# **Detailed SUMMARY of the article “Pound for Pound” by Shahzad Sharjeel, Published in Dawn on June 1st, 2025:** Shahzad Sharjeel uses a metaphorical lens to address Pakistan’s tarnished international reputation in the context of the **2025 India-Pakistan conflict**, sparked by the **Pahalgam attack**. Drawing parallels to Shakespeare’s *Othello* and local policing practices, he likens Pakistan to a “usual suspect” in global affairs, burdened by a reputation that makes it easy for accusers, particularly India, to blame it without evidence. This perception, he argues, stems from figures like **Masood Azhar**, **Hafiz Saeed**, and **Tahawwur Rana** (extradited to India in April 2025 for the Mumbai attacks), whose actions or alleged links perpetuate Pakistan’s image as a rogue state. The **Indian government** and **media’s narrative** post-Pahalgam briefly faltered, offering Pakistan a chance to redeem its reputation by decisively addressing internal extremist elements. Sharjeel urges Pakistan to “decommission” such figures, shift focus from nurturing “Frankensteins” to fostering intellectual giants like **Einstein** or **Ibn Khaldun**, and abandon outdated propaganda. He contrasts India’s **communalism**, exemplified by an attack on a **Hyderabad, Telangana bakery** named after Karachi, with Pakistan’s **Hyderabad, Sindh**, where the century-old **Bombay Bakery** thrives as a symbol of coexistence. Sharjeel warns against escalating the arms race post-conflict, emphasizing that war between populous nations is no “cakewalk.” Instead, he celebrates cultural icons like the bakeries of **Bombay** and **Karachi** as models of harmony, outperforming the **jingoistic hordes** fueling division. # **Easy/Short SUMMARY**: Shahzad Sharjeel compares Pakistan’s poor global reputation to a “usual suspect” in the **2025 India-Pakistan conflict** after the **Pahalgam attack**. He urges Pakistan to reform by addressing figures like **Hafiz Saeed**, fostering intellectuals, and countering India’s **communalist narrative**, like attacking a **Karachi-named bakery**. Cultural harmony, as seen in **Bombay Bakery** in Hyderabad, Sindh, should replace **jingoism** and arms races. # **SOLUTIONS of The Problem**: ## *1. Reform National Image** Prosecute figures like **Masood Azhar** and **Hafiz Saeed** to dismantle Pakistan’s rogue state perception. ## *2. Promote Intellectual Growth** Invest in education to nurture scientists and thinkers, emulating **Einstein** or **Ibn Khaldun**. ## *3. Counter False Narratives** Use diplomacy to challenge India’s **false flag** accusations in global forums like the **UN**. ## *4. Enhance Media Strategy** Replace outdated propaganda with credible campaigns highlighting Pakistan’s peace efforts. ## *5. Foster Cultural Harmony** Promote symbols of coexistence, like **Bombay Bakery**, to counter **communalism**. ## *6. Avoid Arms Race** Halt missile and TNT buildup, focusing on diplomacy post-**2025 conflict**. ## *7. Strengthen Legal Accountability** Ensure transparent trials for extremists to rebuild international trust. ## *8. Engage Global Community** Capitalize on India’s narrative overreach to gain sympathy and mediation support. ## *9. Highlight Indian Communalism** Expose incidents like the **Hyderabad bakery attack** to undermine India’s moral stance. ## *10. Build Regional Dialogue** Encourage **India-Pakistan cultural exchanges** to reduce jingoistic tensions. # **IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the article**: * The **Pahalgam attack** triggered India’s accusations against Pakistan, leveraging its “usual suspect” reputation. * **Tahawwur Rana** was extradited to India from the US in **April 2025** for the **Mumbai attacks**. * India’s media and government faced a “momentary pause” in credibility post-Pahalgam. * A **Hyderabad, Telangana bakery** named after Karachi was attacked due to **communalism**. * **Hyderabad, Sindh’s Bombay Bakery**, run by the **Thadani family**, is a century-old icon of coexistence. * The conflict highlighted risks of escalating **TNT poundage** and **missile ranges**. # **IMPORTANT Facts and Figures out of the article**: * The **Pahalgam attack** (April 