.


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Jihad is perhaps the most misunderstood Islamic doctrine by many Westerners, and even some Muslims. To many people, the mention of the word “Jihad” normally evokesimages of bearded men shaking their fists, smoke bellowing from two towers and hooded men wielding grenade launchers. To make matters worse, more often than not, Jihad has come to be equated with terrorism something which runs counter to the spirit and substance of Islam. This has more to dowith the actions of a few misguided religious zealots than the intellectual handiwork of even fewer iconoclastic elements. Nevertheless, decidedly an overwhelming majority of Muslims, not only the intelligentsia but also the common believers, are and have always been averse to waging wars beyond the strict limitations prescribed in Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH).

To many Muslims, Jihad is the answer to alltheir sufferings, but to non-Muslims it is perhaps become the primary reason to dread Muslims. In a world that is populated by almost 1.5 billion Muslims, this issue assumes phenomenal importance. The word “Islam” comes from the root word “salam”, which literally means “safe” or “peaceful.”How, then, can a religion that declares itself to be peaceful be so violent and bloodthirsty? It is apparent that in recenthistory, the term jihad has been used wantonly to imply that Islam is violent andbloodthirsty.

In religious context, as described by the



Quran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad(PBUH), “jihad” has many meanings. It can refer to internal as well as external efforts to be a good Muslims or believer, as well as working to inform people about the faith of Islam. In the words of Gülen: “Jihad is … the inner struggle of a believer against all that stands between the believer and God.”

The True Meaning of “Jihad”Jihad is usually associated with Islam and Muslims, but in fact, the concept of Jihad is found in all religions including Christianity, Judaism and political/economic ideologies, such as, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, etc. Islam defines Jihad as striving and struggling for improvement as well as fighting back to defend one's self, honour,assets and homeland. As Campanili clarifiesthrough al-Ghazali’s teachings, there are two meanings for jihad.




1. The “great” jihad is the struggle for self-purification, in order to conquer the evil inclinations of character and behavior

2. The “small” jihad corresponds to war.

Also, Jihad is interpreted as the struggle against evil, internal or external of a person or a society. Jihad, in Islam, meansdoing any or all but not limited to the following:

1. Learn, teach, and practice Islam in all aspects of one's life at all times to reachthe highest and best education in order to benefit oneself, family and society.

2. Be a messenger of Islam everywhere, in every behaviour and action.

3. Fight evil, wrongdoing, and injustice with all one’s power by one’s hand



(action), with one’s tongue (speech), or atleast with one’s heart (prayer).

4. Respond to the call for Jihad with money, effort, wisdom and life; yet, never fight a Muslim brother, a Muslim country, or a non-Muslim society that respects its treaties and harbours no aggressive designsagainst Islam or Muslims.

5. Suicide under any pretext is not condoned as Jihad in Islam.

6. Converting people to Islam by force or coercion is never Jihad but a crime, punishable by law.

Does Jihad Mean Holy War?In Islam, there is no such thing as holy war. This terminology was generated in Europe during the Crusades and their war against Muslims. Islam recognizes Jews and Christians as the “People of the Book” because they all follow the Prophet Abraham, believing in Moses’ and Jesus’ teachings. For many centuries, Muslims havepeacefully coexisted with Christians, Jews,and people of other faiths, maintaining social, business, political and economic treaties. Islam respects all humans and faiths as long as there is no religious oppression, forbidding Muslims from servingAllah, preventing others from learning about Islam, and not respecting treaties.

Difference between Jihad and Terrorism Jihad and terrorism are essentially two divergent, mutually exclusive concepts.


Jihad is primarily meant for the reformation of unhealthy trends and developments in society while terrorism leads to destruction and obliteration of the whole fabric of society. Terrorism involves calculated perpetration of crimes against humanity, including physical and mental torture of soldiers as well as non combatant civilians, destruction of public and private property, and destroying civil and military infrastructure to instil fear and harassment among the masses. None of these things are brooked in Jihad.

In fact, Jihad is itself obligatory againstsuch actions. Unlike terrorism, Jihad is never initiated for the fulfilment of any human desire or objective: it aims only at the establishment of an Islamic social order in accordance with Allah’s commandments as revealed through his Messenger. Jihad seeks to resist all those forces which destroy the peace and prosperity of in humane society, whether such forces operate apparently for political ascendancy or other material gains. There is nothing that narrows the gap between the two, no matter how one may try to drag the actions of a few misguided individuals and groups into the fold of Jihad. It would be highly unjust and misleading to equate the wrong actions of afew with the noble concept of Jihad. Jihad can and should be seen in the light of the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, and not on the basis of the actions of this or that outfit.

Comparative Results of Jihad and Terrorism


As a result of Jihad, the honour, life and property and places of worship are protected. It eliminates injustice, oppression, fear and harassment, savagery and lawlessness and terrorism and the wronged gets relief. Although some blood isshed in the battlefield but this blood actually guarantees prevalence and supremacy of justice, equity and peace in society at large. That is why the blood of the martyr is so sacred that on its first drop falling on the battlefield, Allah forgives all the sins of the martyr.

Terrorism, on the contrary, leads to sheer destruction, disorder, fear, chaos and insecurity in society. Large-scale populaceis wiped out, properties are destroyed, andeven flora and fauna bear the brunt at times. Business and social activities are adversely affected. In short life comes to

a standstill and the world becomes a hell. Terrorists are, therefore, like a cancerouspart of the body, the sooner it is chopped off, the better for the rest of the body. Jihad is a means of eliminating those cancerous parts of human society in the interest of peace and prosperity of mankindat large.

ConclusionJihad has absolutely nothing to do with terrorism at all and the two are poles apart, in theory and action. Terrorism is an evil, Jihad is a blessing; terrorism thecause of human sufferings and destruction whereas Jihad is an antidote against suffering and destruction. Terrorism has nocivilised norms and knows no bounds, Jihad is a measured and disciplined response to the challenge posed by anti-social and anti-state elements, be they in the form ofinvading armies or morally depraved within the same society. Terrorism jeopardises thevery fabric of society and obliterates noble human values while Jihad aims at restoring justice, equality, rule of law, respect for human beings, peace and tranquillity. There never was, nor will ever be, any common ground between the mutually antithetical concepts of terrorismand Jihad.JWT Editorial BoardArticle viewed 278 times.






Home » CSS Special » Let's Make A New Pakistan 2014 » Present Problems of the Muslim World

Present Problems of the Muslim WorldWithin two centuries of the emergence of Islam, Muslims were dominating the world in all respects. At the dawn of

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the 9th century, Arabia, Central Asia,Africa, Persia and many parts of the Byzantine and Roman Empires were underthe Muslim rule.

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Muslims, on one hand, were conquering the lands in North Africa, especially Spain, and on the other, they were knocking at thedoors of France in Europe. This glorious period of expansion and consolidation continued till the 13th century. Although Mongols/Tatars caused irreparable loss to the Muslims in 13th century, their descendents, in later centuries, embraced Islam and played a significant role in establishing Muslim dynasties in Asia.

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GLORY TURNED INTO MISERYThe 15th and the 16th centuries mark the Dark Ages in the Christian world as they were plunged into darkness. At that time, the clergymen were openly issuing certificates to paradise. On the contrary, during this period, Muslims were leading inall fields of education and science.

But, in the 17th century, when Europe entered the Age of Enlightenment, Muslims were falling into darkness. It is worth mentioning here that till the end of 17th century, the works of Muslim scientists like Al-Razi, Al-Khwarzimi, Jabir bin Hayyan, Al-Batani, Avicenna, and philosophers like Al-Farabi and Al-Kindi were taught as textbooks in the universities across Europe.

