CSS BRAINERY e-Magazine November Edition 2022

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5
2. Important Message ..................................................................................................................... 8
3. Reviews of Students ............................................................................................................... 9-10
A. National Issues ..........................................................................................................................................13-35
1. Assassination Attempts and Political Rivalry – Where are Pakistan’s politics headed? ............................. 13
2. Is Pakistan heading toward economic default? ......................................................................................... 15
3. Freedom of Expression and the Martyrdom of Arshad Sharif ................................................................... 18
4. Biden’s Nuke Remarks About Pakistan – A Dangerous Twist in International Politics ............................. 21
5. Pakistan-US Relations: As Fickle as the Weather .................................................................................... 24
6. The Controversial Oil Deal Between Pakistan and Russia ........................................................................ 28
7. Myths Around Pakistan’s Nukes & National Security .............................................................................. 31

B. International Issues ..................................................................................................................................36-53

8. NATO 2022 Strategic Concept: A New Cold War ................................................................................... 36

9. No Peace for Afghan Women .................................................................................................................. 39
10. Ten Essential Climate Science Insights for 2022 presented at COP27 ...................................................... 42
11. China’s 20th Party Congress: Cementing Xi Jinping’s Historic Third Term ............................................. 46
12. The Convoluted Role of MNCs in Global Politics ................................................................................... 48

C. Essay Section ............................................................................................................................................54-61

13. Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Nearing Three Hundred Days ........................................................................... 54

14. Climate Change and COP27.................................................................................................................... 59

D. Book Review .................................................................................................................................................. 63

15. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics ................. 63

E. Factsheet ......................................................................................................................................................... 65
Quotes....................................................................................................................................68

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Note:
If you want to contribute in this magazine, kindly send your Article, Blogs, Essays, and
Book reviews with your one-line introduction and picture at this address
aghashahriyark@gmail.com
Articles will be published with your name, bio and picture. Editor has every right to edit in
the given Article, Blogs, Essays, and Book reviews.

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1. Introduction
Assalam O Alaikum. I hope that all of you are in good health.
Firstly, I would like to congratulate all of you for taking the
first step: a decision of the preparation of the exam of civil
services of Pakistan (CSS-2023). Believe me, it is all about
taking this first step. I always believe that it is in your moments
of decision that your destiny is shaped. So, you have taken the
right decision and your destiny will be shaped according to it.
Insha Allah. As far as the question is concerned that whether you
have the required skills or capacity to qualify the exam, always
remember these words, “There is no more encouraging fact than
the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a
conscious endeavor.”
NEDUET, Karachi. After bachelors, I have cleared CSS-2019
and have been allocated in PAAS (Pakistan Audit and
Accounting Services). CSS was just a dream for me until I took
a decision and determined myself to turn this dream into reality.
The journey of CSS was challenging but with a complete focus, perseverance and diligence, it was
easy to complete the journey and reach the destination where I am today. Now come to the third
part: What is My objective? My objective is to show the right path, to give correct guidance and
to make things easy for the CSS aspirants particularly those who belong to remote areas of
Pakistan. As a student, I discerned many loopholes and deficiencies in the academies which
prepare students for the Pakistan’s Civil Service exam-CSS especially in Sindh. At that time, I
promised myself to open a platform for all of the future aspirants in future and emend those flaws.
This is the root-cause of taking an initiative and opening up an academy for the students to polish
their skills and headway towards CSS.
Once a student joins our online academy, he would feel a change and would be able to differentiate
himself from other students and academies. We started our batch-1 of compulsory subjects in June
2023 and we are also going to start our optional subject’s preparation from July 2023 in which we
would try our level best to raise a student and make him adept in the specific subject. We give
comprehensive online lectures and cover the whole syllabus of each subject. Moreover, detailed
notes are provided to the students after which they do not need to consult any other teacher or any
other source. However, whenever any new information related to the topic pops up, we make sure
to send it to the students so that they can update in their notes. Nevertheless, the students belonging
to our academy would be given entire updated notes in month of December as well. Furthermore,
we also conduct weekly test on every Saturday in which everything is taught in entire week is
examined. After the test, detailed feedback is given to the students so that they can work hard on
the areas of improvement. Besides, audio recordings of the lectures are also provided to the
students so that they can recurrently listen to them whenever they need.

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The main goal of our academy is to sharpen the writing, thinking, analytical and presentation skills
of students which are prerequisites of the CSS exam. To add further, we have incepted the
publishing of maga zine on monthly basis. This magazine consists of all-important articles related
to CSS examination, tips and tricks of CSS and Book reviews. Gone are the days when the students
had to read the newspaper daily and waste their time. Our magazine would contain every relevant
thing after which the students won’t need to read anything else.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing
of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle
AGHA SHAHRIYAR KHAN
PAAS

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1. Important Message for Every CSS/PMS Aspirants

Many Students particularly CSS/PMS aspirants have to play on several fields. They have to study
6-8 hours a day along with full time job in order to manage finances of household. Our many
female candidates, on the other hand, are facing the constant demand from their parents to get
married owing to the reason of unpredictability in CSS results. Besides, there is a large chunk of
students who gets depressed while seeing their university batch mates getting success while they
are remain at the same stage without any progress despite having great academic career and
education (I belonged to this stratum of students during my preparation phase to be honest) . There
are still others who are facing financial constraints to afford any big academies and teachers, hence,
fall in dependency and become doubtful about their potential. Finally, there is a segment of
students who doesn’t aware of its potential and remains skeptic about CSS and gets demotivated
often.
There is no doubt in a fact that it is very difficult to manage stress and keep one’s motivation level
high during the whole preparatory phase of CSS. However, stress is manageable, and all your goals
are achievable, only will and some technical adjustments are required. As one said” When going
gets tough, the tough gets going.”
First thing that students should keep in mind that they are not alone in this world who are passing
through this tough phase of life. Everyone passes through a certain kind of difficult period. Time
is not same all the time. The only thing constant in this universe is change. I know it seems hard
sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there's a glorious morning after
that. So, no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep your head up and handle it. No
season lasts forever because all of life is a cycle of planting, reaping, resting, and renewal. Winter
is not infinite: even if you’re having challenges today, you can never give up on the coming of
spring. For some people, winter means hibernation; for others, it means bobsledding and downhill
skiing! You can always just wait out the season, but why not make it into a time to remember?”
Also Remember that God’s delays are not God’s denials. Often, what seems impossible in the
short term becomes very possible in the long-term if you persist. Don’t forget the fact: Speed
doesn’t matter. Only direction matters. If you keep pushing yourself towards your target, sooner
or later, you’ll get that, and all will be history then.
Now come to another problem: How to be happy during this phase of life? Remember one thing
happiness is independent of external environment. It entirely depends on your internal atmosphere
and feelings. As Edmund Spencer said” It is the mind that maketh good of ill, that maketh wretch
or happy, rich or poor.” All is the creation of your mind. No one is absolutely rich, and no one is
absolutely poor, happy and sad. All are relative. Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal; it's
the courage to continue that counts. The problems which you consider impregnable today might
look fragile in future. Today, you might worry about the preparation of CSS, tomorrow you would
get worried about the results, then for interview and then for allocation and then for posting and
then for bureaucratic pressure. In short, life is a name of perpetual struggle. So, why not enjoy it!

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My message for every CSS/PMS aspirant: no matter what happens, no matter how difficult your
life phase is, enjoy every moment of your life without worrying about future. The only thing which
presents headwind to your progress is your worries and anxieties. Hence, drain your worries and
ENJOY. As Abdul Kalam said, “Yesterday is history; tomorrow is mystery; and today is gift that
is why it is called “Present”.
If you're reading this ... Congratulations, you're alive. If that's not something to smile about, then
I don't know what is.
Message from
Agha Shahriyar Khan (PAAS, 48th CTP)
(CEO of CSS BRAINERY)

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1. Reviews of Students

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For advertising
Contact: WhatsApp 03432374304

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1. Assassination Attempts and Political Rivalry – Where are Pakistan’s

politics headed?
Assassinations, target killings, political martyrdom – such statements have flown around in
Pakistan’s political realm since its advent. This has resulted in the assassination of many profound
politicians to date. From the untimely demise of Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951 to Benazir Bhutto
being shot in 2007, Pakistan’s politics have taken a turn for the worst as the evils of fascism, and
blood thirst for power seeps into the system.

Since his ouster in mid-April 2022, former prime minister Imran Khan has been vocal regarding
the alleged regime change conspiracy. His views regarding the establishment of the country, the
current set government, and bureaucracy have come under affirmative criticism here and then. On
the other hand, the response from the PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) hasn’t been one of
peace-making either. The polarization of both sides has reached a moot point from which the fear
of anarchy and destruction seems more realistic with
each passing hour.

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The toxicity within Pakistan’s political culture has reached a new height of bizarreness and
intolerance. The assassination attempt on the former prime minister seems to be the final nail in
the coffin of Pakistan’s politics. Not only has this grotesque attack hinted toward an upcoming
crisis but also added fuel to fire. Many questions arise from this chaotic situation such as the
question of who planted such an attack, and why was there no security measures taken. Moreover,
what seems even more confusing in this fiasco is the contradictory statements put forward by the
alleged shooter Muhammad Naveed. There is no secrecy behind the influence of certain groups
and institutions' interference in the political realm. Henceforth, many critics are of the view that
this is all a ploy to create a political ground without Mr. Imran Khan for the next general elections.

Concerns from not only within the country but throughout the globe poured for the speedy recovery
of the former prime minister after he was shot in the shin. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudue
shared his warm wishes and prayers for Mr. Imran Khan regarding this incident. Moreover,
Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Kingdom also followed suit.

Even though Mr. Imran Khan and his political party are known to be the largest federal political
party in Pakistan with very high popularity; still the former prime minister was unable to file an
FIR against the people he held responsible for this horrific shooting.

Along with that, it is necessary to keep in mind that again it is the nation that is being rammed and
bullied like a herd of sheep at the hands of the politicians because of the prevailing economic crisis.
The risk of the country going into default is again making rounds and the risk of Pakistan’s national
security being comprised hangs like a Damocles sword on everyone’s head.

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Indeed this country has faced many tiring times and devastation in the past three decades, there is
always the ray of hope that it will brace and rise from the ashes. While the country is set up for
another challenge, all individuals as a nation must not look for an escape route, rather they must
act as the iron and steel to protect their homeland. This isn’t a matter of political competition but
a matter of lives and our homeland in heaps of jeopardy.

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2. Is Pakistan heading toward economic default?

