pakistan is a developing country essay

Essay On My Country Pakistan (200 & 500 words)

Pakistan is a beautiful country located in South Asia. It shares borders with India, China, Afghanistan, and Iran. The country is known for its diverse culture, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. The official language of Pakistan is Urdu, but English is also widely spoken and used in official documents.

Essay On My Country Pakistan 200 words

Pakistan gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947 and became a sovereign nation. Since then, the country has faced many challenges, including political instability, economic struggles, and ongoing conflict with neighboring countries. However, despite these difficulties, Pakistan remains a vibrant and resilient country with strong national pride.

Pakistan is a country with a rich cultural heritage. It is home to many historical sites, such as the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and the majestic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore . The people of Pakistan are known for their hospitality and love for food. Pakistani cuisine is famous for its spicy and flavorful dishes, such as biryani, kebabs, and curries .

Pakistan is also known for its natural beauty, from the snowy peaks of the Himalayas to the sandy beaches of the Arabian Sea. The country has several national parks and nature reserves where visitors can see various wildlife and flora.

In conclusion, Pakistan is a country with a lot to offer. Despite its challenges, it remains a place of great beauty, rich culture, and warm hospitality.

Essay On My Country Pakistan 500 words

Pakistan is a beautiful country located in South Asia. It is a land of diversity, culture, and heritage. It was formed in 1947, after the partition of India, and since then, it has come a long way. Pakistan is known for its hospitality, food, historical monuments, and beautiful landscapes. Its population is over 200 million people , making it the fifth most populous country in the world.

Pakistan is a country that is blessed with natural beauty. It has beautiful mountains, deserts, and beaches. The northern areas of Pakistan are known for their picturesque landscapes, attracting tourists worldwide. Some of Pakistan’s most famous tourist spots include Murree, Hunza Valley, Swat Valley, Neelum Valley, and Skardu. The beaches of Karachi are also popular among tourists, and people from all over the country visit them during summer.

Pakistan is also known for its rich history and culture. The country has a rich tradition of music, art, and literature. The ancient civilization of the Indus Valley is also one of Pakistan’s most significant cultural heritages. The historical monuments of Pakistan, such as the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, and Shalimar Gardens , are a testament to the country’s rich cultural heritage. Moreover, the food of Pakistan is famous all over the world. Pakistani cuisine’s aromatic spices, herbs, and flavors make it unique and delicious.

Pakistan is a country that has made significant progress in various fields over the years. The country has a rapidly growing economy, one of the world’s emerging economies. Pakistan has a vibrant IT industry, home to many software companies that provide services to clients worldwide. Moreover, the country is also making significant progress in science and technology, and many Pakistani scientists and researchers are making groundbreaking discoveries in their respective fields.

Pakistan is a country that faces many challenges. Poverty, illiteracy, and terrorism are some of the significant issues that the country faces. Pakistan’s government is trying to tackle these challenges and improve the standard of living of its citizens. The country has made significant progress in education, and the literacy rate has increased. Moreover, the government is also taking measures to counter terrorism and promote peace in the region.

In conclusion, Pakistan is a beautiful country with a rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. It has made significant progress in various fields over the years and has a bright future ahead. The challenges faced by the country are being tackled, and the government is making efforts to improve the standard of living of its citizens. Pakistan is a country full of potential, and with the right policies and strategies, it can become one of the world’s leading economies.

پاکستان ایک خوبصورت ملک ہے جو جنوب ایشیا میں واقع ہے۔ یہ ایک مختلف ثقافت اور وراثت کا ملک ہے۔ یہ 1947 میں بھارت کی تقسیم کے بعد قائم ہوا تھا۔ پاکستان کو اس کی مہمان نوازی، کھانے پینے کی اشیاء، تاریخی مقامات، اور خوبصورت مناظر کے لئے جانا جاتا ہے۔ اس کی آبادی 200 لاکھ سے زیادہ لوگوں کی ہے، جس سے یہ دنیا کے پانچویں زیادہ آبادی والا ملک ہے۔

پاکستان ایک ملک ہے جوکہ قدرتی حسن سے نوازا گیا ہے۔ یہ خوبصورت پہاڑ، صحراؤں، اور ساحلوں سے بھر پور ہے۔ پاکستان کے شمالی علاقے دنیا بھر کے سیاحوں کو کھینچتے ہیں اور ان میں سے کچھ مشہور سیاحتی مقامات مری، ہنزہ ویلی، سوات ویلی، نیلم ویلی، اور سکردو شامل ہیں۔ کراچی کے ساحل بھی سیاحوں کے درمیان مقبول ہیں، اور پورے ملک کے لوگ گرمی کے موسم میں وہاں جاتے ہیں۔

پاکستان اپنی تاریخ اور ثقافت کے لئے بھی مشہور ہے۔ اس ملک کی موسیقی، فن، اور ادب کی ایک پرانی روایت ہے۔ انڈس ویلی کی قدیم تہذیب بھی پاکستان کی اہم ترین ثقافتی وراثتوں میں سے ایک ہے۔ پاکستان کے تاریخی عمارات بادشاہی مسجد، لاہور کی قلعہ، اور شالیمار باغ وغیرہ اس ملک کی غنی ثقافتی وراثت کا ثبوت ہیں۔ علاوہ ازیں، پاکستان کا کھانا دنیا بھر میں مشہور ہے۔ پاکستانی کھانے کی خوشبو دار مصالحے، جڑی بوٹیاں، اور ذائقے اسے مخصوص اور لذیذ بناتی ہیں۔

پاکستان ایک زرعی ملک ہے۔ یہ ملک تیزی سے بڑھتی ہوئی معیشت رکھتا ہے اور دنیا کے بڑی معیشتوں میں سے ایک ہے۔ پاکستان میں اٹھتی ہوئی آئی ٹی صنعت ہے، جس میں دنیا بھر کے لوگوں کو خدمات فراہم کرنے والی کئی سافٹوئیر کمپنیاں ہیں۔ علاوہ ازیں، ملک میں سائنس اور ٹیکنالوجی میں بڑھتی ہوئی پیشرفت بھی ہو رہی ہے، اور بہت سارے پاکستانی سائنسدان اور محقق اپنی متخصص شعبوں میں نئی تاریخی تلاشوں میں مصنفی کر رہے ہیں۔

پاکستان کو مختلف چیلنجز کا سامنا ہے۔ غربت، جہالت، اور دہشتگردی ان میں سے کچھ بڑے مسائل ہیں۔ پاکستان کی حکومت ان چیلنجز کا سامنا کرنے اور اپنے شہریوں کی زندگی کی معیار کو بہتر بنانے کی کوشش کر رہی ہے۔ تعلیم میں پاکستان نے بڑی ترقی کی ہے، اور رسمی تعلیم کی شرح میں اضافہ ہوا ہے۔ علاوہ ازیں، حکومت دہشتگردی کے خلاف کارروائی کر رہی ہے اور علاقے میں امن کو فروغ دینے کے اقدامات بھی کر رہی ہے۔

الغرض کہ پاکستان ایک خوبصورت ملک ہے جس کی غنی ثقافتی وراثت اور قدرتی حسن ہے۔ یہ سالوں سے مختلف شعبوں میں ترقی کر رہا ہے اور اس کا روشن مستقبل ہے۔ ملک کے سامنے آنے والے چیلنجز کا سامنا کیا جا رہا ہے، اور حکومت اپنے شہریوں کی زندگی کی معیار کو بہتر بنانے کی کوشش کر رہی ہے۔ پاکستان ایک بڑے پوٹنشل والا ملک ہے، اور صحیح پالیسیوں اور منصوبوں کے ساتھ، یہ دنیا کے سب سے بڑے معیشتوں میں سے ایک بن سکتا ہے۔

Related Essays:

Essay On Women’s Rights
Essay On Pakistani Culture 200 words
Essay On Ideal Student
Essay On Patriotism
Essay On My Best Friend For Class 3
Essay On My House For Class 1
Essay On Cricket Match
Essay On Eid Ul Adha

Sana Mursleen is a student studying English Literature at Lahore Garrison University (LGU). With her love for writing and humor, she writes essays for Top Study World. Sana is an avid reader and has a passion for history, politics, and social issues.

Eurasia Review

A Journal of Analysis and News

Pakistan border

Why Pakistan Cannot Be A Failed State – Analysis

By Ahsan Qazi

Why cannot Pakistan be a failed state? This has been a constant thought and a lingering question in the minds of many Pakistanis and others in the international community. Many would argue, and it appears correctly so, that Pakistan perhaps has failed as a state; however, this is a complex question that cannot be answered with a simple yes.

To truly assess Pakistan’s potential and lay out the possible solutions for Pakistan’s survival, the root causes of Pakistan’s constant political and economic turmoil must be assessed and formally recognized, which will provide the framework for Pakistan’s path to development as a modern state. A sociological perspective is needed to discuss the root causes of Pakistan’s political and economic troubles.

While the current economic crisis of Pakistan cannot be ignored, Pakistan does possess all the key elements to fully develop as a modern nation and save itself from a complete political and economic collapse. First, Pakistan has one of the best strategic geographic locations. Second, the economic opportunity through China is an added improvement to what Pakistan can achieve independently. Third, Balochistan’s mineral riches remain unexplored, which can help Pakistan strengthen its economy. Fourth, Pakistan’s tourism industry remains undeveloped and can further boost Pakistan’s economy.

Additionally, Pakistan has many renewable energy resources. With abundant sunlight all year round and given Pakistan’s high-altitude mountain range, harvesting solar energy is easier. The presence of abundant Lithium in Pakistan and potential wind energy plants that can be made operational are some of the key energy resources that can help Pakistan become fully independent. Finally, Pakistan has the most human resources or manpower.

According to the Human Development Reports, more than half of the population (64%) comprises people aged 15-29. Provided such strengths of Pakistan, for Pakistan to fail as a state would be an absolute tragedy and a massive paradox. The country is just ripe for innovation, ready to unleash its economic potential and join the global economies.

A Sociological Perspective

In 1938, Robert K. Merton discussed the patterns of cultural goals and institution norms in his “Social Structure and Anomie.” Merton stated that amongst the several elements of social and cultural structures, two key elements are very important. The first element, he wrote, “consists of culturally defined goals, purposes and interests, held out as legitimate objectives for all or diversely located members of the society.” He emphasized that while all societies have goals, motivations, and interests that are culturally defined, they are interlinked and involve varied degrees of status (“hierarchy of value”). To which degree? According to Merton, this is a question of empirical fact and can be answered through some hierarchical value. This indicates that not all members of society have the same opportunities to actualize the same values because they are placed differently within the social structure or various classes.

Merton suggests, “The second element of cultural structure regulates, and controls the acceptable modes of reaching out for the goals. Every social group invariably couples its cultural objectives with regulations, rooted in the mores or institutions, of allowable procedures for moving towards the objectives.” According to Merton’s anomie premise, most people try to legitimately fulfill culturally acceptable objectives; however, people have limitations. Merton claims, “In all instances, the choice of expedients for striving toward cultural goals is limited by institutionalized norms.” Institutionalized norms obstruct people from achieving their cultural goals, which may result in deviation. When access and the means to achieving cultural objectives are denied to entire populations or specific individuals, anomie results. Deviant behavior emerges as a result, characterized by one of the following behaviors: resistance, withdrawal, ritualism, innovation, and/or conformance.

Crime, which Merton terms “aberrant behavior,” develops when social goals are acknowledged as legitimate, but the resources available to accomplish these goals are not available to everyone. Goals and means differ in various ways based on the class. It happens at all levels of society. This difference disorients an individual, leading to social challenges and psychological stress. Merton makes his assertion extremely clear by stating, “It is, indeed, my central hypothesis that aberrant behavior may be regarded sociologically as a symptom of disassociation between culturally prescribed aspirations and socially structured avenues for realizing these aspirations.” An effective equilibrium is achievable between two elements of social structures if “satisfaction accrue to individuals conforming to both cultural constraints, viz., satisfaction from the achievement of goals and satisfaction emerging directly from the institutionally canalized modes of striving to attain them.” When a balance exists between cultural goals and institutionalized means, everyone has the chance to compete and progress in all strata of society; hence, Socio-structural inequality between the classes is lessened to a great extent and in such a way that “positive incentives for adherence to status obligations are provided for every position [sic] within the distributive order.”

Merton proposed that if an imbalance between individuals’ goals and their status exists, strain results because of exerted pressure. He writes, “Examination of how the social structure operates to exert pressure upon individuals for one or another of these alternative modes of behavior must be prefaced by the observation that people may shift from one alternative to another as they engage in different spheres of social activities.” When people face strain or pressure, people adapt according to one of the five ways:

1. Conformity : The individual pursues cultural goals through socially approved means. According to Merton, “The mesh of expectations constituting every social order is sustained by the model behavior of its members representing conformity to the established, though perhaps secularly changing, cultural patterns.”

2. Innovation : If the individual does not find the legitimate means to pursue goals, the individual “innovates,” which means the individual looks to socially unconventional or unapproved means to obtain culturally approved goals. He mentions, “This response occurs when the individual has assimilated the cultural emphasis upon the goal without equally internalizing the institutional norms governing ways and means for its attainment.”

3. Ritualism : The individual uses the same socially approved means to achieve obscure goals modestly. The individual, in this stage, is “abandoning or scaling down” the “lofty cultural goals’’ and pursuing them in a way where his or her goals can be satisfied. Merton declares, “It is, in short, the mode of adaptation of individually seeking a private [sic] escape from the dangers and frustrations which seem to them inherent in the competition for major cultural goals by abandoning these goals and clinging all the more closely to the safe routines and the institutional norms.”

4. Retreatism : The individual rejects cultural goals and the means to obtain it. He then finds a way to escape it. Merton proposes that in this category, “They have relinquished culturally prescribed goals, and their behavior does not accord with the institutional norms.” Furthermore, “Defeatism, quietism, and resignation are manifested in an escape mechanism which ultimately led him to ‘” escape’” from the requirements of the society.”

5. Rebellion : The individual rejects the cultural goals and means. He then works to replace them. Writing on Rebellion, Merton highlights, “This adaptation leads men outside the environment to envisage and seek to bring into being new, that is to say, a greatly modified social structure. It presupposes alienation from reigning goals and standards.”

Merton’s analysis led him to conclude that the lower class commits more crimes. He based this conclusion by looking at crime statistics by class. Deviance or crime occurred because people in the lower strata could not achieve economic success via legitimate goals. To achieve their goals, people turned to illegitimate means. Merton provides the readers with an example of American culture. He points out, “…Contemporary American culture continues to be characterized by a heavy emphasis on wealth as a basic symbol of success, without a corresponding emphasis upon the legitimate avenues to march toward this goal.” In essence, the cultural value of success in American culture is placed so much on wealth that people are willing to achieve wealth through any means necessary.

Pakistan’s Political and Economic Turmoil

Given Merton’s sociological perspective on social structures and why anomie occurs, his sociological framework could be used to analyze Pakistan’s political and economic turmoil that seems to have no end. Since Merton proposed that culture and social structure are two core elements of a society, people develop their values, beliefs, goals, and identities in relation to culture, which is formed as a response to the institutionalized norms. The institutionalized norms provide a legitimate means for the public to achieve their objectives. If people can achieve their goals legitimately, people can achieve satisfaction in all strata of society. In Pakistan, the root causes of political and economic issues are various; however, the major issue in Pakistan remains that Pakistanis lack cultural objectives that can give the natives across the land a set of goals and the legitimate means to pursue those goals, which the people of Pakistan can pursue in unity.

Since Pakistanis in all strata of society are not unified in pursuit of their goals that can help the entire nation move forward collectively, and the institutionalized norms are absent and different for everyone, deviance and crime remain rampant in all social levels of society.This is a key reason corruption is severe in every level of Pakistani society and reflects on the failure of law and order to prevent corruption. In each level of Pakistani society, people from all classes achieve their goals individualistically and outside of the institutionalized norms through deviant methods because no cultural unity and the means to pursue collective goals exist. This has resulted in several political and economic problems for Pakistan that have prevented Pakistan from becoming a stable state.

Ahmed Rashid, the author of several books on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, pinpoints Pakistan’s political and economic problems in his book Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In his book, Rashid writes, “Four factors have prevented Pakistan from stabilizing and becoming a cohesive state.” The first factor, according to Rashid, is that the political elite failed to create a cohesive national identity, resulting in the failure to unite Pakistanis. The second problem is Pakistan’s national security. The third factor is Pakistan’s use of Islamic militants. The fourth factor is disunity among various ethnic groups in Pakistan, where the groups cannot strike a political balance with one another and the failure of the political system in Pakistan. According to Rashid, because of cultural disunity (regional and ethnic conflicts), lack of national identity, and the failure of institutions, “these internal conflicts within the country’s elite have prevented the rulers from noticing major shifts and challenges in the global environment. They have allowed history to pass them by, resulting in Pakistan missing out on all recent global developments.”

There is a question of Pakistan’s legitimacy as a nation, legitimacy of its political actors, legitimacy of the type of government (democratic or military), legitimacy of laws and cultural values, what is the true definition and understanding of “legitimacy” is absent socio-politically and “socio-culturally.” The mistrust in government administrations, which come and go like the rainy weather, mistrust in laws, implementation of laws, mistrust in institutions that are supposed to implement law above the power and influence of politicians, Pakistan continues to fail in developing a collective vision as a nation. Francis Fukuyama noted something like Merton.

Fukuyama pointed out in his book, Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy , “In addition to economic growth and social mobilization, there is an evolution in ideas concerning legitimacy. Legitimacy represents a broadly shared perception that certain social arrangements are just.” This concept of legitimacy here could be assessed in two ways. How and what people view as “legitimate,” and in the context of Merton’s sociological insight, people seeking legitimate means to pursue their socio-cultural goals. In the context of both views, Pakistan needs to develop a crisp definition and perimeters of what “legitimate” is in its laws and cultural values. Since the meaning of legitimacy keeps shifting in cultural values and institutionalized norms, law and order continue to fail.