Dawn of the 18th century saw the real decline of Muslims and emergence of a new Western civilization that is hitherto in progress. From 19th century onward, the Western civilization has been consistently damaging the Islamic spiritual, cultural and intellectual roots with their educational uplift, scientific progress, industrial development, technological advancement and political dominance.

MUSLIMS' SUBJUGATIONThe West has subjugated Muslims politicallyand has exploited them economically. After the World War I, the Muslim world was deliberately humiliated in the name of Mandate System. Moreover, same swaggering treatment was meted out to them after the World War II in form of colonization. Even



at present, the Muslims are the victims of malice and prejudice of the West. Under thepretext of the so-called War against Terror, firstly they were killed in Afghanistan, and then in Iraq under the garb of dismantling Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) which were, ironically, never found.

Muslims are being brutally annihilated in Pakistan and Yemen in intermittent drone strikes in sheer violation of InternationalLaw and sovereignty of the independent states. Nevertheless, despite all these odds, the Muslims have maintained their identity.

PROBLEMS AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM?There is no denying the fact that the Muslims are subject to serious agonies and troubles but it's not correct to blame onlyothers for our problems and the existing pathetic state of affairs. Most of our problems are due to our own flaws and, as Aristotle puts it, 'hamartia'. Presently the Muslims are entangled in the web of following problems:

1. IlliteracyIlliteracy and the backwardness in which itensues make the biggest problem the Muslimsare confronting nowadays for which we ourselves are responsible. In most Muslim states, literacy rate is pitiable. For example, in Pakistan, literacy rate nears 60% in sharp contrast to the Western countries where it is more than 95%. It's quite disconcerting that though we call ourselves the followers of Islam, yet we




are having such a miserable standard of education. We have probably forgotten that Islam makes it obligatory upon Muslim men and women to seek knowledge. The revelationof the Holy Quran started with the very word “Read”. Islam declares the literate people as thosehaving eyesight and the illiterate as thosewho are blind. There are some dogmatic views on education held by some short-sighted, bigoted elements within Muslim community who consider that the Muslims canacquire religious education only and they must eschew modern education. This absurd idea is against the spirit and essence of Islam which directs on striving for successin this world as well as in the hereafter; a far cry without modern education.

In this regard, Allah Almighty commands theMuslims in verse 201 of Surah Al-Baqarah (the Cow) to beseech in this manner:

“Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment on the fire!”

Every Muslim recites this verse in five prayers he is to offer on daily basis. Importance which Islam lays on education can be ascertained from the fact that in the Battle of Badr, 72 infidels were made prisoners of war (POWs) by the triumphant Muslim Army. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) set the condition for their release that a literate PoW could secure freedom by teaching ten Muslims. But, if this view of religion of only religious education were correct, non-Muslims should not have been



allowed to impart religious education to the Muslims. There are examples where many of Prophet's companions (RA) learnt foreignlanguages in order to conduct diplomacy with foreign countries. Similarly, the HolyProphet (PBUH) said, “Seek knowledge even if it is far as China.” But in clear negation of the Islamic teachings, the Muslims lack due attention on education, hence they lag far behind theWest in all fields of development. Former US President James Madison said, “Knowledgewill forever rule ignorance”. The present plight of Muslims bears testimony to this statement.

OVERPOPULATIONThe second most important problem that we face is the high population growth rate. The population of Islamic countries is increasing at alarming rates and the lack of proper management to ward off its negative effects is solely lacking, thus, making it a burden on resources of Muslim World which are already depleting fast. In developed countries, annual population growth rate is less than 1% whereas in Islamic states—like Afghanistan and Pakistan—it's more than 2%. Resultantly, poor parents remain unable to provide good education and sustenance to their children.Islam does not disapprove family planning if it is with mutual consent of marital partners. Even during the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), some companions used to practice coitus interruptus (Azal), a common practice of Family Planning at that time. Islam emphasizes on breastfeeding theinfants, which is a natural method for


pregnancy spacing. The pace of development and status of wellbeing of people is much higher in Muslim countries where populationgrowth rate has been controlled such as Turkey, Indonesia, and Malaysia, than that of those states where population growth rate is higher. So the Muslim world must prioritize the quality and not quantity of population.

