Re: Hijacking and eventual death of Pakistani Right
The biggest problem I see here is that PAKISTAN has spent 34 years out of 60 under military rule and Pakistan has such a history of feudalism , which still exists today.
Let us start with PML , the party laying foundation 60 years ago , still mainly dominated by Zamindars and Sardars . Political parties in Pakistan are feudal-orientated, and more than two-thirds of the National Assembly (Lower House) is composed of this class. And almost half of Pakistan’s gross national product and the bulk of its export earnings are derived primarily from the agricultural sector controlled by a few thousand feudal families ( Shuja.M.S , 2000 ) .
Throughout out history the feudal families retained control over the national affairs through bureaucracy and the armed forces . In 1972 , they assumed direct power and retained it until the military regained power recently.
This pattern is clearly evident in other Muslim countries as well and in result the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) reported that its fifty-six member countries comprise 20 percent of the world population but produce only 5 percent of world GDP, and pardon me for saying it but much come form oil.( Zoakos . M. C , 2006)
Pakistan is caught in a schizophrenic situation. Where on one hand, it must attend formal function to the needs of Pakistani society, and draws them modernity and economic integration with the rest of the world. On the other hand, Pakistan has to satisfy the interests of constituent local elites, whose survival depends on opposing globalization. But still PAKISTANIS have much to smile about today. Our economic growth is up and it all be happening after a dismal period of more than a decade, especially in the commodity-producing sector. It has been reported that during the financial year 2006-07, the aggregate value of foreign investment in the country became $ 8,416.6 which is 88 per cent more compared to the financial year 2005-06 (Pakistan Times , 2007 ) . While inflation rates have gone up recently, they are still within manageable limits. All this would have appeared unlikely even a few years ago. The Pakistani pattern has been characterised as ‘growth without development’, because, despite its respectable per capita growth over the second half of the twentieth century, Pakistan systematically underperformed on most social and political indicators such as education, health, sanitation, gender equality, fertility, corruption, political instability and violence, and democracy. ( Shuja.M.S , 2005 ).
I may not support Musharraf as a ruler in uniform, but admit that he has been good for the nation, and I do appreciate his taking smart decisions at the time of need. I hope some day Pakistan will return back to the situation prevalent in the 1950s when half of Pakistan’s exports went to India and 32 per cent of its imports came from India.
References
Pakistan Times , 2007 , 88% More Foreign Investment in Pakistan than 2005-06 , available online http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/08/19/business1.htm last visited 19/08/07].
SHUJA.S., 2000 . The Pakistani Military Coup of 1999: Some Explanations. Contemporary Review. Volume 276. Issue 1611. Page Number 183
SHUJA.S, 2005 , Musharraf’s Administration and Pakistan’s Economy. Contemporary Review. Volume 286. Issue: 1670, Page Number 129+.
ZOAKOS.M.C,2006. Rising Muslim Schizophrenia: An Investor’s Guide to Globalization and the War on Terror. The International Economy. Volume: 20. Issue: 4.. Page Number: 20+.