It’s Happening: the Saudi-Israel Peace Deal
Saudi Arabia and Israel have been working on a deal to normalize ties between the two nations. The news spread when Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, appeared in a televised interview with Fox News on 20th September and said that the nations were close to concluding a ‘serious’ agreement regarding bilateral peace.
Israel’s right-wing Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed the rumors of budding peace two days later as well. This deal is complex, and to understand it, there is a need to recognize all stakeholders and their respective demands.
Is there a Future for Cryptocurrency in Pakistan?
Javeria Abbas analyzes the factors that are responsible for the adoption and the rejection of cryptocurrency in Pakistan. She tries to relate each factor responsible for the rejection of cryptocurrency in Pakistan with the Islamic finance system.
This paper also gives an insight into the bitcoin transaction system, how bitcoin is used, and how its usage is classified as unislamic.
Key Takeaways from the G20 Delhi Declaration
Held this year in Delhi, the G20 summit holds economic and political significance in reshaping the world order. The summit saw an expansion of the African Union.
However, both China and Russia did not participate in the summit. It also saw India and the US seizing an opportunity to lay down the conceptual underpinnings of what might be an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative: a new economic corridor.
Murder of Nijjar: Will Canada-India Relations Continue to Sour?
On 18th June 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, born in India and living in Canada, was murdered by two masked gunmen right outside his Sikh temple in a Vancouver suburb. The likely suspect by the Canadian authorities? The Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Khalistan movement is the reason behind the allegations that Canada has leveled against India. Bilateral diplomatic tensions have so far caused suspensions of visas, expulsion of diplomats, and a negative impact on trade and investment.
Kunda System: The Leading Source of Electricity Theft in Pakistan
Sadia Iqbal elaborates on the pressing issue of electricity theft through the “kunda” system in Pakistan. This illegal practice enables individuals to bypass meters, evade electricity bills, and aggravate the nation’s energy crisis by establishing unauthorized connections to power lines. The author identifies undetectable transmission losses and social factors such as poverty as primary causes of the prevalence of electricity theft. The consequences of the kunda system extend beyond financial losses, encompassing damage to infrastructure, fostering dishonesty, and contributing to a broader atmosphere of lawlessness.
China’s Influence in the Middle East Surges
China has seized the opportunity to assert its presence in the Middle East to reshape the regional dynamics amidst a shift in the United States’ policy focus from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific region under the Biden administration.
Recent events like the Saudi-Iran agreement and the admission of some Middle Eastern nations in the BRICS bloc demonstrate China’s varied interests in the region, which range from conventional energy requirements to economic and geopolitical worries.
The IMF-Pakistan Deal: Unpacking Pakistan’s Economic Realities
Afifa Iqbal highlights the economic challenges facing ordinary Pakistanis amidst the country’s recent IMF deal. Pakistan’s economy is in crisis, with soaring inflation rates and hardships for its citizens. The priorities of the political leadership have only made matters worse. The IMF’s conditions for the deal include fiscal austerity measures that prioritize debt servicing over public and development spending, leading to potential hardships for the people. Additionally, the policy targeting disinflation could result in increased borrowing expenses and unemployment.
CSS Current Affairs 2023 Guess Paper
Success in the CSS exam relies heavily on understanding current affairs. However, the CSS current affairs syllabus can be a bit unclear, causing many candidates to feel unsure. While the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) did provide the syllabus, it has not been updated. Also, the specific domestic issues to focus on can be hard to identify. Torchbearer CSS Academy aims to clarify these points and provide a helpful list of guess topics tailored for the special CSS exam.
Indonesia’s Cultural Diplomacy at the 2023 ASEAN Summit
Indonesia is known for its large cultural diversity spread from one end of the country to the other, ultimately making it pay great attention to culture as the best tool in conducting diplomacy. Cultural diplomacy is carried out as a tool to achieve the national interests of each country.
Taking advantage of its position as the host country for the 2023 ASEAN Summit, Indonesia carried out cultural diplomacy with artistic and cultural performances, promoting Batik as traditional clothing, as well as gastro diplomacy which received good appreciation from the heads of states who were present.
CSS in Pakistan: Pursuit of a Crippled Bureaucracy
The pursuit of civil service positions in Pakistan, primarily through the CSS examination, has become increasingly popular among youth. Imama Khan ponders the rationality of this pursuit, keeping in mind the herd mentality of Pakistan’s youth.
Pakistan’s civil bureaucracy has its roots in British colonial rule and the “babu culture,” favoring English-speaking men issuing commands. Despite global reforms, Pakistan’s bureaucracy appears to be regressing, marked by corruption and nepotism. It begs the question of whether joining the bureaucracy really translates to “serving the country.”
Small Business, Big Impact: How Government Policies Can Boost Economic Growth in Pakistan
Misha Karim suggests that Pakistan’s economic crisis can be resolved by promoting entrepreneurship through government policies such as streamlined regulations and tax reforms.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been providing financial support to Pakistan to address its economic crisis. However, IMF loans come with conditions such as reducing government spending and increasing taxes, which can negatively impact the economy and the people.
It is important for Pakistan to implement structural reforms such as streamlining regulations and taxes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to promote growth and job creation. Supporting small businesses can play a key role in shaping the national growth strategy.
India’s Moon Landing: A Remarkable Milestone
India has achieved a momentous milestone by successfully landing a spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, on the Moon. This groundbreaking endeavor, which has garnered global attention, marks a significant step for the country’s space exploration program. The mission, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), showcases India’s prowess in the field of technology and highlights its commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation. With this successful landing, India joins an exclusive group of nations that have achieved the remarkable feat of a lunar landing.
Abandoning Retribution: Embracing Restorative Justice through Social Institutions in Pakistan and Beyond
Suleman Yousaf explores the role of society in crime prevention; from peer influence to moral reprimands to the loss of social status, he aims to discover potential alternatives to retributive justice.
He delves into a nuanced understanding of social status in deterring crime, drawing on Howard S. Becker’s labeling theory. Here, the theory is used to examine how the fear of being labeled and losing esteemed social standing can act as a deterrent against criminal behavior.
The study involved surveying 34 participants, and the findings support the proposed hypothesis that the fear of losing social status can indeed deter crime, making crime prevention by social intervention as crucial as investigation, prosecution, and conviction.
The paper also proposes a mechanism for establishing social institutions that operate through the “fluidity of identity,” which involves suspending the social status of potential offenders until they embrace civility and abandon the path of criminality.
Islam, Ethnicity, and Power Politics: Constructing Pakistan’s National Identity by Rasul Bakhsh Rais
Islam, Ethnicity, and Power Politics by Rasul Bakhsh Rais analyzes the relationship between the issue of identity, power politics and competing ideologies in Pakistan.
Rais illustrates how Islam has been used to legitimize political power, how ethnic identities have been mobilized for political purposes, and how these dynamics have shaped the political landscape of Pakistan.
Electricity Price Hike: A Tale of Poor Governance
Pakistan has been facing a myriad of issues, but the energy crisis is one such issue that has hit the country hard. The phrase ‘load shedding’ has become a part of our daily vocabulary. Insane and unexpected electricity bills are the talk of the town.
Does Pakistan lack the capacity to generate enough electricity? Why has a sudden hike in the bills taken place? Is the current crisis a result of poor leadership or a natural occurrence? And above all, can this be fixed or not?
Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India
Shashi Tharoor’s “Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India” is a provocative and insightful analysis of British colonial rule in India.
Tharoor, the accomplished author, politician, and ex-diplomat, challenges popular narratives that romanticize and glorify colonialism by offering an honest assessment of the British Raj.
He highlights the economic exploitation, deindustrialization, famines, and political manipulation that took place under British rule in India.
From Debt Burden to Economic Growth: A Roadmap for Pakistan’s Recovery
Faryal Khan discusses pakistan’s external debt and liabilities, proposing measures for the country’s economic recovery and growth. Drawing inspiration from successful examples and policies implemented by other countries, this article suggests policies such as improving the investment climate, reducing the cost of doing business, promoting renewable energy, and implementing microfinance policies. By adopting these policies, Pakistan can create a favourable business environment, attract more investment, and ultimately boost its economy. This proposed roadmap aims to help Pakistan transition from a debt burden to a path of economic growth and prosperity.