Rumour has it that Pakistan is heading towards default. But is it true that the nation is welcoming
Sri Lanka’s economic fate as well?
Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves hit a record low in May. The country stopped making its
debt payments and entered a severe economic crisis. Sri Lanka was heavily indebted and had more
than $7 billion in foreign debt that needed to be repaid to various creditors this year.
It barely possessed $1.6 billion worth of foreign exchange reserves, nevertheless. They were,
therefore, unable to pay for the importation of goods they needed and pay off foreign debt.
Now, is Pakistan heading towards a default? Many people on social media are equating the current
economic crisis with that of Sri Lanka, but there is no real basis for these similarities.
Contrary to the ongoing belief, the Pakistani government will be able to come to a solution to this
problem. The government will be able to meet its $33.5 billion in external finance demands this
year, despite claims to the contrary from various economists, according to the acting governor of
the State Bank.
The acting governor of the State Bank reassured that Pakistan’s fiscal standing is far superior to
that of Sri Lanka and other defaulting countries.
Pakistan’s Economy & Debt
The current dollar rate has gone up to Rs 235.44 depicting a major decrease in the value of the
Pakistani Rupee. Investors are now unsure of their investments as the rupee devaluation has been
sparked by the chaotic movements in the currency markets and the shrinking foreign exchange
reserves.
The Acting State Bank Governor recently predicted that the rupee will stabilize at roughly 200
against the dollar once funds start to trickle in from the IMF and other friendly countries.
The overall foreign exchange reserves of the nation are $13 billion, of which $9.2 billion are in
the foreign exchange account and $3.8 billion are in gold, according to the central bank. In light
of these numbers, the central bank has an adequate safety net to close the funding gap for this fiscal
year.
How is Pakistan Safe From Defaulting?
Although the news of Pakistan defaulting is circulating over the internet, the State Bank of Pakistan
(SBP) has to say otherwise. The economic situation of Pakistan is not as bad as it is rumoured, and
the government has been taking extreme measures to curtail any harmful foreseeable crisis. Here
is how:
Increasing Fuel and Gas Prices
To protect the economy from going bankrupt, the government of Pakistan increased fuel and gas
prices to prevent further debt issues.

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By taking this step, the government was able to control the upcoming risk of defaulting, just like
that of Sri Lanka. It is said that the situation of Sri Lanka has been going towards defaulting,
however, no timely step was taken which ultimately led to such a massive economic downturn.
Flexible Exchange Rate
Let’s look at Sri Lanka’s situation– when the economic crises hit them, they kept their currency
overvalued which completely jeopardised their economic and financial situation.
On the contrary, Pakistan devalued its currency at the right time, making it easier to deal with the
risk of default. Evidently, a lot of potential damage was already controlled.
Macroeconomic Policies
The Pakistani government altered its macroeconomic policies by controlling its imports during the
economic turmoil to prevent massive chaos from happening.
A ban was imposed on luxury goods to reduce the number of imports entering the country. The
economy is dependent on imported commodities, however, Pakistan’s government strategically
imposed restrictions on luxury goods to curtail the increase in import bills.
Debt Payments
The current debt payable for Pakistan is estimated to be around $38 billion. To get out of the
prevailing debt situation, the government increased the price of gasoline and petrol by 30 rupees
per litre in the previous week.
Even though its payable debt is equivalent to that of Sri Lanka’s, Pakistan is in a much better
position to pay off its debts and stabilise its economy.
The Bottom Line
Undoubtedly, Pakistan is going through a tough economic situation, and it will take months to
stabilise the balance of payments and the persistent rise in prices.
The government has no choice but to work on its microeconomic and macroeconomic policies to
save the economy from going bankrupt and minimise the country’s current account deficit.

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3. Freedom of Expression and the Martyrdom of Arshad Sharif

The Dilemma of Freedom of Expression in Pakistan
Freedom of expression is a universally determined right of every individual regardless of
color, caste, creed, religion, gender, and other factors. It is embedded in Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Despite this, freedom of expression is exercised
under multiple restrictions, globally. Interestingly, even in a country like the United States of
America, freedom of expression is under immense restrictions.
Pakistan is not an exceptionally different democracy. Like other democracies, the right to
freedom of expression is conditional and restricted in Pakistan in terms of religion and
matters of national security. This is stated in Article 19 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan
which says, “freedom of speech is guaranteed to all citizens albeit with certain restrictions
that include ‘glory of Islam’, ‘law and order’ and ‘national security’.”
Generally, these restrictions have been exploited against religious minorities on account of
blasphemy and against journalists who are persecuted for having an anti-government or anti-
establishment narrative. According to a 2015 report by Freedom Network, 2014 was marked
with the blood of journalists.
In recent years, Pakistan has undergone various key developments that have further
exacerbated the dilemma of free speech. In 2015, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory
Authority (PEMRA) established a code of conduct that limited media to speak on certain
issues during live coverage.
The 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) introduced by former PM Imran
Khan is inconsistent with the true spirit of the constitution, posing another question mark on
the status of freedom of speech in Pakistan.
The Assassination of Arshad Sharif
He was a 49-year-old journalist who was brutally shot dead in Kenya on 23rd October while
he was travelling from Magadi to Nairobi. Ever since the death of Arshad Sharif, the story is
being turned and twisted and has become nothing but a mystery. The murder of Arshad
Sharif has led to a massive outcry from the masses, demanding a fair investigation from the
state authorities.
Born in 1973 in Karachi, he started his journalistic career early by working as a freelance
journalist who developed his interest in investigative journalism, a field he later pursued.
Later in 1999, he landed his first job at a weekly journal called “The Pulse” and worked there
as Managing Editor. He continued his journalism career in defense and international affairs
and mostly reported on conflicts in different areas of Pakistan.

In 2012, he was awarded the “AGAHI Award” because of his profound contributions to
Pakistan’s war on terror, and later in 2016, he became the “investigative journalist of the

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year.” In 2018, he was honored as the “Anchor of the Year” and in 2019, he received the
“Pride of Performance” Award.
Arshad Sharif had always been a vocal critic of the current government of PML-N and
always supported an anti-military narrative. He was compelled to leave Pakistan because of
his staunch views and before that, he had been facing sedition charges.
His TV program was also banned after it made headlines that the military was involved in the
ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He fled to U.A.E and later to Kenya. His
courage and bravery made him a victim of targeted killing and took him to his everlasting
abode, leaving a wife and five kids behind.
Official Response
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, tweeted that “I am deeply saddened by the
shocking news” of Sharif’s death. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan also expressed his
grief in a tweet where he said, “shocked at the murder of Arshad Sharif who paid the ultimate
price of speaking the truth-his life.”
PM Shahbaz also had a telephone conversation with the Kenyan President, William Ruto,
and requested the Kenyan President to ensure a fair and transparent investigation into the
shocking incident. An inquiry committee has been made to investigate the murder. The
investigation committee consists of Lt Col Saad Ahmed of ISI, IB Deputy Director-General
Shahid Hamid, and Athar Waheed who is the Director of FIA. In addition to this, the foreign
ministry and officials from Pakistan’s High Commissioner will assist the team.
Faisal Vawda, once a minister in Khan’s government, made remarks about the death of
Arshad Sharif. He alleged that even though he was killed in Kenya, the plan was hatched in
Pakistan, but not by the establishment and he had evidence to prove it. In addition to this, Lt
General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum held a press conference and addressed the journalistic
community, and named a whole series of people, including senior media figures, who knew
about Sharif’s movements and may somehow have been connected to his death.
Role of the Kenyan Police
According to Missing Voices Kenya, since 2007, 1286 people have been killed by Kenya’s
police force. In addition to this, there have been 241 enforced disappearances in the past 15
years. As far as the death of Arshad Sharif is concerned, the Kenyan police have been giving
different statements in different instances.

On one account, they are found saying that they shot at the vehicle because they suspected
Sharif to be travelling in a stolen vehicle they were searching for. Arshad Sharif’s driver
disobeyed the order to stop at the roadblock, so the police shot at the vehicle eight times.
Later, they said that they shot in self-defense as one individual from inside the vehicle
opened fire first.

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Various statements and questions coming from prominent Kenyan personalities also point
fingers at the Kenyan police. Kenyan legal practitioner and renowned lawyer Ahmednasir
Abdullahi also shared his thoughts on Twitter and said that the photo he had of Sharif after
he was killed clearly communicates the accident was a “professional hit job.”
A Kenyan journalist, Eliud Kibii, also added that the pattern in which the bullets hit the
vehicle showed that the target was Sharif. Bruno Shioso, the spokesman for Kenya’s
National Police Service, only made a statement that local authorities were currently
investigating the murder.
While the nation was wrapping its head around the brutal murder of the journalist, another
twist in this gruesome incident. The recent presser released by PML(N) spokesperson along
with his lawyer in London, where he alleges the party leader Mian Muhammad Nawaz
Shareef to be a mastermind behind the murder of Shaheed Arshad Shareef as well as the
shooting of former Prime Minister Imran Khan where, Mr. Imran Khan got injured and shot
in the leg. This seems to have opened up another pandora box. All one hope for now is that
justice prevails and the family of the departed are given the privacy they need and not tested
further during this tough time.
All eyes are now on the supreme court and the United Nations for a trial as has been
requested by the mother of late Arshad Shareef. One can now hope that the judicials and
officials fulfill their duty and Shaheed Arshad Shareef’s sacrifice is not forgotten.

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4. Biden’s Nuke Remarks About Pakistan – A Dangerous Twist in International

Politics

US president said Pakistan is one of the ‘most dangerous’ nations which has ‘nuclear
weapons without any cohesion’.

Pakistan’s foreign minister says the US ambassador to the country has been summoned
after President Joe Biden said Pakistan “may be one of the most dangerous” countries in
the world which had “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.
The 79-year-old Biden made the comments in a speech at a reception of the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee on Thursday, in which he also touched upon the war
in Ukraine, China and domestic issues.
Speaking in the context of China and his relationship with President Xi Jinping, Biden
said, “This is a guy [Xi Jinping] who understands what he wants but has an enormous,
enormous array of problems. How do we handle that? How do we handle that relative to
what’s going on in Russia? And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations
in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Saturday during a news
conference in the southern port city of Karachi that he was “surprised” by Biden’s
statement. “I believe this is exactly the sort of misunderstanding that is created when
there is a lack of engagement,” he added.

