The province of Punjab has three distinct ethno-linguistic groups i.e. Punjabi, Potohari and Saraiki-speaking.
The province of Punjab has three distinct ethno-linguistic groups i.e. Punjabi, Potohari and Saraiki-speaking. Previously, there has been a nascent rise of Saraiki consciousness with a demand for a separate Saraiki province comprising Saraiki-speaking areas. In Balochistan the Baloch, Brohi and Pakhtoon are dominated ethno-lingual groups. The widespread nationalist consciousness of Balochistan has cut across the tribal divisions. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, apart from Pushtu, Hindku and Saraiki are also spoken in some parts of this province.
The Pukhtoons as an ethnic group are integrating with the economic life of the rest of the country. The issue of Kalabagh Dam has arisen out of the same ethnic issue and provincial disharmony of Pakistan in the province. The proposed dam may play the role of a key factor in the prosperity of the country and may breathe a new life in the agricultural and industrial life of Pakistan. Similarly, the problem of ethnicity in Sindh is very complex. It is a web of discards, clash of interests and the resultant sense deprivation between different ethnic groups creates hysteria among the people which is damaging the peace and harmony of the country.
Terrorism is very closely linked to the declining economic conditions and high rate of illiteracy prevailing in our country. The poor and illiterate become an easy prey to the masterminds who can train and use them in whatever way they want. Pakistan’s economy has suffered on two accounts: first a large amount of money is being used on WAT; and second because we have lost many foreign investors and potential investors and markets.
China is getting 13 billion dollars as foreign investment because of its stable and investor-friendly environment. Even smaller countries like Romania and the Philippines are getting a lot of foreign investments, whereas even tourists are afraid of visiting Pakistan due to security concerns.
Economic crisis
The economy of Pakistan was not doomed for disaster. It has become the victim of eccentric policies of our past rulers. It has been mismanaged up to the level that the country has virtually become bankrupt and made to dance on the tunes of donor agencies as Pakistan has bartered its freedom with them. For the last 13 years there has been no noticeable addition to basic industries and the economic infrastructure of the country.
Instead the number of sick industrial units increases each year. The public sector is shrinking and suffering losses. Although agriculture has helped the nation to survive but the sector itself is faced with crises. With regard to oil, retrogression has set in after a good progress. After attaining one-third self sufficiency in the country’s oil requirements, advancing steps have been retracted and the annual import of oil has increased. Exports could not be enhanced despite repeated devaluation of rupee.
According to the genesis of the present situation, the deterioration in economic activity is mainly caused by weak performance of large scale industry, erratic behaviour of agriculture, decline in real investment, macro-economic instability that includes large fiscal deficit, large bank borrowing, using interest payments on domestic debts and personal aggrandisement.
The economic situation of Pakistan at the time of independence was also very bleak but it improved over the years. Its economic policies were exemplary and countries like Korea had learned the tricks of economics from Pakistan in 60s, while Pakistan revived meager financial resources at the time of independence, it was deprived of Kashmir. Ever since, the Kashmir issue has been haunting Pakistan for which it has fought several wars with India and each war had its price paid by Pakistan. It had to maintain large armed forces causing huge burden on its economy.
Agriculture has always been neglected. Feudalism is in vogue even today and about 6,000 families posses 40 per cent of the total cultivable land. There is no retrieval policy with regard to the agricultural inputs. The cost of seed is four times higher than its cost of production. Irrigation system is also upset. Per acre productivity of East Punjab and Haryana (India) is four times higher than that of West Punjab and Sindh (Pakistan). The level of land and human efforts are the same but the difference in policies, facilities and other factors account for the disparity. Pakistan may become self-sufficient in agriculture within two to three years but at present 20 per cent of its total imports comprise food cereals. On the one hand, there is the common cultivator, who finds it difficult to meet his expenses while on the other hand, there is a particular class that not only rolls in wealth but also upholds the oppressive and unjust system.
Electricity is a luxury for them. Health services have been thinly available in the country. Floods, drought or diseases affect people and the livestock. The combination of malnutrition, illiteracy, diseases, high birth rate, unemployment and low income has closed the avenues of escape from serious economic crises. The most unfortunate aspect of these serious economic crises and pathetic state of affairs is not because of the lack of natural resources but due to inefficient use of the key factors of production.
The socio-cultural attitude of the people is also an obstacle in the way of economic development of Pakistan. More than 50 per cent people are illiterate. They are ignorant of what is happening in their country and the world at large. The majority of the people are extravagant. Pakistan, in fact, has a consumption-oriented society. The caste system functioning mostly in terms of occupations like tailoring, carpentry, jewellery, etc, restrict occupational and geographical mobility.
International interference
Pakistan has more potential to be a developed country earlier than India. It has the resources and talent. Yet it seems to sink lower by the day. India with a billion plus population has a million problems to handle. Yet the focus of India has been right and it shows in its eight per cent economic growth. Its time Pakistan learns this lesson and corrects its focus.