DISUNITY The third biggest problem which the Muslimsface today is disunity and rupture among the Muslims, for which again we ourselves are responsible. On one hand, several Muslim states are at loggerhead with each other, while on the other, the Muslim population is mired in sectarianism, linguistic and racial prejudices. This sectarian strife has consumed lives of thousands of Muslims and has tarnished the image of Islam. Due to this unpleasant state of affairs, Muslim states do not havea united voice on international forums and none among 57 Islamic countries is a permanent member in UN Security Council. This course of action is contradictory to Islamic teachings which profess the establishment of a universal Muslim brotherhood irrespective of race, creed, colour and language. Allah Almighty says in verse No. 10 of Surah Hujraat (the Dwellings):


“The believers are but a single Brotherhood. So make reconciliation betweenyour brothers, and fear Allah that you may receive mercy”.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “Muslims are like a human body, when there is a pain in any part of the body, the whole body suffers”.

DISCRIMINATION The fourth major problem is the double standards and the discriminatory attitude of West and international organizations dominated by them. The internal strife of Muslims is responsible for this fiasco. TheWest always remains lacklustre in resolvingissues involving Muslims such as Palestine,Cyprus, Kashmir.

For instance, an independent state for Christian majority, South Sudan, was established within days of violent clashes between Muslims and Christians in Sudan whereas in 1992 peace in Bosnia was restored after countless Muslims were butchered and women raped. Similarly, the West has turned a deaf ear to the miseries and agonies of Muslims in Palestine and

Kashmir. In Palestine, Jewish state Israel,an illegitimate son of the US and the West,grabbed the lands of Arabs by force in furtherance of Balfour Declaration of 1917.Undoubtedly, all the inhumane acts of Israel are blessed by the US and the West. The recent coup in Egypt and West's response to it, exposes these double standards sufficiently.

NOT FOLLOWING ISLAM The fifth problem is that we have forgottenthe golden principles of Islam. This resulted in rise in social vices in the Islamic world. For example, many Islamic states are on the list of the most corrupt countries. We prefer wealth, political influence and luxurious life over simple lives in consonance with the teachings of Islam.

If the Muslims have to regain their lost glory, then they must have to strive for resolving these problems through adherence to the golden principles of Islam. email: [email protected] ur Rehman Khilji Article viewed 874 times.






Home » CSS Special » Let There be Peace » SHALE ENERGY NOW

SHALE ENERGY NOWShale oil (light tight oil) is rapidlyemerging as a significant and relatively low-cost new unconventionalresource in many countries.

Let There be PeaceSaturday, February 01, 2014

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There is potential for shale oil productionto spread globally over the next couple of decades. If it does, it would revolutioniseglobal energy markets, providing greater long-term energy security at lower cost formany countries.

Shale OilIt is a type of oil contained within shale,a tightly-packed source rock of oil, which has accumulated over millions of years in more conventional reservoirs. The oil is also known as kerogen oil, as it is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale.

Shale GasShale gas refers to natural gas that is trapped within shale formations. Over the past decade, the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has allowed access to large volumes of shale gas that were previously uneconomical to produce. The production of natural gas fromshale formations has rejuvenated the natural gas industry across the globe.





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SourceShale oil is contained within shale, a tightly-packed source rock of oil, which has accumulated over millions of years in more conventional reservoirs. Shale is commonly defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic matter that yields substantial amounts of oil and combustible gas upon destructive distillation. It means that Shale is a typeof sedimentary rock that is rich in kerogenwhich, in turn, is a part of rock that breaks down and releases hydrocarbons when heated. Hydrocarbons are substances made entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Petroleum and natural gas are probably the most familiar hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons in oil shale can be used as an alternative to petroleum or natural gas.Is It a Fossil Fuel?

