A Guide to Becoming a Civil Servant in Pakistan
Becoming a civil servant in Pakistan requires passing through multiple phases, including meeting eligibility criteria, passing an MCQ-based preliminary test, a written examination, a psychological assessment test, and an interview.
Those who successfully pass these stages must undergo six months of training at the Civil Services Academy (CSA), followed by specialized training programs at specific group academies.
Passing the CSS exam is no easy feat. Only 2.11% of the students passed the written exams in 2021 (364 of 17,240), and a mere 1.94% passed in 2022 (393 of 20,262)!
Women’s Mobility in Karachi: The Pink Bus Initiative
Mobility is a challenge for many women around the world, but especially in Pakistan.
Maryam Jilani explores infrastructure and how it causes gendered inequalities. She applauds the pink bus service in Karachi and encourages initiatives and infrastructure for gender-inclusive access.
PEMRA Suspends ARY News’ License Again
In recent spate of political events, the license of one of the mainstream news broadcasters, ARY News, was cancelled by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
PEMRA issued a ban on airing the speeches of the former premier Imran Khan on March 5th, with the warning that any media house found in violation would have its broadcasting license cancelled.
Explainer: Mini-Budget 2023 of Pakistan
The mini-budget 2023 has become infamous for the economic shock waves and the glaring reduction in the purchasing power of the citizens of Pakistan.
In the hopes of securing a $1.1 billion deal with the IMF, the current government hurriedly drafted a “cure-all” mini-budget which received formal assent from the President just last month.
Afifa Iqbal provides a concise description of the mini-budget, so that more citizens, especially the youth, are able to get a clearer understanding.
Mastering the CSS Exam: Effective Tips and Tricks
Want to crack the code for passing the CSS exams in Pakistan?
With this guide by Saddam Hussain Magsi, a qualified CSS mentor who has been continually facilitating CSS aspirants, you can prepare effectively and confidently for one of the most competitive exams in the country.
A Look Into the Pakistan-Türkiye Relief Efforts
Zainab Haseeb undertakes an event-by-event analysis to understand how both Pakistan and Türkiye have contributed to safeguarding each other’s interests during natural challenges.
She traces the relief efforts made during the 2005 earthquake, the 2022 floods, and the recent 2023 earthquakes.
Victor’s Peace: Merits & Pitfalls
Victor’s Peace strategy is deployed when all peaceful means toward conflict are unsuccessful in de-escalating it. The ultimate goal of the intervening party is to establish durable and long-lasting peace, instead of prioritizing their strategic motives.
In theory, military overtaking has negative connotations but in places where negotiated peace fails time and again, the immediate solution is Victor’s Peace, conditions can always be negotiated afterward.
Hafsa Ammar provides both national and international as well as historical and recent accounts to illustrate the concept and dimensions of Victor’s Peace.
What Does 2023 Hold for Pakistan?
In just the last two months, significant political harm has been done to the government, to major institutions and their reputations, as well as to the general elite. This is a direct result of the issues posed by inflation and the additional drastic deterioration of consumer capabilities.
Hina Anwar believes that the comparative economic advantage of Pakistan’s rivals (e.g. India) will further pull the country into political and economic crises.
Such crises are likely to manifest in the short term, as a fresh wave of terrorist attacks by the TTP, Daesh, and the separatists in Balochistan.
The FIR in Pakistan’s Criminal Justice System
The First Information Report (FIR) is a written document by the police that begins criminal proceedings in Pakistan.
In this piece, Ali Hamza shares the importance and evidentiary value of an FIR through different case studies.
The F9 Incident
Pakistan’s constant ranking as the worst or second worst in the Global Gender Gap Report should have been the clarion call for urgent action.
However, the recent incident in which two men gang-raped a woman in one of the most prominent and supposedly safe parks in the country tells a somber story of criminal negligence and inaction.
PML-N’s Future: Abbasi’s Resignation and Maryam Nawaz’s Elevation
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s resignation in the wake of Maryam Nawaz’s appointment as senior VP and chief organiser led to speculations about his continued membership of the party.
Would this resignation and appointment widen the intra-party divisions, leading to prospective defections of senior members of PML-N?
Pakistan-IMF: The Ninth Economic Review
As the international market continues to become competitive, countries such as Pakistan are increasing their dependence on the IMF.
The loan programs come with terms and conditions highlighting austerity for rebalancing the government’s books. However, these deals have been observed to exacerbate economic inequality in Pakistan.
Following the current political turmoil in Pakistan, the interim set-up has negotiated yet another deal that has directly affected the exchange rates.
In order to understand the current situation, Zainab Haseeb gives an overview of the 9th economic review of a $7 billion loan program.
Combatting Street Crimes in Pakistan
Pakistan’s Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) reported an unprecedented spike in street crime, at a time when the country is gripped by political instability, crippling inflation, climate change, food insecurity, energy predicament, and economic crises.
The uptick in street crimes has created even more uncertainty and fear in the country, one that has a flawed social control mechanism and a weak criminal justice system.
Then & Now: The Human Rights Violations in IOJK
Under the ill-conceived move of August 05, 2019, the BJP-led government of India, which draws its ranks from Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), introduced a new domicile law in IOJK titled “Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificates (Procedure) Rules, 2020”.
Noman Waheed argues that the perennial conflicts about Kashmir go all the way back to the Radcliffe Award. He also charts a way forward for the policymakers in Islamabad.
Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, and Pakistan’s Historical Opposition to Israel
There is a belief that Pakistan is solely opposed to Israel due to the latter’s post-independence atrocities against Palestine, but this is not the complete picture.
Pakistan’s opposition to Israel can be traced back to the founding fathers like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal who, through their speeches and policies, laid the groundwork for the nation’s pro-Palestine stance long before Pakistan or Israel came into existence.
Reality Check: Economic Crisis in Pakistan
Pakistan is currently facing a political impasse, a dwindling economy, surging inflation, escalating terror threats, and the possibility of a worldwide recession. Concerns about the status of Pakistan’s economy are mounting as foreign reserves dwindle, the local currency weakens, and inflation persists at levels not seen in decades.
A government exists in Pakistan that is unable to exercise or relinquish power. Bitter, the opposition is sticking to its rhetoric of fire and brimstone. Neither are aware of their ultimate goal. The government avoided a default earlier this month, but now its foreign exchange reserves have fallen to $4.3 billion, the lowest since 2014.
Although the finance minister acknowledges that the economy is in a “tough spot”, he simultaneously dismisses fears of Pakistan’s default and calls it propaganda from the opposition. The truth is, the country remains a hair’s breadth away from the bleak prospect.
The Sad Reality of Companies Closing Down in Pakistan
The previous year proved to be very bleak for various industries and companies in Pakistan, with several expecting to shutdown and suffer huge losses this year as well.
Some industries have already shut down operations, while others are expected to follow the trend thus projecting industrial growth to be a negative 4% in FY23.