I am starting this thread to share my personal notes which i collected from different newspapers (especially Dawn news and the news) starting from January 2011. Inshallah it will help those members who have not frequent access to newspaper and also for those members who could not keep the pace due to hectic routine. I have pen down all important topics since January 2011 and will Inshallah keep on posting till exams.


NOTE:
these notes are based on articles of different authors,they did include my personal analysis or modifications.

Thar Coal Power Gneration


1-extending over 9000 square kilometers
2-largest untapped resources in the country
3-contain 175 billion tons of lignite coal
4-Dr samara mubarak is currently running the underground coal gasification(UCG) project for converting coal into electricity.
5-Pakistan needs to increase its share of coal in the energy production atleast 19% by 2030 and 50% by 2050.


Demerits of Rental Power Plants


ADB(Asian development bank) report released in January 2011 as regarding to rental power plants which main points are as under.
1-major inconsistencies and weakness in contract.
2-violation of procurement and regulatory procedures.
3-lack of available capacity utilization.
4- 87% increase in consumer tarrif.
5-loadsheddig would still persist.
6-Government will have to bear additional burden of 270 billions.
7-the consumers will have to live with expensive power tarrifs.
8-long term projects such as construction of Dams and exploitation of thar coal will still be needed to meet the growing energy needs.

Electricity Production

1-Presently installed capacity of 21,409 MW of which
a- 70% is produced through oil and gas-fired thermal power units.
b-27 % is produced through hydro-resources.
c-3 % is produced through cola and nuclear resources.

2-Power deficit is between 4000 MW and 5000MW.
3-elctricity demanded is to escalate to 22000MW by 2011, 30000MW by 2015, 62000MW by 2025.

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Reforming State Bank of Pakistan


Main functions of state bank are
1-formulation and implementation of an independent monetary policy.
2-approval, supervision and regulation of commercial banks.
3-mangement of exchange rate.
4-Provisions of banking services to all layers of the government.

The areas which require Immediate Attention.

1-administrative breakup of SBP in 2002 into two legally independent entities.
2-non-implementation of the provisions of section 9A and 9B of the SBP act relating to monetary Policy for a log term.
3-division of authority to appoint the governer and the board between two different centres of power.
4-lack of sufficient

Deficiencies:

1-the administrative breakup into two independent entities , SBP and SBP services cooperation(SBP-SC) , was a real setback , has undermine autonomy,efficiency and cohesiveness.
2- It increased the administrative cost through duplication of administrative setups.
3- The division of authority for appointment of the Governor by the President and of the board directors and deputy governors by Prime minister has in it the potential of conflict and disharmony in the functioning of SBP.

Suggestions:
1- the tenure of governor should be reverted back to original five years nonrenewable term.
2- 2-appointment of deputy governors should betaken away from the ministry of finance and handed over to the board of directors of SBP.
3- Every governor should feel the need of strong team of economists under the leadership of a qualified and experienced deputy governor to develop policy conclusions on solid economic analysis and research.


What world would look like in 2030

1-the world would continue to be influx with diffusion of power.
2-the shift of economic power will accelerate from west to the rest.
3-ries of china.
4-it would be hard for any state to be immune to external shocks due to Globalisation.
5-mpetition for scarce resources will be a driver of tensions or conflict.
6-new frontier will include cyber space and use of robot technology.
7-the rist of violence will intensify in countries will institutional deficit in security and justice.
8-structural unemployment will be the key source of instability .

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Democracy and Federalism



1- the inherent flaws in the democratic system are the main reason of non-deliverence.
2- millions of peoples are uneducated and this is further true for women which makes more than 50% of the population.
3- according to UNDP report, 65.5% of pakistan’s population earns less than 2 dollars per day.
4- 88% of baluchistan’s population , 51% of kpk , 21% of sindh and 25% of Punjab is prey to poverty.
5- rural poverty is 49% while urban poverty is 23%.
6- In punjab the poverty ratio of rural area is 30% while in urban areas poverty ratio is 26%.
7- with 50% population completely illiterate and 57% living below the poverty line, the real question is what does democracy mean to these people in term of representation in the system.
8- most of the voters who are supposed to be the architects of the parliamentary democracy do not even know where Islamabad is.
9- most voters especially in the rural areas have no choice in matter of casting there vote.
10- most existing political parties today are autocratic and dictorial in their structure.
11- after 18th amendment parties virtually cannot be challenged or contracdicted by any member on any vital issue

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

HEC decentralization

1- the number of HEC produced scholars are 3000 so far. most scholars belong to impoverished families. Had the HEC part of provincial administration the scholarships would not have been awarded on merit.
2- There is also digital library connect with all universities .it provides 23000 international journals and 45000 textbooks from 202 international publishers , an achievement of HEC.
3- The devolution will deprive us of billions of dollars which could be provided because of HEC.
4- We could lose the credibility of our degrees once the HEC is devolved. The federation would lose its hol on education.