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Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he did not believe summoning the
US Ambassador will negatively affect Islamabad’s relations with Washington DC
“If there is any question as to nuclear safety, then they should be directed to our
neighbour India, who very recently accidentally fired a missile into Pakistani territory,”
Bhutto-Zardari said, citing the firing of a supersonic missile into Pakistan on March 9.
The 34-year-old asserted that he did not think the decision to summon Ambassador
Donald Blome will negatively affect Islamabad’s relations with the US.
“We will continue on the positive trajectory of engagements we are having so far,” he
said.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also rejected Biden’s remarks, asserting his
country was a “responsible nuclear state”.
“We are proud that our nuclear assets have the best safeguards as per IAEA requirements.
We take these safety measures with the utmost seriousness. Let no one have any doubts,”
he tweeted.
Meanwhile on Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre when
questioned on Biden’s comments, said the president “views a secure and prosperous
Pakistan as critical to US interests”.
The controversy came just more than a week after Pakistan’s military chief, General
Qamar Bajwa, made a trip to the US and held high-level meetings with US Secretary of
Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Moreover, last month, Sharif thanked Biden for highlighting and urging the international
community to help the South Asian nation recover from devastating floods that have
affected some 30 million people.
‘Unwarranted’
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday condemned Biden’s remarks,
saying the US president had reached an “unwarranted conclusion”.
“[H]aving been prime minister, I know we have one of the most secure nuclear command
and control systems,” he tweeted.
“Unlike the US which has been involved in wars across the world, when has Pakistan
shown aggression, especially post-nuclearisation?

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Khan said Biden’s statement showed that the current Pakistani government – led by
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif – was a “total failure” on foreign policy and “its claims of
‘reset of relations with US'”.
Sharif’s brother and former prime minister also criticised the US president’s remarks,
saying that Pakistan was a “responsible nuclear state”.
“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state that is perfectly capable of safeguarding its
national interest whilst respecting international law and practices,” Nawaz Sharif said on
Twitter.
During the previous decade, Pakistan has steadily moved towards its regional ally China
for its economic and defence needs, resulting in a gradual cooling-off in its relationship
with Washington.
The relationship between the two nuclear-armed nations worsened as Washington
accused Islamabad of providing safe haven to Taliban leaders. Pakistan has repeatedly
denied the allegations.
Khan was removed from power in April after an opposition alliance brought a no-
confidence motion against his government. The former cricketer-turned-politician has
accused the US of conspiring with the opposition.

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5. Pakistan-US Relations: As Fickle as the Weather

Initial years
During its initial years, Pakistan had the opportunity to develop strong relations with either
Russia or the US; Pakistan chose the latter. In 1954, the United States and Pakistan signed a
Mutual Defense Assistance agreement which allowed the United States to establish a Military
Assistance Advisory Group while Pakistan sent a number of its soldiers to the US to receive
training.
Two years later, Dwight D. Eisenhower requested Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the prime
minister at the time, to lease Peshawar Air Station. The request was granted and the base was
utilized to covertly monitor the activities of the Soviet Union. This transactional relationship
continued well into the 1960s when Pakistan entered the 1965 war with India.
As India was also an ally of the United States, deploring the two countries for their actions was
considered a necessity. The half-billion dollar aid that the US provided to the nascent country of
Pakistan was ceased and sanctions were imposed on both India and Pakistan.
This ultimately resulted in an economic collapse for Pakistan, as it did not possess the means to
operate its internal functions without foreign aid. It was certain that Pakistan had become
dependent on the money and humanitarian aid that it received from the United States.

Cold War Era

During the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan was a key ally of the United States.
Both even enjoyed cordial relations with each other. Over the course of a decade, Pakistan and
the United States worked together to prevent the Soviet Union from further advancing into the
region.

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As Pakistan provided a passageway into Afghanistan to the United States military personnel, the
United States returned the favor by granting billions of dollars to the country with respect to
military and economical aid. Additionally, the United States used Mujahideen as proxies to
counter the Soviet forces in Afghanistan; this was done with the support of Pakistan’s
intelligence agency.
Consequently, the porous border along with the intermingling of two disparate countries
percolated the Kalashnikov and drug culture to Pakistan. However, after the end of the Soviet
war, the relationship again took a negative turn. The Pressler amendment was a basis upon which
sanctions were imposed on Pakistan for alleged nuclear proliferation in 1990. By this time,
Pakistan had lost its value as a critical ally of the United States, and its strategic importance to
the US had decreased.
The Late 1990s
In 1995, Benazir Bhutto visited the United States and requested the removal of sanctions. In
response to her pleas, the Brown amendment was enacted which released the $368 million
military equipment that Pakistan had purchased from the United States but never received due to
the sanctions imposed in 1990. However, even then, the sanctions remained in place.
Several years later in 1998, Nawaz Sharif approved nuclear tests in Chagai Hills, Balochistan on
May 28, in retaliation to the nuclear tests conducted in India. Consequently, the Clinton
administration condemned the act and under the Glenn amendment, imposed sanctions on both
India and Pakistan.
The Glenn amendment included the suspension of aid, loans, grants, and creditors from the
United States, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. Thus, rendering them both
ineligible to obtain any form of assistance from international sources. However, at the end of
1998, the sanctions were lifted when Pakistan and India purchased agricultural products from US
farmers.
Early 2000
The War on Terror was waged after the tragic 9/11 incident took the lives of 2996 innocent
people. President George W. Bush demanded the compliance and support of all countries lest
they be viewed as harborers of terrorist groups. In a special call to President Parvez Musharaf,
President Bush said “Either you are with us or against us”. Therefore, leaving no room for
Pakistan to consider alternative approaches.
Naturally, Pakistan chose to assist the United States to the best of its ability, providing them a
passageway into Afghanistan, yet once again. Paraphernalia and other resources were traversed
through Pakistan before they reached their final destination, Afghanistan. Despite these crucial
efforts by Pakistan to placate the superpower, the United States criticized and alleged that the
Pakistani intelligence agencies tipped off Jihadists.
The trust deficiency increased when Osama Bin Laden, the most wanted person by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, was thought to be hiding in Abbottabad, just half a mile from Pakistan’s

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military academy. In an effort to furtively capture Osama Bin Laden, a secret operation by the
name of Operation Neptune Spear was launched by the United States Army’s SEAL team six on
May 2, 2011. They raided the compound in Abbottabad and ostensibly killed Osama Bin Laden
within nine minutes.
The United States ultimately ended its 20-year-long war against terrorism on August 15, 2021.
The war was the longest and most costly war the United States had ever engaged in. However,
by then, Pakistan was yet again abandoned by the United States, who had cleverly used the
country and its resources before leaving it lost amidst the chaos ensuing in its neighboring
country.

Current Situation
After the end of the War on Terror, the United States diverted its attention to countering China
and bolstering its military presence in the Indo-Pacific. The value Pakistan held for the United
States during the Soviet cold war has completely dissipated along with its evacuations from the
region.
However, after the catastrophic deluge that occurred in Balochistan and Sindh, the United States
provided $30 million to Pakistan to provide relief to those who had been severely affected by the
2022 floods. Then on October 15, 2022, in a recent press statement, Joe Biden, the current
president of the United States, stated that Pakistan is “one of the most dangerous nations in the
world”.
This was a remark pertaining to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, igniting widespread outrage in the
country, particularly because Pakistan has invariably abided by international law regarding the
maintenance and surveillance nuclear arsenal. Despite adhering to those stringent measures,
unwarranted allegations were made.
Furthermore, erstwhile prime minister Imran Khan contends that the United States has meddled
with the political functions of Pakistan and has “imported” the current ruling regime. The United
States, however, has denied interfering in the domestic politics of Pakistan.

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Thus, the tempestuous relationship between the United States and Pakistan can be clearly
witnessed by the events and transactions that occur between the two. The relationship changes
from congenial and warm to bitter and nonchalant within a matter of weeks.
Recommendations
Pakistan ought to remain an ally of the United States, but it should still seek other potential
markets to export its products. China has invariably been a weather friend to Pakistan, supporting
Pakistan during times of difficulty including the pandemic when it gifted 1.2 million vaccine
doses for assistance. Thus, besides proceeding with the bilateral trade with the United States,
Pakistan should maintain cordial relations with all neighboring countries to bolster its economy
and access to other essential resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pak-US relations have been unsteady since Pakistan’s inception in 1947. The US
sanctions Pakistan according to its own will and then removes the embargoes when desired. Yet,
it remains the largest export market for Pakistani goods and grants humanitarian aid and
economical aid when catastrophic disasters occur.
Pakistan has abundant resources and both economic and strategic potential that can be beneficial
to any country that decides to invest in it. Therefore, if the United States does not realise
Pakistan’s potential, there are other countries that are willing to fill the void.

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6. The Controversial Oil Deal Between Pakistan and Russia

Introduction
The inflation rate in Pakistan during the month of October was 26.6%, with foreign reserves
currently at $13.721 billion. These numbers will continue to rise and fall, respectively, if
Pakistan does not resort to an alternative for energy imports, which account for 25% of the
import bill and are the main culprit behind the depletion of foreign reserves.
However, in the month of November, the Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, announced that a deal
with Russia, an Oil Producing and Exporting Country (OPEC) country, is underway to gain
access to discounted energy imports.
The Deal
Despite the fact that the deal is in its initial phase, the Finance Minister stated that a deal is
currently in progress with terms that are similar to India’s. In February 2022, the United States
along with its allies exhorted countries to decrease the amount of oil they purchase from Russia
and to adopt other alternatives to meet their domestic energy demands in order to punish the
Kremlin for the belligerence and aggression it exhibited when attacking Ukraine, a sovereign
country.
However, numerous allies including India have failed to adhere to the advice and instead have
drastically increased their import of Russian oil. India, in particular, defends its right to maintain
economic ties with countries as it is liable for its country’s needs. Thus, importing oil and energy
resources is the principal priority, the origin from which the resources are imported is nugatory.
The sanctions imposed on Moscow in tandem with the demand decrease for Russian oil caused
the market price of Russian oil to be $30 lower than Brent oil in February 2022. India decided to
leverage this price fall and began importing crude oil from Russia in large quantities.

In May, India imported 819,000 barrels per day (bpd). This was a conspicuous increase in crude
oil imports as opposed to the 33,000 barrels purchased in the same month a year before. The

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discount that India received was sufficient for India to deliberate such a sharp increase in the
number of barrels imported per day.
However, as Russia broadened its oil market, the discount that India and other countries received
was $7-$8 per barrel less than Brent oil. Thus, it is more economical than opting for an
alternative that is more expensive and will leave a deeper mark on the foreign reserves.
Similarly, Pakistan is currently negotiating an oil deal with Russia that will allow it to purchase
oil at the same rate sold to India. This will be a more feasible option for Pakistan whose
gradually depleting foreign reserves currently stand at $13.721 billion. According to last year’s
import bill, energy imports accounted for 25% of the entire bill. Thus, one can conjecture that
even a slight discount on the energy sector imports will be a viable option for Pakistan.
According to Asad Ullah Kamran, the total amount that Pakistan can potentially save has been
calculated to be approximately $3 billion. Consequently, the money saved from purchasing
Russian crude oil instead of Brent crude oil can be utilized to service payments on debts, invest
in prolific ventures, or for human development programs.
This will be beneficial for the country as money is required to fulfill numerous requests, inter
alia, relief to health workers and financial support for flood victims, yet a deficit in the budget
prevents governments from completing those obligations and demands.

Geopolitical Consequences
The United States is a significant stakeholder in numerous international organizations that
possesses the power to impose sanctions. Generally, an ally or a country having diplomatic ties
with the United States will adhere to the caveats and advice provided by the superpower.
India, however, has disobeyed the orders of the US and has prioritized its own internal interests
over those of the Western nations. This did not evoke anger or sanctions upon India from the
United States as the former is a strategic player in the Indo-Pacific, America’s current interest
and priority at the moment in the global sphere.
Pakistan, on the other hand, does not intend to be a part of the United States’ containment of
China strategy. Thus, it is possible that the United States may impose sanctions on Pakistan if it
continues with the Russian oil deal. Besides sanctions, Pakistan may risk severing ties with Saudi

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Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which account for 90% of Pakistan’s imports of crude
petroleum.
Moreover, recently, Saudi Arabia announced that it anticipates investing $10 billion to build an
oil refinery in Gwadar. This project was to materialize in 2015 but did not proceed forward due
to the severing of ties between the two countries. Now that the project has once again been
announced, efforts should be made to cement the relationship with Saudi Arabia as opposed to
undertaking ventures that could prove fatal to the bilateral ties with other Muslim nations.
Limitations
There are several limitations to the proposed deal including jeopardizing international
aid/benefits, risking sanctions, and the currency of transactions. Pakistan was recently removed
from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list. However, completing transactions with a
sanctioned country via an insecure payment system could cause the international organization to
place Pakistan on the list again.
This would be devastating for Pakistan as four years of constant efforts were made to meet the
40 recommendations delineated by FATF. Moreover, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
recently began releasing tranches of the $6 billion bailout program after a stagnant period with
no bilateral talks or activity.
Pakistan is in dire need of any financial aid it is able to obtain. If the IMF program is halted due
to Pakistan’s oil deal with Russia, this could prove to be fatal to the economic state of affairs.
Another limitation is the currency in which oil is to be purchased from the Kremlin. After
sanctions were imposed, barring Russia from processing transactions through the SWIFT system,
Moscow decided on an alternative approach in which oil would be sold in roubles, the country’s
currency.
Therefore, in order for a country to gain access to Russian oil, it must purchase roubles from the
international market using its foreign reserves and through a non-sanctioned Russian bank. As
stated earlier, this could lead to a domino effect in which Pakistan would be sanctioned by the
IMF and FATF. Moreover, Western countries may be skeptical of Pakistan’s motives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the oil deal with Russia could yield positive results for Pakistan, as it is a more
viable and less expensive alternative to the Brent crude oil that Pakistan purchases from Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, if Pakistan decides to shift its focus from the
Muslim countries with whom it has been transacting with respect to oil then it could risk
severing bilateral relations with those countries.
Additionally, the Financial Action Task Force, International Monetary Fund, and other Western
nations could potentially sanction Pakistan for purchasing crude oil from Russia. This would be
devastating for a country that is already reeling at the brink of an economic crisis. Thus, Pakistan
ought to proceed with the oil deal, if and only if sanctions will not be imposed by international
organizations and Western countries.

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7. Myths Around Pakistan’s Nukes & National Security

Nuclear Assets—A Boon or a Bane?
President Biden’s latest remarks regarding the insecurity of the nukes of Pakistan were either by
intent or a gaffe, given his senility—the latter being more of an excuse since security statements
are prepared scripts.
The U-turn by State Department’s spokesman, Vendant Patel, is perhaps at best a placating effort
or indication of policy differences between the State Department and the US Intelligence
Community. Notwithstanding, the abiding concern about Pakistan’s nuclear security has been
omnipresent, and modulated in time to force it into submission.
What is particularly in the cross-hair has been Pakistan’s strategic assets, which albeit a boon and
a sin qua non for its security, is paradoxically considered a bane for the West and therefore a
cause of continual concern and scorn by the US and its cohorts, especially Israel and India.
Spinning cobwebs around these make the state as well as the nukes look more and more fragile
and vulnerable.
Myth #1: Balkanization of Pakistan
This has been the common theme resonating in the policy circles without any letup. In 2009, US
experts saw Pakistan’s disintegration threatening the security of nuclear arsenals, Afghanistan,
India, the oil-rich Persian Gulf, Central Asia, the US and its allies. In 2013, the counter-
insurgency expert and adviser to then-CENTCOM Commander Gen David Petraeus, David
Kilcullen asserted, “Pakistan could collapse within six months in the face of snowballing
insurgency.”

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Indian writers like Vicky Nanjappa sing to the same tune, “….The first step towards
balkanisation would be to weaken the Pakistan Army…If the balkanisation of Pakistan takes
place, then the power shifts in India’s favour. With Pakistan being reduced to a province, the
power balance between China and India would be maintained….”. Sanat Bhardwaj too has stated
that “The balkanization is approaching fast and imminent.”
Myth #2: Pakistan as a Failing State
The US National Intelligence Council (NIC) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a jointly
prepared Global Futures Assessment Report in 2008 said “by year 2015 Pakistan would be a
failed state, ripe with civil war, bloodshed, inter-provincial rivalries and struggle for control of
its nuclear weapons and complete Talabanisation.”
Bruce Riedel’s anxiety “about not just a collapsing Pakistan, but also a fundamentalist Pakistan
friendly to Al Qaeda that gains control of the country and its nukes” is all but well known. Indian
senior defence analyst, Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd) contends that “A weak and fragile Pakistan is
failing. Its descent is steady”.

Pakistan figured at 10th in the Failed States Index compiled for 2009 by Foreign Policy
Magazine, but the country has considerably gained ground, standing at 30th in the Fragile State
Index in 2022.
Myth #3: Pakistan as the Epicentre of Terrorism
Senator John Kerry stated that Pakistan was “‘ground zero’ for the terrorist threat” to the United
States. The 2019 Country Reports on Terrorism considered Pakistan to have “remained a safe
harbor for other regionally focused terrorist groups.”
The paranoiac concern though has mellowed down, it still resonates in some Western capitals.
Her Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi at the CICA meeting in Kazakhstan
in October 2022 branded Pakistan as “the global epicentre of terrorism….”
Myth #4: Nuclear Arsenal Under Siege

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John R. Bolton stated, “that the extremists who harboured Al Qaeda could get control of
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal”. Hillary Clinton considered Pakistan, an unstable and nuclear-armed
country, to pose “a mortal threat to the security and safety” of the United States and the world.
Simon Tisdall warned that Pakistan was “continuing to expand its nuclear bomb-making
facilities despite growing international concern that advancing Islamist extremists could overrun
one or more of its atomic weapon plants or seize sufficient radioactive material to make a dirty
bomb”. US Senators even urged Obama to apply the Nunn-Lugar bill to safeguard the nukes of
Pakistan.
Purported Objective
While most of the aforementioned myths have lost the wind in their sails, they still reverberate
with some disdain. Is this then mere conjecturing by the US and Indian press about the insecurity
of Pakistan’s nuclear capability? Perhaps not! It may well be more of a policy implemented to
create chaos and civil unrest as a pretext for capping Pakistan.

Media during the last two decades is indicative of a set variable trend and a particular design
portending a sinister plan of either neutralising or taking out the nukes of Pakistan through
devious direct/indirect means and methods. However, much to the chagrin of the policymakers,
all such caricaturing ad nauseam turned sour without yielding its purported objectives thanks to
the astute nuclear diplomacy and resilient defence and security of the nuclear assets.
The diabolic scheme of neutralising the strategic assets through double jeopardy of economic
strangulation and engendering constructive chaos is now at work. The security of the nukes
already under stress is further compounded by the deteriorating economic conditions of Pakistan.
The compulsion of following the IMF route runs the inherent risk of invoking international
intervention, amounting to surrendering economic sovereignty—the tell-tale signs of which are
now becoming apparent. This is further exacerbated by an often overplayed contentious public

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discourse of security vs economy, questioning whether nuclear weapons are required or would
conventional weapons be sufficient to provide requisite security.

How much strategic cum conventional capability is enough is ascertained by the evolving
security environment. The nuclear capability has provided the requisite security dividend which
the conventional capability alone could not afford. In view of the ever-growing conventional
asymmetry vis-à-vis India, the qualitative advancement of Pakistan’s nuclear programme is a
cost-effective proposition.
Considering our critical dependence on nuclear capability, while we consciously institute the
conventional-nuclear balance, the developmental programme (not open-ended) without relent
must be cautiously pursued within the parameters of credible minimum deterrence.
Notwithstanding the bigoted Western concerns, nuclear sovereignty must be zealously guarded
with relentless efforts. Given the fear of looming economic insolvency, the effort of inducing the
country’s top leadership unwittingly to stop financing the nuclear development, amounting to
putting a virtual freeze, or agreeing to a joint custodial may well be on the cards, which needs to
be factored in astutely in our security calculations.
Political Faux Pas
While we have successfully steered through the turbulent periods of the last two decades, the
present decade, however, presents us with a new internal challenge. The civil-military diatribe,
the ongoing politico-economic instability, and the militant resurgence—all are but an explosive
mix, adding new dimensions to the erstwhile doomsday scenarios about the country.
It goes without saying that the much-needed political stability and security remain an absolute
must for economic progress; the former providing the requisite umbrella for the latter’s
development. Never before in our history has the military come under so much derision and
unwanted criticism for its illusory apolitical role.
Held in high esteem, the nation has always looked upon the military as its eventual saviour in
crises. Therefore, to redeem its revered image, it is imperative that for the larger national interest,
the military plays its traditional role one more time, before its avowed intent of becoming
apolitical. To diffusing the present crises, it must facilitate the much-needed political discourse,
leading to a free-fair adult franchise sooner than later.
Incidentally, the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission may also well be in
order under an independent judiciary, but that remains a distant reality. For now, it’s time to put
aside personal/institutional egos to contend with the present challenges and convert these into
opportunities, to instil nationalism and forge a more cohesive and united nation, by attending to
the miseries of flood-affected distressed and dislocated people in earnest.

