Topic Of The Day:-“Economic woes”
The anti-corruption enthusiasm has sometimes added to Pakistan’s economic woes. Pakistan is currently burdened with compensation payments running into billions that must be made to foreign companies whose contracts were cancelled as part of investigations into corruption of officials involved in awarding those contracts. But fighting corruption is a useful slogan if the deep state wants to avoid fighting all jihadis and does not wish to acknowledge the flaws of its national narrative.
It is ironic that Mr. Sharif faces jail ahead of an election that opinion polls indicate his party would win, if voting was free and fair, even as a long list of internationally designated terrorists is free to seek votes. That contradiction is at the heart of why the outcome of the elections is unlikely to change any of the fundamentals of the Pakistan crisis. If the PML-N overcomes all odds and still manages to win, the corruption cases will continue to cast their shadow. If someone like Imran Khan wins with the help of invisible hands, he would start his term under a different cloud.
Pakistan will, unfortunately, not emerge stronger after an election whose winner lacks credibility and whose loser is likely to initiate confrontation with the winner right after polling day.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Wield
Meaning: Have and be able to use (power or influence).
Example: “Faction leaders wielded enormous influence within the party”
Synonyms: Exercise, Exert
2) Allegations
Meaning: A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically one made without proof.
Example: “He made allegations of corruption against the administration”
Synonyms: Claim, Assertion
3) Invoking
Meaning: Cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
Example: “The antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England”
Synonyms: Cite, Adduce
Antonyms: Waive
4) Spectre
Meaning: Something widely feared as a possible unpleasant or dangerous occurrence.
Example: “The spectre of nuclear holocaust”
Synonyms: Threat, Menace
5) Intervention
Meaning: Interference by a state in another’s affairs.
Example: “The government was reported to be considering military intervention”
Synonyms: Involvement, Intercession
6) Temptation
Meaning: The desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.
Example: “He resisted the temptation to call Celia at the office”
Synonyms: Desire, Urge
7) Ideological
Meaning: Based on or relating to a system of ideas and ideals, especially concerning economic or political theory and policy.
Example: “The ideological struggle that underpinned the cold war”
8) Extremism
Meaning: The holding of extreme political or religious views; fanaticism.
Example: “The dangers of religious extremism”
Synonyms: Fanaticism, Radicalism
Antonyms: Moderation
9) Conviction
Meaning: A formal declaration by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence.
Example: “She had a previous conviction for a similar offence”
Synonyms: Sentence, Judgement
Antonyms: Acquittal
10) Martyr
Meaning: A person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs, and is often admired because of it.
Example: “She fought against racism all her life and died a martyr to the cause”
11) Standing up
Meaning: If an idea or some information stands up, it is proved to be true or correct.
Example: “Their argument won’t stand up to detailed criticism”
12) Judicious
Meaning: Having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense.
Example: “The judicious use of public investment”
Synonyms: Wise, Canny
Antonyms: Injudicious, Foolish
13) Adjudicator
Meaning: A person who adjudicates.
Example: “The proposal to close the school will have to go before an adjudicator”
Synonyms: Arbitrator, Arbiter
14) Scarcity
Meaning: The state of being scarce or in short supply; shortage.
Example: “A time of scarcity”
Synonyms: Shortage, Dearth
Antonyms: Abundance, Excess
15) Exchequer
Meaning: A royal or national treasury.
Example: “An important source of revenue to the sultan’s exchequer”
16) Wrongdoing
Meaning: Illegal or dishonest behaviour.
Example: “Police have denied any wrongdoing”
Synonyms: Crime, Misconduct
17) Perceptions
Meaning: Intuitive understanding and insight.
Example: “‘He wouldn’t have accepted,’ said my mother with unusual perception”
Synonyms: Insight, Percipience
18) Unjust
Meaning: Not based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.
Example: “Resistance to unjust laws”
Synonyms: Biased, Unfair
Antonyms: Just, Fair
19) Prosecutions
Meaning: The institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge.
Example: “The organizers are facing prosecution for noise nuisance”
20) Malfeasance
Meaning: An example of dishonest and illegal behaviour, especially by a person in authority.
Example: “Several cases of malpractice and malfeasance in the financial world are currently being investigated”
21) Cynical
Meaning: Doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile.
Example: “Most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of their city”
Synonyms: Sceptical, Doubtful
Antonyms: Optimistic, Credulous
22) Myriad
Meaning: Countless or extremely great in number.
Example: “He gazed at the myriad lights of the city”
Synonyms: Innumerable, Countless
23) Dysfunction
Meaning: Disruption of normal social relations.
Example: “Inner-city dysfunction”
24) Resonance
Meaning: The quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating.
Example: “The resonance of his voice”
25) Kickbacks
Meaning: An amount of money that is secretly and illegally paid to someone in exchange for their help.
Example: “He is accused of paying kickbacks to a district official to win contracts with the school system”
