Developing Pakistan
Written By: Zeeshan Ghayur

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Amid the controversial scenario and hypocrite political statements; Pakistan is truly in the economic and social sense developing towards a positive and sustained growth. A retracing of the memory lanes the country has explored itself unto, since the onset of military coup by General Pervaiz Musharraf in 1999 till date, is overwhelming and welcomes the fact that Pakistan is all capable of competing in global market.

Giant newspaper companies were allowed to set up Satellite TV Channels in the country and continue with their free reporting without restrictions and penalties. The falling flat show business in return was given a boost and thus various production houses were formed and upgraded to meet with the global standards. The years 1947-1999 witnessed the hypocrite political regimes that were confined within their secretive motives of corruption with having no fear of the general public. Transparency wasn’t a minute of then the ruling political parties and Pakistanis were unaware of all the mishap that kept on happening at an alarming rate. Though it wouldn’t be wrong to state the corruption hasn’t ended as is visible with the ministers of various provincial parliaments investing/acquiring whatever seems to be in profits. However it shall be yet again without any doubt that a boost in government spending into the economic and social sectors has occurred that wasn’t a norm of the past.

Sexes discriminated the females where the males continued with their oppression and aggression against and upon the women; all came to an end with the current government when the females were upheld and placed in equal constitutional rights to those of men. Extracting out the total employed within the country today from the total labor force of 50.06 million, 46.95 million are working full time in both the public and private sectors of the economy. The Musharraf regime has brought about full time employment to a total of 4.94 million workers in the country during the years 2006-07; though when compared to the developed nations is not an overwhelming figure but is definitely something that wasn’t a norm prior to 1999. The female workforce in the country has almost doubled since the onset of the new Women’s Bill giving them the full adherent rights to working, living and socializing within the country. Among the distribution of employed 26.9% are still without work and their figure in millions is not something to let go of in our policy making strategies but nevertheless prior to the Musharraf regime the figure was far higher. 2.19 million Jobs were injected into the economy during the onset of the current regime in 1999-00 and today in 2006-07 the increase has been of a dawn of 4.94 million. Alas the unemployment rate has fallen from 7.8% of 1999-00 to 6.2% of 2006-07. This is merely the beginning and if the current regime exists for at least a minimum of next a decade it shall reap out the intended fruits.

Growth performance of components of gross national product in percentage (at constant factor cost) industry wise in construction rose from 2.6% of 1990s to 17.2% in 2006-07, in service rose from 6.5% of 1990s to 8.5% in 2006-07, in finance and insurance rose from 5.8% of 1990s to 18.2% in 2006-07, in manufacturing rose from 4.8% of 1990s to 8.4% of 2006-07, in agriculture rose from 4.4% of 1990s to 5% of 2006-07, in transport/storage/communications rose from 5.1% of 1990s to 5.8% of 2006-07, in wholesale and retail trade rose from 3.7% of 1990s to 7.1% of 2006-07, public administration and defense rose from 2.8% of 1990s to 6.9% of 2006-07, and so on goes the timeline of upgrading and growth. Inflow of net foreign private investment has grown rapidly since the stability brought into the economic sector of Pakistan by the current regime. Figures if compared on annual basis are showing significant signs of landings of foreign investment into the country that aims to doubling itself and counting on for its own growth; the new foreign private investment rose from a total of US$ 3872.5 million of 2005-06 to US$ 5307.8 million of 2006-07.

The current regime has in actual spent Rs. 167.25 billion in 2001-02 on social sector and poverty related aspects of the country to the recent figure of Rs. 434.59 billion of 2005-06 with projected spending of Rs. 454.42 billion by the end of 2006-07. Though this hasn’t brought about a significant development for the poor as the extremely poor who in 2000-01 earned a total of Rs. 361.7 now earned Rs. 439.32 per month of 2004-05. The extremely poor with the current rate of inflation of 7.9% are able to live hand to mouth practically speaking for merely a month without having to experience the comforts of a house, electricity, communication facilities and proper clothing. Thus, it’s visible that the country is in the third world along with other poor nations but figuratively it’s arising out of the depths of darkness.

One man with strong support and back from the armed forces, and international aid driven from the support in the War against Terror of USA, has been able to put on the right track the same group of people that were earlier on involved in nothing but corruption and ill governance. Mughals ruled with forced imposition of taxes and tax collection led them to construct palaces throughout the sub-continent. This was what Pakistan had been involved in till 1999 however thereafter the tax collected revenues were re-tracked to be spent upon the right sectors of the economy. Though once again it is not wrong to state that the corruption still exists but not in an amount it used to. Unmasking of these in power personalities on the satellite channels has been the main course to the spread of hatred for the current regime. Media plays with controversies and scandals to provide a platform for itself in generating revenues through selling its airtime commercially. Thus, whatever hatred that exists today is merely a media plan that has been executed in style and success.

A newly graduate was never able to attain a job, maintain his self owned car, spend for his lifestyle and save for his future. The jobs were scarce and there was an overflow of thirst. Today it’s the other way around; though the population is still on a constant pathetic rise the opportunities are yet side by side increasing. This is development that is happening and a course of history change that we Pakistanis feel proud to ignore. After all the country is ready to re-elect those who were involved in nothing but corruption and looting of public tax collections. Are we ready ourselves if not forced upon to come out of the category of a third world country?

Memoirs of 2007: Videos shot by Nokia N95

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