Current Affairs Notes by Naveed Bhutto

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Important Topic to be Prepared

Recent Happening and Important Issues

• Modi as PM and Implication on Pak-India Relation
• Floods and Disaster Management in Pakistan (in context to 2014 floods) floods)
• Political vulnerability and Its Economic Implications on Pakistan.
• Palestine Issue and Fiddling Muslim World
• China as Biggest Economy of World
• CASA-1000 Agreement
• Noble Peace Prize
• Polio Enigma in Pakistan
• Global Ground Zero in Asia
• A New Phase of Terrorism - ISIS
• Operation Zarb e Azab and it's implications
• India-Pakistan border Conflicts

Core Issues

• Kashmir Dispute
• Israel Conflict
• Water Disputes
• Baluchistan Issue
• Geo-Strategic position of Pakistan
• Economic Potential of Central Asia and Western Interest
• Kalabagh Dam
• Gwadar Port and its strategic significance

National issues

• Suggestions to manage political instability in Pakistan
• How Pakistan can reduce foreign debt
• Terrorism/Extremism and Militancy in Tribal Areas
• Corruption and Accountability in Pak
• Pak Iran Gas Pipe Line Project
• Demand for New Provinces
• Democracy in Pakistan
• Energy Crisis
• Poverty
• Illiteracy

International Issues

• Oil Prices
• World Economic Crisis
• Global Warming
• Syrian crisis
• Iran nuclear technology
• Water Crisis
• AFPAK policy
• Indian seat in Permanent Security Council and its implications on Pakistan

International Relation

• PAK-USA
• PAK-China
• US-China
• Russia-USA
• Pak-India

(Kashmir issue, Junagarh Dispute, Sir Creek Dispute, Rann of Kutch, wars of 1965 and 1971, Siachin Conflict, Kargil issue, 26/11, Water dispute and Indus Basin Treaty, insurgency at borders)

International Organizations

• UNO
• OIC
• SCO
• EU
• SAARC v/s ASEAN

And Events that Changed World Politics.

• World wars
• Cold war
• USSR invasion of Afghanistan
• Afghan War
• Great Game
• 9/11 incident and its impacts

Good Luck

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Discuss the successes and failures of political parties in bringing about a meaningful change in Pakistan? (CSS - 2013)

Introduction


Success of Political Parties

a) Construction of Roads, Highways, Motorways and Mega Cities
b) Create a Competitive Environment among Political Parties
c) Check and Balance due to Opposite Government
d) Voter enjoys the liberty to chose among various parties

Failures to Bring a meaningful change in Pakistan

a) Political Instability
b) Crumbling Economy with GDP growth of 3.1 (Gdp growth rate was 10% in 2005)
c) Illiteracy and low spending of GDP on Education (2.1%)
d) Self imposed leaders and inherited politics

Misc

Pak Still Stand 32nd most corrupt country in the world
Poor Healthcare and Medical Facilities
Ghost Schools in Sindh and Balochistan
Self Driven Politics
Trapped in Proxy wars
Fragile Democracy
Extremism, Drones Attack and Territorial Violations

Critical Analysis


Conclusion


NOTE: This was what I wrote in my answer copy Css-2103 and scored 67/100. Any suggestions and corrections are more then welcome.

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Note: These Notes were Prepared by Me for 2013/14 Exams, the fact and figure might be out dated so candidates are required to please correct the fact and figures with the Help of Economic Survey of Pakistan.

How Pakistan can reduce foreign debt? Suggest mechanism in Pakistan economy to handle external perspective of Pakistan economy. (CSS-2011)

1. Introduction


2. Overview and Comparison

• Pak Total Debts: $130 Billion
• USA Total Debts: $15 Trillion
• China Total Debts: $1.3 Trillion
• Pak External Debts: 67 Billion

3. Printing of Currency in Pakistan

• Rs: 1.5 to 3 Billion/day
• This much amount of printing leads to Inflation
• Pak recent Inflation rate Almost 10.9%
• Inflation in other countries: Zimbabwe worst effected
• 100 Billion Zimbabwe Dollars can buy only 3 eggs.

