Writing an Introductory Paragraph in CSS Essay Paper

A topic or thesis statement is a sentence that you write to show what you are going to write about. Your introduction paragraph must begin with thesis statement. An introduction is very basic and fundamental of an essay. It just tells what your essay will be about. Make sure you start it with an impressive line. An introduction is only one paragraph. You don't give details in introduction. Try to create your impression in introduction. It does not have headings.

See examples below:
The given topic is: "Water Crises"

Introduction: (Just for your understanding here, don't give headings in the actual paper)
"Water, water everywhere; but not a drop to spare". This is true for the water crisis that has emerged as one the most pressing issues in Pakistan especially since 1994 when water became a scarce resource in the country. Today, Pakistan faces a shortage of water, a problem that will only aggravate in the near future.

That’s it. You told what the essay is about. Now you start the main body. I told the reader that this essay is about:
1. Water Crises
2. Emerging Issue
3. Past of water crisis in Pakistan
4. Future that will be worse

So reader knows that talking about past, I will tell how’ crises started. Talking about future, I will tell ‘solutions’. All this will be in main body. So reader knows what my essay is about because of introduction. Now the same introduction in 148 words:

75% of the earth is covered with water and yet today, many countries of the world are facing the issue of the water crisis. Pakistan is one of them. Water has been a scarce resource in dry parts of the world and in Pakistan, the issue started to rise during the early years of 1994. Owing to climatic changes and the uneven rainfall, today Pakistan is facing a problem of water shortage like never before. Indian dams being built in Kashmir also add to the problem. It is expected that the lack of dams in Pakistan and the mismanagement of water will lead to further deterioration of the issue. By 2025 the shortage of water will increase by double than the present values. It is, therefore, an issue that is of ultimate importance, as the future of the world and our country depends on the availability of usable water.

As you go into details in introduction, you will have to include things that should actually be in the body of an essay. Are you going to repeat the above facts in the body again with more details such as dams, Kashmir, 1994 and 2025 and mismanagement? This would result in loss of marks for repetition. Therefore, it is better to keep introduction short and go for details in the body of the essay. Dams, Kashmir, 1994 and 2025 and mismanagement should be part of outline. (Written by: Wardah Ali, CSS 2017)

Read Special Report on: Pre & Post-Partition Constitutional developments in Pakistan

OTHER INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

1. Dialogue is the best course to combat terrorism (CSS 2010): Nothing is permanent in this world. When it comes to dispute resolution, particularly, the strategies and modus operandi adopted to reach a consensus are always kept flexible in order to adapt to the changing requirements of the situation. After 9/11, the immediate response of the whole world was to pick up the weapons and crush the terrorists using maximum strength. At that time, it might have been the only suited response; however, it is also an irrefutable reality that the use of force had not only failed to achieve the targeted objectives but, unfortunately, has also widened the spectrum of the issue. The fire of terrorism that started from Afghanistan has now engulfed Iraq, Syria and Yemen in its flames, costing millions of human lives and much more in the form of injuries and sufferings. Being sensible, it is high time the superpowers of the world realised that the strategy under use in the war on terror needed change. It is the policy of engagement involving series of dialogue that should be given a chance now. Seventeen years of unending bloodshed are enough to stamp the futility of war and endorse the option of dialogue; that in the present state of affairs is the only workable option for the resolution of the issue.

2. Can women be equal to men in Pakistan (CSS 2010): Shackles, restrictions, sufferings, accusations, deprivations: this is what Pakistani women have been facing for decades. Being a daughter, a sister, a wife or even a female member of the society has rarely been a wonderful position here despite the fact that Islam, the religion of majority of Pakistani population, bestows exemplary rights and privileges upon women in every character. In the male-dominated society of Pakistan, these are the males who have always been thought of being entitled to rule the fates and lives of the female members of the society. This is what has relentlessly happened for decades; however, things have started to change speedily, particularly after the independence of media in Pakistan. Direct and indirect influence of media had done a great job in changing the overall mentality of the society and, pleasantly, the most immediate and strongest impact of it has been witnessed on the condition of Pakistani women. With improving literacy rate, increasing share in job market, and growing influence in the political sector of the society, Pakistani women are progressing on the path that would definitely lead them to the destination of gender equality one day.  Yes, women can be, and will be, equal to men in Pakistan: this is the handwriting on the wall; easily readable, by no means ignorable.

3. Pakistan is rich in natural resources but very poor in their management (CSS 2010): Wonderful geographic location, abundant mineral resources, majority population in young age, extraordinary tourism exposure, conducive weather patterns; this is what Pakistan is blessed with. Irrefutably, numerous countries of the world can’t even dream of having what this land of the pure has been bestowed upon in abundance. However, the other side of the picture looks extremely ugly and gloomy. Consistently poor GDP growth rate, scourge of power crisis, dilapidated condition of agriculture sector, persistently unfavourable balance of payments, the menace of backwardness and poverty; all these evils are continuously and relentlessly wreaking havoc on the lives of the Pakistanis. So, who is responsible for the catastrophe? Thankfully, there are no two opinions as far as the answer to this very pertinent question is concerned. It is nothing else but poor management of the available resources that has led us to the situation we are in at the moment. Failure to construct dams and tap available water, failure to make use of indigenous Thar coal for power production, failure to earn billions of dollars by promoting tourism and failure to boost foreign remittances by exporting skilled labour are some of the many examples of poor management of resources. Had these resources been managed properly and utilised to their maximum potential, Pakistan would have been leading the world at least in economic context, if not also political.

Read Special Report on: Evolution of Democracy in Pakistan (1947- 2020)