Exports may touch $25bn by year-end

achterbahn · June 21, 2011, 5:27am

Re: Exports may touch $25bn by year-end

You know we have found ourselves, Pakistanis and expatriate Pakistanis alike, in some manufactured comparisons with Afghanistan and Somalia. While no sane person will deny Pakistan has its problems, only an insane person would insist comparing Pakistan with somalia and afghanistan.

I hate to blame the media, cliched as it is, but it’s done a lot of damange to the reputation of the country. For example, the Time article that proclaimed Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world. “Expert” analysis in the Economist insisting that Pakistan is a failed state, so forth and so on. It’s remarkable really. Somalia and Afghanistan? C’mon man.

On a molecular level, Pakistan is essentially no different then an average developing nation. In fact, it’s far ahead of most of the average developing world. I will go as far to say it’s no different then India, just without the PR.

I have stopped seeing Pakistan from a western opinion columnists view - a view I’ve had no choice but to use for the past twenty something years - and started to see it from an opportunity laden view. Whenever I sit down with young professionals, all I discuss with them (and they with me) as to how many opportunities exist in that country. Fortunes are to be made from the resources that are so ripe there. 70 percent of the country farms, which means 70 percent of the country is ready to export, if they are taught and helped to grow more efficiently. 30 percent of the country lives in urban centers, which actually means a good 20-35 million speak english (without the harsh indian accent): That’s an educated army who’s population is more then most countries in the world.

I do NOT see a country full of jihadis. I see a country with scholars, intellectuals, entrepenurs, accountants, CEOs, engineers and non profit workers. These people aren’t from Karachi or Lahore only…I know and have met with every day educated working individuals from Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Khairpur and the likes.

I sincerely feel the problems in Pakistan aren’t extremely hard to fix. And they don’t need to be completely fixed asap either. YOU invest in a better energy infrastructure (which is slowly happening) and you’ll see. Just wait and see. 3 years.

I see Pakistan from my own lens.

Very well written bro! :k: