Paradigm Shift’s Magazine: April 2023 Edition
The April 2023 edition of the Paradigm Shift magazine contains 13 handpicked pieces. These explore de-dollarization efforts, the instability in South Asia, Israel’s judicial reforms, whether or not TikTok is China’s way of spying, and the incoming war between the US & China.
The April edition features two beautifully designed infographics: one on the biggest companies in the world, and the second offering a brief look at the Crusades.
This edition also has two very interesting book reviews, and an insightful interview (especially for CSS aspirants).
We have also included the details (guidelines, timeline, prizes) of our first writing contest again. The clock is ticking since submissions are only open till the 7th of May! Will you be the winner of Rs.50,000?
Affordable and Safe Housing in Pakistan: Addressing Inflated Prices & Misleading Advertisements
Muhammad Aslam Khan highlights the unethical and misleading advertising practices employed by many housing societies in Pakistan. He notes that they focus solely on investment potential and profitability, while ignoring basic safety features and building codes.
He stresses the need for the government to enact laws to regulate the real estate market. To provide safe and affordable housing options to people, there is a dire need for solid investment in the housing sector.
Exploring Pakistan’s Energy Sector: Sources and Trends
Similar to many developing nations, Pakistan has been experiencing a serious shortage of energy for almost 20 years.
The nation’s meager domestic oil and gas reserves are running out quickly, while coal and alternative sources of energy are difficult to harness.
Maryam Jilani gives a comprehensive overview of the regulators of the energy sector, the sources of energy production, as well as the patterns of energy consumption in Pakistan.
The Tuareg Rebellion and the Emergence of Jihadist Groups in Mali
The 2012 Tuareg rebellion in Mali precipitated the rise of jihadist armed groups in the Sahel region, which are now flourishing and expanding to other West African states.
Adam Abass argues that the relationship between jihadist groups and the locals is the primary reason for the groups’ expansion. The inter-group violence and the lack of state presence in local communities make the country more vulnerable to jihadist exploitation.
The Washington Declaration: Revisiting the US-South Korean Security Commitment
The Washington Declaration is the name given to the very recent revised commitment between South Korea and the US on the 27th of April, 2023.
The declaration seeks to reinforce the US-South Korean alliance for the security interests of both in the region.
The US’s antagonism towards Chinese influence and South Korea’s uneasiness with North Korea’s nuclear expansion and missile capabilities have forced both of them to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to strengthen deterrence against North Korea.
Implications of Russia Stationing Nuclear Weapons in Belarus
President Vladimir Putin declared on March 25 that nuclear weapons along with a missile system for carrying them would be stationed in Belarus.
The stationing of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus would have profound effects on regional and international security, potentially leading to heightened tensions and diplomatic repercussions.
Questioning the Sovereignty of the Baltic States
France, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were outraged that China’s ambassador to France, Lu Shaye, would question the sovereignty of Ukraine and all former Soviet Republics, including the Baltic republics.
Mr Lu’s statements have crumbled the confidence in China to serve as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. Additionally, his remarks imply that the former Soviet Union nations lack legal standing in the eyes of the international community.
The Law Admission Test (LAT) in Pakistan
Are you planning to pursue an undergraduate degree in law in Pakistan? The Law Admission Test (LAT) is the first step towards becoming a lawyer in Pakistan.
Get all the information you need to ace the test and secure your admission at a law university with this guide.
Sudan’s Recent Civil War
Moaz Bashir discusses the terrible civil war in Sudan taking place right now, and its main stakeholders.
He also analyzes past events in Sudan such as the formation of the Rapid Security Forces (RSF) and the joint collaboration between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). He then discusses the recent hostility between these two forces.
AI: The End of the Legal Profession?
The ability of AI to evolve, and provide uncanny human-like responses, is now seeping into professional arenas.
Being a lawyer himself, Huzaifah Sehgal ponders upon the effect of AI on the legal profession.
He combines the ethical concerns surrounding AI with two foundational legal theories—legal positivism and natural law—to investigate if the displacement of human lawyers is a possibility.
Suo Motu Legislation & Lawyers’ Movement 2.0
The Chief Justice of Pakistan’s suo motu powers have now been reduced by the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023.
This all began last month when the Chief Justice decided to take suo motu notice of the delay in elections in Punjab.
To counter this, the Sharif-led administration undertook judicial reforms to limit the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s unilateral power to exercise suo motu authority. They have now granted that power to a three-member committee comprising the CJP and two senior-most judges.
Crisis and Communication: The Case of the Desert Locust Episode in Pakistan
The Desert Locust episode in Pakistan (2018-21), when swarms of desert locusts migrated to the Indo-Pakistan border from the Arabian Peninsula in 2019, was a crisis that called into question the performance of our policy-makers and institutions.
This locust crisis was an actual eye-opener for the nation w.r.t. the dilapidated systems of governance and performance.
In addition to this, the crisis also showed the importance of communication and efficient dissemination of information during crisis management.
The Law of Self-Defence in Pakistan
In Pakistan, self-defence is referred to as private defence. The right of private defence is elaborated in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) from sections 96 to 106.
With caselaws, Samar Shazad illustrates the conditions, the rule of proportionality, and the limitations of the right of private defence.
While the burden of proof for criminal cases rests on the prosecution, in the case of self-defence, the onus is on the accused who must justify that the circumstances warranted such.
Political Parties of Pakistan: Vengeance or Retribution
The perception that Pakistan is the world’s most dangerous country is exaggerated, to say the least. However, the idea that it is the most difficult country to govern has steadily gained credence over time.
Among the many problems that the country is confronted with, is the legacy of vicitimisation and vengeance between political opponents, which constantly results in political turbulence.
‘Politics – thy name is vengeance’ has hence become the norm in the country’s political system.
Israel’s Judicial Reforms: What You Need to Know
Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election as Israel’s Prime Minister for the sixth time was followed by proposed judicial reforms that have sparked widespread protests across the country.
The concerns revolve around the independence and integrity of the Israeli judiciary being curtailed.
The controversy surrounding the reforms highlights the tensions between different visions of democracy in Israel, and the challenges of balancing competing interests in a polarized political climate.
Waning US Hegemony, De-Dollarization, & the Incoming War with China
With the US’s foreign policy failures, its domestic rifts, and the China-led de-dollarization initiative, the current global landscape finds itself in a state of upheaval.
Sarmad Ishfaq explains that the steady decline of the US’s hegemony and the simultaneous rise of China will lead to an imminent conflict between the two, resulting in the US’s demise and the birth of a new world order.
Is TikTok China’s Weapon for Intellectual Warfare?
TikTok’s origins can be traced back to Vine and Musical.ly, but is the app more sinister than people realize?
The US certainly seems to think so.
Citing security risks, the US has introduced two bills: the ‘Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries’ (DATA) Act and the ‘Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology’ (RESTRICT) Act.
It is believed that TikTok is part of China’s larger plan of brain warfare which includes everything from misinformation operations to contemporary weaponry that can target cognitive ability.