4. Remedies to Reduce Foreign Debts:

1. Tax Reforms
2. Rapid Economic Growth (i.e. 6% in 2008 and 2.4% GDP growth rate in 2012)
3. Foreign Investments
4. Promote Economist & Research Scholars
5. Eradicating Corruption

5. Mechanism to Handle External Perspectives of Pak Economy

• Reduce Govt Expenditure
• Stable basis for Growth
• Getting of Roller Coster Economy
• Reduce Balance of Payments
• Promote Export
• Reduce Imports
• Expanding Trade Basis
• Implementation of RGST
• Proper Collection and Utilization of Public Finance
• Promote Free Trade with Neighbors
• Encourage FDI's
• Foresightedness in Policy Making

6. Conclusion

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

How can the corruption elimination be made part of the government systems of Pakistan? CSS - 2014

1. Introduction

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
John Emerich Edward

2. An Overview of Corruption in Pakistan

• Pak 36th most corrupt country in World (Transparency Intl. Report 2013)
• MODES OF CORRUPTION Petty corruption: includes nepotism and favoritism. Routine corruption: involves common malpractices such as " gifts": or "parties" to get a favour. Chronic corruption: involves shameful patronization and promotion of all sorts of corrupt deals.
• Causes of Corruption Political Instability, Discritionary Powers Of Public Officilas, Policy Environment, The Dependency of Politicians on Bureaucracy, Low Salaries of Civil Servants, Poverty, Ineffective Law and Procedure
• " Every year more than 5oo billion rupees laps in Pakistan due to corruption in the civil bureaucracy."
  

  Qaiser Bengali

3. Pragmatic Solution to Eliminate Corruption

a. Making Accountability Mechanism Independent of Executive

b. Empowering NAB and Wafaqi Mohtasib/Ombudsman Office

c. Electing/Selecting Free and Fair People to be head ov these deparments

d. Introducing E-Governance to reduce Corruption in Govt Offices

e.Curtailment of Powers and Making Government Officials Accountable

f. Transparency

g. Empowering Parliamentary Oversight Committe

h. Increasing the Salaries of Public Servanta

i. Mass Awareness

4. Conclusion

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

If India is granted permanent seat in the Security Council. What can be the options available to Pakistan to manage the Indian hegemony in South Asia? Css-2011

1. Introduction


2. Options available for Pak:

• India must be forced to sign NPT
• Efforts to make SAARC effective
• Promotion of democracy
• Pakistan should strive for membership of Security Council
• Power balancing (Advanced technology)
• Pakistan should manage a SCO Membership
• Pakistan should strengthen its relation and Knot ties with China
• Pakistan should use OIC Forum effectively
• Peaceful co-existence policy with India
• Promotion of trade between India and Pakistan
• Efforts to combat terrorism
• Resolution of long standing political disputes
• Think-tank should come forward to mould the typical mindset

3. India Seat in UNSC, What does it Actually Means

• India will Enjoy being a Veto Power
• India will leave no stone unturned to cut Pakistan off rest of the world.
• Kashmir issue will never be resolved, because India will veto all the resolutions relating to Kashmir in favor of Pakistan.
• India will block Pakistan water without any fear.
• RAW involvement in Baluchistan will further increase if india is granted a seat in UNSC

Conclusion

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Pakistan is targeting near 16 percent rise in tax revenues in the year ending June 2017

Here are highlights of budget for the 2016/17

FISCAL DEFICIT * Fiscal deficit seen at 3.8 percent of GDP in 2016/17
GDP growth seen at 5.7 percent year-on-year in 2016/17
REVENUE * Aims to push tax to GDP ratio over 10 percent in 2016/17
Tax revenues estimated at 3.96 trillion rupees ($37.86 billion) versus 3.42 trillion rupees in prior year *
Total revenue estimated at 4.92 trillion rupees in 2016/17 vs. 4.33 trillion rupees in prior year.
Revenue from privatisation budgeted at 50 billion rupees in 2016/17

EXPENDITURE * Total spending in 2016/17 estimated at 5.08 trillion rupees
SUBSIDIES * Proposes tax breaks for five sectors: leather, surgical goods, carpets, textile and sports * Proposes extra subsidies for inputs in farm sector including fertiliser, urea

DEFENCE BUDGET * Defence budget for 2016/17 set at 860 billion rupees, up 11 pct y/y
TAXATION * To renew "Super Tax" on corporations reporting more than 500 million rupees in pre-tax profit

Minimum wages increased to 14,000 rupees per month from 13,000 rupees




FINANCE MINISTER'S COMMENTS

"To achieve growth we need to agree on some basic principles which are not effected by the vicissitudes of politics. We need to sit down and agree on a Charter of Economy.
"The dangers to the economy are now far behind us. Economic growth has hit an eight year high. This would have been even better if it had not been for a 28 percent fall in the cotton crop."
"We have never before seen such a hefty package for farmers. I congratulate the agricultural industry" ($1 = 104.6000 Pakistani rupees)

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Recent Amendments in Constitution of Pakistan

18th AMENDMENT

1. Discretionary Powers of the President Repelled:
2. Provincial Autonomy:
3. Other Features:

i. Renaming of NWFP as Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa (KPK)
ii. Repulsion of Legal Frame Order (LFO)
iii. Ban on third time premiership and chief minister ship annulled.
iv. Central and provincial cabinets would be restricted to 11 % of the total members of National and Provincial Assemblies.
v. Members of senate are increased to 104, as four more seats are given to minorities in the senate.
vi. Appointment of Judges would be done by Judicial Commission (A controversial issuer that was solved through 19th Amendment).