Like traditional petroleum, natural gas, and coal, oil shale and kerogen are fossil fuels. Fossil fuels developed from the remains of algae, spores, plants, pollen, and a variety of other organisms that livedmillions of years ago in ancient lakes, seas, and wetlands.

ExtractionThe hydrocarbons are extracted by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock (kerogen) into synthetic oil and gas. The resulting oil can be used immediately as a fuel or upgraded to meet refinery feedstock specifications by adding hydrogen and



removing impurities such as sulphur and nitrogen. The refined products can be used for the same purposes as those derived fromcrude oil.

Source DistributionA sedimentary rock, oil shale, is found allover the world, including China, Israel, and Russia. The United States, however, hasthe most shale resources.

Capacity to Revolutionize Energy ScenarioAccording to a recent report by Price waterhouse Coopers (PwC) — a multinational professional services firm headquartered inLondon — the global shale oil production has the potential to reach up to 14 millionbarrels of oil per day by 2035 which amounts to 12% of the world's total oil supply. They further estimate that this increase could reduce oil prices in 2035 byaround 25%-40% ($83-$100/ barrel in real terms) relative to the current baseline EIAprojection of $133/barrel in 2035, which assumes low levels of shale oil production.

This could increase the level of global GDPin 2035 by around 2.3%-3.7% (which equates to around $1.7-$2.7 trillion at today's global GDP values). However, the benefits of such oil price reductions will vary significantly by country. Large net oil importers such as India and Japan might seetheir GDP boosted by around 4%-7% by 2035, while the US, China, the Eurozone and the UK might gain by 2%-5% of GDP.

Pakistan's Shale Oil




As of August 2013, Pakistan's proved reserves of natural gas stood at around 105trillion cubic feet (Tcf). Pakistan is leftwith only 50 per cent natural gas reserves as high consumption in different sectors has exhausted 50 per cent of the overall reserves of 54 Tcf by financial year 2011-12.

Gift of God to PakistanAccording to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), an agency of the US Federal Statistical System, Pakistan has 586 Tcf of “risked shale gas in-place” and 227 billion barrels of risked shale oil in-place.”

For Pakistan:586 Tcf of risked shale gas = 400 years worth of gas supply 227 billion barrels of risked shale oil = 1,700 years worth of oil supplyOf the 586 Tcf, Pakistan's “technically recoverable shale gas resource is estimatedat 105 Tcf which is 73 years worth of gas supply while of the 227 billion barrels, Pakistan's “technically recoverable shale oil resource is estimated at 9.1 billion.” For Pakistan, that is 68 years worth of crude oil supply.

World DistributionAmong the World's total technically recoverable shale oil resources of 345 billion barrels, following 'Top 10 Countries' possess about 280 billion barrelsJWT DeskArticle viewed 212 times.






Q.5. (A) Use ONLY FIVE of the following in sentences which illustrate their meaning (5)

(i) the last straw (ii) small talk (iii) hit rock bottom (iv) play it by ear (v) in a bind (vi) road rage(vii) Not worth the candle (viii) Leave in the lurch. (ix) Hard and fast.


(x) Weather the storm. (xi) Bear the brunt. (xii) Meet halfway. (xiii) Turncoat.(xiv) Where the shoe pinches(xv) Big enchilada

(B) Use ONLY FIVE of the following pairs of words in sentences which illustrate their meaning. Extra attempt of any Part of the question will not be considered.

(i) persecute, prosecute (ii) luxuriant, luxurious (iii) mean, mien(iv) observation, observance(v) naughty, knotty (vi) ghostly, ghastly(vii) hew, hue (viii) freeze, frieze (ix) grisly, grizzly (x) current, currant (xi) hoard, horde (xii) bated, baited(xiii) breach, breech (xiv) curb, kerb (xv) fawn, faun

Q.6 (A) Correct ONLY FIVE of the following: (5)

(I) To hit a person when he is down is a contemptuous thing to be done.(ii) In 1665, a great epidemic had caused the death of 63000 peoplein London.(iii) Because his lack of interest in the affairs of the society, the members decided to depose him.(iv) The boy collected thousands of foreign stamps since 2008.(v) We watched the airplane until it disappeared by the clouds.