Anita M. Weiss also shares a similar view as Rashid in her essay, “Population Growth, Urbanization, and Female Literacy,” published in The Future of Pakistan . She pointed out, “Perhaps one of Pakistan’s greatest challenges today lies in creating a sense of citizenship among communities that have not historically regarded each other as being of the same people, apart from most being adherent of the same religion. That, of course, is interwoven with the myriad economic difficulties and development concerns that Pakistan is facing.” Many experts in Pakistan’s political and economic crisis identify the same problems as Rashid and Weiss. In all key problems identified for Pakistan, the foundational issue is the lack of balance between culturally perceived goals and the lack of institutionalized norms to support the citizens to pursue goals legitimately. This is one of the key reasons for insurgency in Pakistan, where militant groups radicalized the people from the lower strata of society and offered them means of social mobility (illegal means of achieving cultural goals) out of the institutionalized norms. Similar is true for the causes of corruption. The strain is felt at all levels of Pakistani society.

Like what Merton examined when looking at the social structures, the social structure in Pakistan exerts extreme pressure on the society. People in all strata of society adopt one of the five behaviors (Conformity, Innovation, Ritualism, Retreatism, and Rebellion) that Merton classified as they engage in different social activities. What has proven damaging for Pakistan is that institutions have remained weak for the most part, and the absence of proper institutional norms fails to provide the means for social mobilization amongst the Pakistanis; hence, the social and political movements that political elites lead only wreak havoc in Pakistan that is already struggling, and no concrete result is achieved for Pakistanis who only hope for a positive change in Pakistan.

Saving Pakistan and Moving Forward

Pakistan has great potential as a nation because of its known strengths, but factors that make Pakistan strong have not been given the means to produce the fruits many speculate. Many Pakistani and international political commentators who assess the symptoms of Pakistan’s political and economic crisis also lay out the possible scenarios for Pakistan’s future. One of the political commentators, Shuja Nawaz, suggested in his essay, “The Clash of Interest and Objectives,” published in The Future of Pakistan, that “Pakistan’s future appears to be a spaghetti bowl of different interests and objectives: depending on what assumptions are made, different future scenarios unfold.” Given Pakistan’s political strengths and clarity in achieving its objectives based on its strengths as a nation, Pakistan must form a consensus on socio-political objectives and pursue such goals collectively.

Pakistan’s institutional norms need to be formed, and the institutions must provide all the means through technical and procedural improvements in their institutions the means to Pakistani citizens to achieve their goals. Most of the Pakistani natives and Pakistani diaspora now have insight into Pakistan’s following strengths. Pakistanis must take the initiative and develop objective cultural and institutional norms to advance the country. While the regional and global community can partner in Pakistan’s success since Pakistan’s political, regional, and economic stability means an added benefit for those who partner with Pakistan. Pakistan’s weaker institutions require major reforms in their processes, procedures, and workforce that enable citizens to achieve their goals. Here, the important question of key business or organizational management styles comes into play, which can set institutional norms that strengthen the institutions. As a result, the institutional norms allow social mobility for people in legitimate manners and fade out corruption or other forms of deviance hindering Pakistan’s growth.

Adopting Proven Models of Growth

Pakistanis need to thoroughly examine the example of Sweden. The strength of Sweden’s economy lies in the equilibrium between the cultural values pursued collectively as a nation and the institutionalized norms serving as the means for Swedes to pursue their goals. Sweden was largely a farming economy until the late 19th century but has industrialized by adapting behaviors and norms that make it a successful nation. Julian Birkinshaw, in his article ‘’The Art of Swedish Management,’’ highlights how the Swedish model came into being, not only through the geniuses of Alfred Nobel and Lars Magnus Ericsson but also having found a firm footing in a social democratic government committed to full employment, strong social policies, and powerful labor unions. The dramatic success of Sweden, a country of only nine million inhabitants, can most significantly be attributed to the set of cultural values that make up the Swedish DNA that binds and unifies its people in pursuit of common beliefs and goals. These values eminently reflect in the Swedish code of conduct, how society behaves and functions, and the Swedish art of management.

In Birkinshaw’s words, Swedes are a homogeneous group with a strong work ethic and a group that firmly believes in equality. Its strong institutions provide its citizens the means to pursue their goals, offering social mobility at all levels of society. Another key attribute of Swedish society is collectivism. Sweden, at times, is referred to as the Japan of Europe because it has a strongly collectivistic culture. While no nation is free of faults, one phenomenally all-encompassing value quintessential to being Swedish is the value of ‘’lagom,” an untranslatable Swedish term that essentially means just the right amount, the right degree, the right measure, not too little or too much; just right. Who are Pakistanis? Who are Pakistanis collectively?

The final element of the Swedish cultural makeup, explored by Birkinshaw in his work, is its high tolerance to uncertainty. What does this mean? In simple, the ability to deal with social challenges in life without the fear of crashing or falling off. This concept has tremendous wisdom to offer as it makes societies and their individuals resilient to the ebbs and flows of life, resistant to its crests and troughs, more adaptive to newer ways of thinking and doing things, more accepting and welcoming to change, which enables them to keep moving on and progressing with wisdom and vitality.

This concept of ‘tolerance to change’ is further consolidated and backed up by the work of Hofstede and Bond in ‘The Confucius Connection.’ It is known as the ‘’Uncertainty Avoidance Principle.” This means the extent to which a culture programs its individuals to feel comfortable or uncomfortable in uncertain and unstructured situations. ‘’Unstructured situations are defined as novel, unknown, surprising, or different from usual’’. Furthermore, ‘’People in uncertainty-avoiding countries are more emotional and motivated by inner nervous energy. Uncertainty-accepting cultures are more tolerant of behaviors and opinions that differ from their own.”

For Pakistan, it is high time for the nation to develop and align on collective cultural goals, creating a more solidified identity. To say, “We are Pakistanis,” is not enough. In a society plagued with cultural division, ethnic division, division of classes, political elites, and outsiders, Pakistanis need to come to the harsh reality and realize that values that are hypocritical and cancerous for its socio-economic and socio-political growth need to be rooted out. A cultural set of values and institutionalized norms must be formed in cohesion with the spirit of practical pursuits that pull the nation out of political chaos and economic crisis. What is next for Pakistan?

Pakistan’s Geostrategic Location

Pakistan has one of the best strategic geographic locations. In Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan , Rashid states that despite the four key factors that he pointed out, which are hindering Pakistan’s progress, “Pakistan’s location gives it enormous geostrategic potential.” What does that mean for Pakistan? Pakistan borders Central, South, and West Asia. Its location provides easy access to the Arabian Gulf. For China, it is a gateway to the sea that grants the entire region abundant economic opportunities and access to various markets. As Rashid puts it, “no other country in the world has such potential to become a hub for trade and business or the transcontinental transport of energy.”

Ayesha Rana, an assistant professor at the University of Modern Languages (NUML), points to a similar fact in her “Pakistan’s Geo-Strategic Location: Prospects for Political and Economic Gains.” She writes, “In the South Asian region, Pakistan is situated at the crossroads between the resource-rich and resource-poor countries.” She adds, “The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers Pakistan a fantastic opportunity to improve its economic status.” Pakistan’s geostrategic location is the reason that makes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a successful initiative for China. Pakistan’s geostrategic potential is one of the keys to attaining long-term economic stability.

Many experts like Rashid and Rana believe that Pakistan’s geostrategic location is perfect for Pakistan to benefit and strengthen its economy. This has such a great economic impact that India could also benefit from expanding and strengthening their economy. India and neighboring countries can look at Pakistan as an investment hub, using Pakistan’s Gwadar Port as an access point to Central and West Asia. Rashid makes an important point by asserting that “The country lacks major natural resources like oil, but if it were at peace with its neighbors and with itself, Pakistan would become the great trading crossroads of the world, ensuring stability in the region.” The key phrase is coming to peace with itself.

Pakistan’s primary task in politics, education, and the socio-cultural domain is to create practically executable cultural objectives that translate into technological innovation and nation-building by focusing on technical and formal education, strengthening all industries, building infrastructure, and adapting well-proven management models. Such are some key initiatives Pakistanis can pursue collectively, embed these objectives in their cultural and personal goals, and take the country forward.

The Economic Opportunity through China

The economic opportunity through China is an added boost to what Pakistan can achieve. China has been a friendly ally of Pakistan. Rashid states, “China is geographically close to Pakistan; it has in the past funded some major infrastructure projects, such as dams, ports, and roads; it has helped substantially with Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and nuclear energy programs; and it has provided the military with several billion dollars’ worth of heavy weapons at the cut-rate process—tanks, ships, submarines, and fighter aircraft.” China’s partnership with Pakistan in many initiatives that Rashid noted is an opportunity for Pakistan and its citizens. China has been attracting investment from the broader world while focusing on several industries, such as the services sector, agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. Javad Jehan, Dr. Mirwais Kasi, and Abdul Qadir, the three authors state in their article, “Geo-Strategic Significance of Pakistan” that “The signing of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreement in 2013 brought the two countries very closely in terms of economic and strategic connectivity.” This is an opportunity for Pakistan to benefit from China’s economic growth.

In addition to seeking opportunities in the West, Pakistanis can look to China’s industries and education sector for technical skill building. China has been making great leaps in innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Autonomous Vehicles, and the tech industry. China has mastered manufacturing and is often called “the world’s factory.” Based on the friendlier ties with China, Pakistanis have access to enter China and build expertise in many industries. Furthermore, many global businesses have offices in China and have been trying to either grow their businesses in China or enter the Chinese market.

This is a key opportunity for Pakistanis to benefit from China’s technological and industrial advancement, learn from China, and bring back the skills, tools, and knowledge to build industries in Pakistan. According to official statistics, China is now Pakistani students’ preferred destination for higher education. In 2019, 28,023 Pakistanis were studying in Chinese universities. Pakistan ranked third in the total number of foreign students studying in China. This is the result of CPEC, which provided Pakistanis with an avenue to learn from the top economy in the world. Pakistanis must continue to mimic their hard work ethics and learn from the rest of the world conducting business in China.

Balochistan’s Mineral Riches

The minerals and natural resources in the Balochistan region are estimated to be worth $50 trillion. The Balochistan Basin, Western Indus Suture, Sulaiman Basin, and Kirthar Basins are all located within the Balochistan Region. Unexplored minerals like coal, chromite3, barytes, sulfur, marble, iron ore, quartzite, limestone, and sulfur found within the mentioned regions can help Pakistan’s economy grow. In a report titled “Mineral Resources of Balochistan Province, Pakistan,” it is reported that “There is an urgent need to explore and exploit the Rare Earth Elements, Xenotime, Monazite, Gold, Platinum group, Zircon, radioactive minerals (Uraninite, Thorianite, etc.), etc. and other heavy minerals in placer deposits.”

The exploration, removal, processing, and sale of such minerals can help alleviate Pakistan’s economic troubles. Given the state of Pakistan and Pakistanis developing mineral-related industry and amplify exploration and sales of such minerals, Pakistan’s economy may fully become independent of International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid and others who continue to bail out Pakistan’s economy and set their terms and conditions to void the country of its dignity and potential.

Stephen Cohen noted in The Future of Pakistan that “As several of Bellagio participants noted, it had not made much difference whether the military or civilians are in power, since both have had progressive moments and both have also contributed to the long decline in Pakistan’s integrity as both a state and a nation.” This is a key point here. The integrity of Pakistan as a state and a nation is always questioned on a global level since no clarity, unity, or crisp vision exists for the entire nation. In addition, weak institutions with no institutionalized norms disable Pakistanis from pursuing such goals legitimately; hence, anomie occurs, and integrity is constantly compromised.

Pakistan’s Tourism Industry

Contemporary research on Pakistan’s tourism industry shows that it has great potential. If the tourism industry is properly developed and the challenges are addressed, it could be supplementary support for Pakistan’s economy. This also helps change the perception of Pakistan and balances the narratives in the international community that is mainly negative. Pakistan has one of the world’s highest mountains, lakes, and breathtaking lush green valleys with the most fertile land. Pakistan’s land is the most fertile. The fertile soil and the wide irrigation system, utilized to its utmost potential, can dramatically increase Pakistan’s agricultural output. Tourists are just starting to explore numerous activities like hunting, paragliding, off-roading, camel safaris in the desert region, and rock climbing while offering the natives.

Pakistan is becoming a popular destination for thrill seekers, adventurers, and mountain climbers. Pakistan’s political and economic development has been extremely slow; however, the nation must focus on tourism to promote economic growth and improve local and national economies. The country has become one of the destinations for many tourists since it eased visa restrictions. According to the study titled “Pakistan’s Tourism Industry: Full of potential, but still lagging behind,” the authors specify the challenges preventing Pakistan from becoming a tourist destination. Challenges such as terrorism, poor connectivity and infrastructure, government negligence, social challenges, and lack of investment from the private sector are some of the key obstacles for Pakistan to make economic progress. The tourism industry must focus on creating state-of-art hotels, shops, etc., and promoting Pakistani creativity, work ethic, and innovative mindset, all defined with “quality.”

Renewable Energy Sources in Pakistan

Pakistan has been facing an energy crisis for many years. The continuous blackouts are a result of the energy crisis in Pakistan that affects day-to-day life and the business sector reliant on electricity. Naturally, the lack of electricity affects production and causes many hindrances for businesses in Pakistan to achieve optimum efficiency. Pakistan has long depended on others for energy and continues to have a minimal energy output.

Yongrong Xin, Muhammad Khyzer Bin, and others note in their research titled, “Analyzing Pakistan’s Renewable Energy Potential: A Review of the Country’s Energy Policy, Its Challenges, and Recommendations” that “Pakistan’s energy gap is between 5000 and 8000 megawatts (MW), with a 6–8% yearly growth predicted; therefore, it needs more sustainable and renewable energy sources.” The study highlighted that Pakistan uses solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass for renewable energy.

Renewable energy resources are abundant in Pakistan. Pakistan can focus on 1710-megawatt wind installations to help the country fix its energy crisis. 217-megawatt biogas power stations are being developed, according to the researchers. The northern region of Pakistan is a great location for wind and solar energy-generating installations. This is due to the abundant sunshine in the region’s geographic core. It is acknowledged that Sindh and Balochistan both have significant unrealized wind resource potential. Additionally, Pakistan has a significant amount of lithium reserves. Yasir Masood reported in “Lithium, the fresh silver lining on the economic horizon of Pakistan” that “According to the Metal Mining Agency of Japan, these reserves may fulfill global demand for nearly 500 years. With China and India, two of Pakistan’s major trading partners, investing extensively in electric vehicles (EVs), Pakistan has a significant chance of becoming a major supplier and consumer of this essential commodity.” The benefit of exploring renewable energy exploration for Pakistan is job creation, local and national economic growth, energy development and security, environmental benefits, and industry development.

The answer is present before the state of Pakistan and Pakistani citizens. As industries develop, the right governance and innovation brew, economic opportunities, and social mobility for people will be there for Pakistanis. The key to this for Pakistanis is to culturally align on goals such as developing industries, innovation, and practice driving Pakistan into a modern state and the institutional norms serving as the means for development. It will strengthen Pakistan’s economy and allow social mobility for the people who seek opportunities in a world that is getting technologically advanced every day.

Human Resources in Pakistan

Finally, Pakistan has the most human resource to help the country develop. The population that will take the country forward also desires the means of social mobility. According to the Human Development Report, 64 percent of Pakistanis are under 30, and 29 percent of Pakistanis are between the ages of 15 and 29. Pakistan has more youth population, and it is indicated that Pakistan will continue to have a youth population as its major resource until 2050.

Why is this important? Why is Pakistan’s young population a source of its growth? Since young people are receptive to change and developing skills and knowledge, the power to alter the course of a country is a real possibility. The start-ups emerging from Pakistan indicate that the younger population is directing their energies toward innovation. The younger population is the driving force of advancement; however, if the younger population is not provided with the means to achieve their goals collectively, their dissatisfaction will continue to result in deviance and crime.

The National Human Development Report of Pakistan for 2017 analyzed the young Pakistanis’ aspirations and concerns and attempted to learn how to make the “youth bulge” a demographic advantage. In Pakistan, the study looks at the data from 130,000 participants who were interviewed. The report focused on “identifying the drivers of change that can empower youth and harness their potential for human development.” The report identified the three Es or drivers of change: quality Education, gainful Employment, and meaningful Engagement. The country is just ripe for innovation, ready to unleash its economic potential and join the global economies.

The research declares that the three Es can break the cycle of poverty and advance human development rapidly. The young people of Pakistan have the potential, ideas, energy, and creativity. It is up to the institutions to provide the means for the younger population to achieve their goals. The youth require a refined environment that encourages experimentation, allows for original thought, and promotes productive work. To provide such an environment, the institutions and institutional norms set the tone for where the younger population will go from here. According to the analysis, if sufficient funds are not spent to promote education, employment, and youth involvement, the youth could become a demographic threat. Pakistan is ripe now for innovation, industrial development, and economic growth to emerge as a modern nation.

← President Biden’s Budget Deficit Legacy – OpEd
Global Economic Prospects At A Turning Point – Analysis →

Ahsan Qazi is the founder of One Voice-Pakistan and World Affairs in Sociological Perspective. He was born in Pakistan, but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

4 thoughts on “ Why Pakistan Cannot Be A Failed State – Analysis ”

Wishful thinking. Carry on!

Tourism in Pakistan.? CPEC is finished. State formed on religion and control by Army.Only 10% of graduates rare employable as per SBP Dream on.

Responding to some of the comments left by the Indians: It is clear from the political narrative that has been continuously pushed out in the form of propaganda to label Pakistan as a “terrorist state” and to only highlight Pakistan’s failures.

