Artificial Intelligence: Shaping Science and Society

       Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to scientific concepts. It is a powerful force that is reshaping the world. From accelerating scientific discoveries to transforming the fabric of our economies, AI is having a profound impact on every aspect of our lives. The impact of AI on scientific research is no less than revolutionary. In 2020, alphafold cracked a major challenge in biology by accurately predicting the structure of various proteins. This breakthrough has the potential to accelerate drug discovery, offering new hope for treating diseases that have long puzzled scientists. Similarly, AI-powered robots such as labgenius are automating routine tasks in laboratories, such as piping, so that scientists can focus on more complex problems. This automation not only speeds up research but also reduces the chance of human error, making scientific experiments more reliable.

        In astronomy, too, artificial intelligence has changed the way we explore the universe. For example, AI analyzed data from the Kepler space telescope, leading to the discovery of exoplanets like Kepler-90i. This power of artificial intelligence extends to other fields, such as meteorology, where the use of AI is providing more accurate weather forecasts. For example, Google’s collaboration with the UK Met Office has resulted in AI models that predict rainfall with unprecedented accuracy, helping with flood prevention and agricultural planning. AI is also revolutionizing healthcare. IBM’s Watson Oncology uses AI to analyze cancer patient data and compare individual cases with a wide range of medical data to suggest personalized cancer treatment plans, which is undoubtedly a more effective treatment approach, improving the quality of life of countless patients. In addition, AI-based diagnostic tools such as Google’s DeepMind can accurately diagnose diseases. In agriculture, AI-powered robots like John Deere are transforming farming by identifying and precisely targeting weeds in crops, thereby increasing crop yields and significantly reducing chemical use.

      In climate science, AI is playing a key role in developing more efficient renewable energy sources. For example, startup Heliogen uses AI to concentrate sunlight, generating heat that can replace fossil fuels in industrial processes. In the field of quantum computing, AI is opening up new avenues. Artificial intelligence extends far beyond science and technology. It is also reshaping economies and societies. In industries such as manufacturing, AI-powered machines have delivered significant productivity gains. Tesla is using AI to improve battery production for its motor vehicles, dramatically reducing costs and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. However, this automation also raises concerns about job displacement.

     While AI is replacing some jobs, particularly in manufacturing and consumer services, it is also creating new opportunities in areas such as AI development, data science, and AI ethics. Education is another area where AI is having a profound impact. Online platforms such as Coursera and Duolingo are using AI to ensure that students receive relevant education, making learning more effective and reaching millions of people around the world. In the field of finance, AI algorithms are changing the way markets work. For example, the JPMorgan program, LOXM, performs trades in much shorter time than human traders, with greater profitability and efficiency. AI is also making the concept of smart cities a reality. In Singapore, AI is being used to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and pollution, and improve the overall quality of life. 

     AI-powered systems manage traffic lights and public transport schedules, making urban mobility more efficient. Security is another key area where AI is making a significant impact. AI-powered cybersecurity tools, such as DarkTrace, use machine learning to detect and respond to cyber threats in real time, often neutralizing attacks before they cause significant damage. While artificial intelligence (AI) is very useful and important, its use can also be a precursor to many threats that must be addressed to ensure a safe and equitable future. One of the most pressing concerns is job displacement. AI-powered automation is taking over jobs in fields such as data entry, putting many workers at risk of unemployment. Privacy is also a major concern. 

    The technology’s ability to process large amounts of data also raises serious privacy issues. AI-powered surveillance systems could monitor the movements of individuals, potentially leading to a society where personal privacy is severely compromised. The development of AI-powered autonomous weapons poses a particular threat. These systems could make life-and-death decisions without human intervention and could pose serious threats to global security. Imagine a scenario where autonomous drones or robots decide who to target in a war. Such technology could lead to unintended conflicts or accidents, increase tensions between nations, and create a more dangerous world.

Uraan Pakistan Plan 'Game Changer' or 'Unreal'...?

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   Faced with several economic recovery challenges, the federal government of Pakistan has launched a plan called 'Uraan Pakistan', which has set high targets for economic growth and exports as well as social sectors. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif officially inaugurated the program on  December 30 at a time when the government has made claims about stability in the country's economy and reduction in the rate of inflation. While in connection with the bailout package of seven billion dollars from the IMF, Pakistan is making efforts to reform other sectors including taxation, privatization and energy.