(vi) According to activists, action must be taken long ago to preserve forests.(vii) When Sophia said that she was coming to see me I wondered what was the problem.(viii) The doctor suggested that I would walk on and try to get help while he stayed with the injured person.(ix) This house is built of bricks and stones.(x) The climate of Pakistan is better than England?(xi) He swore by God.(xii) You ought to have regarded him your benefactor.(xiii) My friend is very ill, I hope he will soon die.(xiv) He is waiting for better and promising opportunity.(xv) When I shall see her I will deliver her your gift.(xvi) Many a sleepless nights she spent.

(B) Change the narration from direct to indirect orindirect to direct speech. (Do only FIVE) Extra attempt of any Part of the question willnot be considered. (5)

(I) The teacher said, “Do not put off till tomorrow what you can dotoday.”(ii) The old man said, “May you prosper in life!”(iii) He said, “Does she understand English?”(iv) He said to his friend, “Will you accompany me to the market?” “No, I cannot accompany you as I am expecting some guests today,” replied his friend.(v) “Can you guess who is coming tonight?” said her brother.(vi) He said to me, “Why are you sad today?”(vii) “Thank you, boys,” said the headmaster, “You may go home now.Come here tomorrow morning at seven sharp. The national flag will be un furled at seven thirty.”(viii) “I am certain, I will succeed in my plan,” he said to his mother. Home | Login | Signup



Home » National/Regional » THE Inundated PAKISTAN » The ‘wicked’ war

The ‘wicked’ warInstead of continuing with lamentable “blame game” using Pakistan as an easy “scapegoat” for their own failures in this war, the US and its allies must accept the reality that for Pakistan, Afghanistan is an area of fundamental strategic importance

THE Inundated PAKISTANWednesday, September 01, 2010

Whatever their content or intent, the WikiLeaks on the US-led war in Afghanistan have indeed served a purpose. The massive “disclosure” of war-related documents comprising a vast array of material ranging from tactical reports from small unit operations to broader strategic analyses of

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politico-military situation in Afghanistan contains a clear indictment of how, and why,the US has been fighting this endless war.

At first glance, questions do arise on the very authenticity of these reports which have neither been verified independently nordisowned by the official circles in Washington. Those who had the time and spunkto browse through the entire data are left with the mystery of who could have access tosuch a vast and diverse range of intelligence with enough time and resources to collect, collate and transmit it to its unauthorized recipients without detection.

The image we have is of an unidentified individual or small group working to get a “shocking truth” out to the public. But there is no shocking truth in the leaked Afghan papers. They reveal no new reality. The shocking truth was known to the world all along in excruciating detail. Who would want to detail a truth that is already known, with access to all this documentationand the ability to transmit it unimpeded? Whoever it may be has just made the most powerful case yet for an early end to the inglorious Afghan war.

An Australian computer hacker, Julian Assange is the man behind these leaks. But this is not the first time a US intelligenceblooper has come to light. The famous Pentagon Papers commissioned by the Defense Department during the twilight years of Nixon Administration to gather lessons from the Vietnam War were also leaked by a formerUS military analyst, Daniel Ellsberg to The

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New York Times and other newspapers is a similar case in point.

Many people worked on the Pentagon Papers, each of whom dealing with part of it with only few of them having access to all of it.Yet, Ellsberg whom Henry Kissinger later described as the most “dangerous man” managed to access and leak the full version of the final product of those top-secret papers. Most striking about the Pentagon Papers was not how much surprising material they contained, but how little. In the case of the WikiLeaks, despite the enormous detail, what is revealed is also oflittle surprise and is not far from what most people already knew or believed about the continuing war in Afghanistan which no one, not even the US and its allied NATO governments and their military officials acknowledge has not been going well. The WikiLeaks portrayal of the Afghan war shows the US as badly caught in an unwinnable war.

This piece basically aims at addressing two burning issues of today.

First is the issue of attack on Hamid Mir, arenowned journalist and anchorperson. This attack, indubitably, is condemnable as freedom of speech is the right of every citizen of a state. But, the other side of the coin depicts a sad tale of blackmailing




and maligning the state institutions. The content aired by Geo TV for almost eight hours on the day of attack is not, at all, up to the ethics of journalism. However, theunfolding of events has landed the said channel at the mercy of Pemra. To quell the apprehensions of curbs on media organizations, it must be duly ensured that the supremacy of law is maintained and no curbs on media are imposed on the pretext ofthis sad incident. Everyone should remember that no individual or institution is above the law.

The second issue is the always-moaned belatedness of FPSC.

Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), the body assigned the task of recruiting newblood for country's bureaucracy, hardly comes out of hibernation. They seldom deviseany robust policies to address, in time, theissues faced by those who aspire to join thecountry's bureaucratic fraternity. One instance of such ineptness is the announcement of Screening Test which was announced to be conducted for CSS-2014 in order to sift the most appropriate candidates for the written part. But, it wasprorogued for CSS-2015 exam. But, till today, the matter is still in the doldrums as no official notification in this regard has been issued yet.

There is a widespread confusion among the aspirants regarding the actual status of theTest and, if conducted, the qualifications thereto. Even the method to calculate an aspirant's hasn't been announced till today.



Will it be counted from the cutoff date of Screening Test or that of written exam. However, ground realities suggest that if the former will be the case, then thousands of talented and rightfully deserving candidates will be drained away due to laxity — or more truly indifference and apathy — of the FPSC. Moreover, syllabus andpaper pattern of Screening Test — if it is to be conducted — is still unknown.Aspirants have a number of such confusions which are to be addressed at the earliest tokeep the cream of the country attracted towards the charm of joining the prestigiousCivil Services of Pakistan.

There is no denying the fact that preparing for CSS exam is not a matter of days or weeks. One wonders that how on earth the FPSC can assume that a span of only a few days shall be sufficient to prepare for the exam. No one would disagree that months of meticulous study are inevitable to be able to take up the challenge. CSS results of therecent years provide ample proof that the monkey business on part of the Commission has caused this nation the loss of numerous fertile minds.

The FPSC should, at the least, be as vibrantand active as the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) which keeps students informed and updated all the time.

So, it is prayed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to please take immediate steps to 'resurrect' the FPSC and make it inanimate like all Public Service Commissions in the region. It is also the direst need of the



hour that FPSC comes up with a new vision and prudent, executable policies if Pakistanis to compete globally in terms of brilliantminds. The traditional gimmicks won't work in this modern world of information technology. The leaked reports, mostly written by soldiers and petty intelligence officers make no new revelation, except that they provide graphic accounts of hundreds of unreported incidents involving indiscriminate and at times “accidental” killing of innocent civilians by the coalition forces in Afghanistan.

The reports also contain detailed descriptions of raids carried out by a secretive US “black” special operations unitcalled Task Force 373 against what US officials considered “high-value insurgent and terrorist” targets. Actual victims in these secret operations were invariably non-belligerent civilians including small children.

The sum total of this whole sordid narrativeis a verdict on the very legality and morality of this war. It is presented as an immoral, wicked war based on lies and deceit. This assessment is not different from a clear perception already discernible all over the world that it was a “wrong” warto start. Waged as global “war on terror” ithas only been a "semantic, strategic and legal perversion.” In the absence of a globally acceptable definition of terrorism,it is only a method of combat. One doesn’t wage a war against a “method” of combat without an identifiable enemy to fight


against.