Achievement:

1- the HEC was established in 2002 replacing the inactive university grant commission.the previous bodies clearly failed to deliver. since 2002 HEC has revolutionized the higher education sector of Pakistan.
2- in 2002 only 59 universities were in the country now there are 132.
3-enrolement in higher education has doubled.
4-since 2001 over 5000 students have been given scholarships for higher education.
5- the no of PHD’s granted in Pakistan since 2003 are now almost equal to total amount of PHD’s granted in Pakistan since 1947.
6-research output has increased 6 fold since 2002, and nearly 97 billion have been pumped in higher education since 2002, as compared to 7.5 billion from 1978 to 2002.
7-the verification of degrees made the HEC a model institution at home and abroad.
8-even in the developed federal countries like Switzerland and Russia , there are still central institutions which coordinate policy and funding. While in US and germany the higher education is fully devolved

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Terrorism: Judicial flaws
1. according to Pakistan security report 2010by the pak institute for peace studies, in 2010, law enforcement agencies has arrested 10161 suspected militants across the sountry including 8863 alleged terrorist from tehrik-a-taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other talibans groups , 50 Al Qaeda operatives, 288 suspected afghan talibans, 18 militanst of jundullah and 147 members of lashkar-i-jhangvi. Many of these suspects were released after preliminary investigations, although precise figures were not made public.
2. institutional weakness is clear in judicial system which often results in release of arrested terror suspects.
3. a spate of court judgments in high profile terrorism cases has raised many concerns.
4. these cases include suspect involved in 2009 suicide attacts in ravalpindi, the September 2008 marrior bombing in Islamabad , the manawan police training academy attacks and rocket firing case at the Pakistan aeronautical complex in karma.
5. the superior judiciary has noted the method of appointments, a reason behind poor performance of ATC’s and legal system itself needs reforms.
6. it is common practice of provincial government not to cooperate with the judiciary.
7. the anti terrorism ordinance still not has been made the law.this deprive the state of powers crucial to dealing with terrorism.
8. appointment of capable judges in ATC and the supreme court and high court should monitor there performance.
9. the police should be better trained in investigation and crime scene examination .
10. forensic expertise should be enhanced.



Drone Attack: No Offensive Response

1. there are several reasons for US adamancy on this issue – the programme ostensibly targets militants involved in afghan insurgency who seeks sanctuary in pakistan’s tribal areas.
2. Us policy makers subscribe to a narrative that suggests that drone strikes have tacticsupport among the terrorized fata population.
3. indeed for fear of drone attacks militant conduct shortertraining sessions with fewer recruits avoid satellite phones, travel shorter distances and keep a lower profile.
4. there are othetr sstartegic calculations at play too.
5. the US still believes that Pakistan army operation against militants is necessary in north waziristan.
6. the drone programme could be used as leverage in this context – its suspension could be offered in exchange for army action.
7. there is a perception that drone fury is actually a test of Us talking point.
8. US officials revealed that Pakistan has asked for advance notice of drone attacks.
9. the pre-intelligence requires the US to trust that Pakistan intelligence officials will not trip off the targets.
10. Pakistani leaders protestations against drone attacks have to be innovatine than emotive.
11. bemoaning civilians casualties is less effective.
12. Pakistan should demand transparency and propose a legal framework that forces the US to own the programme and clarify who can be targeted.
13. according to the new America foundation,most victims are low level militants.
14. btw 600 and 1000 people were killed In 118 drone attacks in 2010, but only a dozen were described as terrorists.
15. Pakistan drone debate needs consistency and clarity.
16. if argument is that the drones are not effective that Pakistan should draft a more compelling counter-terrorism strategy.
17. if genuine complain is civilian casualities then Islamabad should stop demanding a transfer of drone technology.
18. since the people will die no matter who runs the programme.
19. and if it is about the mational sovereignty , then Pakistan should prepare for a tough conversation about military and civilian aid and also undermine self justification.