India itself is an extremely conflicted state in its foreign policy towards Pakistan. On one side, India pushes before the world that the Pakistan they want to see is “terrorism” free and Pakistan should stop all “terrorist” activities without taking accountability for RAWs activities in Afghanistan and mobilizing anti-Pakistan voices in Afghanistan and within Pakistan. On the other hand, when Pakistani discuss ways to progress and transition to a modern state, India’s typical response is “Dream on.” So what do you all Indians want from Pakistan and why do you feel that Pakistan is obliged to you in anyway since it is an independent state just as any Western or non-Western state and can put ideas, initiatives, and political activities to move in the direction that all of you expect anyways. Let us suppose for a minute and believe that your accusations against Pakistan are true? Would it not make sense of everyone, Pakistani or non-Pakistanis to highlight Pakistan’s potential to be a progressive and a modern state? When this is highlighted, you all condescend and say dream on. It is clear how much false beliefs and misinformed you all are because of the false propaganda in your media and politics about Pakistan. You do not want to see a progressive Pakistan. You all want to see it as a collapsed state and laugh. This will never be a reality. Pakistan will continue to work towards progress and modernization when it actually realizes its potential by ridding itself of corrupt politicians just as India as many and take small or major steps towards growth.

To constantly beat the drum and be hell-bent on proving Pakistan as a “terrorist” state and ignoring the potential of Pakistan to transition into a modern state, frankly, it is more than foolish now. Bollywood tales are at best fictional and best fit in the genre of some twisted imagination. Indian political narrative about Pakistan is at best propaganda. We Pakistanis know the potential, issues and problems, and even solutions to turn our country around despite it suffering at the hands of our corrupt politicians just as India suffers and continues to suffer.

@ahsan dear ahsan there are facts in accusing Pakistan of being terrorist nation. Go and count how many UN and US designated terrorists currently residing in Pakistan and how many of them roaming freely and conducting their business freely. Go and count how many UN and US designated terrorist Organisations are active there. There are endless list of terrorist attack on India that is accept by international organisation media writer and nations. Discussion on this topic in numerous US policy making institutions are available on YouTube which has no connection to India and Indians. Watch them. World knows Pakistan is involved in unconventional war with India, pakis know they can’t have conventional war with India as they have seen the result in past. Our India is growing fast and no such growing economy want itself entangled in any conflict which might damge their future prospect. As an Indian I don’t want a stable and growing Pakistan at the same time I also don’t want dangerously unstable pakistan. So that we can concentrate on ourselves without any distraction and diversion.

Introduction

Pakistan is a country of South Asia. Established under traumatic circumstances, modern Pakistan was carved from British India in 1947. At first Pakistan included two sections: West Pakistan and East Pakistan. In 1971, however, civil war broke out, and East Pakistan became the new country of Bangladesh .

Pakistan is one of the world’s major Islamic countries. It is in effect the only remaining vestige of the Mughal Empire of Islamic rulers from whom the British wrested control in the 18th and 19th centuries. The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad . Area 307,373 square miles (796,096 square kilometers). Population (2024 est.) 236,939,000.

Land and Climate

Pakistan is bounded by Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the northwest and north. It shares borders with China on the northeast and with India on the east and southeast. The coast of the Arabian Sea forms Pakistan’s southern border.

Pakistan is divided into three major natural regions. They are the northern highlands, the Balochistan plateau, and the Indus River plain.

Natural Regions

The northern highlands of Pakistan are a region of some of the most rugged mountains anywhere. Huge glaciers and roaring rivers traverse a landscape of the highest relief. The Himalayas sweep across northern Pakistan in a great arc. They stretch from northern India in the east to the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains of Afghanistan to the west and north. The Karakoram Range and the Great Himalayas of Pakistan are the world’s greatest masses of high mountains. The northern highlands pass westward into the Hindu Kush and western border ranges of Swat, Dir, and Chitral. The low Khyber Pass , through which so many famous conquering armies have passed, is at the north end of the Koh-i-Safed Range. Farther east the Lesser and Sub-Himalayas are at progressively lower elevations. They include the Margalla Hills above Islamabad. From here the Potwar Plateau extends southward to the Salt Range and westward across the Indus River to the basins of Peshawar , Kohat, and others.

The Balochistan plateau of western Pakistan is a varied arid landscape of mountains, plateaus, and basins. Except for the Toba Kakar Range, which is dotted here and there with juniper, tamarisk, and pistachio trees, most of the mountains are naked and bleak. They are eroded by rare but torrential desert rainstorms. However, little water ever reaches the dry basins, or hamoon , between the ranges.

The Indus River plain has two subdivisions that roughly correspond to the provinces of Punjab and Sind. The northern part is traversed by the five rivers of the Punjab. The word Punjab comes from panj (“five”) and ab (“water”). From northwest to southeast the tributaries to the Indus are the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers.

Pakistan is in the warm temperate zone. It is generally arid (dry), with hot summers and cool to cold winters. The winds in winter blow northeast to southwest and reverse in summer to bring the monsoon . The cold-weather season from December through February is characterized by somewhat low temperatures. During that time, some precipitation sweeps across Iran and Afghanistan into Pakistan. The dry, hot-weather season lasts from March through May and into June. In that season the daily temperatures can rise under the hot sun to the middle 120s ° F (low 50s °C). This heat causes progressively lower pressures that pull the monsoon winds and rain from the Indian Ocean from June through September. Temperatures decrease, but the humidity increases so that it feels little different. In October and November the high pressures and cooler temperatures reestablish themselves to produce a comfortable autumn.

Mean annual rainfall is under 5 inches (13 centimeters) in northwestern Balochistan near Iran and Afghanistan and in much of Sind toward India to the east. Precipitation rises to more than 40 inches (102 centimeters) in the foothills and mountains of the Great Himalayas. In the rain shadow to the northeast, beyond these ranges, precipitation declines to a few inches in the deep, arid valleys. In those valleys, summer temperatures commonly rise above 100 °F (38 °C).

Plants and Animals

The forests, shrubs, and grasses of Pakistan are classified into three main groups. The Saharo-Sindian flora is predominantly tropical or subtropical. This diverse group includes mangrove coastal swamps, desert and savanna scrubs, and seasonally flooded aquatic or semiaquatic species. The Irano-Turanian flora is composed of areas of semiarid open shrublands and forests. The forests include such trees as the pencil junipers, pistachio, ash, and Chilghoza pines. This type of plant life extends well into the dry mountain valleys of the Himalayas. It includes spruce, willow, and other woody species. The Sino-Japanese flora makes up a narrow belt that extends across the well-watered foothills and lower frontal ranges of the Himalayas. It includes horse chestnut, hazel, cherry, several oak species, and various pines, spruce, and cedar.

Pakistan’s expanding human population and the resultant decline in natural habitat has boded poorly for its wildlife. Several species have become extinct since they were first reported in the 19th century. Limited governmental protection is provided for endangered species . Among the unusual animals present are the snow leopard of the high mountains, common leopard, Marco Polo sheep, Indian wild ass, Balochistan bear, and blind Indus dolphin. Other rare or endangered species include the green sea turtle, crocodiles and gavials (crocodile-like reptiles), weasels, otters, lynx, and hyenas. Numerous bird species are known, including many migratory water and game birds. The Indus delta complex is a wintering area for them. The country’s wildlife also includes the gray goral and Himalayan tahr, which are species of wild goats. Among the other mammals are various rodents, bats, insectivores, and primates. Of the hooved mammals, the urial (a type of wild sheep), ibex, and markhor goats are the most common.

People and Culture

Pakistan is one of the most populous countries in the world. About four-fifths of the population lives in the riverine tracts of Punjab and Sind. The high population, coupled with the country’s relatively small area, results in crowded conditions, especially in the major cities. About 40 percent of the population lives in urban areas. The country’s largest cities are Karachi and Lahore . Other major cities include Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar , and the capital, Islamabad .

Pakistan is divided into four provinces, largely on the basis of linguistic groups: Punjab, Sind, Balochistan, and the North-West Frontier. Pakistan also administers portions of the Kashmir region in the northern mountains. (India and China control other parts of that region.) Balochistan is the largest province, but Punjab is the most populous. Along the border with Afghanistan are the seven federally administered tribal areas of Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurrum, and North and South Waziristan. These areas are basically outside direct administration by the government because they maintain their independence by direct force of arms.

Ethnic Groups

The people of Pakistan are largely a mixture of Indo-Iranian lineage. Although the official religion of Islam is basically egalitarian (marked by equality), cultural and social concepts of status and caste are still prevalent. The principal ethnic groups are the Baloch , Pashtun, Punjabi, and Sindhi. Each group is further divided into numerous subunits. By and large these groups are based in their own provinces, but large numbers are over the borders in neighboring Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Each of the main groups has its own language. In addition, there are numerous other ethnic groups and mountain tribes as well as muhajirs , or emigrants from India following partition, and Bihari refugees from Bangladesh. The close proximity of the diverse ethnic groups in the growing cities has sometimes resulted in violence.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, additional pressure came from millions of refugees fleeing a series of wars in Afghanistan. Many of these refugees returned to their home country in the early 1990s. With renewed conflict in Afghanistan, however, the number of refugees in Pakistan again grew. A great many have remained in refugee camps in the border areas as well as in Pakistan’s cities.

Although Pakistan has small populations of Hindus , Christians , and Buddhists , the vast majority of Pakistanis are Muslims. From its inception in 1947, the country defined itself as an Islamic republic. The religion of Islam , however, is complex, with many divisions and controversies.

Most Pakistanis belong to the Sunni sect, the major branch of Islam. There are also significant numbers of Shiʿite Muslims. Among Sunnis, Sufism is extremely popular and influential. The Shiʿite branch has numerous subsects, one of the most successful of which is the Ismaʿilis. The Ismaʿilis are further divided into the Mustaʿlis and the Nizaris.

The Ahmadiyyah Islamic sect was formed in India in 1889. The high literacy rate and general industriousness of the Ahmadiyyah won the sect considerable economic success. Traditional Muslims, however, have long considered the Ahmadiyyah to be heretical because it does not regard Muhammad as the final prophet. This has led to considerable ill will and persecution. In 1974 the government of Pakistan declared the Ahmadiyyah to be non-Muslim.

Urdu is the country’s official language. It evolved during Mughal rule as the working language between the Muslim rulers—who spoke Persian or Turkish—and the people, who spoke different languages in different areas. Urdu is very similar linguistically to the Hindi language spoken in neighboring India. Urdu is the native tongue of less than 10 percent of Pakistan’s people, however, and it is unfamiliar to many. Punjabi is the most common language, spoken by about half of the population. Pashto, Sindhi, and Saraiki are also important languages. Access to the world community of scholarship, business, and development is perceived to be through the English language. English is used as the lingua franca, or common language, in such settings. Only about 10 percent of the population is conversant in English, however.

Most rural homes in Pakistan are made of mud or mud-brick, though concrete and fired brick buildings have become more prevalent. Traditional dress for both men and women consists of the shalwar kamiz —loose cotton trousers and a long or short shirt or skirt worn over the pants outside. Women usually wear a long dupatta , or light shawl, draped around the head and shoulders. Among conservative Muslim communities, women sometimes wear a burqa, a full-length garment that may or may not cover the face. Women in traditional villages tend to be secluded according to strict Islamic custom.

In contrast to the more traditional lifestyle that is followed in rural areas and small villages, many Western customs have been adopted in the cities. The family remains the most important and fundamental social unit. Families in Pakistani society are patriarchal, which means that the father or eldest male has authority over the family. Although young people may adopt Western styles of clothing and other habits, they continue to respect and obey their fathers and elders. Marriages are often arranged, in the belief that close family alliances have a greater chance of success than Western-style couplings.

Architecture and the Arts

The most-ancient cultural remnants in Pakistan are from the Indus Valley culture that flourished from 4,000 to 5,000 years ago in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro . Brick buildings, jewelry, and various utensils have been unearthed there. Perhaps the most spectacular of the ancient work is that of the Gandharan civilization, dating back about 2,500 years. It was this civilization that Alexander the Great traveled from Greece to conquer. Taxila in northwestern Punjab was a great and influential center of Buddhist architecture, sculpture, education, and religion. Stupas , monastic establishments, and stone carvings from this period dot the northern plains and mountains.

Most of the greatest surviving architecture, arts, and handicrafts of today, however, trace back to the Muslim influence that began more than 1,000 years ago. Pakistan’s mosques , tombs, shrines, forts, and formal gardens are among the world’s largest and most beautiful. The finest examples date from the Mughal period of about 500 to 200 years ago.

Traditional arts and handicrafts are diverse and linked to tribal cultures. The weaving of cotton, wool, and silk is an important traditional art. Block printing of fabrics, mirror work, embroidery, and carpet making are done all over Pakistan. Pottery is an essential craft and is painted after low-temperature firing. Hammered copper and brass, woodwork, lacquer, jewelry, leather work, and inlays in iron and brass add to the rich artistic culture. Fine miniature paintings, decorative calligraphy paintings, and inlaid tile work on buildings also add great beauty.

A wide variety of tribal dances, songs, and music are performed in Pakistan. Musicians also perform ragas, a type of composition in the classical music of South Asia. Traditional musical instruments include various drums, pipes and flutes, sitars, and the mouth harp. Pakistanis revere fine verse, and one of their great heroes, Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), was not only a poet-philosopher but was instrumental in the formation of the country.

Education and Social Welfare

Education in Pakistan is not compulsory. Since independence, Pakistan has increased the number of primary and secondary schools, and the number of students enrolled has risen dramatically. The vast majority of the population, however, has received no formal education. Thus, the literacy rate is low. Roughly three-fifths of Pakistanis 15 years of age or older can read and write. The rate is considerably lower among women than among men. Part of the country’s frustration with education stems from a problem of communication. The use of Urdu, which is not widely spoken, as the primary language of instruction in schools has caused difficulties.

For those students who do complete their schooling, education has had a disappointing relationship to future job prospects. The result is a high level of frustration among educated job seekers. Emigration of trained people is common. Ensuring the return home of Pakistanis sent abroad for higher degrees is also a problem. Special incentives in land and salaries have been implemented to attract Pakistanis living overseas back to the country.

Although Pakistan has made progress in improving health conditions, a large part of the population does not receive modern medical care. There are insufficient numbers of doctors and nurses, especially in rural areas. Sanitation facilities are also inadequate. Only a small percentage of the population has access to safe drinking water and sanitary sewage-disposal facilities. Special taxes are used to provide social welfare funds, which the government distributes to organizations involved in social welfare activities or directly to needy persons. The number of nongovernmental organizations in the country and the use of private religious endowments to assist the needy have been increasing. Those efforts have been most notable in the fields of education and basic health care.

The Pakistani economy was primarily agricultural at the time of independence in 1947. Today, the economy is considerably more diverse. Agriculture, though still important, is no longer the largest component of the economy. Services, including trade, finance, and government, now constitute the largest sector. Manufacturing has been a mainstay of the economy for several decades. Manufacturing industries remain a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the total value of goods and services produced during the year. Overall, Pakistan’s economic performance compares favorably with that of many other developing countries . Pakistan has managed to maintain a fairly steady annual growth rate since independence.

Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry

Pakistan is among the largest countries lacking sufficient precipitation to support dryland cropping. For more than 3,000 years it has been an agricultural center based primarily on irrigation from the Indus River . Today the country has the world’s largest contiguous irrigation system. More than 35 million acres (14 million hectares) can be irrigated by bringing water through thousands of miles of canals and farm and field ditches. This massive irrigation effort causes waterlogging and brings in salts that form toxic plant-killing crusts in farm fields. The government has made numerous efforts to combat these problems.

Farming methods in Pakistan are generally traditional, with most farms small and fragmented. Hand labor and draft animals are common despite dramatic increases in the number of tractors, small threshing machines, and other agricultural equipment.

Food crops are essential to the large population. Wheat is the country’s staple food. Rice is the other major food grain. Other food crops include corn (maize), potatoes, onions, chickpeas, and various spices. Mangoes, oranges, apples, bananas, and various melons are among the fruits that are grown. The major commercial crop is cotton. Other cash crops include sugarcane, peanuts, and oilseeds such as rapeseed (the source of canola oil), sunflower seed, and safflower seed. Despite production of these seeds, the country is dependent on imported vegetable oils.

Animals provide draft power as well as food, dung fuel, manure, wool, and hides. Overgrazing is rampant, especially in arid Balochistan. However, the sheep and goats that are raised provide not only a cash crop but also much of the meat that is eaten locally. There are also cattle, water buffalo, donkeys, camels, horses, and mules. Commercial chicken farming is also an important industry.

The contribution of fisheries to the national income has risen. Fishing activity is centered in Karachi. Part of the catch of lobster and other shellfish is exported.

Forests are a significant resource in this arid country, and wood is very expensive. Illegal deforestation is widespread and difficult to control. The removal of protective vegetation is responsible for widespread soil erosion and flooding. Because government forests produce only a small portion of what is needed to meet the demand, much wood is imported.

The geologic history and structure of Pakistan suggest the existence of significant mineral resources. The exploration of the country’s mineral wealth is far from complete, but a wide variety of minerals have been located. Coal mining is one of Pakistan’s oldest industries, but the quality of the coal is poor. Iron-ore deposits are also mostly of poor quality. Large deposits of copper ore have been located, but most sites remain unexploited. Enormous reserves of easily exploited limestone form the basis of a large cement industry. Other minerals that are exploited include chromite, barite, gypsum, rock salt, and clays.

Pakistan has some petroleum reserves, but demand has far outpaced the domestic supply. Therefore, petroleum and petroleum products are leading imports. The country has good reserves of natural gas and meets much of its demand with domestic production. The largest natural gas deposits are at Sui, on the border between Balochistan and the Punjab. They were discovered in 1953. Gas from Sui and other smaller fields is delivered around the country by pipeline.

Pakistan’s other main energy source is hydroelectric power , which is produced by harnessing the country’s rivers. Pakistan’s main source of hydroelectricity is the giant Tarbela Dam, which spans the Indus River at its exit from the Himalayas. Nuclear power supplies only a very small percentage of the domestic demand for electricity.