19th Amendment

Number of Judicial commission would be 8. Four of them would be th Judges of supreme court, chief justice of supreme court. A representative of the supreme court, Bar Association, Attorney General, Federal Law Minister.
Parliament committee for judges’ appointment would consist of 8 members. Four from the senate and four from the Lower House.
Recommendations would be made by the judicial commission to the parliamentary committee. If the parliamentary committee rejects the recommendations of the judicial commission. Then the parliamentary committee has to give an explanatory note for that.

20th Amendment

Aimed to empowering the Election Commission of Pakistan
Election Commission an independent body and will enable formulation of institutions that would act as neutral caretaker set ups.
The Bill will be giving the power to the Election Commission of Pakistan to set up independent as well as unbiased structures that would be established at the center as well as the provinces so that the carrying out of fair as well as transparent elections would be done.

21st Amendment

It was just a proposal lekin abhi tak 21st amendment pass nahi hui hia, so keep in mind guys k amendments sirf 20 hi hui hian.

Regarding New Provinces
its objective was to create Seraiki province before elections 2013.

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

How Should A Perfect Answer Look Like

How Should A Perfect Answer Look Like

A Perfect Answer should always be directed to the point. which should include all the necessary details and answer all the questions asked (as normally there are often more then one question) in a question. Apart from this there is a list of ingredients that make an answer perfect and the most important of them all are

• Use Black/Blue markers for heading and sub-headings
  
• Try and Start your answer with a relevant quote
  
• Introduction must be strong
  
• Body should be divided among various heading approx 5- 7 (even more at
  times, specially in History paper)
  
• Draw Maps in Pak/Current Affairs, History and Geo papers where you can relate them
  
• Fact and Figures should not be out dated
  
• Use flow chart, statistical data and diagrams to make your copy looks beautiful and distinguished.
  
• Give Remedies where required (specially in CA Paper)
  
• Give Critical Analysis where required
  
• End your answer with a strong conclusion and again a quotation at the last

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Tips for Current Affairs

Tips for Current Affairs

1. Read newpaper daily Dawn/Tribune
2. Read Jehangir Times Magazine regukarly
3. Contemporary Affairs by Imtiaz Shahid is also a good book for CA
4. Watch Apas Ki Baat on Geo Tv regularly that will develope your analysis power
5. Solve past papers atleast 5 to 7 years
6. Get your written work checked by good teacher/Csp
7. Have groups discussions as they are the most beneficial.
8. Divide your subject in various parts to make it easy
9. Refer to topfilmdocumentaries website to watch documnlentaties for better understanding of core issues i.e. World wars, kashmir/palestine dispute, cold wars and imp personalities.
10. Read Economic Survey and HDI index for updated fact and figures.

You can find the list of imp. Topic in the thread below
http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compu...ss-2014-a.html


For preparation of current affairs, benefit can be taken from a number of sources, some of them are outlined below :

• - Strategic studies digest by Institute of Strategic studies, Islamabad
• - Development & Security Digest issued by FRIENDS Organization
• - Contemporary Affairs by Imtiaz Shahid
• - The Dawn
• - other journals like Herald, Economist etc.
• - some sayings/quotes of famous statesmen etc. may be learnt by heart and an appropriate one can be used while answering the questions

[Naveed_Bhuutto]

Aggravating Causes behind the devastating situation in Pakistan

Aggravating Causes behind the devastating situation


Social Causes

• Outdated education system
• Uneducated elders versus modernized youth
• Absence of true religious knowledge
• Lawlessness
• No rule of law
• Avoidance of true Islamic teachings
• Enchanting western culture
• Dying of simplicity
• Victimization of women

Political Causes

• Colonial mind set of ruling
• Leadership crisis
• Army in politics
• Weak judiciary
• Repressed provinces
• Foreign influence
• Vested interest of political leaders
• Religious intolerance
• Lack of accountability
• Media censorship
• Economic imperialism
• Poor participation of women in state affairs
• US influence, role of intelligence agencies and illiterate masses

Economic Causes

• Inconsistent economic policies
• Lack of political will
• Corruption
• Unfriendly environment for local and foreign investors
• Energy crisis
• Illiterate entrepreneurs
• Low tax collection
• Irregular appointments
• No utilization of resources
• Terrorist activities
• Poor industrial and agricultural production