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8. NATO 2022 Strategic Concept: A New Cold War

Introduction
“Keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down” – Lord Ismay (NATO’s First
Secretary-General, 1952) That was the motto of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
that was established in 1949, in the aftermath of World War II when broken economies and
exhausted military infrastructure in Western Europe were facing a wave of communist political
expansion.
In 1948, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands signed the
Brussels Pact, but they soon came to the realisation that it was not enough to counter the Soviet
threat. In March 1948, Communists took over Czechoslovakia through a coup, which then
prompted a series of measures aimed at strengthening the economic and military defences of the
West.
These defences included a historical Marshall Plan, the creation of West Germany, and rigorous
attempts to curb the spread of communism in France, Greece, and Italy. In reaction to that, the
Warsaw Pact created a defensive alliance between the Soviet Union and seven other Baltic States
in Eastern Europe.

NATO’s Former Strategic Concepts

Since the inception of the alliance, NATO’s successive strategic doctrines released every ten
years or so, revolved around deterring and defending Western Europe from a singular yet multi-
dimensional threat, the Soviet Union. While NATO’s first strategic concept was straightforward
about deterring aggression and engaging only when attacked, the second strategic concept laid
out the establishment of a centralized military command and appointed Dwight D. Eisenhower as
Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR) with the accession of Greece and Turkey.

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NATO’s third and fourth strategic concepts released in 1957 and 1968 respectively outlined its
approach to retaliation and flexibility in responses. The fall of the Soviet Union and of the Berlin
Wall was supposed to alter the military posture of the alliance, and it did change but in the
opposite way.
The fifth strategic concept released in 1991 triggered a 30-year-long NATO expansion into
Eastern Europe as part of ‘expanding European security through cooperation with former
adversaries’. The strategies of 1999 and 2010 identified the threats of terrorism, proliferation of
nuclear, biological, chemical weapons and ballistic missiles, cyberattacks and environmental
issues.
The NATO 2022 Strategic Concept
The major highlights of the NATO 2022 strategic concept are pledging to respond to Russian
actions without seeking confrontation, regarding terrorism as a significant asymmetric threat, and
noting that the instability in the Middle East and Africa also endangers Europe.
While iterating the alliance’s intentions as defensive, it also commits that “no one should doubt
our strength and resolve to defend every inch of Allied territory”. That’s as bold as it can get in
the face of the continuous Russian invasion that has entered its eight month. The European
Union and the United States brought more than 2700 sanctions on Moscow in a matter of days,
rendering Russia the most sanctioned nation on Earth.
Travel sanctions and freezing assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his cabinet and
associate oligarchs; restrictions on the biggest financial institutions and companies; and severing
Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment systems, but the West isn’t stopping there.
At the latest G7 Summit, World’s leading democratic economies pledged to impose tougher
sanctions on Moscow e.g., banning the imports of Russian gold, its third-biggest source of
income, and putting price caps on Russian oil still shipping across the globe. Although their
impact on the war is yet to be seen, the NATO 2022 strategic concept isn’t just words printed on
paper.
Major Components of the 2022 Strategy
For the very first time, China’s ‘coercive policies’, ‘malicious’ cyber operations, its
‘confrontational’ rhetoric and strengthening ties with the Russian Federation were declared a
‘systematic challenge’ to the rules-based international order. The Chinese Foreign Ministry
condemned the rhetoric, stating NATO must “give up the Cold War mentality, zero-sum game
and the practice of creating enemies, and not try to mess up Asia and the whole world after
disrupting Europe.”
Terrorism was the core security issue post 9/11 when NATO first time invoked Article 5, of
collective defence and took off on the mission to cleanse Afghan heights from terrorists. The
ambitious endeavour didn’t turn out pretty well and resulted in a messy withdrawal after two
decades of exhaustive fighting.

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The invasion of Crimea in 2014 by Russia kept haunting NATO as the Minsk Accords were
nearly impossible to implement, especially when Moscow absolved itself of any responsibility
by stating that it wasn’t a party. NATO leaders still regret letting Putting go away with the
invasion of 2014. Hence, the NATO 2022 strategy concept can be an effort to re-orient and re-
configure itself with the fundamental goal of NATO, the collective defence of the Euro-Atlantic
region.
NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ridiculed Putin at the NATO summit stating that
Putin ‘wanted less NATO’ but ended up ‘getting more,’ referring to the joining of Sweden and
Finland and other defence initiatives. All of this seems really great from an American or NATO
perspective, but the threat assessment is one thing and actually mitigating or neutralizing that
threat is another.

Although not crippling, the economy of the European Union and the United States economy is
no better. Both are facing decade-high inflation and gas prices in the face of looming a recession
across the globe. The United States is still by far the biggest defence spender in the alliance with
a whopping $811 billion figure, contributing 16.3% of its GDP to NATO.
However, Washington wouldn’t like more than anything to deliver a conclusive blow to Moscow
and then delegate the European defense to NATO members, so it can direct its focus to the Indo-
Pacific, where the real threat lies. So, the questionable political stability of the United States and
Eurozone in the long term is not very promising.

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9. No Peace for Afghan Women

A Theater for Wars
Afghanistan has remained a battleground for foreign invasions. The civil unrest, the war
repercussions, and the tribal social structure altogether have progressively exposed the status of
women in Afghanistan. The plight of Afghan women has in no way been near to normal; they are
not just victims of conflict, they are victims of rhetoric too.
Both the Taliban and the US have used Afghan women as symbols in their respective wars. For
the Taliban, the control of women represented a commitment to the hybridization of Pashtun
customs with a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam, their key to establishing an ideal society.
On the other hand, the Western powers emerged as the proclaimed ‘liberators’ who would free
women from suppression by establishing a government that looked out for them and a rule of law
that ensured their basic rights.
War on Terror as the Fight for Women’s Rights
The Bush administration in 2001 waged a war on Afghanistan in response to the infamous 9/11
attacks. The United States sold the justification of war by misrepresenting the status of women
under the Taliban and stating that the war on terror was “also a fight for the rights and dignity of
women.”
The ‘white-savior’ narrative can be traced back to the colonial discourses which legitimized
occupation based on orientalist civilizing rationales. This way of thinking keeps promoting the
notion that wars are inflicted to liberate Muslim women from oppressive men.
However, it is a fact that Afghan women faced subjugation at the hands of US-backed regimes
and warlords during the time when foreign forces were present, and the international community
deliberately chose to remain silent against that suppression. The colonial attitude not only
pictures Afghan women as passive beings but also misrepresents the West as the ultimate moral
authority to establish a ‘good’ example in Afghanistan.
Media—A Narrative Building Tool
After the fall of the Twin Towers, it was quite obvious that war was coming, but soon, the
televisions in America
and indeed in the
entire world portrayed
Afghan women in blue
burqas and often
highlighted the Taliban
abuses against women.
The public was being
pushed into the
narrative that the US waged the war to protect these women.

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The most prominent visual metaphor used in the uncritical media coverage of the so-called fight
to free women was the “unveiling” of Afghan women from their Taliban-mandated burqas.
Foreign scholars, journalists, and officials in Afghanistan depicted Afghan women wearing
burqas. They were not interested in the realities and developments in Afghan society.
Afghan women were never actually heard. It is a pity that the mere dressing of Afghan women
has been politicized by the West and Afghan governments time and again. Women’s bodies have
been viewed as a display and an expression of sociopolitical progress and regression throughout
recent history. It is evident by the persistent usage of images of Afghan women dressed in
Western fashion in the 1970s and 1980s to reinforce the flawed idea that this was a high point
from which Afghanistan had fallen.
In the past 30 years, it has become clear that the body of an Afghan woman is treated as a
territory to establish a caliphate on, a rationale by the US and its allies to invade, and once more
as a reason and justification for the Taliban to commit atrocities, recapture the country, and
reimpose their rule.

The rural/urban divide in Afghanistan is clear from the transfer of women’s rights that were
limited to urban elites. However, the view that women’s rights, as a value brought by the West,
reached the urban areas first underestimates the much more nuanced picture.
It is far more challenging to identify class and privilege in Afghanistan using the standards used
in most other states due to the conflict, instability, and migration. The global image brokers
dictate what the public sees from Afghanistan. The West’s persistent, self-serving narrative of
acting as saviors of brown women from brown men jeopardizes lives. It complicates the lives of
women purportedly being saved by sending international organizations into the country.
Dual-faced US’s Historical Shifts in Policy
Only if we disregard the history of US involvement in the region—a politics of intervention that
first facilitated the growth of the Mujahideen, a marginalized extreme Islamicist movement, and

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then supported (and even celebrated) the rise of its more extreme offshoot, the Taliban—can the
US be seen as liberating the women of Afghanistan from the Taliban.
By looking at the more complicated, complicit, and contradictory role that history exposes, the
role of the US as a liberator is refuted. Through cold war politics, the United States nurtured the
conditions that allowed the Taliban to prosper; as a matter of strategic interest, it tolerated their
human rights violations and gender apartheid.

If Afghan women were the primary focus of US foreign policy, the United States would have
made different decisions from the cold war to the present. Thus, sympathy and support for
Afghan women by the Bush administration can be analyzed as a war of words to mend public
opinion during the “war on terror.” According to a scholar, Flanders, the rhetoric of women’s
support used by the Bush administration added a “feminist glow” to the most brutal bombings of
the 2001 campaigns.
Need for Deeper Insight into the Lives of Afghan Women
When combined with the religious and tribal traditions of gender segregation, which are seen by
the Western gaze as fundamentally discriminatory and oppressive, there is a clear disregard and
disrespect for Afghan women’s cultural and religious beliefs.
Too frequently, the outside world makes generalizations about the incredibly complex political,
historical, and social circumstances that have influenced Afghan women’s cultural environment.
It is important to recognize that Afghan women’s meaning of goals and liberation may differ
slightly from the “freedoms” which Western feminism has envisioned. Nevertheless, the
orientalist discourse helps the West strengthen the already developed sense of superiority; it also
provides a tool for Western feminists to mobilize and analyze their patriarchal system of control.

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The statement ‘Afghan women rights’ when searched on Google gives an extended list of sites of
various human rights organizations and web articles trying to highlight and ameliorate the living
standard of women in Afghanistan; this is hypocritical especially when the US and its allies
failed to deliver its said promises in two decades.

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10. Ten Essential Climate Science Insights for 2022 presented at COP27

Leading global scientific experts presented the annual 10 New Insights in Climate Science to the
UN climate change negotiations, COP27, today.
The annual update presents key insights from the latest climate change-related research this year
and responds to clear calls for policy guidance. It emphasizes and unpacks the complex
interactions between climate change and other drivers of risk, such as conflicts, pandemics, food
crises and underlying development challenges in the report.