Manufacturing is important to Pakistan’s economy, providing about one-eighth of the GDP. Initially Karachi was the center of Pakistan’s industrialization efforts after independence. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Lahore and the cities around it began to industrialize rapidly. Manufacturing soon became one of the largest sectors of the country’s economy. The chief industries today include textiles, food manufacturing, chemicals, cement production, transport equipment, and petroleum refining. Woven carpets are a major household industry. Woven cloth, embroidery, and fancy needlework are also important handicrafts, as are leather goods, pottery, furniture, and metalwork.

Service activities account for a significant portion of the country’s jobs and national income. The government has traditionally been a major employer. Pakistan has a well-developed civil service. Defense agencies and public utilities also provide many jobs. Though finance contributes a relatively small value to the GDP, its growth rate in the late 20th and early 21st centuries was considerable. Pakistan has a variety of state-owned, private, and foreign banks.

Trade is a vital activity, employing a significant proportion of the workforce. There has been a trend toward increasing exports. The country, however, has a chronic annual trade deficit, with imports often outstripping exports. Principal exports include cotton and manufactured textiles, rice, petroleum products, and leather goods. Major imports consist of machinery, chemicals and chemical products, crude oil, refined petroleum, food and edible oils, and motor vehicles. Pakistan’s most important trading partners are the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and China.

Transportation and Communications

Pakistan’s railways cover more than 7,000 miles (11,000 kilometers). Most are in the Indus Valley, from Karachi to the Punjab. A few lines run into the North-West Frontier. Another line branches westward across northern Balochistan to the Iranian border.

Buses and trucks have replaced railways as the principal means of long-distance transport in Pakistan. The country has about 165,000 miles (265,000 kilometers) of road, the great majority of which is paved. The rest consists of graveled or unimproved track. All the main cities are connected by major highways. Pakistan is connected to each of its neighbors, including China, by road.

Pakistan is served by numerous international airlines as well as its own Pakistan International Airlines, which provides both international and domestic service. International airports are located at Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, and Lahore. Prior to the early 1990s, the domestic airline industry was regulated by the state. After deregulation, several privately owned airlines began to operate in Pakistan.

Ocean shipping is extensive through Karachi, on the coast of the Arabian Sea . The city’s port handles most of Pakistan’s imports and exports. The cities of Gwadar and Qasim also have ports that handle a share of the country’s trade.

Pakistan enjoys good international telecommunications links via satellite and fiber-optic lines. The availability of domestic telephone service has improved. Few households have fixed telephone lines, but cellular phone use has increased dramatically. Internet connections are available though not widespread. Radio and television networks are controlled largely by the government. However, access to satellite television is growing.

Since the adoption of its first constitution in 1956, Pakistan has undergone radical changes in its government. The current constitution dates from 1973, but it has been substantially amended several times. Under the terms of the constitution, a president serves as chief of state and a prime minister serves as head of government. Both must be Muslim. The bicameral, or two-chambered, parliament consists of a lower house (the National Assembly) and an upper house (the Senate). A portion of the seats in the National Assembly are reserved for women and non-Muslims. The National Assembly, the Senate, and assemblies representing the country’s four provinces elect the president to a five-year term. The president is limited to two consecutive terms. The National Assembly elects the prime minister. Judicial matters are handled by the Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and district courts. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president. Pakistan also has a Shariʿah court, which oversees matters relating to Islamic law.

In 1997 Pakistan’s prime minister pushed through two significant changes to the constitution. The first revoked the president’s power to remove a sitting government. The second gave the prime minister the authority to dismiss from parliament any member not voting along party lines, effectively eliminating the National Assembly’s power to make a vote of no confidence. In 1999 a military government again came to power, and the constitution was suspended. The chief executive of that government initially ruled by decree and was made president in 2001. In 2002 the constitution was reinstated following a national referendum, though it included provisions (under the name Legal Framework Order [LFO]) that restored presidential powers that had been removed in 1997. Most provisions of the LFO were formally incorporated into the constitution in 2003.

The Early Republic

The history of Pakistan as a separate country began in 1947 when the Indian subcontinent gained independence from Great Britain. At that time, it was partitioned (divided) into the two countries of Pakistan and India . This separation was the culmination of events set in motion by the formation in 1906 of the All India Muslim League, which sought political rights for Muslims in India. Mohammed Ali Jinnah , called Qaid-i-Azam (“Great Leader”), served as the league’s president. He was the main force behind partition. At first he worked with India’s Congress Party for a free united India, but the Muslims doubted that a Hindu majority would respect their rights. In 1940 Jinnah demanded a separate Islamic state. When the British departed in 1947, Pakistan came into being as a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Karachi was made the administrative capital. Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) later became the legislative capital. Jinnah ruled as governor-general until his death in 1948. (For earlier history, see India .)

When the British left, millions of Hindus fled to India, and millions of Muslims poured into Pakistan. This left Pakistan with a shortage of trained workers, because the Hindus had held most of the skilled jobs in both business and the professions. Religious riots broke out in both countries. An inconclusive undeclared war was fought over the Kashmir region. Pakistan gained control over the northwestern portions, including Gilgit, Baltistan, and Azad (“Free”) Kashmir. India retained the Vale of Kashmir.

In 1956 Pakistan adopted a constitution under which it became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In 1958 General Mohammad Ayub Khan came to power in a bloodless revolution. He was elected president in 1960. He proclaimed a new constitution in 1962. Pakistan’s administrative capital was moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi in 1959 and then to Islamabad in 1967.

In 1960 Pakistan and India agreed to share the waters of the Indus River system for irrigation. The Kashmir dispute erupted again in 1965 but was ended by a United Nations (UN) truce in 1966. In 1968 Pakistan was swept by strikes and political violence. The threat of economic and political chaos led President Ayub Khan to resign in 1969. He turned control over to a military regime headed by General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, who suspended the constitution, declared martial law , and promised reforms.

Late 20th Century

In 1971, after a brief civil war and invasion by India, East Pakistan split away and became Bangladesh . President Yahya Khan resigned. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the deputy premier and foreign minister, became president. In 1972 Bhutto nationalized (or put under national control) some major industries. He also withdrew Pakistan from the Commonwealth when some member states recognized Bangladesh. In 1974, however, Pakistan granted diplomatic recognition to Bangladesh, and in 1989 it rejoined the Commonwealth.

When a new constitution was adopted in 1973, Bhutto became prime minister, but political unrest continued. A military coup led by General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq deposed Bhutto. Martial law was declared once again. Bhutto was found guilty of political murder in 1978 and was hanged in 1979. A strong hand against the populace inspired protests through 1985. Limited civilian rule returned with the election of Muhammad Khan Junejo as prime minister. Zia remained in power as president. In May 1988 Zia fired Junejo and dissolved the parliament. He decreed that the Islamic legal code was the sole law.

Zia was killed in a plane crash in the summer of 1988. That fall Pakistan held National Assembly elections. In December, Benazir Bhutto , the daughter of the executed former premier, became prime minister. Ghulam Ishaq Khan was elected president. Ethnic unrest continued over the next few months. In August 1990 Bhutto was removed from office by Khan, who accused her of corruption. She was replaced as prime minister by Nawaz Sharif . In a close 1993 election, however, Bhutto was returned to office.

Escalating political and ethnic unrest battered Bhutto’s ambitious plans for social reform. In May 1994 violence erupted in Karachi as members of a national movement of muhajirs —Muslim immigrants from India who had settled in Pakistan after partition—demanded recognition as a distinct ethnic group. The muhajirs lobbied for greater autonomy for the city. Political activists were arrested—and many were jailed—without being formally charged with a crime. In addition, violent sectarian disputes between Shiʿite and Sunnite groups wracked the country. Rampant drug trafficking further darkened Pakistan’s image. Backed by the chief of army staff, Bhutto’s government defended itself against an attempted coup in October 1995. Opposition to Bhutto gained momentum throughout 1996, however. Her government was ousted late in the year.

Elections in 1997 returned Sharif to the office of prime minister. Sharif and his supporters in parliament passed constitutional reforms that eliminated the president’s power to dissolve the government in times of crisis. The reforms also rescinded the president’s right to appoint military commanders and provincial officials. The reforms gave those powers to the prime minister instead. President Farooq Leghari resigned from office in protest over Sharif’s reforms.

In May 1998 India’s testing of five nuclear weapons turned the attention of the Pakistani government to international concerns. Despite calls for restraint from the international community, Pakistan chose to respond to the implied nuclear threat by conducting its own nuclear tests. The tit-for-tat nuclear testing threatened to spark an arms race between India and Pakistan. A combination of international pressure, including economic sanctions, and a desire to curtail an arms race brought India and Pakistan to the negotiating table in August and September 1998. In their first face-to-face meetings, Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee agreed to abide by the international moratorium on nuclear testing.

Meanwhile, urban unrest, rising crime, and the deteriorating economy eroded support for Sharif. In October 1999 the army chief of staff, General Pervez Musharraf, suspended the constitution and arrested Sharif on charges of treason. (Sharif was later exiled to Saudi Arabia.) Musharraf installed himself as chief executive of a new military government. He promised that he would eventually hold elections and transfer power back to civilian leaders.

Early 21st Century

Musharraf’s government faced a number of problems in the early 21st century. The economy continued to falter. Factional violence and crime still plagued the country. Some of the violence and crime was attributed to drug trafficking, but much was ascribed to the presence of Islamic extremist groups and terrorist cells. Targeted and random murders and kidnappings became common events, especially in the cities.

After the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 , worldwide attention was focused on terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda . This led to increased surveillance of suspected militant activities in Pakistan. Musharraf cooperated with the United States during its invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, leading to a surge of protests and violence from extremist groups in Pakistan. In 2002 Musharraf declared the eradication of violence, crime, and terrorism to be his highest priority. Several militant Islamic organizations were banned, and many activists were arrested. Pakistani officials captured several high-ranking al-Qaeda members operating in the country.

Musharraf also had to deal with the ongoing conflict with India. Terrorist attacks were a regular occurrence in Jammu and Kashmir . Indian authorities attributed them to Islamic extremists supposedly encouraged by Pakistan’s policies. India’s large military presence on the Pakistani border brought the two countries to the brink of war.

In 2002 Musharraf overwhelmingly won a national referendum granting him an additional five years as president. Over the next several years, he survived a number of assassination attempts. In October 2007 an electoral college consisting of the parliament and four provincial legislatures voted to give Musharraf another five-year term. He agreed to step down as head of the military and was inaugurated as a civilian president in November. The following month Benazir Bhutto, who had returned to Pakistan from exile in order to campaign for upcoming parliamentary elections, was assassinated at a political rally in Rawalpindi. Her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, took over the leadership of Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Zardari guided the PPP to victory in the parliamentary elections that took place in February 2008. Musharraf, facing impending impeachment charges that included a number of constitutional violations, resigned the presidency in August. Zardari easily won the September 2008 presidential elections.

In 2010 Pakistan endured one of the worst natural disasters in its history when devastating floods submerged large areas of the country. Unusually heavy monsoon rains began to fall in July, causing the Indus River to swell to some 15 times its normal width. By mid-August more than 1,500 Pakistanis had died as a result of the flooding. Approximately 20 million people were affected. The Pakistani government faced heavy criticism for its response to the floods. Many viewed the government’s relief efforts as sluggish and disorganized. Although the water levels of the Indus had largely returned to normal by October, hundreds of thousands of people remained in temporary camps for months afterward.

In May 2011 a U.S. military operation in Pakistan killed Osama bin Laden , the leader of the al-Qaeda network. The assault was launched after U.S. intelligence located bin Laden living in a walled compound in Abbottabad, a medium-sized city near Islamabad. Pakistani officials had often denied claims that bin Laden was hiding out in Pakistan, possibly aided by Islamic militants in the remote and rugged areas on the Afghan border. After bin Laden’s death, the news that he had in fact lived in a large compound in an affluent area of Abbottabad raised questions about how his presence could have escaped the notice of Pakistan’s security forces.

By 2013 there was widespread public discontent over problems such as weak economic development and the ongoing security threat posed by extremist groups. President Zardari and the PPP-led governing coalition entered the parliamentary elections held in May of that year with low approval ratings. The opposition Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) won a resounding victory in those elections. The party was led by Nawaz Sharif, who had been allowed to return to Pakistan from exile in late 2007. In June 2013 Sharif became prime minister of Pakistan for the third time. Under his leadership, the economy improved substantially. Annual growth rates increased, and inflation declined. Outbreaks of extremist violence continued to be a major problem, however. In 2017 Sharif’s third term as prime minister came to an end when he was forced to resign as a result of a corruption investigation. He was replaced by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister. Sharif and his family went into exile in London.

In July 2018 Sharif was convicted in absentia of having owned assets beyond his income. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Though he denied any wrongdoing, he soon returned to Pakistan to begin serving his sentence. Parliamentary elections were held in late July. In those elections, Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party won a plurality of the vote. The PML-N and other parties expressed concern that the military had interfered in the elections. From prison, Sharif argued that the election had been stolen. Nevertheless, the PML–N conceded, allowing Khan to seek a coalition and become prime minister.

Pakistan’s debt commitments had ballooned over the years preceding Khan’s term in office. In October 2018 Pakistan requested $12 billion in emergency funding from the International Monetary Fund . Khan also sought other foreign aid, and he later reached investment agreements with China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan’s economy remained sluggish, however, before plummeting in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect the country. Khan was initially reluctant to implement a lockdown. As the pandemic worsened across the country, a nationwide lockdown was eventually imposed at the beginning of April. In early May restrictions began to be lifted in phases. Over the next two years Pakistan experienced several waves of COVID-19 cases. By April 2022 the country’s official count of COVID-19-related deaths exceeded 30,000.

Meanwhile, opposition to Khan and his party flared, fueled by allegations of corruption and economic discontent. In September 2020 the PML-N, the PPP, and other parties in the opposition formed a coalition, known as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). The PDM staged protests against Khan and his government. Sharif, who had been released from prison on medical bail and had left Pakistan in 2019, addressed some of the protests by video from exile. Although Khan narrowly survived the vote of confidence he sought in March 2021, political opposition to him broadened. He fell out of favor with the military establishment. In March 2022 the opposition moved to hold a vote of confidence. In the period leading up to the vote, several members of Khan’s party and coalition announced that they would not support him. He was ousted from power when the vote was held on April 10. Sharif’s younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, replaced Khan as prime minister.

In the summer of 2022 Pakistan again experienced unusually heavy monsoon rains. The rains triggered the most destructive floods in the country since the catastrophic floods of 2010. By late August some one-third of the country lay under water. More than 1,100 people lost their lives, and millions more were displaced by the floods. UN agencies such as UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees were heavily involved in relief efforts.

Additional Reading

Cantor, Rachel Anne. Pakistan (Bearpoint Publishing, 2017). Hinman, Bonnie. We Visit Pakistan (Mitchell Lane, 2012). Klepeis, Alicia. Pakistan (Bellwether Media, 2020). Morelock, Rachael. Life and Culture in South Asia (PowerKids Press, 2021). Shoup, Kate. Pakistan (Cavendish Square, 2019).

It’s here: the NEW Britannica Kids website!

We’ve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements!

The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages.
Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops.
Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards.
A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar.
And so much more!

Want to see it in action?

Start a free trial

To share with more than one person, separate addresses with a comma

Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review the converted text.

After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar.

Privacy Notice
Terms of Use

What Will it Take to Realize Pakistan’s Potential?

Sri Mulyani Indrawati Higher Education Commission Islamabad, Pakistan

Good Afternoon. Assalam o Alaikum. Ladies and gentlemen, students and scholars. It is a great pleasure to be here today. This isn’t my first visit to Pakistan , but it is the first time that I have the opportunity to talk with educators and students. I am looking forward not only to share my views, but to hear from you as well, especially as you get ready to celebrate your country’s 69 th independence day in less than two weeks.

Too often we frame Pakistan purely in form of challenges instead of opportunities. Today, I want to look at both. So the question I would like to pose to you is a simple one: What would it take for Pakistan to reach its full potential?

I hope you will agree with me that Pakistan can do much better, and should do much better.

For the past two decades, Pakistan’s growth rate has been only half that of India and China. If current trends continue, by 2050, India’s economy will be 40 times larger than Pakistan’s, and China’s economy a 100 times.

Pakistan has many assets, of which it can make better use – from its vast water and river endowment, to its coastline and cities, to its natural resources, including its mining potential. Pakistan’s growing middle class – an estimated 40 million people – represents a powerful engine for change, demanding both improved services and access to opportunities. They are also key to driving growth and creating jobs. The informal economy is also lively. Pakistan has made enormous progress in restoring macroeconomic stability, a key prerequisite for further economic success. The government deserves credit for it.

Last year, Pakistanis living and working abroad sent home $18 billion to support their families. This is the equivalent of 6.5 percent of the country’s GDP and the largest source of foreign income after exports. All of these factors can help Pakistan become economically resilient.

Pakistan should also be proud of its first peaceful transfer of power between two civilian governments, a truly encouraging sign of the country’s strengthening democracy. As a citizen of Indonesia, a country that once emerged from a dictatorship, I know that a peaceful change of government is a critical achievement. And Pakistan’s people have proved resilient in the face of extremist attacks, natural disasters like the 2005 earthquake , frequent floods, and extreme weather.

But I want to focus on what, in my view, are the two most important challenges, both obvious and urgent: To reach its full potential Pakistan needs to make better use of its people and its position in the neighborhood and the world.

Pakistan needs to ensure that its people can participate in the economy and benefit from economic gains. And it needs to integrate itself more, globally and regionally.

To achieve both, Pakistan must take bold steps

The Demographic Challenge.

Let me turn first to the people of Pakistan, this country’s most important asset.

As a result of rapid population growth, Pakistan is now the 6 th most populous country on Earth, with half the population younger than 24. At the present rate of growth, Pakistan’s population will exceed 300 million by 2050.

As a result of this population boom, 1.5 million young people reach working age each year. Will the private sector be able to provide the jobs they need and want? And will the youth have the skills to get good jobs?

Pakistan must do far better on education. Primary school net enrollment in Pakistan is about 57 percent and stagnant since 2009, well below other countries in the region. Enrollment drops by half in middle school, with much lower levels for girls and children from poor families. This is not a good foundation to build on.