US Framework for Peace


1. US comprehensive plan to end the afghan war include iinitiative of diplomatic surge in addition to military operation.
2. the US would remain dismantling Al Qaeda.
3. the talibans would only be relevant to political process when they would dissociate themselves from Al Qaeda , accept the supremacy of Afghan constitution and give up violence.
4. Pakistan should play its vital role.
5. US is unease about safe heavens in fata .
6. Hiliary Clinton pointed out that US would continue to pursue a three stage strategy .a military surge would operate in tandem with civilian one to revitalize the economies of Pakistan and Afghanistan.it would be combined with a diplomatic surge to end the war .
7. the reconciliation with Talibans would be subject to conditions including adherence to human rights and freedom of women.
8. the Us would relentlessly degrade the Taliban military.
9. US civilian and military efforts would support a durable political settlement.
10. recent intervention for peace is diplomatic effort by turkey involving both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
11. one way out of impasse is for the Taliban to open an office in turkey , where preliminary contacts can be establish to develop agenda.
12. it may be prudent to appoint an experienced mediator by the UN to bridge the opposing power centers.
13. its time for Pakistan to use its leverage in Afghanistan to assist the peace process while not getting involved in internal afghan aggairs.


US aid and Security


1. Pakistan and Israel created on the basis of religion-and as homelands for follwers of islam and Judaism respectively.
2. both have received billions of dollars from the US in military and economic assistance.
3. Israel case despite of repeatedly defeated its neighbour it tsill faces resistance from non-state foes like hamas and Hezbollah.externally it worries about iran nuclear progamme.
4. Pakistan is ina constant search of strategic parity with India, and growing terrorism and violence across the country.
5. in 1990 anti-proliferation legislation in the US triggered a freeze in economic and military assistance to Pakistan.
6. in Israel case, the powerful lobby of its American supporters has ensured that the dollar never cease flowing.
7. because of these assistance Israel indulge into suez war in 1956, occupied west bank and ghaza .
8. the reason we entered military pacts with US was precisely to arm ourselves to be able to confront to bigger neighbours.
9. but these alliances warped out our foreign policy.
10. in isreal billion of dollars pured into pay of development through jewish diaspora.
11. Zionist state had an educated population and decent government unlike Pakistan.
12. it was not until 1967 six days war that Israel forged its present military links with Us.
13. Pakistan joined regional pacts like seato and cento in 1950’s.
14. both countries had security concern thrust on US.

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Extremism in US and Pakistan



1. the cold blooded murder of salman taseer by a religious fanatic in Pakistan,and the near fatal-shooting of liberal congresswomen Gabrielle Gifford and the killing of six others in the Us by the rightwing fanatic,Jared Loughner,happened last year.
2. US has been in the making of course of three ideological conflicts that took place.
3. during the last 70 years, perhaps the most violent years in the human history.
4. there are three conflicts where a US assumed a dominant role.
5. first, the conflict with the fascist alliance.
6. second, the conflict with communist soviet union.
7. third, and now with the muslims extremists.
8. in the conflict with the fascist , the US society absorbed a part of Nazi world view racism.during the war with the fascist and the Japanese the US did not act against the Italian or german Americans, but did so against the Japanese Americans.by exective order 9066 of 1942,President Rosevelt gave army the powers without warrant or hearing to arrest every Japanese American on the west coast – 110000 men ,women and children- and intern them in camps under prison conditions.
9. the second phase was experienced by the American society during the cold war.US was turned into ideological police state . in muslim world too the US allies grew closer to the totalitarianism . they supposed to fight against, and persecuted the liberals and secularists so relentlessly and ruthlessly than even today two decades after the cold war the liberals remain so wak and almost irrelevant in most muslim countries.
10. In the Third phase the Christian radicals and muslims fundamentalists have locked horns.
11. in response to Osama bin laden, mullah omar , ayman al zawahri , baitullah mehsud and others , the US has produced its own version of religious fanatics like franklin graham, jerry falwel, pat Robertson, rush Limbaugh and others.
12. holy war has been declared on both sides and the crusaders and the jehadis ride against after 7000 years.
13. the American and Pakistani are now the most intolerant within there respective civilizations.

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Why we need America


1. Pakistan Us six decade relation is a mirage based on reason rather than convenience.
2. it is based on sound fundamentals.
3. the first of these is from inception Pakistan faces economical and territorial insecurity.
4. the India reluctance to open its doors to western capitalism and its inclination to experiment with socialist methods internally and non-alignment internationally only helped Americans to set aside their reservations and opt for friendship with Pakistan.
5. the relation hit the road bumps because of America “do as they say” methods.
6. Pakistan friendship with china,its use of American defence equipment against India, American obsession against nuclear project. This was result in first parting of ways during the carter presidency.
7. carter the Us president flew over to Pakistan in merely ten months the Us was bending over backwards to win over Pakistan to meet the challenge posted by Russian tanks railing down Afghanistan in decmber 1979.
8. American’s disdain for Pakistan returned after the nuclear tests of 1998 and aggravated with second half of 2001.
9. Pakistan was on the verge of default on its foreign debt repayement.
10. after 9/11 america was once again compelled to seek pakistan’s cooperation. And the reaction for that cooperation came quickly as pakistan’s economy was bailed out.
11. major difficulty with post 9/11 american doctrine is an excessive recourse to military means rather that statecraft or diplomacy.
12. consequently the Americans prefer to deal with Pakistani comrades and sleuths rather than the country’s civilian leadership or bureaucracy.

