Here is a CSS 2026-focused summary of the important editorials from the Dawn Editorials
January 2025 (uploaded file). These touch on Pakistan's economy, education, security,
governance, and major reforms, which are highly relevant for CSS Essay, Current Affairs,
Pakistan Affairs, and Governance & Public Policy papers:
🔷 ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT
1. Avoiding Reform
o Pakistan's Q1 growth at 0.92%, IMF constraints, climate impact on crops.
o Structural issues: low productivity, weak exports, narrow tax base.
o Emphasis on long-term reform over short-term consumption-based growth.
2. Economic Plan – "Uraan Pakistan"
o Five-point 5Es agenda: exports, IT, energy, environment, justice.
o Goal: $1 trillion economy by 2035.
o Lacks actionable reform roadmap. Contradictions between policy goals and
execution.
3. Pension Reform
o Pension liability exceeds Rs1 trillion.
o Cuts in multiple pensions, lump sums, and monthly amounts.
o Shift toward contributory system and digitisation for transparency.
4. Debt Burden
o National debt reached Rs70.4 trillion.
o Improvement due to falling interest rates and primary balance surplus.
o Emphasis on FBR reforms, SOE restructuring, and reducing government size.
5. Captive Power Cuts & IMF Pressure
o Gas subsidy removal from textile sector to reduce fiscal distortions.
o Long-term benefit: efficient use of RLNG, level playing field for SMEs.
6. Power Planning
o Overcapacity in power generation: 42,512 MW installed vs 25,000 MW demand.
o Nepra critiques poor planning, recommends solar adoption over fossil fuel
reliance.
7. Taking Cover
o Govt blames IMF for reforms rather than owning them.
o Downsizing bureaucracy framed as an external compulsion, not national need.
🔷 SECURITY & GOVERNANCE
1. On the Front Lines
o 685 security personnel killed in 2024.
o TTP resurgence post-Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
o Need for proactive, intelligence-led CT operations and border management.
2. Operation Azm-e-Istehkam
o Criticism of reactive strategy.
o Importance of socio-economic development in KP and Balochistan for stability.
3. Confused State
o PM mixes political opposition with terrorism threats.
o Urges clear separation between criticism and violent extremism.
4. On Life Support
o Democracy under threat: media blackout, PTI disenfranchisement, censorship.
o Rule of law undermined by military courts and legal amendments.
🔷 SOCIAL ISSUES & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
1. Born into Hunger
o 1.4 million children in Pakistan born into hunger in 2024.
o Urgent need to expand Ehsaas Nashonuma, improve food security, and climate
adaptation.
2. National Embarrassment (Polio)
o 68 cases in 2024 vs 25 in Afghanistan.
o Systemic failures, poor management despite 30-year eradication program.
3. A Right Denied
o Govt ministries not complying with the Right to Information Act.
o 0% full compliance, less than 30% respond in time.
🔷 EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
1. Varsity Woes (Not detailed in preview, worth checking for full context)
2. E-Governance
o Push for digitising government processes.
o Barriers: poor internet, paper bureaucracy, censorship undermining digital
efforts.
🔷 GEO-POLITICS
1. The Indian Hand
o Accusations of Indian state-sponsored assassinations globally and within
Pakistan.
o Call for global accountability.
2. Trump 2.0 & Gaza
o Concerns about increased instability in the Middle East.
o Possible implications for Pakistan’s diplomatic and refugee strategy.
✅ RECOMMENDED FOR CSS PREPARATION
Use these articles to prepare:
Essays on economy, hunger, terrorism, governance, human rights.
Current Affairs on reform agendas, IMF pressure, Indo-Pak relations.
Pakistan Affairs on federalism, electoral issues, and civil-military relations.
Governance & Public Policy on pension reforms, e-governance, RTI compliance.
Would you like this in PDF or Excel format to track and annotate per subject/paper?
Based on a second detailed review of Dawn Editorials (January 2025), here is an enhanced and
refined list of CSS 2026-relevant material across critical themes for Essay, Current Affairs,
Pakistan Affairs, Governance, IR, and Gender Studies papers:
✅ TOPIC-WISE IMPORTANT MATERIAL
🔶 1. Economy & Development
World Bank’s $20bn Support for Pakistan (2025–35) demands reforms in energy, water,
tax, and governance.
Uraan Pakistan Plan (5Es: Exports, Energy, Environment, Education, Equity) aims for $1
trillion economy by 2035—but lacks policy clarity.
Debt Burden: National debt at Rs70.4 trillion; IMF pressure behind SOE cuts and gas
subsidy removals.
Panda Bond Strategy: Pakistan to raise $200m from Chinese markets despite risk
perceptions.
Remittances & Exports: Remittances remain critical as exports stagnate.
EV Policy 2030: EV push to reduce $6bn fuel imports and fight smog.
🔶 2. Education & Human Development
Girls’ Education Crisis: 22.8 million children out of school; 12.5m girls deprived of
education; literacy rate 49%.
Learning Losses due to Climate: 128m students in Asia affected by heatwaves; need for
climate-resilient education.
Varsity Woes: Protests in Sindh over attempts to appoint bureaucrats as VCs; attack on
academic autonomy.
🔶 3. Governance, Reforms & Transparency
Right to Information (RTI) Dysfunction: Only 27% of ministries respond on time; need
for reform via civil audit commissions.
E-Governance Failures: Digital ambitions fail due to internet shutdowns, surveillance,
and paper bureaucracy.
At Breaking Point: Prisons overcrowded at 152%; 75% inmates under trial; new drug law
worsens crisis.
Public Pay Raises vs Austerity: Lawmakers award themselves hefty raises while IMF-
mandated austerity cuts jobs.
🔶 4. Security & Civil Liberties
Digital Censorship & Trials: Internet platforms blocked; military trials of civilians; RTI
data withheld; digital freedom at risk.
On the Front Lines: 685 security officials martyred in 2024; TTP resurgence from Afghan
soil.
Mining Tragedies: Deadly incidents in Balochistan expose unsafe working conditions;
demand for ILO ratification.
🔶 5. Climate, Infrastructure & Regional Issues
GB Power Crisis: 22-hour load-shedding triggers protests; lack of renewable solutions in
mountain communities.
Agriculture Census Launched: First in 4 years; aims to collect granular farm data to guide
policy.
🔶 6. Foreign Policy & Geopolitics
Trump 2.0 Warning: Concerns over aggressive US foreign policy, impact on Pakistan’s
regional posture.
India-Taliban Outreach: Taliban meeting with India raises alarm for Pakistan; highlights
strategic drift.
Election Integrity Crisis: SC scolds ECP over partisan bias; questions of legitimacy in
parliament.
✨ Additional Themes for Essays or Interview
Theme Key Points
Democratic Civilian-military collusion, Election delays, Constitutional amendments
Backsliding reducing judicial independence
Polio Resurgence 68 new cases; funding issues; program credibility undermined
Disability Inclusion KP leads new initiative; lack of accessibility, weak law implementation
Would you like:
A subject-wise spreadsheet (Current Affairs, Economy, IR, etc.)?
A monthly tracker format for CSS prep (highlighting top 5 takeaways)?
This data converted to flashcards for revision?
Let me know your preferred format.