22, 2025) killed **26**, including **25 tourists**, per **Dawn**. * India’s **Operation Sindoor** (May 7) targeted **6 Pakistani locations**, killing **31 civilians**, per Pakistan. * Pakistan’s **Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos** (May 10) hit **Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj**. * Pakistan has **~170 nuclear warheads**, India **~180**, per **2024 CSIS** estimates. * A nuclear war could kill **50–125 million** directly, per **2023 studies**. * **70% of Indian social media users** engage in political content, fueling jingoism, per **2023 Pew Research**. * The **Mumbai attacks** (2008) killed **166**, with **Hafiz Saeed** linked to **Lashkar-e-Taiba**, per **UN reports**. # **MCQs from the Article**: ### 1. **What did Sharjeel compare Pakistan’s global reputation to?** A. A trusted ally **B. A usual suspect** C. A peacekeeping nation D. A cultural icon ### 2. **Who was extradited to India in April 2025, per the article?** A. Masood Azhar B. Hafiz Saeed **C. Tahawwur Rana** D. Fazlullah ### 3. **What incident in Hyderabad, Telangana, reflected Indian communalism?** A. Bombing of a market **B. Attack on a Karachi-named bakery** C. Protest at a mosque D. Closure of Bombay Bakery ### 4. **What does Sharjeel urge Pakistan to focus on instead of extremists?** A. Military buildup **B. Nurturing Einsteins** C. Propaganda campaigns D. Missile development ### 5. **What cultural symbol in Hyderabad, Sindh, represents coexistence?** A. Karachi Bakery **B. Bombay Bakery** C. Thadani Market D. Sindh Café # **VOCABULARY**: 1. **Evocative** (جذباتی) – Arousing strong feelings or memories 2. **Pedestrian** (معمولی) – Ordinary or commonplace 3. **Predicament** (مشکل) – A difficult or unpleasant situation 4. **Onus** (ذمہ داری) – Burden or responsibility 5. **Rogue** (باغی) – Unpredictable or dangerous entity 6. **Plebeian** (عام) – Common or unrefined 7. **Amok** (بے قابو) – Out of control, wildly 8. **Egregious** (شدید) – Outstandingly bad or shocking 9. **Kneecapping** (سزا) – Severe punishment, often violent 10. **False flag** (جھوٹا حملہ) – Covert operation to deceive 11. **Wringer** (نچوڑ) – Intense pressure or ordeal 12. **Squibs** (ناکارہ) – Ineffective or failed entities 13. **Seminary** (مدرسہ) – Religious school, often linked to extremism 14. **Godi media** (حکومتی میڈیا) – Media aligned with the government 15. **Decimated** (تباہ) – Destroyed or severely damaged 16. **Conflagration** (آگ) – Large, destructive conflict 17. **Jingoistic** (جارحانہ قوم پرستی) – Aggressive nationalism 18. **Hordes** (ہجوم) – Large, unruly crowds 19. **Satire** (طنز) – Humorous critique of flaws 20. **Rindana** (رندانہ) – Playfully irreverent or carefree --- 📢 **Attention Please!** We appreciate your commitment to acquiring knowledge through our summaries. Please be reminded not to remove the attribution label affixed to this article. It is crucial to acknowledge the source and the effort invested in creating this summary. We discourage any unauthorized distribution without proper credit. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 🔍 ⚡ **Explore More Summaries, Solutions, and Vocabulary Meanings** 💡 Join our WhatsApp Channel for timely and comprehensive summaries of the latest articles, along with well-crafted solutions and helpful vocabulary meanings. Click the link below to join now 🔗 [Dawn Article Summaries](https://cssmcqs.com/dawn-editorials-articles-summary-for-students-pdf-download/) **WhatsApp Channel Link**: [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y) Pound for pound Shahzad Sharjeel Published June 1, 2025 “MY reputation, Iago, my reputation!” Cried the Moor in one of the most evocative scenes of Shakespeare’s Othello. To give a very pedestrian example, whenever a crime occurs in a neighbourhood, the precinct police, following protocol, go after the usual suspects. It is easier, as it gets the higher authorities off the local police officials’ backs, and their performance in terms of arrests goes up; whether justice is done or not is a different story. Considering this predicament, what can the usual suspects do? Improve their reputation or leave the hood. Countries are like