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Anti Americanism : Perceptions and Realities



1. many Pakistanis distrust and regard US as an enemy
2. it is notable that Pakistani establishment viz the bureaucracy, the military , the businessman and the educated classes are westernized to large extent..

first Perception
• :US is a unreliable friend
• military pacts signed by two countries in 1950’s
• a difficulty arose when two sides had different interpretations about the pacts
• the US view was that the provisions could only be invoked in case of communist aggression
• while Pakistan insisted that the pacts were applicable to aggression coming from any quarter of the world
• Pakistan was shocked by US neutrality in 1965 war
• US had done little in 1971 war
• After 1980 US become critical of Islamic fundamentalists whom it had supported in jihad
• In 2001 Us compel Pakistan to join the war on terror
Second Perception:

• US has been interfering in Pakistan internal affairs
• It support military regimes in Pakistan
• Interfere in nuclear programme
• Imposed sanctions on Pakistan but not on India
• Pressing Pakistan to “do more”
• Drone attacks a violation of pakistan’s sovereignty


Third Perception:

• US is following anti-islam policies
• Opene-minded support of US to isreal
• US involvement in three wars against the muslim countries . they are
• Gulf war of 1990
• US invasion of aghanistan in 2001
• Invasion of iraq in 2003
• US increased strategic relationship with India
• Nuclear aggreement with India
• US has turned blind eyes on Indian aggression in Kashmir


Anti American has grown in the above mentioned perceptions of US policies. Perceptions are important and do influence public opinion but perceptions can be half truth.


1. firstly Pakistan grievances about the military pacts were based on lack of understanding.
2. there were no ambiguity about the US motivations
3. it could be only invoked against the communist agression
4. pakistan had secured significant military aid in that framework which was actually used to fight against India in 1965 war.
5. secondly Pakistani policy makers has considered it was in Pakistan own’s interest to oppose the soviet union military occupation in Afghanistan.
6. Pakistan stared support to the afghan resistance even before the US did so.
7. the US has its own global policy of opposing communism and it has nothing to do and it is not correct that it has compelled Pakistan to join the war
8. in that case Pakistan receives military, economic and diplomatic aid from Us
9. the US and other countries have little option but to have relations with military regimes since they were the de-facto rulers for a long period of time.
10. historical record doesn’t show that US is anti Islam. Many muslim countries had been close friend to US.
11. US forced Israel to withdraw from wesat bank and gaza
12. bonia and Kosovo became independent recently because of US efforts
13. US forced Israel to withdraw from Sinai in 1956 an also in 1978



• A stable and harmonious relationship is vital with the world sole superpower.
• After 1971 war, US played an important role in dissuading India from attacking west Pakistan
• US diffuse tentions in kargal crisis and 2002-2003 conflicts btw India and Pakistan
• Pakistan and Us has convergence of Interest to fight war of terror.

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious

Shaping Economy : Suggestions


1. undertake major tax reforms starting with budget 2011-2012.
2. introduction of RGST
3. withdrawing all exemptions on goods
4. eliminating all distortions that have crept into the current system
5. wealth tax must be introduced
6. effort made to curb all tax evation
7. provincial tax on services will be broadened.
8. provinces should develop there tax systems to generate more resources
9. taking advantages from some provisions in 7TH national finance commission award
10. improving working of large lossmaking enterprises
11. eliminating the problem of circular debt
12. constraining the supply of electric power from existing capacity
13. careful review of public sector development programme
14. placing emphasis on completion of high priority projects
15. the SBP should have autonomy to orders its policies with the objective of containing inflation and not meeting the fiscal deficits of the federal government.
16. the SBP should backoff from the printing press and let the government finance its operations by increasing tax revenues and by going to market to raise additional money
17. the SBP should also let the market determine the exchange ratio.
18. the model estimates the real GDP growth rate of investment increasing from low of 2.2 in 2010-2011 to 6.5 % four years later .
19. the rate of investment will increase from 12.5 to 25.1 % of GDP
20. the rate of inflation dropping from 14.2 to 9.8 per cent
21. and fiscal deficit declining from 6.2 to 3.6 per cent .

__________________
Forget safety.Live where you fear to live.Destroy your reputation.Be notorious