China and India are known for
their manufacturing and service Industries. The hunger to move up in the
innovation cycle is seen in both. However the lesson of the history is that you
cannot get your economies right if you do not get your Politics right.
Pakistan has been a serious victim of bad governance, ethnic rivalries, absence
of rule of law and continued as well as strategic campaigns, therefore could not
find the magic formula for combining Political control and economic growth,
hence could not have a bright place under the sun. It’s a social time bomb to
explode Pretty soon as its democracy is, in reality, a comedy of errors and
anarchy where loot and plunder remains the order of day.
Pakistan’s Government Seldom does a right yet there is so much it does wrong,
it’s a strong society bound by a weak state and the style of governance defeats
the national agenda thoroughly. It is almost at the brink of ruin because when a
nation is weak from top to bottom it becomes the hub of conspiracies and a soft
target for the vested interests and economic tigers who want to lay their hands
on its natural resources.
Pakistan today is in dire need of Economic reform. The fiscal control moves hand
in hand with a greater need for reforms and investments. In the Pakistani
context this Parameter is severely faulted where fiscal discipline, Government
debt and poorly executed Social Policies are bleeding the economic landscape.
Reforms are firstly slow to come by and secondly its implementation tremendously
lacks sincerity and earnestness.
On the other hand there has always been a greater desire on the Part of the
Governments to control rather than facilitate economic activities - typical case
of more Government and less governance which gets accentuated by pervasive
corruption, lethargic ‘ governance, dynastic politics, lop sided economic
opportunities and a feeble middle class revolt against the above. Nations thrive
when they develop “inclusive” Political and Economic institutions, and they fail
when those institutions become “extractive” and concentrate Power and
opportunity in the hands of only a few.
If the Political institutions are corrupt, partisan and party centric, national
goals are always mired in a phase of loot.
The future of our economy and its reforms should not be decided by the Finance
Minister alone hailing from World Bank or some other Bankers and economists but
it should be decided through a dialogue process among all the sectors and stake
holders hailing from a variety of background.
No economy can flourish unless the society is perfectly stable with strict rule
of law prevailing and in this context whatever needs to be fixed must be fixed.
When and if Politics becomes an arena of investment for monetary gains, the
Political parties dole out huge amounts to rally the people around by making
lofty promises to ultimately recoup their investments and no economic goals can
be achieved.
By traversing through the corridors of history, it becomes abundantly evident
that from the very start of Basic Democracy formula of General Ayub Khan down to
two terms each of PPP and PML (N) including dictatorial regimes of Zia and
Musharraf; favours were dished out to a handful of influential persons in terms
of Route Permits, development funds, Rashan Depo, mega contracts and allotments
to soft & defaulted bank loans and Industrial licenses thus widening the gap of
unfair distribution of national wealth.
We are a resourceful people, we are the righteous people, we are a resolute lot
of people, who do not shrink from the necessary however hard and late it may be.
We are a moral people who bravely enter the precincts where idealism collides
with realism and come out enhanced. In fact, we are immature people always
demanding the nourishment of myth and legend that exalts us. Realities
intimidate and unsettle us. This is indeed high time for us to pressurize all
leading Political Parties to come up with a sound, viable and targeted economic
agenda before going to Polls. The People voting for a particular agenda ought to
monitor the implementation of promised goals. Its more than forty years that
Promise of food, shelter and clothing for the masses could not be fulfilled yet
such parties return to power time and again on the same slogan.
The author has carefully gone through the manifesto of all the Political Parties
and can opine that PTI’s programme is the most progressive sort in intent and
purpose. Imran Khan is truly a target oriented personality and his sincerity
dedication to tasks ahead, honesty and leadership qualities are proven in Public
Affairs. The nation has already tested religious parties, PPP and Muslim League
(N) many a times and all have disappointed miserably. Seeing the track record it
is surely expected that the youth of Pakistan under the leadership of Mr. Khan
would bring about a long awaited change in the country for the better.