It is not surprising, then, that Pakistan struggles to give all Pakistanis the opportunity to participate in building better lives for themselves. Only 25 percent of women work professionally, far below most developing countries where between 50 and 80 percent of women participate in the labor market.

The women and girls of Pakistan deserve better. Our research shows that girls with little or no education are far more likely to be married as children , suffer domestic violence, live in poverty, and have little say over household spending or their own health care compared to better-educated girls. This harms not only them, but also their children, their communities and their country’s economy.

You cannot expect a country to prosper when it is difficult for half of its citizens to work outside the home. Our groundbreaking World Development Report on Gender and Development shows that closing the gap between boys and girls and men and women is ultimately smart economics. Greater gender equality can enhance productivity, improve development outcomes for the next generation, and make institutions more representative.

Pakistan has moved forward to empower women. The Benazir Income Support Program , which is supported by the World Bank and which I had the privilege to visit yesterday, has provided millions of women with national ID cards and makes direct payments to them, strengthening their ability to take decisions on the use of money within households.

Reducing population growth while expanding opportunity can play an important economic role. Shifting from a family of six with one working adult to a family of four with two working adults triples income per person. And this enables young people to save and invest more, which increases productivity.

Other countries have made this transition. Just take my own country, Indonesia , the largest overwhelmingly Muslim democracy in the world. My own family is an example. I am the 7 th of 10 children, which was not unusual for my parents’ generation – and I am sure it is not unusual for your parents’ generation either. My mother and father made sure that all of their children, boys and girls, were well educated. And as a result we all have fewer children – I have three – and we are better off today. Why not encourage the same trend across Pakistan?

Think of the dividends if more youths and more girls are better educated, if women can participate freely in the economy, and if households have fewer children and have the room to save and invest more.

There are many countries that have influenced their demographics to boost their development; Pakistan has a great opportunity to be one of them.

The Geographic Challenge

Let me turn now to Pakistan’s second biggest challenge and opportunity: regional integration .

My country, Indonesia, is part of ASEAN, which was founded to bring peace and stability to the region, but has morphed into an economic community pursuing open trade, economic growth, and global integration. Overcoming initial skepticism, ASEAN is today one of the most dynamic regions in the world.

Pakistan has the good fortune to be positioned between two of the largest and fastest growing countries in the world, China and India, yet its trade with them is negligible. And Pakistan is losing ground. While its world market share has declined over the past 20 years, those of Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand have doubled, and China’s has tripled.

Discussion on the China-Pakistan economic corridor is very encouraging, but now must be implemented. And a parallel priority should be to normalize trade relations with India.

Pakistan is also well situated between Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia and South Asia. Improving logistics, transport and customs can position Pakistan to play a major role in both national trade and transit trade.

A key benefit of opening links with neighbors is energy. As we all know, Pakistan has a large energy deficit. Energy trade with Central Asia and other countries in the neighborhood can be an important piece of the puzzle. Indeed, Pakistan has shown great leadership in moving forward on the CASA-1000 transmission line , which when built will connect Pakistan with Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic. Of course, cross-border power trade requires a well-performing power sector domestically, with the incentives to boost energy production, minimize cost, and avoid losses.

One lesson of East Asia’s growing prosperity is that there can be strong benefits of increasing trade and investment links, but also that these gains can be uneven without a parallel internal effort to strengthen competitiveness. This is an urgent agenda for Pakistan. Pakistan currently ranks low on the World Bank’s 2015 Doing Business report at place 128. A better business environment, skills training, use of innovation, and cutting edge technology will be essential if Pakistan is to compete.

Attracting foreign investment and creating the conditions to transform the high savings rate of a young country into a high investment rate, will also require progress on governance . This includes ending special regimes and privileges, improving tax compliance, and reducing corruption.

As a former finance minister myself, I know that the logic of better policies often clashes with entrenched attitudes and real or perceived security concerns. Reform efforts can face the opposition of the elite who fear change threatens their own power and wealth. It takes tough decision making and staying power to succeed.

But change is possible. Pakistan has used innovative ways to tackle corruption and improve services that could be spread more widely. A “Citizen Feedback” model is being scaled up across Punjab, with support by the World Bank. Users of government services receive a phone call or text message asking them about their experience. So far, some 8 million citizens have been contacted, more than a million have provided feedback, and some 3,000 corrective actions have been taken. This approach is being replicated both within Pakistan and in other countries.

Closing: Be Bold, Be Focused

In closing, I want to acknowledge that the issues I have talked about are well known. So this forces the question - why hasn’t more been done? Major policy shifts require both boldness and staying power. They require building consensus across the political spectrum, and focusing on a few key items well over a long period.

There is no greater vulnerability than losing economic ground. People need hope and confidence that they can do as well as their neighbors. They need to feel that they can benefit from being part of this world. They need to own a stake in their own country’s economy and its social contract.

Now is the time for Pakistan to move forward. The ticking of the demographic time bomb is getting louder – the big question is whether it will lead to Pakistan becoming more or less productive and inclusive.

Every day the papers report new agreements by major powers in forging trade, energy and investment links –Pakistan can chose to participate and strengthen its partnerships or be left behind.

With determination Pakistan can take full advantage of its location, build dynamism into its economy, unleash the power of youth and women, and defuse the demographic time bomb.

As Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said: “With faith, discipline, and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”

I think we can all still agree with him. Thank you.

Speech in URDU (PDF) Aug 04, 2015
Press Release: Reforms to Help Pakistan Achieve Growth, Says World Bank Managing Director Aug 04, 2015
World Bank Pakistan on Facebook

Media Contacts

Newsletters.

You have clicked on a link to a page that is not part of the beta version of the new worldbank.org. Before you leave, we’d love to get your feedback on your experience while you were here. Will you take two minutes to complete a brief survey that will help us to improve our website?

Feedback Survey

Thank you for agreeing to provide feedback on the new version of worldbank.org; your response will help us to improve our website.

Thank you for participating in this survey! Your feedback is very helpful to us as we work to improve the site functionality on worldbank.org.

History & Society
Science & Tech
Biographies
Animals & Nature
Geography & Travel
Arts & Culture
Games & Quizzes
On This Day
One Good Fact
New Articles
Lifestyles & Social Issues
Philosophy & Religion
Politics, Law & Government
World History
Health & Medicine
Browse Biographies
Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
Environment
Fossils & Geologic Time
Entertainment & Pop Culture
Sports & Recreation
Visual Arts
Demystified
Image Galleries
Infographics
Top Questions
Britannica Kids
Saving Earth
Space Next 50
Student Center
Introduction & Quick Facts
The Himalayan and Karakoram ranges
The Hindu Kush and the western mountains
The Balochistan plateau
The submontane plateau
The Indus River plain
The desert areas
Plant and animal life
Ethnic composition
Linguistic composition
Traditional regions
Rural settlement
Urban settlement
Demographic trends

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing

Hydrocarbons and power
Manufacturing
Labour and taxation
Transportation and telecommunications
Constitutional framework
Local government
Political process
Health and welfare
Daily life and social customs
Cultural institutions
Sports and recreation
Media and publishing
The Muslim League and Mohammed Ali Jinnah
Birth of the new state
Liaquat Ali Khan
Political decline and bureaucratic ascendancy
Military government
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
The first administration of Benazir Bhutto
The first administration of Nawaz Sharif
The caretaker government of Moeen Qureshi
The second administration of Benazir Bhutto
Continuing challenges: conflict, a stalled economy, and nuclear tests
Growing unrest, tension with the military, and Sharif’s ouster
Relations with the United States, consolidation of Musharraf’s rule, and meetings with India
Hesitant rejection of Islamist militants
Reinstated constitution
Electoral losses and resignation
U.S. drone strikes, floods of 2010, and religious tensions
Osama bin Laden discovered and killed
Defeat at the polls
Domestic and foreign policy
Disqualification from office
Arrest and party defeat
The government of Imran Khan
The government of Shehbaz Sharif

How did Benazir Bhutto become famous?
What did Mohammed Ali Jinnah study?

A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England

Economy of Pakistan

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Academia - Social Transformation of Pakistan under Assassination of the First Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan
Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Pakistan
Aljazeera - Pakistan: a political timeline
Jewish Virtual Library - Pakistan
Pakistan - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Pakistan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Table Of Contents

After several experiments in economic restructuring, Pakistan currently operates a mixed economy in which state-owned enterprises account for a large portion of gross domestic product (GDP). The country has experimented with several economic models during its existence. At first, Pakistan’s economy was largely based on private enterprise, but significant sectors of it were nationalized beginning in the early 1970s, including financial services, manufacturing , and transportation. Further changes were made in the 1980s, under the military government of Zia-ul-Haq . Specifically, an “Islamic” economy was introduced, which outlawed practices forbidden by Sharīʿah (Muslim law)—e.g., charging interest on loans ( ribā )—and mandated such traditional religious practices as the payment of zakāt (tithe) and ʿushr (land tax). Though portions of the Islamic economy have remained in place, the state began in the 1990s to privatize—in whole or in part—large sectors of the nationalized economy.

Recent News

The economy, which was primarily agricultural at the time of independence, has become considerably diversified. Agriculture, now no longer the largest sector, contributes roughly one-fifth of GDP, while manufacturing provides about one-sixth. Trade and services, which combined constitute the largest component of the economy, have grown considerably. In terms of the structure of its economy, Pakistan resembles the middle-income countries of East and Southeast Asia more than the poorer countries of the Indian subcontinent . Economic performance compares favourably with that of many other developing countries; Pakistan has maintained a sustained and fairly steady annual growth rate since independence.

At the same time, there has been a relentless increase in population, so, despite real growth in the economy, output per capita has risen only slowly. This slow growth in per capita income has not coincided with a high incidence of absolute poverty, however, which has been considerably smaller in Pakistan than in other South Asian countries. Nonetheless, a significant proportion of the population lives below the poverty line, and the relative prosperity of the industrialized regions around Karachi and Lahore contrasts sharply with the poverty of the Punjab’s barani areas, semiarid Balochistan , and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa .

Overall, approximately one-fourth of Pakistan is arable land, although only small fractions of that are in permanent crops (about 1 percent) or permanent pastures (6 percent). Roughly 5 percent of the country is forested. Nonetheless, agriculture, forestry, and fishing still provide employment for the single largest proportion of the labour force and a livelihood for an even larger segment of the population. Land-reform programs implemented in 1959, 1972, and 1977 began to deal with the problems of large-scale, often absentee ownership of land and the excessive fragmentation of small holdings by introducing maximum and minimum area limits. The commercialization of agriculture has also resulted in fairly large-scale transfers of land, concentrating its ownership among middle-class farmers.

The attention given to the agricultural sector in development plans has brought about some radical changes in centuries-old farming techniques. The construction of tube wells for irrigation and salinity control, the use of chemical fertilizers and scientifically selected seeds, and the gradual introduction of farm machinery have all contributed to the notable increase in productivity. As a consequence , Pakistan experienced what became known as the Green Revolution during the late 1960s, leaving a surplus that was partly shipped to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and partly exported; self-sufficiency in wheat—the national staple—was achieved by about 1970. Cotton production also rose, which added to the domestic production of textiles and edible cottonseed oils. Rice is the second major food staple and one of the country’s important export crops. Large domestic sugar subsidies have been primarily responsible for an increase in sugarcane production. Other crops include chickpeas, pearl millet ( bajra ), corn (maize), rapeseed, and mustard, as well as a variety of garden crops, including onions, peppers, and potatoes. Pakistan benefits greatly from having two growing seasons, rabi (spring harvest) and kharif (fall harvest).

The cultivation and transportation of illicit narcotics remains a large sector of the informal economy. Pakistan is one of the world’s leading producers of opium poppy (for the production of heroin) and also produces or transports cannabis (as hashish) from Afghanistan for local markets and for reexport abroad.

Animal husbandry provides important domestic and export products. Livestock includes cattle, buffalo, sheep , goats , camels , and poultry . These animals provide meat and dairy products for local consumption , as well as wool for the carpet industry and for export and hides and skins for the leather industry. The contribution of forestry to national income remains negligible, but that of fisheries has risen. Fishing activity is centred in Karachi, and part of the catch of lobster and other shellfish is exported.

River water is used in large parts of the country to irrigate agricultural areas. The Balochistan plateau has a remarkable indigenous method of irrigation called the qanāt (or kārīz ) system, which consists of underground channels and galleries that collect subsoil water at the foot of hills and carry it to fields and villages. The water is drawn from the channels through shafts that are sunk into the fields at suitable intervals. Because the channels are underground, the loss of water by evaporation is minimized.

United States Institute of Peace

Home ▶ Publications

Pakistan Faces a Long Road to Sustainable Growth

Weak economic growth and lack of jobs create conditions that are ripe for instability.

By: Uzair Younus

Publication Type: Analysis

At the turn of the century, Pakistan had the highest GDP per capita when compared with India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Twenty years later, it is at the bottom of the group. Political upheaval, a violent insurgency fed by the war in Afghanistan, and the inability of successive governments to carry out reforms are to blame for this decline. Today, a polarized political environment and elite intrigue among civilian, judicial, and military institutions has made sustainable economic growth and reforms that much more unlikely. The COVID-19 pandemic has further sharpened the challenge.

Groceries are delivered ahead of Ramadan in Islamabad, Pakistan, by Rizq, a charity organization, on April 24, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated Pakistan’s economic challenges. (Saiyna Bashir/The New York Times)

Two Years of Crises for Khan

When Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan entered office in August 2018, Pakistan’s economy was facing twin deficits —the country’s foreign exchange reserve was running low and its fiscal deficit had reached breaking point. A return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), along with bilateral support from countries like China and Saudi Arabia , was necessary to stabilize the economy. Within a few months of coming to power, Khan, a charismatic populist who had derided Pakistan’s addiction to debt, famously saying that he would rather commit suicide than beg for money, had to reverse course and seek international help .

The economic upheaval in those early months of Khan’s government led to declining economic growth, devaluation of the currency, double-digit inflation, and sky-high interest rates. The government’s initial attempts to fend off an IMF bailout did not help. Asad Umar resigned from the job of finance minister in April 2019 after losing Khan’s trust . His replacement, the technocrat Abdul Hafeez Sheikh , who also served as finance minister in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government from 2010 to 2013, was brought in to negotiate and execute the IMF bailout.

Less than a year later, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a body blow to Pakistan’s economy. Lockdowns in response to the health crisis turned economic growth negative , a first in decades. The Khan government sought debt relief and secured an additional $1.3 billion from the IMF. The government rolled out a Rs. 1.2 trillion stimulus package . Cash transfer programs were expanded to protect the most vulnerable segments of society. While a significant portion of the total stimulus included already-budgeted spending, and more than Rs. 500 billion remained unutilized , the government’s prompt response eased the pain, particularly for the most vulnerable. Additionally, the State Bank of Pakistan sharply cut interest rates and provided monetary stimulus to businesses.

The biggest relief, however, was provided by the state’s ability to effectively slow down the spread of the coronavirus . Doomsday scenarios did not materialize and despite the political bickering, particularly between Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-led federal government and the opposition PPP-led Sindh government, effective cooperation and collaboration through the National Command and Operations Centre flattened the curve, slowing the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, business confidence has returned and economic activity is slowly picking up.

These, however, are only early signs of recovery for an economy that grew by 1.9 percent in 2019 and shrank by 0.4 percent in 2020. While some would like to argue that a V-shaped recovery is taking hold in Pakistan, the reality is that while the economy has stabilized, it has a long and tortuous path toward achieving sustainable growth.

Economy Continues to Face Headwinds

Inflation is still the biggest issue facing the government today. Headline inflation climbed to 9 percent in September 2020 and double-digit food inflation continues to erode citizens’ purchasing power. This has worsened the situation for millions of households who have seen a decline in their purchasing power since 2016 , according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. In its most recent monetary policy statement , the State Bank of Pakistan raised its concerns as well, warning that while “core inflation has been relatively stable,” food inflation remains a risk, “especially in the wake of recent flood-related damages and potential locust attacks.” With households spending a larger share of their incomes on food—an emerging wheat crisis is compounding problems—consumption spending on other items will remain subdued, leading to a lack of economic growth in a country where consumption spending drives more than 80 percent of the economy.

At the same time, a weak economic recovery around the world, particularly in the European Union and the United States, will subdue demand for Pakistan’s exports. After declining by 20 percent on a year-on-year basis in August, exports grew by 6 percent in September. The outlook, however, remains bleak due to a weak global economic recovery. The issue has been further exacerbated by chronic structural inefficiencies — exporters who received additional orders in recent weeks are facing gas and cotton shortages . This means export growth is unlikely to drive a significant uptick in economic activity and employment. As a result, the structural issue with Pakistan’s economy, i.e., its inability to earn sufficient foreign income to pay for its import and debt servicing needs, remains its Achilles’ heel.

The government has argued that these issues have abated as the economy has run a current account surplus in the last few months. While this surplus most definitely eases balance of payments pressures, the fact is that this decline has been achieved largely due to a drop in machinery imports and energy prices. Additionally, remittance flows have increased , but experts argue that this uptick will be short-lived due to diaspora job losses, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The State Bank of Pakistan, however, is less pessimistic in its outlook, arguing that Pakistan’s external sector will remain stable during the current fiscal year.

While external sector stability is critical for a country like Pakistan, which is no stranger to balance of payments crises, the fact remains that sustainable growth requires more than a stable current account balance. One measure to better predict the economic outlook is private sector credit growth. If businesses start borrowing more money this would indicate an expanding economy, particularly if the credit is not being used to meet rising inventory costs due to inflation. Data shows that private sector credit remains subdued , with total credit hovering around June 2019 levels. The State Bank of Pakistan is also warning that “the economic recovery remains uneven” and that “growth will recover to slightly over 2 percent” in the current fiscal year. For a country that needs to generate more than 1.3 million jobs a year, an economy that grows at 2 percent a year is no cause for celebration.

Another major issue that continues to plague Pakistan is its yawning fiscal deficit. Despite an uptick in economic activity, tax collection in the first two months of this fiscal year have shown a meager growth of 1.8 percent. The State Bank of Pakistan has been cautious, noting that “risks remain around achieving the revenue target” and “that the pre-pandemic path of fiscal consolidation” is expected to resume soon. This means that the government must keep its spending in check and raise revenue during a period in which real incomes are declining and business activity remains subdued. In this scenario, it is likely that Khan’s finance team decides to continue borrowing at an aggressive rate to plug its fiscal holes and pay for its growing debt servicing, defense, and pension spending needs.

Reforms Are the Only Path Forward

Like in many other parts of the world, Pakistan, too, has become an increasingly polarized country. The government and its supporters are sure to point to a current account surplus and positive growth as evidence that the economy is on the right track. Its critics will point to double-digit food inflation and rising debt as evidence that Khan has failed to deliver.

But beyond the political rhetoric, the fact remains that Pakistan’s economy is hamstrung by the same issues that led to the crisis Khan inherited in 2018. Without meaningful reforms that boost economic competitiveness, direct investment toward productive sectors that promote exports and a sustained effort to end the regulatory quagmire that incentivizes rent-seeking, Pakistan’s economy will continue to grow at an anemic rate.

The journey must begin with energy sector reforms. Burgeoning energy sector debt and market inefficiencies are causing frequent interruptions in electricity and gas supplies to businesses and households. In September, Khan warned of “imminent” gas shortages . No country can grow sustainably and meet its full potential with an energy sector plagued by debt, lack of investments and a growing dependency on imports. The end result is that the economy suffers due to an unreliable and expensive supply of power.

There is broad consensus among economic experts that these reforms need to be pushed through with urgency. However, both civilian and military rulers have failed to usher them in. Successive governments in Pakistan have spent the majority of their term trying to consolidate power, which means that they do not have the will to shake things up. Leaders fear that if they try to change the status quo, then the beneficiaries of the existing rent-seeking economy, both within and outside the government, will weaken their hold on power. As Mosharraf Zaidi argued in a recent article , political leaders in Pakistan “do not have the will or capability to change even the little things to solve the little problems.”

The ultimate goal for Pakistan’s policymakers must be to meet the ambitions and aspirations of its youth. To do that, the country must generate millions of well-paying jobs that expand citizens’ purchasing power. The way things stand, Pakistanis are facing a sustained decline in their purchasing power, chronic power shortages, and a dearth of well-paying jobs. Successive governments’ borrowing has burdened these households with more debt that is being used not to add to the productive capacity of the economy, but to just make ends meet. This is no longer sustainable and without serious reforms, Pakistan risks turning its demographic dividend into a demographic disaster.

Weak economic growth and a lack of jobs create conditions that are ripe for instability. It is, therefore, important for Khan’s government to focus its efforts on restoring growth and setting Pakistan on the path to sustainable economic development.

Uzair Younus is host of the podcast Pakistonomy and a senior fellow at The Atlantic Council.

Related Publications

Toward a Durable India-Pakistan Peace: A Roadmap through Trade

Thursday, June 27, 2024

By: Sanjay Kathuria

Despite a three-year long cease-fire along their contested border, trade and civil society engagement between India and Pakistan has dwindled, exacerbating the fragility of their relationship. With recently re-elected governments now in place in both countries, there is a window of opportunity to rekindle trade to bolster their fragile peace, support economic stability in Pakistan, create large markets and high-quality jobs on both sides, and open doors for diplomatic engagement that could eventually lead to progress on more contentious issues.

Type: Analysis

How Have India’s Neighbors Reacted to Its Election?

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

By: Humayun Kabir; Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D. ; Nilanthi Samaranayake ; Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.

Narendra Modi was sworn in on June 9 for his third consecutive term as India’s prime minister. Public polls had predicted a sweeping majority for Modi, so it came as some surprise that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost ground with voters and had to rely on coalition partners to form a ruling government. Although India’s elections were fought mainly on domestic policy issues, there were important exceptions and Modi’s electoral setback could have implications for India’s regional and global policies.

Global Elections & Conflict ; Global Policy

What Does Further Expansion Mean for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?

Thursday, May 30, 2024

By: Bates Gill; Carla Freeman, Ph.D.

Last week, foreign ministers from member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan. The nine-member SCO — made up of China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — represents one of the largest regional organizations in the world. And with the SCO’s annual heads-of-state summit slated for early July, the ministers’ meeting offers an important glimpse into the group’s priorities going forward. USIP’s Bates Gill and Carla Freeman examine how regional security made its way to the top of the agenda, China’s evolving role in Central Asia and why SCO expansion has led to frustrations among member states.

Type: Question and Answer

Global Policy

Asfandyar Mir on Balancing Counterterrorism and Strategic Competition

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

By: Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.

As terror threats emanating from Afghanistan and Pakistan rise, many may see counterterrorism as a distraction from other U.S. priorities, such as competition with China and Russia. But investment in counterterrorism can work “preventively, to shield the strategic competition agenda,” says USIP’s Asfandyar Mir.

Type: Podcast

Unsupported Browser Detected. It seems the web browser you're using doesn't support some of the features of this site. For the best experience, we recommend using a modern browser that supports the features of this website. We recommend Google Chrome , Mozilla Firefox , or Microsoft Edge

National Chinese Language Conference
Teaching Resources Hub
Language Learning Supporters
Asia 21 Next Generation Fellows
Asian Women Empowered
Emerging Female Trade Leaders
Global Talent Initiatives
About Global Competence
Global Competency Resources
Teaching for Global Understanding
Thought Leadership
Global Learning Updates
Results and Opportunities
News and Events
Our Locations

Pakistan: A Political History

people walking near white concrete building during daytime Tomb of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Tomb of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Hassan Anwer/Unsplash)

Pakistan 's short history as a country has been very turbulent. Fighting among the provinces--as well as a deep-rooted conflict that led to a nuclear stand-off with India—prevented Pakistan from gaining real stability in the last five decades. It oscillates between military rule and democratically elected governments, between secular policies and financial backing as a "frontline" state during the Cold War and the war against terrorism. Recent declared states of emergency and the political assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto indicate a continuing trend of economic and political instability.

When Pakistan became a country on August 14th, 1947, to form the largest Muslim state in the world at that time. The creation of Pakistan was catalyst to the largest demographic movement in recorded history. Nearly seventeen million people-Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs-are reported to have moved in both directions between India and the two wings of Pakistan (the eastern wing is now Bangladesh ). Sixty million of the ninety-five million Muslims on the Indian subcontinent became citizens of Pakistan at the time of its creation. Subsequently, thirty-five million Muslims remained inside India making it the largest Muslim minority in a non-Muslim state.

Scarred from birth, Pakistan's quest for survival has been as compelling as it has been uncertain. Despite the shared religion of its overwhelmingly Muslim population, Pakistan has been engaged in a precarious struggle to define a national identity and evolve a political system for its linguistically diverse population. Pakistan is known to have over twenty languages and over 300 distinct dialects, Urdu and English are the official languages but Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, Baluchi and Seraiki are considered main languages. This diversity has caused chronic regional tensions and successive failures in forming a constitution. Pakistan has also been burdened by full-scale wars with India, a strategically exposed northwestern frontier, and series of economic crises. It has difficulty allocating its scarce economic and natural resources in an equitable manner.

All of Pakistan's struggles underpin the dilemma they face in reconciling the goal of national integration with the imperatives of national security.

Following a military defeat at the hands of India the breakaway of its eastern territory, which India divides it from, caused the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971. This situation epitomizes the most dramatic manifestation of Pakistan's dilemma as a decentralized nation. Political developments in Pakistan continue to be marred by provincial jealousies and, in particular, by the deep resentments in the smaller provinces of Sind, Baluchistan, and the North-West Frontier Province against what is seen to be a monopoly by the Punjabi majority of the benefits of power, profit, and patronage. Pakistan's political instability over time has been matched by a fierce ideological debate about the form of government it should adopt, Islamic or secular. In the absence of any nationally based political party, Pakistan has long had to rely on the civil service and the army to maintain the continuities of government.

The Emergence of Pakistan

The roots of Pakistan's multifaceted problems can be traced to March 1940 when the All-India Muslim League formally orchestrated the demand for a Pakistan consisting of Muslim-majority provinces in the northwest and northeast of India. By asserting that the Indian Muslims were a nation, not a minority, the Muslim League and its leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had hoped to negotiate a constitutional arrangement that provided an equitable share of power between Hindus and Muslims once the British relinquished control of India. The demand for a "Pakistan" was Jinnah's and the League's bid to register their claim to be the spokesmen of all Indian Muslims, both in provinces were they were in a majority as well as in provinces where they were a minority. Jinnah and the League's main bases of support, however, were in the Muslim-minority provinces. In the 1937 general elections, the league had met a serious rejection from the Muslim voters in the majority provinces.

There was an obvious contradiction in a demand for a separate Muslim state and the claim to be speaking for all Indian Muslims. During the remaining years of the British Raj in India neither Jinnah nor the Muslim League explained how Muslims in the minority provinces could benefit from a Pakistan based on an undivided Punjab, Sind, North-West Frontier Province, and Baluchistan in the northwest, and an undivided Bengal and Assam in the northeast. Jinnah did at least had tried to get around the inconsistencies by arguing that since there were two nations in India-Hindu and Muslim-any transfer of power from British to Indian hands would necessarily entail disbanding of the unitary center created by the imperial rulers. Reconstitution of the Indian union would have to be based on either confederal or treaty arrangements between Pakistan (representing the Muslim-majority provinces) and Hindustan (representing the Hindu-majority provinces). Jinnah also maintained that Pakistan would have to include an undivided Punjab and Bengal. The substantial non-Muslim minorities in both these provinces were the best guarantee that the Indian National Congress would see sense in negotiating reciprocal arrangements with the Muslim League to safeguard the interests of Muslim minorities in Hindustan.

Despite Jinnah's large claims, the Muslim League failed to build up effective party machinery in the Muslim-majority provinces. Consequently the league had no real control over either the politicians or the populace at the base that was mobilized in the name of Islam. During the final negotiations, Jinnah's options were limited by uncertain commitment of the Muslim-majority province politicians to the league's goals in the demand for Pakistan. The outbreak of communal troubles constrained Jinnah further still. In the end he had little choice but to settle for a Pakistan stripped of the non-Muslim majority districts of the Punjab and Bengal and to abandon his hopes of a settlement that might have secured the interests of all Muslims. But the worst cut of all was Congress's refusal to interpret partition as a division of India between Pakistan and Hindustan . According to the Congress, partition simply meant that certain areas with Muslim majorities were 'splitting off' from the "Indian union." The implication was that if Pakistan failed to survive, the Muslim areas would have to return to the Indian union; there would be no assistance to recreate it on the basis of two sovereign states.

With this agreement nothing stood in the way of the reincorporation of the Muslim areas into the Indian union except the notion of a central authority, which had yet to be firmly established. To establish a central authority proved to be difficult, especially since the provinces had been governed from New Delhi for so long and the separation of Pakistan's eastern and western wings by one thousand miles of Indian territory. Even if Islamic sentiments were the best hope of keeping the Pakistani provinces unified, their pluralistic traditions and linguistic affiliations were formidable stumbling blocks. Islam had certainly been a useful rallying cry, but it had not been effectively translated into the solid support that Jinnah and the League needed from the Muslim provinces in order to negotiate an arrangement on behalf of all Indian Muslims.

The diversity of Pakistan's provinces, therefore, was a potential threat to central authority. While the provincial arenas continued to be the main centers of political activity, those who set about creating the centralized government in Karachi were either politicians with no real support or civil servants trained in the old traditions of British Indian administration. The inherent weaknesses of the Muslim League's structure, together with the absence of a central administrative apparatus that could coordinate the affairs of the state, proved to be a crippling disadvantage for Pakistan overall. The presence of millions of refugees called for urgent remedial action by a central government that, beyond not being established, had neither adequate resources nor capacities. The commercial groups had yet to invest in some desperately needed industrial units. And the need to extract revenues from the agrarian sector called for state interventions, which caused a schism between the administrative apparatus of the Muslim League and the landed elite who dominated the Muslim League.

Power and Governance

Both the military and the civil bureaucracy were affected by the disruptions wrought by partition. Pakistan cycled through a number of politicians through their beginning political and economic crises. The politicians were corrupt, interested in maintaining their political power and securing the interests of the elite, so to have them as the representative authority did not provide much hope of a democratic state that provided socio-economic justice and fair administration to all Pakistani citizens. Ranging controversies over the issue of the national language, the role of Islam, provincial representation, and the distribution of power between the center and the provinces delayed constitution making and postponed general elections. In October 1956 a consensus was cobbled together and Pakistan's first constitution declared. The experiment in democratic government was short but not sweet. Ministries were made and broken in quick succession and in October 1958, with national elections scheduled for the following year, General Mohammad Ayub Khan carried out a military coup with confounding ease.

Between 1958 and 1971 President Ayub Khan, through autocratic rule was able to centralize the government without the inconvenience of unstable ministerial coalitions that had characterized its first decade after independence. Khan brought together an alliance of a predominantly Punjabi army and civil bureaucracy with the small but influential industrial class as well as segments of the landed elite, to replace the parliamentary government by a system of Basic Democracies. Basic Democracies code was founded on the premise of Khan's diagnosis that the politicians and their "free-for-all" type of fighting had had ill effect on the country. He therefore disqualified all old politicians under the Elective Bodies Disqualification Order, 1959 (EBDO). The Basic Democracies institution was then enforced justifying "that it was democracy that suited the genius of the people." A small number of basic democrats (initially eighty thousand divided equally between the two wings and later increased by another forty thousand) elected the members of both the provincial and national assemblies. Consequently the Basic Democracies system did not empower the individual citizens to participate in the democratic process, but opened up the opportunity to bribe and buy votes from the limited voters who were privileged enough to vote.

By giving the civil bureaucracy (the chosen few) a part in electoral politics, Khan had hoped to bolster central authority, and largely American-directed, programs for Pakistan's economic development. But his policies exacerbated existing disparities between the provinces as well as within them. Which gave the grievances of the eastern wing a potency that threatened the very centralized control Khan was trying to establish. In West Pakistan, notable successes in increasing productivity were more than offset by growing inequalities in the agrarian sector and their lack of representation, an agonizing process of urbanization, and the concentration of wealth in a few industrial houses. In the aftermath of the 1965 war with India, mounting regional discontent in East Pakistan and urban unrest in West Pakistan helped undermine Ayub Khan's authority, forcing him to relinquish power in March 1969.

Bangladesh Secedes

After Ayub Khan, General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan headed the second military regime from 1969-1971. By that time the country had been under military rule for thirteen of its twenty-five years of existence. This second military regime emphasized the extent to which the process of centralization under bureaucratic and military tutelage had fragmented Pakistani society and politics. The general elections of 1970 on the basis of adult franchise revealed for the first time ever in Pakistan's history how regionalism and social conflict had come to dominate politics despite the efforts at controlled development. The Awami League, led by Mujibur Rahman, campaigned on a six-point program of provincial autonomy, capturing all but one seat in East Pakistan and securing an absolute majority in the national assembly. In West Pakistan the Pakistan People's Party, led by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had a populist platform that stole the thunder from the Islamic parties (the Muslim League, the oldest political party captured no more than a few seats) and emerged as the largest single bloc. The prospect of an Awami Leagues government was a threat to politicians in West Pakistan who in conspiracy with the military leadership prevented Mujibur from taking the reins of power. This was the final straw for the east wing who was already fed up with the their under-representation in all sectors of the government, economic deprivation and then the suppression of the democratic process. An armed rebellion in East Pakistan engendered all of these frustrations, which caused Indian military intervention to crush it. Pakistan was now involved in its third war with India, thus clearing the way for the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971.

A Democratic Government

The dismemberment of Pakistan discredited both the civil bureaucracy and the army, General Yahya Khan was left no choice but to hand all power over to the Pakistan's People's Party (PPP) who saw the formation of a representative led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto's electoral strength, however, was confined to the Punjab and Sind, and even there it had not been based on solid political party organization. This, together with the PPP's lack of following in the North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan, meant that Bhutto could not work the central apparatus without at least the implicit support of the civil bureaucracy and the military high command. The 1973 constitution made large concessions to the non-Punjabi provinces and provided the blueprint for a political system based on the semblance of a national consensus. But Bhutto failed to implement the federal provisions of the constitution. He relied on the coercive arm of the state to snuff out political opposition and by neglecting to build the PPP as a truly popular national party. The gap between his popular rhetoric and the marginal successes of his somewhat haphazard economic reforms prevented Bhutto form consolidating a social base of support. Thus, despite a temporary loss of face in 1971 the civil bureaucracy and the army remained the most important pillars of the state structure, instead of the citizens of Pakistan who were still struggling to be recognized in the democratic process. Although Bhutto's PPP won the 1977 elections, the Pakistan National Alliance-a nine-party coalition-charged him with rigging the vote. Violent urban unrest gave the army under General Zia-ul Haq the pretext to make a powerful comeback to the political arena, and on July 5, 1977 Pakistan was placed under military rule yet again and the 1973 Constitution was suspended.

Upon assuming power General Zia banned all political parties and expressed his determination to recast the Pakistani state and society into an Islamic mold. In April 1979 Bhutto was executed on murder charges and the PPP's remaining leadership was jailed or exiled. By holding nonparty elections and initiating a series of Islamization policies, Zia sought to create a popular base of support in the hope of legitimizing the role of the military in Pakistani politics. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 caused Zia's regime to receive international support as a stable government bordering Soviet territory. Although Pakistan had now formally disentangled its self from both SEATO and CENTO and joined the nonaligned movement, was regarded by the West as an important front-line state and is a major recipient of American military and financial aid. Despite a string of statistics advertising the health of the economy, murmurs of discontent, though muffled, continued to be heard. On December 30, 1985, after confirming his own position in a controversial "Islamic" referendum, completing a fresh round of nonparty elections of the provincial and national assemblies, and introducing a series of amendments to the 1973 constitution, Zia finally lifted martial law and announced the dawn of a new democratic era in Pakistan.

This new democratic era was just as turbulent as Pakistan's previous political history. Major political parties called for a boycott the 1985 election due to the non-party bias platform. In absence of political parties the candidates focused on local issues that superseded the majority of the candidates affiliations to particular parties. The Pakistani people were obviously interested in participating in the democratic process and disregarded the urge to boycott, 52.9% cast ballots for the National Assembly and 56.9% cast ballots for the provincial elections.

President Zia first initiative was to introduce amendments to the 1973 constitution that would secure his power over the parliamentary system. The eighth amendment turned out to be the most detrimental to the people's faith in the democratic system. Now the president could possess complete control and power to take any step, which he felt was necessary to secure national integrity. For the next twelve years the presidents used this amendment to expel a number of prime ministers from their post, mainly due to either personal struggles or insecurity over shift in power.

Following the 1988 election, Muhammad Khan Junejo was nominated as the prime minister, who had a unanimous vote of confidence by the National Assembly. Junejo seemed to be a promising component to the Pakistani government; he fostered a smooth transition from the army to civil authority, which generated optimism about the democratic process of Pakistan. For the first of his years in office, Junejo was able to strike a balance between establishing the parliamentary credentials as a democratic body and maintaining President Zia's blessing. He developed the five-point program that aimed at improving development, literacy rate, eliminating corruption and improvement of the common man's lot. He was as well improving foreign policy abroad and was grappling a major budgetary deficit from the heavy expenditure of the martial law regimes. But on May 29th 1988 President Zia dissolved the National Assembly and removed the prime minister under the article 58-2-b of the Constitution. He claimed that Jenejo was conspiring against him in order to undermine his position; he blamed the National Assembly of corruption and failure to enforce Islamic way of life.

The opposition parties were in support of Zia's decision because it worked in their benefit, providing an early election. They demanded elections to be schedule in ninety days in accordance with the constitution. President Zia interpreted this article of the constitution differently. He felt he was required to announce the election schedule in ninety days while the elections could be held later. Simultaneously he wanted to hold the elections on a non-party basis as he had in 1985, but the Supreme Court upheld that this went against the spirit of the constitution. Political confusion ensued as a result of Zia's proposal to postpone the elections to re-structure the political system in the name of Islam. There was fear that Zia may impose martial law and the Muslim League became split between supporters of Zia and Junejo. All of this was stalled when Zia died in a plane crash on august 17th.

Ghulam Ishaq Khan was sworn in as president being the chairman of the Senate and elections were initiated. Which surprised to outside observers who feared that the military could easily take over power. The November elections of 1988 were based on political party platforms for the first time in fifteen years. None of the parties won the majority of the National Assembly but the Pakistan People's Party emerged as the single largest holder of seats. Benazir Bhutto, the PPP's chairperson, was named prime minister after the PPP formed a coalition of smaller parties to form a working majority. At first people were hopeful that Bhutto would work together with the opposition party's leader Nawaz Sharif of the IJI party, who headed the Punjabi party, the majority province. But soon they escalated bitterness to new heights and drained the economy with bribes to other politicians to sway affiliations. These accounts plus no improvement on the economic front scarred the central government's image. In 1990 the President dismissed Bhutto under the eighth amendment of the constitution, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court. So once again elections were held a short two years later.

The Pakistani people were losing faith in the democratic system. They felt it was corrupt, haphazard and based on the squabbles of the military and bureaucratic elite. This attitude was reinforced by the fact that Nawaz Sharif was assigned prime minister in 1990, and dismissed in 1993 even though he had liberalized investment, restored confidence of domestic and international investors, so that investment increased by 17.6%. And as a result the GDP had a growth rate of 6.9% while the inflation stayed under 10%. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan was accused of conspiring with Benazir Bhutto in the dismissal of Sharif. For the first time in Pakistan's history the Supreme Court declared that the dismissal of the National Assembly and Sharif unconstitutional, reinstating Sharif and the National Assembly. This act showed that the president was not the overriding power but the events that followed proved how unstable the government was. Through bribes and palace intrigues Ghulam was able to influence a rebellion in Punjab in 1993, which represented Sharif and his party as incompetent. This situation caused an upheaval in the system that resulted in intervention of the chief of Army Staff General, Abdul Waheed Kaker. It was agreed that both the president and prime minister would resign and new elections would be arranged.

An even lower turn out affected the legitimacy of the all too frequent electoral process. In this election the mandate was divided by the same players, the PPP with Bhutto and the Muslim League with Sharif. Sharif had lost the popular support in Punjab, which caused the PPP to claim the majority of the seats. So once again the PPP claimed the majority of the seats and Bhutto was placed as prime minister. She was able to get Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari elected as president, which secured her government against the eighth amendment. Regardless Bhutto was unable to run a just government; she fell back into corruption, misuses of state resources, which was detrimental to the Pakistani people. Both the Chief Justice and President wanted to maintain the autonomy of their position in the government, while Bhutto was attempting to override the political system. President Leghari soon dismissed her with the support of the Supreme Court. The public hailed this decision and in February 1997 prepared for new elections, the fifth in twelve years. The voter support for the elections waned proportionately throughout these twelve years.

It was obvious that the two leading parties were alternating public support when Sharif and the Muslim League were reinstated as the Prime Minister and majority party respectively. The Muslim League used its parliamentary majority to enact a fundamental change in the political system with the introduction of amendments thirteen in the constitution. The thirteenth amendment limited the power of the president to that of a nominal head of state, while restoring the parliament as the central governmental power. This amendment basically created a check and balance procedure to article eight, in an attempt to maintain political stability. By 1999 the eighth amendment was stripped of the constraints that empowered the president to dissolve the National Assembly or dismiss the prime minister. These legislative feats were impressive, but overall the Muslim League's performance was mixed. They inherited a lot of obstacles, an economy that was on the verge of collapse and a political culture of corruption. The May 1998 decision to conduct nuclear tests in response to India's nuclear tests resulted in the imposition of sanctions that stifled the economy even more so. Bhutto's corrupt usage of foreign funds and the freezing of foreign investments further complicated investment relations.

Prime Minister Sharif was gaining disapproval on many fronts, for he was perceived to be power hungry and possibly corrupt. He had forced out the chief justice of the supreme court and the army chief soon after the eighth amendment was revised, he was cracking down on the press that did not support him and his family's firm, Ittefaq Industries, was doing abnormally well in times of economic slowdown, which led to suspicions of corruption. The army chief, Jehangir Karamat was among the many who were worried about Sharif's mounting power, he demanded that the army be included in the country's decision-making process in attempt to balance the civil government. Two days later he resigned putting General Pervez Musharraf in his position. Musharraf had been one of the principal strategists in the Kashmiri crisis with India. He soon suspected that he did not have the political backing of the civil government in his aggressive quest in Kashmir. The combination of Shariff's reluctance in the Kashmiri opposition, mounting factional disputes, terrorism all provided Musharraf with the justification to lead a coup to overthrow the civil government. On October 12th, 1999 he successfully ousted Sharif and the Muslim League on the grounds that he was maintaining law and order while strengthening the institution of governance.

The Pakistani people thought that this may be on a temporary basis and once things had stabilized, Musharraf would call for new elections of the National Assembly. But Musharraf has refused to reinstate the National Assembly via elections until October 2002, a deadline set by the Supreme Court. In July of 2001 Musharraf declared himself president before meeting with the Indian prime minister to legitimize his authority within the Pakistani government. He has since recalled all regional militant Islamic factions through out Pakistan and encouraged them to return their weapons to the central government. He has been unwavering on Pakistan's position on Kashmir, which resulted in shortening talks with India. He is now cooperating with the American government and western world in the coalition against terrorism, which puts him in an awkward position with his Afghanistan neighbors and the fractious groups within Pakistan who sympathize with the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden on an ethnic, ideological and political level.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah had always envisioned a democratic Pakistan and many of his successors have struggle towards this goal, but not more than maintaining their own platforms of power. It is ironic that such political instability plagues a country whose number one objective of its leaders is to secure their own power. Maybe it is time for a new equation. The actions of both civil and military leaders have exhaustively tried the Pakistani people and their struggle as a nation. Pakistan faces the unenviable task of setting government priorities in accordance with the needs of its diverse and unevenly developed constituent units. Regardless of the form of government--civilian or military, Islamic or secular--solutions of the problem of mass illiteracy and economic inequities on the one hand, and the imperatives of national integration and national security will also determine the degree of political stability, or instability, that Pakistan faces in the decades ahead. But the people and the nation persevere offering the world great cultural, religious, and intellectual traditions

Based on Ayesha Jalal for for the Encyclopedia of Asian History , adapted by Amanda Snellinger. © Asia Society. From The Encyclopedia of Asian History . Asia Society and Charles Scribner's Sons.

Discover More About Pakistan

NEW YORK, May 18, 2011 — Following the launch of his Pakistan 2020 report, Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Fellow Hassan Abbas offers advice to the U.S. Congress on how best to handle the topic of aid to Pakistan.

Pakistan 2020: A Vision for Building a Better Future

Podcast: Another Pakistan

Connect with us, looking for more.

India-Pakistan Relations: A 50-Year History

State of Climate Change: Pakistan's Sherry Rehman

Discover asia.

Discover dynamic educational content for youth and families focused on Asian cultures and global learning.

Thank You for Reading!

If you’d like to support creating more resources like this please consider donating or becoming a member .

Learn more about Asia Society Education .

Impacts of Globalization on Developing Countries

Dr. Sobia Sangrasi
July 15, 2023
Featured , PMS Ministerial Essays
38661 Views

PMS Ministerial Solved Essays | Impacts of Globalization on Developing Countries

This PMS Ministerial essay is attempted by Sobia Sangrasi on the given pattern, which Sir Syed Kazim Ali teaches to his students, who have consistently been qualifying their CSS, and PMS essays. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns.

How To Attempt 25-Marks PMS Ministerial Essay?

Unlike CSS or PMS essays, the essays asked in the PMS ministerial or any descriptive examinations in Pakistan are of 25-marks. All you need to qualify for the PMS ministerial essay paper is to understand the topic, create an outline displaying the proper plan of your essay and write an introduction precisely carrying the thesis statement. An introductory paragraph of such essays is a 150- to 200-word paragraph that gives your examiner a quick overview of your essay and its organization. It should express your thesis (or central idea) and your key points. Remember, the introductory paragraph is a concise summary of the essay, upon which your success standstill. However, the body of your essay will develop and explain these ideas much more thoroughly. As you will see in the solved essay below, the proportion of your introduction that you dedicate to each kind of information and the sequence of that information might vary, depending on the nature and genre of the essay you select. Nevertheless, in some cases, some of this information is implied rather than stated explicitly. For better preparation, revise my lectures on how to attempt a 20 or 25 marks essay, write its outline and introduction and prove your arguments with relevant evidence in the essay’s body paragraphs.

1- Introduction

Globalization, the unbridled movement of information, technology, and products across the borders, is a dynamic phenomenon in the contemporary world.
Globalization has transformed each facet of life
No nation is immune from the effects of globalization

2- Understanding the term globalization

Globalization means integration and cooperation of all nations in all spheres of life for the enhancement of common interest
Globalization is a multidimensional process

3- Positive impacts of globalization on developing countries:

3.1. Economic impacts

Case in point: Rising of Indian average growth rate up to 5.9 per cent
Case in point: Philippines and Pakistan
Case in point: Example of Ford’s Lyman car

3.2. Socio-cultural impacts

Case in point: China and India’s development reducing world poverty
Case in point: Formation of laws for the protection of women
Case in point: WHO report and positive effects on Bangladesh, India

3.3. Political impacts

Case in point: A case study of Pakistan
Case in point: Eradication of COVID-19 and mutual fight against terrorism, extremism and poverty
Case in point: Role of the United Nations in achieving peace and harmony

4- Negative impacts of globalization on developing countries:

4.1. Economic impacts

Demolishing local industry of states
Case in point: A case study of Pakistan and Bangladesh
Case in point: Case of Pakistan

4.2. Socio-cultural impacts

Case in point: Arab countries; Syria, Lebanon
Case in point: Incidence of COVID-19
Case in point: Case of China

4.3. Political impacts

Case in point: USA using the land of Pakistan for the Afghan war and war on terror
Case in point: USA trying to implement her ideology across the world
Demolishing the difference between domestic and foreign policies

5- Critical analysis

6- Conclusion

Globalization, the unbridled movement of information, technology, and products across borders, is a dynamic phenomenon in the contemporary world. Broadly considered an economic phenomenon, globalization has visibly transformed each facet of life by and large. No nation is immune from its impacts, whether it be a developed or developing state. On the bright side, globalization is playing a pivotal role in the development of developing countries by providing several opportunities, such as easing the way of doing business, accelerating the flow of technology, increasing trade opportunities, alleviating poverty, simplifying the way of eradicating environmental hazards etc. For instance, China, a developing nation once struggling to have its say in international comity, has successfully challenged the American hegemony by actively participating in the era of globalization. However, under all the seemingly positive effects of globalization on the growth and prosperity of developing nations, there lies the enormity of challenges, like demolishing local industries, increasing migration of skilled labour and youth across nations, raising environmental hazards, and destroying the sovereignty of the nations, that can leave such nations at the verge of extinction. For instance, developing countries like Africa and some rural areas of China suffer from the highest poverty rates. In short, in order to reap maximum benefits from globalization, which has become the need of time, developing countries need to learn how to swim in the river of globalization by adopting balanced strategies.

“Globalization will make our societies more creative and prosperous, but also morvulnerable.” – Lord Robertson

Literally, globalization means integration and cooperation of all nations in all spheres of life for the enhancement of common interests. Globalization is a multidimensional process. Its impacts can extend to economics, politics, social, cultural aspects etc. Multiple dimensions of the process are interrelated and reinforcing. In economic terms, globalization has widened access to products and services and increased trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). In the same manner, the socio-cultural impacts of the process are even deeper, changing the concept of personal identity. Individuals are connecting throughout the world, adopting similar cultures. For this very purpose, global actors, such as global media corporations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multi-national companies (MNCs) have played an influential role. As a result of globalization, the world is becoming more homogenised and cultural differences are eradicated, driven by the force of technological advancements. Thus, with regard to different fields, globalization has been defined by multiple scholars. Globalization, according to Holm and Sorensen, is the “intensification of economic, political, social, and cultural relations across the border.”

Considering the various dimensions of globalization, it has impacted developing nations both positively and negatively. Initiating with merits, globalization has provided nations with a large room to prosper by dwindling trade barriers and enhancing FDI. Liberalisation has allowed multiple national and international companies to trade in countries and create an environment of competence among companies, adding to the economic growth of states. Besides, steps taken by many developing nations to open up markets by removing tariffs and freeing up their markets have paved the way for developed nations to invest in such states, creating job opportunities for the masses. For instance, the Indian economy greatly benefited from globalization. In the 1970s, the Indian annual growth rate was 3 per cent. However, in the 1980s, the average annual growth rate of India touched the margin of 5.9 per cent. Thus, globalization not only aid India in raising its growth rate substantially but also improves its position globally.

Similarly, remittances are the main source of skyrocketing the economy of a state. Globalization has provided the path for augmenting remittances. Remittance inflows help boost countries’ balance of payment. For instance, in 2019, Philippines remittances inflows of $34bn helped reduce the current account deficit by more than 10 per cent of GDP; in Pakistan, remittances averaged to 3657.95 million USD from 2002 to 2023 . Moreover, the advancement of science and technology has significantly reduced the cost of transportation and communication. The time-space compression effect of technological progress has declined the cost of international trade and investment, which makes it possible to organize and coordinate global production. For instance, Ford’s Lyman car is designed in Germany; its gearing system is formed in Korea, its pump in the USA, and the engine in Australia. It is globalization that has made this kind of production possible. Thus, economic globalization has led to fruitful results taking the state’s economy to its zenith.

In the same fashion, globalization, by reducing trade barriers and uplifting the export sector of nations, has not only opened the door of opportunities for developed nations but also significantly reduced the poverty level of developing countries. The rapid expansion of foreign trade made by developing nations generated demand for resources and energy; such emerging states started consuming 50 per cent of global energy production. This led them to increase their manufacturing and compete effectively in the world market. For instance, around 50 per cent of computers produced come from China. Thus, in the last two decades, India and China have started growing at a faster pace than already rich nations; the rapid development of both nations has caused world poverty to decline immensely . Further, globalization has provided a wonderful platform for women to raise their voices against patriarchy and injustice by paving the way for them to know about their rights. It assists women to engage in different facets, including social, political, economic, cultural, and sports. Also, t he constitution guarantees rights for women. A number of laws, such as the Prevention of Anti-women Practices ( 2011) in Pakistan and the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1993) in India , have empowered women to work fearlessly. Ergo, by providing education and awareness, globalization has led women to develop by leaps and bounds.

Additionally, globalization has significantly contributed to the education and health sector of developing nations. Health and education are basic objectives to improve any nation. Through substantial economic growth, developing states are able to invest in the education and health sector. Through globalization, several international organisations, like WHO, UNESCO, and NGOs, are trying to eradicate illiteracy and lethal diseases from the world. Hence, a number of countries have alleviated the illiteracy rate, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc., and the enormity of diseases, like AIDS, swine flu, Polio, and bird flu, has been reduced greatly. According to WHO, “With globalization, more than 85 per cent of the world’s population can expect to live for at least sixty years, and this is actually twice as long as the average life expectancy 100 years ago”.

Politically globalization has proven beneficial for the political structure of developing countries as well. Globalization has suppressed authoritarian government and flourished democratic forms of government across the world. Through globalization, democracy has flourished worldwide, enabling each person to enjoy their rights to the fullest. For instance, despite the fact that Pakistan has been a democratic state since its inception, inept leadership, unnecessary military intervention, and corrupt practices have made it more of an authoritarian government. Globalization, through media and technology, has made the public aware of their rights and power, thus, enabling them to protest against authoritarian rulers and help flourish democratic norms. Similarly, the process has provided easier access to information regarding environmental hazards or health issues. For instance, many diseases, like AIDS, influenza, and polio, have been eradicated. Currently, COVID-19, the deadliest virus, has been successfully exterminated due to globalization . Easier access to information and the flow of goods and services have helped the masses to get rid of the deadliest impacts of the virus. Likewise, developing nations, owing to globalization, are not left alone to fight the menace of global warming, terrorism, extremism, and poverty. International organizations and countries are working mutually to eradicate such menaces from their roots.

“While globalization will make the world smaller and more accessible, we must continue to appreciate its vibrant diversity.” – Jean Philippe Courtois.

Moving forward, globalization has played an active role in making the world a peaceful place to live in. With the aid of integration and the interconnectedness of nations, the process has created an atmosphere of peace and harmony. It was only possible with the help of globalization that the cycle of world wars had ended. Over the past many years, a number of organizations have evolved, struggling hard to maintain peace and harmony. Among all, United Nations is the most renowned one presently. For instance, t he UN has worked hard to achieve peace and stability between Pakistan and India, Israel and Palestine, and Ukraine and Russia . While the main agenda of the UN is to achieve peace between different nations, it is also working to achieve developmental goals for developing states. With members from 185 nations, the UN is a prime example of a diplomatic global village. Delegations from each country come to an agreement about rules and policies and tend to have fewer conflicts. Resultantly, globalization has turned up the wave of the political culture of developing nations.

Nevertheless, globalization is not always as glorious as it seems. A number of challenges are associated with globalization. To begin with, the process has significantly destroyed the lock businesses of developing nations by creating an environment of competition worldwide. The low barrier in cross-border trade has cleared the path for Multinational Companies and MNCs to expand their resources and power. Due to this, local industries are suffering because they cannot meet what is considered to be international standards. Miserably, products produced by these local industries are unable to compete with products from foreign nations in terms of quality, price or marketing strategy. Correspondingly, by creating an environment of competition within and among nations, globalization has caused the youth and skilled labour to move to developed nations in search of better employment. Due to this very fact, youth is compelled to work for developed nations to gain perks and privileges. For instance, the garment industry in Bangladesh employs four million people, but average workers earn less in a month than US workers earn in a day. It proved to be the death blow for industry and for the nation. Similarly, in search of better employment, more than 300 Pakistani nationals were killed in the sinking of an overcrowded fishing trawler off the coast of Greece. Thus, globalization is wreaking havoc on developing countries.

To add more, globalization has raised the dependency of developing nations on international institutions. In spite of focusing on self-help and self-reliant methods, developing nations are heeding foreign aid and loan. The very method is proving to be lethal for such poor nations as high interest is hindering them from investing in public. Such dependency has taken a number of developing nations below the poverty line, such as Tanzania, sub-Saharan African countries, and Pakistan. For instance, Pakistan has gone to IMF 23 times in 75 years, proving that developing nations are running their economies on such loans and aid. The external debt of Pakistan, according to World Bank, has reached to sixty-six million USD from 2002 to 2021. Hence, globalization has left developing states on the verge of extinction.

Next to it, globalization has adversely impacted the sociocultural structure of the nations. Owing to important tools of globalization, like TV, internet, and satellite, it is now easy to see what is happening worldwide, providing impetus for people to adopt Western culture. Consequently, developing countries have imitated Western culture, leaving traditional values and customs at a dead end. People connecting throughout the world are adopting the same culture. It is common to see teenagers wearing Nike T-shirts, and Adidas footwear, using Apple iPad, listening Hip Hop music, and eating at KFC, Macdonald’s and Domino’s. Many developing countries are concerned regarding the rapid rise of globalization as it is destroying their cultural and traditional values and norms. For instance, many Arab countries, including Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, have been affected significantly as their cultural values have altered merely. They wear and behave like developed nations.

Correspondingly, globalization has seriously impacted the health sector across the world. Due to increasing trade and travel, a number of diseases, such as AIDS, Polio, Swine flu, and COVID-19, have found their path towards developing countries. This has influenced badly to life expectancy and living standards of such nations miserably. For instance, according to the World Bank report, “The AIDS crisis has reduced life expectancy in some parts of Africa to less than 33 years.” Moreover, at present, the emergence of COVID-19 puts the lives of the masses at stake globally. According to WHO, the deadliest virus has caused the demise of more than 6.86 million people worldwide. Ironically, such a massive disaster was the result of globalization. On the same note, developing nations are suffering from dire environmental hazards owing to the rise of globalization. The development of developing nations at a faster pace throughout the years has resulted in greater emissions of GHG. Owing to globalization, emerging countries, to make a greater profit, frequently put the environment at risk. The best example is China, which is constructing a new coal-fired power plant every week. Although coal is the cheapest and most abundant fossil fuel, it is most polluting as well. Ergo, China is often regarded as the world’s greatest source of CO2 emissions.

On political grounds, the most outweighing impact is overpowering transnational institutes, putting the nation’s sovereignty at stake. Such empowerment provides a path for international and transnational institutes to intervene in national affairs, violating the sovereignty of the nations. As aptly stated by Woodward, “Globalisation had diffused power away from states empowering individuals and groups to play their roles in world politics including wreaking destruction-that were once reserved for governments of states”. The aforementioned statement depicts the extent of transformation in world politics as a result of globalization. For instance, America used the land of pure during the Afghan war and the war on terror, which significantly impacted the sovereignty of the nation.

Besides, globalization is giving rise to a conflict of ideologies. The world is still a diverse place, with different nations having different systems of governance, like communism, capitalism, and democracy. Developing countries are facing huge challenges from developed nations to submit to their ideologies depending on benefits and risks provided rather than their own will. Such a sorry state of developing nations is due to globalization as it is working to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. As a result, developing nations have to live at the mercy of developed countries to make ends meet. For instance, the USA is incessantly working to implement her ideology across the world. In addition, the indulgence of international actors in national affairs has exterminated the distinction between domestic and foreign policies. Satirically, the nations have lost the position to have their say in international matters. Thus, the nations are obliged to act according to the policies of global economy regulating bodies.

Critically, the transition is a natural phenomenon. Globalization calls for the modernization of societies around the globe based on scientific and technological advancement. Societies are responding to the challenges of globalization, either by modernization based on scientific development or Westernization, imitating Western modernity, specifically in cultural terms. Globalization can work for all, be it a developed country or a developing nation. Emerging countries, with effective and adjustable policy measures, can curtail the cons of globalization. Menaces like uneven development, poverty, environmental and health hazards, and westernization can effectively be controlled by adopting balanced strategies.

In the powerful diagnosis, globalization is one of the contemporary issues. No nation can survive in isolation. It consists of both costs and benefits; the effects of the process depend upon the Socio-Political and economic conditions of the nations. Developing countries, including India, China, Jordan and Bangladesh, have significantly benefited from the process of globalization by increasing FDI, technological advancement, alleviating illiteracy, supporting women’s empowerment etc. On the other hand, the process also has numerous drawbacks, putting developing nations, like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and African countries, below the poverty line. Despite that, the negative impacts of globalization can be minimized by constant adjustment and control measures. In short, globalization can work for developing countries as well, provided that such nations can start giving serious thought to the negative and positive impact of globalization and formulating policies accordingly.

“Globalization is a great thing, but it needs a legal framework in which to blossom.” – Loretta Napoleoni

PMS Ministerial Solved Past Papers’ Essays

Are you searching for PMS Ministerial solved essays from 2010 to till date? Click on any of the topics to start reading the solved essays. All essays have been attempted by Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s students who have either qualified for the CSS or PMS examination or scored the highest marks in the essay papers.

	(2010)
	(2010)
	(2010)
	(2010)
	(2016)
	(2016)
	(2016)
	(2016)
	(2019)
	(2019)
	(2019)
	(2019)
	(2021)
	. (2021)
	(2021)
	(2021)

CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays

Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them. CSS Solved Essays

Articles Might Interest You!

The following are some of the most important articles for CSS and PMS aspirants. Click on any to start reading.

Top Categories

Cssprepforum, education company.

cssprepforum.com

Welcome to Cssprepforum, Pakistan’s largest learning management system (LMS) with millions of questions along with their logical explanations educating millions of learners, students, aspirants, teachers, professors, and parents preparing for a successful future.

Founder: Syed Kazim Ali Founded: 2020 Phone: +92-332-6105-842 +92-300-6322-446 Email: [email protected] Students Served: 10 Million Daily Learners: 50,000 Offered Courses: Visit Courses

More Courses

Basic English Grammar and Writing Course

Extensive English Essay & Precis Course for CSS and PMS

CSS English Essay and Precis Crash Course for 2023

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox.

CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved GSA
CSS Solved PA
CSS Solved Islamiat
Current Affairs
All Courses
Writers Club
All Authors
All Members
All Teachers
Become an Author
Who is Sir Syed Kazim Ali?
Privacy Policy

CssPrepForum is Pakistan’s largest and greatest platform for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, SPSC, KPPSC, AJKPSC, BPSC, GBPSC, NTS, and other One Paper 100 Marks MCQs exams’ students. It has become Pakistan’s most trusted website among CSS, PMS students for their exams’ preparation because of its high-quality preparation material.

@ 2023 Cssprepforum. All RightsReserved.

Get Involved

DAP Vol 10, Issue 3: Prosperity for Pakistan pdf (7.1 MB)

Prosperity for Pakistan: A Resilient Economy

DAP Vol 10, Issue 3: Prosperity for Pakistan

November 9, 2023

Reform or rupture: a resilient economy of pakistan .

The choice may appear clear between 'reform or rupture,' but it must be translated into bold and decisive action to pave the way for a prosperous, resilient Pakistan.

At the 78th U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) held in September this year, Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres put forward a critical decision facing the world today. “It is reform or rupture,” he said, outlining unfolding fractures in global economic and ﬁnancial systems. The Secretary-General stressed the need to redesign the international ﬁnancial architecture for it to become truly inclusive and serve as a safety net for developing countries. Our UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, has also raised the alarm about the widening gap between 'the growth we get' – dominated by extraction, surging commodity prices, and unsustainable debt – and 'the development we want', which is driven by human-centered growth and innovation.

Document Type

Regions and countries, related publications.

Publications

Energy investments - powering business and communities.

Securing Pakistan’s Energy NeedsIn April of this year, the UN General Assembly hosted the Sustainability Week, a global stock-take on SDG 7, ‘Affordable and Cle...

UNDP Pakistan Annual Report 2022

2022 will be remembered as a critical, trying year for Pakistan, with growing macroeconomic and fiscal concerns, a cost of living crisis impacting the most vuln...

UNDP's Flood Recovery Programme

The devastating floods of 2022 have extracted a heavy toll from Pakistan especially on the poor and vulnerable segments of the society. In addition to causing m...

Reimagining the Future of Work

This issue highlights how Pakistan can harness the potential of the #FutureOfWork for sustainable development

Pakistan Floods 2022: Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDN...

The PDNA report has been prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives through its Flood Coordination Cell, su...

UNDP Pakistan Resilient Recovery Program Vision (2022)

After the devastating 2022 Pakistan floods, UNDP laid a vision for a resilient recovery for the country. The recovery program is guided by the needs on the grou...

IMAGES

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a growing and developing country
SOLUTION: Essay on pakistan
10 Lines Essay on My Country Pakistan in English || my country Pakistan Essay Writing || My Pakistan
Characteristics of Developing Countries Free Essay Example
Essay on Our Country Pakistan 🇵🇰 (200 & 500 Words) Free PDF Download
The Foundation of Pakistan

COMMENTS

Pakistan Overview: Development news, research, data
The estimated lower-middle income poverty rate is 40.1 percent (US$3.65/day 2017 PPP) for the year 2023-24, virtually the same as the poverty rate in 2018, but with 7 million more Pakistanis living below the poverty line. Pakistan experienced heavy monsoon rains in 2022 leading to catastrophic and unprecedented flooding with enormous human and ...
Economy Of Pakistan Essay
Economy Of Pakistan Essay (500 words) Pakistan is a developing country in South Asia with over 220 million population. The country has a rich history and culture but faces numerous economic challenges. The Pakistani economy faces several difficulties, including high unemployment, low literacy, political instability, and insufficient infrastructure.
Essay On My Country Pakistan (200 & 500 words)
The country is known for its diverse culture, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. The official language of Pakistan is Urdu, but English is also widely spoken and used in official documents. Essay On My Country Pakistan 200 words. Pakistan gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947 and became a sovereign nation. Since then ...
Economy of Pakistan
The economy of Pakistan is categorized as a developing economy.It ranks as the 24th-largest based on GDP using purchasing power parity (PPP) and the 46th largest in terms of nominal GDP. With a population of 241.5 million people as of 2023, Pakistan's position at per capita income ranks 161st by GDP (nominal) and 138th by GDP (PPP) according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Why Pakistan Cannot Be A Failed State
The first factor, according to Rashid, is that the political elite failed to create a cohesive national identity, resulting in the failure to unite Pakistanis. The second problem is Pakistan's ...
Pakistan
Pakistan is a country of South Asia. Established under traumatic circumstances, modern Pakistan was carved from British India in 1947. At first Pakistan included two sections: West Pakistan and East Pakistan. In 1971, however, civil war broke out, and East Pakistan became the new country of Bangladesh. Pakistan is one of the world's major ...
What Will it Take to Realize Pakistan's Potential?
As a result of rapid population growth, Pakistan is now the 6 th most populous country on Earth, with half the population younger than 24. At the present rate of growth, Pakistan's population will exceed 300 million by 2050. As a result of this population boom, 1.5 million young people reach working age each year.
Pakistan
Pakistan - Agriculture, Manufacturing, Services: After several experiments in economic restructuring, Pakistan currently operates a mixed economy in which state-owned enterprises account for a large portion of gross domestic product (GDP). The country has experimented with several economic models during its existence. At first, Pakistan's economy was largely based on private enterprise, but ...
PDF PAKISTAN: A LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES
on during same period last year.Pakistan's exports during FY2019 stood at US$ 24.217 billion compared with US$ 24.768 billion during FY 2018.The performance of exports in FY2019 has not been promising despi. e of number of export incentives. This may be due to the slow pace of global trade especially the trade war between US-China that has c.
PDF Statement of Pakistan
Statement of Pakistan Pakistan an under developed country is striving to accelerate its economic growth and catch up with the pace of the fast growing economies of the region. ... valuable contributions in developing projects based on local needs and requirements. It has also helped us improving livelihood of local communities,
Future-proofing Pakistan's Development Pathways: From Recovery to
Pakistan's lift out of the 'low-income country' category, taking along almost 250 million people, is no doubt a difficult one, but the moment to do so is now. A newly elected government has a unique opportunity to rewrite Pakistan's narrative and rally international partners in the process of moving from recovery to resilience.
PDF PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENT UPDATE. bilityOctober 2023PrefaceThe World Bank Pakistan Development Update (PDU) provides an update on the Pakistani economy, its economic outlook, the development challenges the country faces, and the structural reform. hat should be considered. This edition of the PDU was prepared by Macroeconomics, Public Sector, Trade ...
Pakistan Faces a Long Road to Sustainable Growth
At the turn of the century, Pakistan had the highest GDP per capita when compared with India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Twenty years later, it is at the bottom of the group. Political upheaval, a violent insurgency fed by the war in Afghanistan, and the inability of successive governments to carry out reforms are to blame for this decline. Today, a polarized political environment and elite ...
Pakistan and Emerging Markets in the World Economy
Indeed, hard work and reforms are starting to pay off. Pakistan was recently upgraded from a frontier economy to an emerging market in the MSCI index. This is an important signal given a changing global landscape, especially for emerging and developing economies. Over the past few years, economic dynamism in the world economy has gradually been ...
Development Priorities for Pakistan
Pakistan is prone to the boom and bust cycles of economic growth. After every 4-5 years, the country finds itself tapped into the issue of balance of payments. The country exports have largely remained stagnant over the years which is considered to be the main reason for low foreign exchange earnings. There is a need to diversify the export base and export markets. Besides exports and ...
Pakistan: A Political History
Pakistan: A Political History. Tomb of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Hassan Anwer/Unsplash) Pakistan 's short history as a country has been very turbulent. Fighting among the provinces--as well as a deep-rooted conflict that led to a nuclear stand-off with India—prevented Pakistan from gaining real stability in the last five decades.
Why is Pakistan counted as underdeveloped?
To finance this balance of payments deficit and loses, Pakistan is heavily relying on external debt. World Bank classified Pakistan as severely indebted country of South Asia in 2001.Even though, Pakistan shows a mushroom growth in its economy in the presence of serious economic and highest degree of political in-stability.
Transportation Problems in Developing Countries Pakistan: A Case-in-Point
Pakistan being a developing country experiences the same problems because of rapid urbanization. Faisalabad is the third largest city (according to the rank-size rule) and is famous for the agro ...
Impacts of Globalization on Developing Countries
3- Positive impacts of globalization on developing countries: 3.1. Economic impacts. Increase in trade and foreign direct investment. Case in point: Rising of Indian average growth rate up to 5.9 per cent. Increment in remittances. Case in point: Philippines and Pakistan. Enhancement in technological advancement.
Causes and Consequences of Pakistan's Economic Crisis
This paper examines the various factors behind Pakistan's economic crisis and analyzes its devastating consequences for the country's population. Pakistan's debt-to-GDP ratio has risen above 80% ...
How Informal Sector Affects the Formal Economy in Pakistan? A Lesson
We explore the interaction of the informal sector with the formal economy for a developing economy, that is, Pakistan. Estimation results are obtained via autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach, which show a significantly positive effect of the informal sector in the long run whereas a negative impact of informal sector is found in the short run.
Prosperity for Pakistan: A Resilient Economy
Reform or Rupture: A Resilient Economy of Pakistan . ... to redesign the international ﬁnancial architecture for it to become truly inclusive and serve as a safety net for developing countries. Our UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, has also raised the alarm about the widening gap between 'the growth we get' - dominated by extraction ...