people; they exist in clusters, have neighbours, fences and borders, but unlike humans, they cannot physically move out; all they can do is improve their reputation and image to get off the list of usual suspects. The more your reputation solidifies, right or wrong, the more the onus of proving your innocence rests on your shoulders, and the easier the job of the accuser becomes to drag you to court. In the case of countries with a reputation for being rogue, they first face the court of international opinion, and the jury consists of billions; the accuser, in more than one sense, is the judge, jury and executioner, for your reputation is dragged through mud and left for the world to tut-tut. Let us focus on nurturing Einsteins. To continue the rather plebeian example, when a child runs amok in a neighbourhood, ringing doorbells, climbing up neighbours’ trees, and getting into scuffles with fellow ruffians, the neighbourhood first approaches the family and asks that the youngster be disciplined. Only the egregious ones’ elders are warned, ‘Straighten ’em up yourselves or we’ll do it for you’. The boys and their elders, better heed, for there always are real toughies running the rackets in the neighbourhood, from dope dealing, bookmaking, shakedowns. Too much naughtiness can invite anything from mild slapping around to proper kneecapping. Even at the risk of putting too fine a point on it, we must remember that international affairs are run more or less along the same lines. Characters like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed need to be brought to justice. Each time an ill-wisher — we collect them like postal stamps — conducts a ‘false flag operation’, you know who would be hauled up by the world community — the usual suspect. Cry foul, plead innocence, demand incriminating evidence, even establish an alibi, your reputation will put you through the wringer each time. Because of the Indian government and media’s overkill in the war of narratives after the Pahalgam atrocity, the world is having a brief moment of suspended belief in popular tropes characterising the Pakistani deep state. We must capitalise on this momentary pause and take decisive action to redeem our reputation before a character like Tahawwur Rana, extradited to India from the US in April this year in the Mumbai terror attack case, is presented to the world with who knows what type of evidence and claims. Reputation, countrymen, our reputation. First off, can we at last rid ourselves of the cartridges — spent and live — and decommission their manufacturers? Let us flush the ‘damn’ squibs down the drain and let the courts decide the fate of those who keep attracting trouble instead of putting them out to pasture in seminaries. Let us focus on nurturing Einsteins instead of Frankensteins or, given our obsession with history, at least produce Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Sina instead of characters like Fazlullah and his ilk. The image must be a true reflection of character, not some overly clever attempt at fourth-class propaganda. Having said all of this, one must add that, of late, we may not have done as badly as the opponent, or in other words, they just outdid us in idiocy and communalism. I mean, attacking a bakery in Hyderabad, Telangana, because it is named after Karachi, the city that some godi media houses wanted decimated, is the epitome of stooping low. Hyderabad, Sindh, on the other hand, continued to queue up outside its Bombay Bakery, a century-old icon, to get their hands on its famous coffee cake made by the equally famous and loved Thadani family. In this vein, one hopes that we don’t let the recent conflagration spark another race to pile up more TNT poundage and acquire missiles with longer ranges. It has just been proven that a war between two countries with a billion and a half people or more is never going to be a cakewalk. Pound-for-pound, Bombay and Karachi bakeries have done much better than the jingoistic hordes from both sides. The writer is a poet. His latest publication is a collection of satire essays titled Rindana. [email protected] Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2025