The 10 Insights report is convened by the international networks Future Earth, The Earth League
and the World Climate Research Programme, which is co-sponsored by WMO.
“Science is at the heart of everything we do. Science is our common language. It’s a foundational
element that informs the COP negotiating process. Science provides the evidence and data on the
impacts of climate change but it gives us the tools and knowledge on how we need to address it,”

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Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) told a
press conference.
“The insights of this report are alarming, confirming what we already know and giving us
insights into other areas where further action is needed,” he said.
The scientific synthesis report identifies that the potential to adapt to climate change is not
limitless. Rising sea levels capable of submerging coastal communities and extreme heat
intolerable to the human body, are examples of ‘hard’ limits to our ability to adapt. It also
highlights that over 3 billion people will inhabit ‘vulnerability hotspots’ -- areas with the highest
susceptibility to being adversely affected by climate-driven hazards -- by 2050, double what it is
today.
The report further outlines that persistent dependence on fossil fuels exacerbates major
vulnerabilities, notably for energy and food security, and that deep and swift mitigation to tackle
the drivers of climate change is immediately necessary to avert and minimise future loss and
damage.
"The latest science confirms the rising social costs of severe climate extremes and the urgent
need to deviate away from risks of going beyond limits to adaptation and crossing irreversible
tipping points, says Prof. Johan Rockström, co-chair of the Earth League, the Earth Commission
and Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
In 2022, the 10 New Insights in Climate Science covers crucial topics that are key focus areas for
negotiators at COP27, from adaptation and mitigation, to the intersections of climate and food
systems, security, and finance:

Tipping points, the IPCC and health

Since Cop26, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has published the key parts of its
latest vast assessment of climate science, warning of catastrophic impacts that can only be
averted by sharp and urgent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC was set up by the UN to
advise on science, yet some countries wished to remove references to its latest findings from the

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final text. Instead of that, a reference to the key finding of “tipping points” was put in – a
warning that the climate does not warm in a gradual and linear fashion, but that we risk tripping
feedback loops that will lead to rapidly escalating effects. These include the heating of the
Amazon, which could turn the rainforest to savannah, transforming it from a carbon sink to a
carbon source, and the melting of permafrost that releases the powerful greenhouse gas methane.
Also inserted was a reference to “the right to a clean healthy and sustainable environment”.
Medical professionals have begun to play a much more prominent role in climate talks, and in
climate protests, drawing a clear link between global heating and health.
Every fraction of a degree increases human suffering, so the fight to end the fossil fuel industry
must ramp up.

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11.China’s 20th Party Congress: Cementing Xi Jinping’s Historic Third

Term
Introduction
The National Party Congress is a closely watched major gathering of the Chinese Communist
Party held about every five years. The Congress provides a clear indication of the power
distribution within the leadership and the general approach to both foreign and domestic policies.
The 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began this year in Beijing on October
16th, 2022.
Its key focus was to choose the members of the Central Committee, which decides whether to
grant current General Secretary Xi a third mandate and determines the composition of the
Standing Committee of the Politburo (SCPB). In his speech, Xi went into more detail about the
Chinese model and agenda, claiming it was tranquil and predicated on upholding the party’s
control, attaining shared prosperity, and generating high-quality growth.
Despite prior statements from authorities stressing that the nation does not intend to export its
development model, Beijing has expressed a growing desire to improve the global governance
system by proposing alternatives to the present system of governance, mostly in the economic
realm.
Foreign Policy
China has remained steadfast in its commitment to its foreign policy goals of upholding
international harmony and fostering shared development in technology and scientific
advancement, as well as advancing the human community with an eye toward the future. Thus,
China has consistently pursued an independent foreign policy; it has always declared its stance
on policy issues based on its own merits and it has tried to defend the core values that guide
international relations and protect human rights.
Moreover, it is devoted to advancing a fresh approach to international affairs, strengthening and
growing international organizations in view of high levels of inclusion and openness, and
expanding common interests with different nations. The actual practical steps that China is
taking in its foreign policy remain calibrated.
Taiwan
China’s relations with the West have gotten worse since the 19th party congress with no
immediate signs of improvement, despite the fact that Xi is the country’s most powerful leader
since Mao. As international tensions increase over Taiwan, which Beijing views as essential to
maintaining its territorial integrity and which is self-governed as a result of a protracted civil war
between the Communists and the Nationalists in China, mutual mistrust has grown more
entrenched.

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Although Xi emphasized that China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all
countries, he omitted to bring up Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In addition, General Secretary Xi
asserted that Taiwan’s reunification was China’s problem, and he also reiterated the standard
positions on Taiwan, including its right to pursue unprovoked conflict.
Furthermore, he used far gentler language this time while speaking about Taiwan than he had a
year earlier at a celebration for the CPC’s centennial. In a statement that was plainly directed at
the US, he stated, “The Chinese people will never allow any foreign forces to bully, coerce and
enslave us. Whoever attempts to do that will surely break their heads on the steel Great Wall
built with the blood and flesh of 1.4 billion of Chinese people.”

Economic Development
Regarding economic measures, Xi pledged to promote a “world-class business environment” that
is market and law-based, while also laying out the necessity of a stronger CCP presence, notably
in mixed-ownership and non-public firms. He pledged China would continue to support the
liberalization of trade and investment while also pressing for considerable self-reliance.
The talks that took place at the 20th Party Congress were
mostly about domestic politics. Nevertheless, as
nationalism grows in China and as a result of the
perceived danger posed by foreign powers, particularly
the United States, those two issues are becoming more
and more interwoven.

Hong Kong & Macau

Refereed to Hong Kong as a unique regulatory district as
recommended by China’s Constitution and a guarantee that Hong Kong is measured by patriots.
Regarding Hong Kong and Macau, Xi stressed, “We’ll support Hong Kong and Macau to grow

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in their economies, improving people’s lives and resolving deep-seated issues and problems in
economic and social development so as to promote long-term prosperity and stability. We will
assist Hong Kong in better integrating into China’s overall developments and in playing a larger
role in achieving National rejuvenation.”
Conclusion
With the recent meeting and statements given out by Chinese officials regarding the world
governance system, it is easy to see that China is destined to overcome and change the current
system of the world. Moreover, in the economic domain, China is increasing its influence by
providing alternatives to nations by creating certain international organizations like Asian
Development Bank and challenging the current SWIFT system of trade.
China is ready to provide financial assistance to nations in need by providing loans and expertise
but its development model looks more like a trap than helping as its loan interest rates are higher
than IMF. China completely dictates the international affairs of nations plus it indirectly annexes
the specific territories of the nations in case they are not ready to give back loans.

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12.The Convoluted Role of MNCs in Global Politics

Functioning of MNCs
A multinational corporation (MNC), often referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE) or a
multinational organization, is defined as “a firm that has its headquarters in one nation but also
has part of its operations in one or more foreign countries.” Aside from their sheer scale, the
significance of MNCs has expanded as a result of the rising importance of economic and
welfare-oriented goals in the context of national security and politics.
In today’s world, most national security plans are created to ensure not just the physical survival
of people within national borders but also some minimal expected level of economic welfare, a
certain degree of political and social autonomy for the country, and a certain level of national
political status.
For states, the threat of security has shifted from territorial to economic paradigms. Thus, with
MNCs lying at the heart of the global economic outlook, it is evident why they have become
relevant in international politics. Nation states have been utilizing MNCs’ extensive networks to
further their foreign policy objectives; MNCs in return also ask their home governments for help
in reducing the risks associated with their foreign investments.
MNCs make investments abroad for a number of reasons. The size and mobility of businesses in
the service sector are very different from those in the manufacturing or industries. Even within
the manufacturing sector, there are significant differences in the bargaining positions
domestically and internationally of companies whose investments are more or less focused on
getting access to local markets, finding cheap labor, or exploiting a technological advantage.

Furthermore, the effects of the same company may be extremely different in a state with a fragile
economy and a fragmented society compared to a state with a strong economy and an established
governmental setup. To picture the situation, despite the rise of China and of mega-firms from
Europe, Japan, and other far eastern countries, US-based multinationals still dominate.

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Direct Instrument of Influence

The existence of corporations with decision domains across national borders has provided
governments with additional tools that they may use (misuse) in their relations with other states.
For instance, the United States has tried to extend its foreign policy embargoes into the territory
of other states by exercising extraterritorial control over the business relationships of affiliates of
US-based corporations.
Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, the US oil vulnerability was growing and the US import
dependency was rising in the increasingly tightened oil market. The concentration of vast
petroleum reserves in the Middle East, particularly near the Persian Gulf has been of prime
importance to the United States from where the politically influential American oil companies,
banks, and contractors benefit a lot; they were the key financers of the Bush elections campaigns
at the time.

Therefore, the US decided to secure its position in the Middle East by attacking Saddam
Hussein’s regime. The critical issue is that direct investment fosters cross-border
interdependence that individuals or governments may attempt to use for their own political ends.
A sheer example can be traced back to the Arab oil embargo in 1973 when the Arab countries
were successful in attaining total company compliance in regard to Arab oil. Even, smaller
countries like the Philippines used the threat to nationalize American oil companies to induce the
US government to extend trade preferences.
Indirect Setting of Agenda
Significant contributions have been made by multinational corporations, both knowingly and
unknowingly, to the agenda-setting of interstate politics. The multinational operations of
businesses have led to jurisdictional disputes and extraterritoriality issues in areas including
antitrust, capital controls, trade restrictions, and taxation policy. Then, MNCs have significantly
impacted trade and financial flow.
Last but not least, by encouraging other social groups to advocate for specific governmental
policies, multinational businesses have inadvertently influenced the agenda of interstate
relations. Organizations like banks, ad agencies, and some labor unions have been encouraged to

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push for liberalization policies that would allow them to emulate the multinational corporation’s
international strategy.
Globalization and MNCs
Multinational companies have played a significant role in advancing globalization. These
enterprises, made possible by new technology and revolutions in communication and
transportation, have shaped a more global economy in addition to their significant role as
“champions” of specific national economies.
MNCs currently dominate the majority of the world’s production networks, and the distributional
effects of global trade are directly influenced by their political actions and business practices.
The flow of not only the economy but also ideas, innovations, and technology has become more
feasible than ever, due to the extensive networks of MNCs.

The Neo-colonial Strategy

The expansion of multinational corporations is the most contemporary strategy of neo-
colonialism. Neo-colonialist policies are being pursued by multinational corporations, which
violate the sovereignty of Third World nations, seizing control of their natural resources, forcing
unfair agreements on them, and obstructing the growth of their independent national economies.
Additionally, a substantial portion of these multinational corporations’ shares is located in the
country of their origin. Therefore, a sizable amount of the profit made is sent back to the parent
country. The imbalance between the global South and global North is created due to the unfair
treatment inflicted by the MNCs using new forms of imperialism.
Conclusion
MNCs with their impact of spillover from the parent countries to the various host countries are
shaping the global economy in contemporary times. Apart from their influence on local and
global economies, MNCs may also have an effect on national and international politics.