An increasing number of security experts, politicians, and policy organizations consider the war on terror a counterproductive military process which hasnot only alienated the US globally but is also fueling a pro-terrorist sentiment and helping terrorist recruitment. Even the American media now feels that this decision was a big mistake. From being a righteous war when it started, the US war on terror isno longer considered a righteous war. It is considered a “wrong war” that has not gone beyond retribution and retaliation. No wonder, the message from the WikiLeaks is that the Afghan war is a “wicked” problem that must come to an end sooner rather than later.

According to a study by a group of academicsat the New York University last year, the idea of “wicked” problems, first articulatedin the 1970s as a concept, is applicable to the Afghan conflict. This concept denotes problems characterised by social complexity,a large number and diversity of players, a high degree of fragmentation, and contested and multiple forms of causality. Different stakeholders in a conflict beset by wicked problems fail to arrive at a common definition of the problem at hand, often because they disagree on the cause of the problem.”

According to this study, the ongoing forms of conflict in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are characterised by decades of failed US policy, and are classic examples of wicked problems. The claim that fixing the security situationin South Asia is the primary need of this region to address its other pressing problems is questioned by those who believe that poverty and economic underdevelopment is the primary form of violence and deprivation that needs to be redressed for the wellbeing of this region.

In the context of South Asia, any US policies that create strategic imbalances inthe region and fuel an arms race between thetwo nuclear-capable neighbours with an escalatory effect on their military budgets and arsenals are also no service to the peoples of the two countries. Wicked

problems require holistic analyses that do not ignore the possible effects of changes to other elements in the system, rather thanstrictly linear forms of problem-solving.

Let’s step back and look at the Afghan conflict dispassionately.

The US forced the Taliban from power. It never defeated the Taliban nor did it make aserious effort to do so, as that would require massive resources that it doesn’t have. It enlisted its NATO allies in an international coalition to fight this war which is in its tenth year and still remainsfar from being conclusive.

It has been one of the costliest wars that has lasted for too long, at least longer than the Second World War. No wonder, the people in the US and Europe, are already sick of this conflict, and would want their troops back without delay.

President Obama himself has been saying thatthe situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating. In response to a question last year in his interview to The New York Times, when asked if the US was winning the war in Afghanistan, he replied flatly, “No” also indicating that Washington might be opening the door for cooperation with moderate elements among the Taliban. White House officials are also now talking about seeking an "acceptable end state" in Afghanistan, rather than victory.

Ironically, despite his pr-election slogans of “America we are better than those last

eight years” and promises of “making the difference in America’s policies and in the lives of Americans as well as those of the people of the world”, President Obama still remains snarled in the Bush legacy and instead of restoring what he considered the “lost sense of common purpose” has only beenescalating the Afghanistan folly. As mid-term elections approach, the American peoplenow have access, thanks to WikiLeaks, to thebleak realities of the Afghan war including unreported civilian casualties and costly incidents of allied troops firing on each other.

Whatever the preferred end-goals, durable peace in Afghanistan will remain elusive without heeding to Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns in the region. Pakistan has already staked everything in supporting this war and is constantly paying a heavy price in terms of protracted violence, massive displacement, trade and production slowdown, export stagnation, investor hesitation, and worsening law and order situation. In return, America’s unrelenting indifference to its legitimate interests andsensitivities is beyond comprehension.

It is important that Pakistan as a partner and an ally is treated with dignity and sovereign equality. A country cannot be treated both as a target and a partner whilefighting a common enemy. Coercive and at times, accusatory and slanderous approach towards Pakistan and its armed forces and security agencies is both reprehensible and counterproductive.

Instead of continuing with lamentable “blamegame” using Pakistan as an easy “scapegoat” for their own failures in this war, the US and its allies must accept the reality that for Pakistan, Afghanistan is an area of fundamental strategic importance. If Sovietpresence in Cuba almost triggered a nuclear war in the 60s, India’s continued ascendancyin Afghanistan will remain a danger of no less gravity to the already volatile security environment of this ‘nuclearized’ region.

Shamshad Ahmad The writer is a former foreign secretary.Article viewed 2106 times.


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