Pakistan is a country blessed with resources and good people. Yet we never seem to get out of the “Third World Country” category. Why? After analysing the data on world economics it is obvious that to become a developed, successful nation, a country needs to increase its GNP (Gross National Product). For a high GNP, a region needs to have high food production per area and excellent health care.
In Pakistan, we have relatively high food production and good health system with relatively cheap medicines compared to other countries. But other artificially created issues are hampering our growth. Electricity shortfall, Memogate, Osama being shot, Balochistan movement, ISI and Black water tit for tat bomb attacks, ISI kidnapping and harassing Pakistani citizens, Taliban groups in Fata, increase in prices etc are some of the problems that keep our country’s production low.
Some of these problems are due to interference of foreign countries because of the Afghanistan war. But most are due to the weak will of our countrymen and women.
While foreign organisations might be funding Taliban organisations in Pakistan to keep our forces occupied, the Taliban forces are made up of disenfranchised Pakistani citizens. While the powers that be might have allowed thousands of foreign workers, including spies and (US-CIA) Blackwater personnel, into our country, rather then oppose the issuance of visas, the Pakistani ISI started a tit-for-tat bombing war with Blackwater, destroying and killing thousands of Pakistanis.
There never was and neither is a capacity shortfall that was causing load-shedding. Instead, the government is withholding oil payments for their own corruption and greed, creating a loss of trillions of dollars for the country. PSM, PIA, PR, PTV, WAPDA etc, all our countries greatest assets and all of them are fully functional and profitable institutions, that have all been villainous sabotaged so that they can all be sold off cheaply.
Pakistan is not a failed state or a third world country. We are being led to this junction and it is about time that we the citizens of Pakistan put a stop to it. If the executive, army, police and ISI are too lazy to work, then we the citizens have to make them work.
SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar