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They internationalize the economy as well as influence political decision-making either by

choice or unintentionally. The MNCs have grown as very significant non-state actors which can
intervene across national boundaries, blurring the concept of territorial sovereignty.

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13. Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Nearing Three Hundred Days

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 271st day, we take a look at the main developments.
LONDON (AP) — There are moments in history that appear as critical to the world as they are
terrifying.
Just this century: the 9/11 attacks in 2001; the U.S. “shock-and-awe″ war on Saddam Hussein’s
Iraq two years later; the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 killed millions and upended life; and
most recently the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine by Russia, bringing ruinous war back to Europe.
Friday seemed one of those watershed moments as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed
treaties to illegally annex a large swath of eastern and southern Ukraine, like it did with Crimea
in 2014.
Coming seven months into the conflict and with near daily nuclear threats by backs-to-the wall
Kremlin leaders, Putin chilllingly vowed to protect the newly annexed regions by “all available
means.” Almost immediately, Ukraine’s president countered by applying to join the NATO
military alliance, setting Russia up to face off against the West.
Any thought that this kind of harrowing brinkmanship had ended with the 1980s when the last
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and then U.S. President Ronald Reagan eased the Cold War
and the specter of nuclear Armageddon, is now gone.

Even with the horror of Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki burned on humanity’s collective
consciousness, the world finds itself once again contemplating the possible use of nuclear
weapons.
It’s not a war, Vladimir Putin said then — and says now. It’s a “special military operation.” In
most every sense of the term, though, Russia’s war in Ukraine is precisely that.

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And when a nation is at war, even if it claims it is not, the reverberations back home — the place
where the conflict was first conceived — can be far-reaching.
Eight months after Russia launched a war in February expecting a lightning victory against
neighboring Ukraine, an independent nation from which it already annexed Crimea in 2014, tens
of thousands of people have been killed in Ukraine. Millions are displaced from their homes. A
brutal winter approaches. Nuclear fears are spiking. And the Kremlin is now using killer drones
to degrade Ukraine’s power supply, plunging more hundreds of thousands into darkness.
Four more regions of Ukraine have been illegally annexed in the last month, though they are far
from fully under Russian control, and Putin declared martial law in them on Wednesday.

Even without calling it a formal war, Putin could be laying groundwork to extend these
restrictive measures throughout Russia. A clause in the decree allows measures envisaged by
martial law to be imposed in any Russian region “when necessary.” What’s more, officials in
multiple Russian regions rushed to assure the population after Putin’s announcement that they’re
not planning to impose additional measures.
Key Developments of The War:
• Russian forces pounded Ukrainian positions with artillery fire and in the eastern region
alone launched almost 400 strikes, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video
address.
• Zelenskyy added Ukraine troops in the south were “consistently and very calculatedly
destroying the potential of the occupiers”.
• Oleh Zhdanov, a military analyst based in Kyiv, said offensive battles were taking place
on the Bakhmut and Avdiivka front lines in the Donetsk region.

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• Ukrainian forces are being moved towards Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv,
among others. Russian troops are regrouping in the Zaporizhzhia direction and Donetsk
and Luhansk, Zhdanov said.
• Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskyy’s administration, said Russian forces
fired at a residential building in the Kherson region. “There may be people under the
rubble. Emergency services are working at the scene,” Tymoshenko said.
• The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned whoever fired artillery at Ukraine’s
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was “playing with fire” as his team prepared to inspect
it for damage.
• The International Atomic Energy Agency said more than a dozen blasts shook the nuclear
plant late on Saturday and Sunday.

Analysis:
Russia’s Relations with Saudia Arabia
Although cooperating with Russia since the start of the war, the kingdom has also shown some
support for Ukraine as it tries to position itself as a useful mediator.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine eight months ago, Western governments supportive of Kyiv tend
to speak about the war in black-and-white terms with little sympathy for countries hovering
between the West and Moscow.
The leadership of the United States frames support for Ukraine as a matter of defending a “rules-
based international order” that is under attack by rogue authoritarians.
In Arab countries, however, this Manichean narrative is largely rejected. Saudi Arabia and other
members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) basically view the war in Ukraine as a
complicated European conflict, which does not require Arab states to stand against Vladimir
Putin’s government.

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Although no Arab government – save Syria – has been outrightly supportive of Russia’s
invasion, occupation and annexation of Ukrainian land, Arab statesmen do not believe their
governments should burn bridges with Moscow because of this conflict.
Thus, while the GCC states have largely supported UN General Assembly resolutions
condemning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, none have joined Western powers in implementing
sanctions against Moscow or other policies aimed at squeezing Russia.
“Most of the developing world in Asia and Africa, including the Middle East, has not viewed the
Ukraine war as the kind of definitive, transformational moment in international relations that the
West does,” Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in
Washington, wrote this month.
“The Saudis have emphasised in recent years that they seek to avoid entanglement in what is
referred to in the US as ‘great power competition’,” Gerald Feierstein, a former US ambassador
to Yemen and the Middle East Institute’s senior vice president, told Al Jazeera. “Their interests,
the Saudis have made clear, have focused on maintaining strong relations with their main
security partner, the US; their number one economic partner, China; and their key partner in
OPEC+, Russia.”
Nuclear weapons drastically raise stakes
Kechichian said it was important to consider whether a prolongation of the war could result in a
foreign policy shift for Riyadh.
“Still, what will not occur is a direct involvement in the conflict, as the kingdom has called for its
end, provided humanitarian assistance to the hapless Ukrainian population, voted for the
country’s territorial integrity in various United Nations resolutions, and worked to persuade
President Vladimir Putin to end Russian attacks on Ukrainians,” he added.
“The primary evolution would most likely occur after ongoing battles heightened confrontations,
including the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which would compel Riyadh to distance itself
from Moscow. Such an escalation will most likely trigger various consequences,” continued
Kechichian.
He argued that in the Gulf region, the logic behind such an outlook would be based on the
potential acquisition and usage of nuclear weapons by Iran, even as Tehran maintains its nuclear
programme is strictly peaceful.
“Under the circumstances, Riyadh would inevitably pursue a similar objective – to embark on a
nuclear programme with the specific purpose of acquiring such weapons – to defend itself and its
regional allies,” said Kechichian. “This was why Saudi officials were cautious about the war for
Ukraine and remained wary of prolonged confrontations that emasculated both belligerents, one
of which could, in a moment of folly or utter frustration, resort to the use of weapons of mass
destruction.”

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14. Climate Change and COP27 – Analysis

When the history of the climate crisis is written, in whatever world awaits us, Cop27 will be seen
as the moment when the dream of keeping global heating below 1.5C died.
Does that mean giving up? Absolutely not. The 1.5C target is not a threshold beyond which hope
also dies. Every fraction of a degree means an increase in human suffering and must therefore be
fought for. How? With everything we have, to tear down the barrier between us and climate
stability: the fossil fuel industry. The 1.5C target, beyond which the most disastrous climate

impacts lie, is not yet physically impossible to meet. To achieve that, global carbon emissions
must be reduced by 50% by 2030, yet record levels of pollution are still being pumped into the
atmosphere.
The scientific warnings before Cop27 could not have been louder: we are on the brink of
irreversible climate breakdown. Behind closed doors at the summit, however, the fossil fuel
states forced other countries to fight tooth and nail merely to preserve the inadequate status quo.
On Friday, a Saudi Arabian delegate said: “We should not target sources of energy; we should
focus on emissions. We should not mention fossil fuels.” Despite the efforts of many other
countries, the final decision text duly failed to mention phasing out fossil fuels.
It is extraordinary that in 30 years of UN climate negotiations, eliminating the primary cause of
global heating has never been mentioned in the decisions. Given that next year’s UN climate
summit will be hosted by a petrostate, the United Arab Emirates, it is hard to see how a
crackdown on fossil fuels will happen there either.

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The world should be sprinting to rid itself of its fossil fuel addiction as if lives depend on it,
because they do, but it is jogging on the spot. The 1.5C goal may not yet be physically
impossible to achieve, but Cop27 has shown it is politically impossible.

So, what now? It remains imperative to get off coal, oil and gas as rapidly as possible. Every
tonne of CO2 that remains in the ground means less harm to lives and livelihoods.
Can the UN climate talks deliver this at speed? It does not look that way. It is too easy for the
fossil fuel states to hold the consensus-based negotiations to ransom, threatening to blow up the
whole thing if their black gold is so much as mentioned by name. There were more fossil fuel
lobbyists at Cop27 than delegates from the Pacific islands, which their industry is pushing below
the waves.
Instead, the fossil fuel industry and its unconscionable expansion plans will need to be fought
elsewhere. The first place is in the mind. The global oil and gas industry has raked in an average
equivalent of $1tn a year in unearned profits for the last 50 years by exploiting a natural resource
that belongs to citizens. Imagine redirecting that financial firepower at decarbonising the world.
The fossil fuel industry can also
be fought on the streets, in
peaceful protest, and on the
lands being despoiled by their
expansion. Countries could shun
petrostates by forming a “climate
club”, a G7 proposal to enable
the ambitious to race ahead and
to penalise the laggards.

A fossil fuel non-proliferation

treaty would provide a This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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transparent way to keep remaining coal, oil and gas reserves untouched. Even a tobacco-style
ban on fossil fuel advertising, already backed by the World Health Organization, would help. All
of this, and more, will be needed.
Cop27 did achieve something. The new loss and damage fund promises to finance the rebuilding
of poorer, vulnerable countries hit by increasingly severe climate impacts that they have done
little to cause. It is a long overdue acknowledgment of the moral responsibility the big polluters
have for the climate emergency. It is all the more important given that Cop27’s failure to
meaningfully drive emissions cuts means even worse disasters are to come.
Is there hope? Yes, in that every climate action we take lessens the damage. As Cop27 closed,
Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner, the poet and climate envoy for the Marshall Islands, said: “I wish we had
got fossil fuel phase-out. But we’ve shown with the loss and damage fund that we can do the
impossible. So we know we can come back [to Cop] next year and get rid of fossil fuels once and
for all.”

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15. Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know
About Global Politics

Author
Tim Marshall, the author of the book “Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You
Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics” is a British author, journalist and
broadcaster who specializes in international affairs and diplomacy. He is also the guest
commentator for BBC, Sky News, and LBC as well as a leading authority on foreign affairs with
more than thirty years of experience.