       Under 'Uraan Pakistan', economic goals have been set for the next five and long term up to the year 2035. For example, the country's growth rate has set a target of six percent increase in the next five years and the target of taking the Gross National Product (GDP) size to one trillion dollars in the next 10 years, i.e. 2035. Remember that this At present, Pakistan's GDP is around 374 billion dollars.

On the other hand, in the opinion of the observers, the big goals set for the next five years under 'Uraan Pakistan' are 'ambitious' compared to the current economic indicators of the country. Economists say that it is difficult to achieve them because On the one hand, there is currently no solution to the ongoing political crisis in Pakistan, and on the other hand, it may be difficult to attract investors due to the increasing incidence of terrorism in the country.

What is 'Uraan Pakistan' program?

     When Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal's media team of  Uraan Pakistan said that its a comprehensive national economic transformation plan designed to take Pakistan to 'new heights of growth'. According to the government, the program aims to make the country stable, sustainable and competitive in the global economy. Based on the framework of the five Es. This statement It was said that the first objective is to create an export-oriented economy, the second is to bring about a digital revolution in the country, and the third is to deal with environmental change and its effects. The fourth sector where attention will be given is energy and infrastructure while the fifth is building an equity-based society.

Ambitious targets for five sectors and claims to be a 'game changer'

     The first of the goals set by the government under this program is to increase exports to 60 billion dollars per year in the next five years. It should be noted that the current volume of Pakistan's exports is around 30 billion dollars per year. Similarly, the GDP growth rate has to be taken up to six percent in the next five years. In the first quarter of the current financial year, the growth rate has been less than one percent.

    In the field of e-Pakistan, a goal has been set to take the freelancing industry of information technology to five billion dollars in the next five years, for which two lakh IT graduates will be prepared annually. In the field of environmental change, the next five years It has set a target of a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, along with an increase in arable land by more than 20 percent and an increase in water storage capacity of up to ten million acre feet. To increase the share of renewable energy in the energy sector to ten percent. In the field of social equality, according to the document of 'Uraan Pakistan', to reduce the poverty rate to 13 percent. According to the data of the World Bank, Pakistan has 40 percent of the population is living below the poverty line, and according to World Bank estimates, this rate is likely to rise above 40 percent by 2026.

   Planning Minister said that the government will provide investment opportunities under the program, which includes simplified rules and incentives to promote national and international investment, along with digital facilitation. Support for IT start-ups and freelancing industry will be provided while government support in the form of funds and grants for technological research, innovation and industrial development. Also through large-scale development projects are part of this program.
Uraan Pakistan has been called a 'game changer' by the government. In this regard, the Federal Minister of Planning said that the goal of economic stability under this program is because the establishment of an export-based economy will stabilize the Pakistani rupee and promote economic development. Promotion of technology will make Pakistan stand out in the global market and better use of natural resources for sustainable development in the field of environmental protection while inclusion of women and youth in economic development in the field of social equality.

Udaan Pakistan's goals 'unrealistic'?

   The targets set in Uraan Pakistan are much higher than the current indicators of Pakistan's economy and economists are not very optimistic about their achievement in five years. According to them, the current ground realities of Pakistan, such as political instability and peace And the poor situation of peace, I find it very difficult to achieve these goals. Dr. Hafeez Pasha, the former finance minister of Pakistan, said that 'No one will take these goals seriously.' Time is the biggest problem in the short term (term) goals while the government is setting long-term (long-term) goals. He said that the government is not able to achieve the short-term goals set under the IMF program, such as tax collection, etc. In such a situation, how is it possible for the country to move towards any big goal?

     Dr. Pasha said that achieving a six percent growth rate is very difficult and taking the GDP size to $1 trillion "seems very difficult" as Pakistan's economy barely managed to achieve a one percent growth rate this fiscal year. According to him, it will be difficult to achieve the target of exports of 60 billion dollars because this target is to be achieved by the industry, which will be done by investing in it, while the state of investment in the industry in Pakistan is that it is Time lowest in 25 years Dr. Pasha said that due to political instability, investment in Pakistan has already decreased and everyone is aware of the frequent incidents of terrorism. He said that the government's future A five- or ten-year plan now 'seems inappropriate when short-term goals seem impossible to achieve.

    Political economy expert Abbas Mousavi said that political stability and law and order situation play a key role in economic growth. He gives an example that "The government has talked about digital revolution in Uraan Pakistan, while the situation here is that the freelancing community has been badly affected due to the shutdown of the Internet." In the opinion of Abbas Mousavi. Uraan Pakistan Involvement of all will be considered a claim only because political representation in the country is "compromised." However, senior economic affairs journalist Shehbaz Rana said regarding the development goals in the digital sector that the alleged fire in terms of billions of dollars. The installation of the wall has affected the development in the IT sector.

    On the other hand, the Federal Minister of Planning says that this program of economic recovery has been prepared 'in the light of ground realities and global experiences'. According to him, if the government and the private sector work with transparency, persistence and public involvement, it will The targets are achievable and he cites countries like Malaysia, Turkey and South Korea as examples. Although Ahsan Iqbal admits that these targets are certainly 'challenging', they are not unrealistic according to him. through development partnerships and better allocation of resources These goals can be achieved.

Will Pakistan not have to go to the IMF after this program?

   Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Uraan Pakistan program, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that after two or three years of this program, Pakistan will not need to go to the IMF. Commenting on this statement of the Finance Minister. Former finance minister Dr. Hafeez Pasha said that 'Our governments have said 25 times in the past that this program is the last, but the fact is that Pakistan has become the country that has received the most 25 times IMF program in the world.  He said that the government should work on achieving the short-term goals set by the IMF, which are not being achieved at the moment. Everyone will just laugh at setting big goals in the name of Uraan Pakistan.

Pak-Afghan tensions

      The situation of the war between Pakistan and Afghanistan is a cause of great concern for the conscious citizens of both the brotherly countries. During the last four decades of war between the two major powers on Afghanistan, Pakistan hosted millions of Afghan refugees. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the ally of Tehreek-e-Taliban, which successfully resisted the aggression, has made Pakistan the target of its terrorist activities during the last two decades. In the last decade, the terrorism of the outlawed TTP was completely eliminated through two major military operations, but after the establishment of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the operations of the outlawed TTP gradually increased in Pakistan, while the terror of the TTP in the territory of Afghanistan. Kidney safe havens have been established. Pakistan has repeatedly discussed with the current Afghan government to eliminate these bases, but no positive result has been obtained and in the press conference of the spokesman of the Pakistan Army two days ago, it was stated that in the last one year, more or less 400 officers and men have been killed. martyred in the encounter with the terrorists, while over nine hundred terrorists were killed as a result of the operations of the Pakistan Army.

     The Pakistan Army targeted TTP positions in the Paktika area last Tuesday with an air strike. was given Irrespective of the details of these operations, the main thing to think about is whether the Pak-Afghan war can reduce the problems and difficulties of both the countries or as a result both of them will have to face heavy losses. Pakistan is struggling for economic recovery, will the growing Pak-Afghan tension not prove to be an insurmountable obstacle in the way of these efforts? No intelligent person can consider the continuation of this situation as beneficial for Pakistan or Afghanistan. This is the reason why Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif explained in the federal cabinet meeting on Friday that Afghanistan is our neighboring country and it is our sincere desire. That our relations should be better and we should cooperate with each other in the economy and other sectors, but the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is still operating from Afghanistan and innocent people are being martyred in Pakistan, this policy cannot work.

      The Prime Minister said that he has given the message to the Afghan government more than once that we want very good relations with you but the banned TTP should be stopped completely, they should not be allowed to martyr the innocent people of Pakistan in any way. cannot be allowed, this is a red line for us. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq Khan had separate meetings with Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul. It is clear that the two countries can resolve their differences through sincere negotiations, while armed conflict is not in anyone's interest, so progress should be made in this direction without delay and at a time when the world Many countries are establishing friendly relations with Afghanistan, so Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are linked in strong relations of religion, history, geography, race, color, language and culture, should also promote ideal mutual relations.

Kuurram's plight, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee's decisions

 

      During the last few weeks in the Kurram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the heavy loss of life and financial losses caused by the extremely tragic sectarian riots has left the entire country in grave concern, but the efforts of the Grand Jirga temporarily succeeded in establishing peace, after which Progress is being made on the implementation of joint measures and strategies by the federal and provincial governments to improve the situation on a permanent basis. A meeting of the APEX Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held under the joint chairmanship in which Corps Commander Peshawar, Chief Secretary of the province, IG Police and senior civil and military officials also participated. After considering the situation and its background, the Apex Committee has come to the correct conclusion that it is not possible to establish lasting peace without the elimination of bunkers and weapons in Kurram.

