The question where is Pakistan
now, where we want Pakistan to be and how we can be there are questions hitting
the minds of every Pakistani who is love with the motherland.
The main problem Pakistan is facing is recurrent financial crisis leading to non
achievement of sustainable growth and set targets. We are facing its aftermaths
in the form of poverty. Side by side persistently armed extremist group are
challenging the writ of Government by creating widespread violence. These
circumstances and dismal economic prospects developed a negative feeling in
masses about its existence.
So, two questions arise:
(1) can Pakistan ever prosper
(2) and if so, how?
The answer to the first question is, yes. After all, Pakistan has the world’s
largest integrated irrigation system in the world, the largest copper deposits
and along with it, the second largest gold deposits in the world with
considerable but as yet un-quantified coal and gas deposits. At the same time,
it has a large and predominantly young population that has great potential
talent, occasionally demonstrated by outstanding individuals in the social,
political, cultural, intellectual and scientific fields.
The second question is how to place Pakistan on the sustainable path of
prosperity. This can be addressed by rethinking prosperity in terms of providing
opportunities to all of the people rather than only a few, to develop their
capabilities. In so doing, the vast human resources would be brought into play
for the economic, social and cultural development of the country. So, the idea
of prosperity must be made inseparable from the idea of equity.
To achieve this goal we needs to concentrate on followings: -
1. First of all, an honest leadership is needed that can articulate a
transformative development strategy and pursue it with single-minded
determination.
2. Secondly as the state has a key role to play. But this cannot be done by
incompetent and grabbing hand kind of state organizations. The bureaucracy has
to be reformed to ensure professionalism, efficient performance, carefully
aligned incentives, systematic evaluation and clear, time-barred goals.
3. Third, a change in the institutional structure must be undertaken to enable
the middle classes and the poor, rather than just the elite, to engage in
investment, high wage employment and innovation. Thus, equity can be built into
the growth process.
4. Fourth, the provisioning of education, health care and social protection
should become a top priority. An educated, healthy and socially secure labor
force is the key to productivity increase and economic growth.
5. Finally, the most important prerequisite for prosperity is to control
violence and reestablish order in the country. All aspects of state power must
be brought to bear for this objective: military, political and ideological.
It's now or never so it will be the most appropriate time for a paradigm shift
enabling Pakistan to prosper. Together we can and together we will in sha ALLAH.