Rapacious Russia
Prisoners of Geography is divided into ten interesting chapters with insights into states’ politics,
economies societies and geographies. The first three chapters are about the key states of world
politics: Russia, China, and the US. In the first chapter “Russia”, the author explores the territory
of the Russian Republic under the leadership of
Vladimir Putin.
Unlike other states that have natural borders of
sea, mountains and deserts, the Russian southern
border is one which welcomes the enemy from
Europe to attack it, giving rise to the fear of
being attacked i.e. ‘realism’ in terms of
international relations. The book points out
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova as the key states
in Russian security policy.

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Curious China
In the second chapter named “China”, the book analyses the rise of China as the global hegemon
whilst challenging the international status quo. In order to be a global power like the US, China
has been following certain steps.
From using soft power like that of BRI to using hard power against Uighur, Hong Kong, Tibet
and Taiwan, China is trying to influence the globe. Also, its presence in the Indo-Pacific Ocean
is one of the ways to exercise its regional influence against India and kick the US out of the
Asian region.

The United States

In the third chapter named “United States”, Tim Marshall discusses the lucky geography of the
state which made it the global superpower. Prisoners of Geography also discusses the history of
the US from being a colony of Britain to its way to independence in 1776. The view of its lucky
geography changed after Japan attacked the US in World War II.
The attack compelled the US to get itself involved in the war militarily and be the cause of
nuclear proliferation around the globe. After the war, many EU states started to rely on the US
for their security and military needs which led to the creation of NATO in 1949. This bloc
resulted in the creation of a security dilemma between the two leading states i.e. the US and the
USSR.
The book also discusses the US involvement in Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. However,
the main threat to the US hegemony is the rise of China and so in order to counter it, the US is
making sure to win the trust of every state surrounding China. The US’s presence in Japan,
Vietnam, and the South China Sea is a confirmation of that determination.
Western Europe
In the fourth chapter named “Western Europe”, the author discusses the difference between the
US and Europe’s geography. Europe’s geography is designed in a way that it has divided the
states and the people naturally through natural boundaries. In the case of the US, there are fewer
natural borders inside the territory which gives it a homogenous population.

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Prisoners of Geography also makes the comparison between the economy of Northern and
Southern Europe, coming to the conclusion that the former is richer than the latter due to its
fertility, borders and resources. The financial crises after the two major wars in the region have
led the states to better coordinate with each other which then resulted in the establishment of the
EU.
Africa
In the fifth chapter of the book named “Africa”, Tim Marshall answers one of the key questions:
why has Africa failed in both politics and technology unlike other continents of the world? In the
answer, he points out two main reasons behind the failure. One is the ‘geographic factor’. Unlike
Europe, Asia or North America, which have rivers that connect each other, the utmost source of
trade and interconnection between them, Africa lacks them. The continent’s great rivers do not
meet each other which causes disconnection in the continent.
The other reason lies in the human factor. In Europe and North America, there is a unifying
language of English which sustains human interaction but Africa does not possess it. The lack of
a lingua franca has caused them to be separated from the continent. The chapter also analyses the
ethnic conflicts, diseases and fights for water among the states of Africa.
The Middle East
In the sixth chapter named “Middle East”, the author analyses the region of the centre of world
politics. It is the longest chapter of the book which covers entirely every state of the region.
Prisoners of Geography discusses the role of different branches of Islam in creating divisions
among them.
The author has compared the Middle East pre and post-9/11, the rise of ISIS, the Islamic Cold
War between Iran and KSA, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the problems with Iraq, Syria and
Lebanon. The question of why Arab Spring 2011 failed has also been addressed.
Turkey has been called the moderate state in the Middle East and is also viewed as a competitor
by Iraq, KSA, Israel and Russia. It wants to regain the status that it previously had before World
War I. The chapter also analyses the role of oil and gas in keeping the US and China in the
region.
South Asia
In the seventh chapter named “India and Pakistan”, the author discusses the problem between
both states. The fortunate geography of both states has been discussed in the chapter as how this
geography compels China and US in those states. The enmity between the two states is not just
over a piece of land i.e. Kashmir but also over the control of water flows i.e. the Indus River.
The chapter also discusses the role of Pakistan in the Afghan war against Americans, the British,
NATO, and in support of Taliban and Al-Qaeda. However, the separatist movements in India
and their clashes with the neighbours like Bhutan, and Nepal are discussed a little.
East Asia

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In the eighth chapter named “Korea and Japan”, the author explores the clashes between Japan,
North Korea, and South Korea. Korea has always remained in the hands of either China or Japan
since World War II, but it fought a major war thus creating two lands across the 38th parallel by
the United Nations.
On the other hand, Japan after being devastated by two nuclear bombs, was trained to be the
permanent station for US naval bases in East Asia mainly in the South China Sea.
Latin America
In the ninth chapter named “Latin America”, Tim Marshall compares the geographies of Africa,
and North and South America. He argues that the problems with South America and Africa are
the same. Both continents have vast diverse populations and are rich in natural resources.
Although states like Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Peru appear to be wealthy, they cannot be
compared to the US, the UK, or France.
The other problem is that these states have just defeated slavery and colonizers so they have a
long way to development. All the states of Latin America are majorly under the influence of the
US because of the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. The chapter discloses the major states of Latin
America, their resources, problems, and US interests. However, the UK’s interest in the region is
ignored.
The Arctic
In the last chapter named “The Arctic”, the author explores the regions and areas surrounded by
the Arctic Ocean which are the United States, Canada, Norway, Finland, Greenland, Iceland,
Russia, and Sweden. The temperature here reaches up to 26 degrees Celsius in the summer and
falls up to -45 in winter.
The region is neglected security-wise because it is difficult to stand the chilly winters and
safeguard the territory. However, the smuggling of goods from these areas is a common problem
that all states face. The other major problem here is the melting of the ice due to global warming.
Conclusion
In the concluding note of the book, the author states that it is not just geography that shapes
world politics, great ideas, and people also confine together in order to formulate it. However,
that does not undermine the importance of geography which is continuing to predict the power
politics around the globe.
The author has also highlighted the problem of climate change which would not only impact the
geography of Earth but also its demography as well. The impact of climate change will not only
affect Americans, Russians, and Chinese but would affect the whole of humanity.

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FACT SHEET
NOVEMBER 2022
Important Days Celebrated in October
❖ 5th November- World Tsunami Awareness Day
❖ 9th November- Iqbal Day
❖ 12th November- World Pneumonia Day
❖ 14th November- Children’s Day
❖ 16th November 2022 – Cricket World Cup Final held in Melbourne Australia
❖ 24 November - Thanksgiving Day
❖ 29 November - International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People
Everyday Science
1. The Sun is a __________?
A. Star
B. Planet
C. Asteroid
D. Meteor
2. The gas used in a refrigerator to cool water is___________?
A. Nitrogen
B. Carbon dioxide
C. Methane
D. Tetrafluoroethane
3. The average adult has a blood volume of about __________ liters.
A. 4
B. 5
C. 6
D. 7
4. Each day human body breathe in __________ liters of air.
A. 5,000 to 10,000

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B. 10,000 to 15,000
C. 15,000 to 20,000
D. 20,000 to 25,000
4. How Many Megapixels is the Human Eye?
A. 570
B. 576
C. 560
D. None of These
5. As we go higher into the atmosphere, the air becomes?
A. Thinner
B. Denser
C. Warmer
D. Visible
General Knowledge
❖ Central Color of Rainbow is__________? Green
❖ Glucose syrup is made from__________? Maize
❖ Which of the following is a ferromagnetic material ? Nickel
❖ What are the primary colors of Pigment? Red, Yellow, Blue
❖ The luster of diamond is due to_________? Total Internal Reflection
❖ Nephology is study of_____________? Clouds

Q. Which NATO member country initially raised objections on applications of Finland and
Sweden to join NATO?
(A) Ukraine
(B) Russia
(C) United States
(D) Turkey

The answer is: (D) Turkey ☑

Q. Palm oil has been mainly used in manufacturing of which products?

(A) Food
(B) Garments

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(C) Industry
(D) Transportation

The answer is: (A) Food ☑

Q. We live on the Earth. According to the scientists, the planet Earth was formed about
_____ years ago.
(A) 4.6 million
(B) 5.6 million
(C) 4.6 billion
(D) 5.6 billion

The answer is: (C) 4.6 billion ☑

Q. The “Cocora valley” is the principal location of Quindio wax palm. In which country it is
located?
(A) Argentina
(B) Brazil
(C) Colombia
(D) Portugal

The answer is: (C) Colombia ☑

Q. The atmosphere of the Earth is divided into different atmospheric layers based on
(A) temperature
(B) pressure
(C) gasses
(D) water vapors

The answer is: (A) temperature ☑

Q. How many countries are currently members of the United Nations?

(A) 190
(B) 191

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(C) 192
(D) 193

The answer is: (D) 193 ☑

Islamic Studies
1. Khateeb-ul-Ambia was the title of __________.
A. Prophet Dawood (A.S)
B. Prophet Nooh (A.S)
C. Prophet Yaqoob (A.S)
D. Prophet Shoaib (A.S)

2. Namaz-e-Khasoof is offered at the time of __________ ?

A. Lunar eclipse
B. Solar eclipse
C. earthquake
D. heavy rain
3. __________ takes out souls of life bearing creatures.
A. Jibrael (A.S)
B. Mikael (A.S)
C. Israfeel (A.S)
D. Izraeel (A.S)
4. Name the wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was daughter of Umar Farooq (R.A)?
A. Aisha (R.A)
B. Juwairyyah (R.A)
C. Hafsah (R.A)
D. Maimoonah (R.A)
5. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lived in Madina for __________ years.
A. 8
B. 9
C. 10
D. 11

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QUOTES
HYBRID WARFARE
“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy
believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” ~ Sun
tzu, The Art of War

“In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they
bind you fast.” ~ Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
WORLD HUNGER AND FOOD CRISIS

“We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry.”
– Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States.

“Close to a billion people – one-eighth of the world’s population – still live in hunger. Each year
2 million children die through malnutrition. This is happening at a time when doctors in Britain
are warning of the spread of obesity. We are eating too much while others starve.” – Jonathan
Sacks, jewish scholar.

“We are a country that prides itself on power and wealth, yet there are millions of children who
go hungry every day. It is our responsibility, not only as a nation, but also as individuals, to get
involved. So, next time you pass someone on the street who is in need, remember how lucky you
are, and don’t turn away.” – Lesley Boone, actress and social activist.

INDEPENDENCE OF PAKISTAN AND QUAID-E-AZAM

“Democracy is in the blood of the Muslims, who look upon complete equality of mankind, and
believe in fraternity, equality, and liberty.” – Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.
We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up

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within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the
deplorable condition in which our women have to live.”- Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah

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