       According to the statement of the meeting, the committee has decided that both parties will sign a mutual agreement through the mediation of the government to surrender all the weapons. The apex committee has decided that all the weapons will be submitted to the administration by February 1 and All bunkers in the area will be demolished. A security mechanism has also been set up to secure the traffic on the land route. Police and FC will jointly provide security to the convoys. Special air service will be started on emergency basis to solve the traffic problem in the area. The federal and provincial governments will provide helicopters. All social media accounts that spread communal hatred will be closed. In view of the increase in terrorism in Tirah and Jani Khel, the strategy of temporary displacement of people is also included in the strategy of the APEX Committee, while identifying miscreants from the local population. Yogurt has also been requested.

        The declaration of the meeting has rightly highlighted the fact that the Kurram problem is not only regional but a national and serious problem and no one should try to shine their politics on it. It has been clarified in the declaration that the federal and provincial governments and all related institutions are on the same page on the Kurram issue, while the provincial government has made successful efforts to resolve the Kuraram issue in a peaceful manner through Jirgas. The Apex Committee has expressed the hope that the parties will fully cooperate with the government and the administration for a sustainable solution to the problem. If the action plan can be successfully implemented, the situation in the area will definitely improve temporarily, but peace can be established on a sustainable basis only when the causes and motives of communal hatred are over. The emergence of differences in human societies is a natural process that cannot be eliminated, but civilized societies know how to live with differences.

         Due to the recent bloodshed due to sectarian differences, the religious leaders and authoritative scholars of all sects must make a joint and effective struggle for communal harmony to permanently prevent such incidents, of which there are many successful examples in the past. On the one hand, the government will have to take strict measures against the seditionist elements who ignite the fire of violence by fueling these differences, and on the other hand, the leaders of all sects who have pain in their hearts should be exposed to the people who are doing mischief in the name of religion. It has to be made ineffective in people. ......

Trump wins

           

   The external and internal effects of the US presidential election affect the whole world. The foreign policies of South Asia and European countries change due to the US presidential change. Before Trump's victory, the media around the world was analyzing and commenting on the tough competition, but all the comments turned out to be completely reversed. What are the effects of Trump's victory on the politics of Pakistan? This is an interesting situation. Trump has not even taken the oath yet. There has been a political upheaval in Pakistan. No yards. It is in Trump's nature to be interested where there is interest. It must be noted that the stories of persecution in Ukraine and especially in Gaza continue. The protests are ongoing.

        In the race for the presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump has become the 47th president of the United States for the second time. Donald Trump has won 296 electoral votes to reach the White House. A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes for victory. More than 8 crore voters had exercised their right to vote in early voting. Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate in the US presidential election, while admitting her defeat, also expressed her intention to provide financial support to the Republican candidate Donald Trump.

        Apart from the United States, the whole world is thinking about the effects of the Trump administration's decisions on countries other than the American people. It is a fact that America needed Pakistan at the time of the war in Afghanistan, but only time will tell how far Trump takes relations with Pakistan. The President's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 20 in Washington. President Donald Trump announced his policies and said that no war will start, but a policy to end wars and make America great again. The golden age of America is beginning, now America will reach new heights. will make them safe, strong and prosperous.

       Congratulating the swing states on the victory, Donald Trump also said, "I expected to win 315 electoral votes. I won the election in very difficult circumstances. It was unbelievable. The American people have once again given an extraordinary mandate to protect America." And in addition to sealing the borders, Trump has also indicated that foreign nationals should stay in the United States according to the law. The new president is also faced with making, the Republican Party has also regained control of the Senate.

      According to the American Broadcasting Corporation, he won the Senate seats in the states of Ohio and West Virginia and gained a majority in the upper house. In total, out of 100 seats in the Senate, 51 seats have been obtained, which is 2 seats more than in the previous election. Now it is to be seen whether Trump is able to stop the Gaza ceasefire and the mountains of atrocities on the Palestinians, and what direction do his actions take regarding Iran and Lebanon?