Re: Pakistan’s Poverty And The Multi-Million-Dollar Watch
I am sorry but I've also heard plenty of PMLN supporters saying that Sharif is filthy rich because he was born into a rich family or he's rich because he's a successful businessman. Do you also agree with that?
PMLN supporters who claim that Sharif was filthy rich before getting into politics, then they are right on one account and wrong on other. That is, Shareef were filthy but not wealthy.
You can guess yourself, that is, if the family was filthy rich then their whole clan would have been filthy rich, not just Shareef Brothers. Fact is that, as compared to Shareef Brothers who own Raiwand palace, expensive properties in Lahore, many expensive properties all over the world, billions in foreign accounts, cousins are poor.
On the other hand, I believe it was their grandfather that started business, and thus daddy Shareef with his brothers (uncle of Nawaz Shareef), inherited a small business. Daddy Shareef, what I know, used all sort of filth to expand in business, like bribing government officials, religion, as well as stealing.
Bhutto nationalised their small business base, but Daddy Shareef got Nawaz close to Zia-ul-Haq, who gave the family every opportunity to loot Pakistan (started in early 80s). Since then, Nawaz is moving in corridor of power looting, plundering and stealing Pakistan, to become one of the richest Pakistani business house today.
They are different then Pakistani landed elites, as landed elites do not bribe officials rather consider them as their servants. Traditionally their making money in government is taking commissions or allotment of properties to themselves and close one.
Shareef thugs harmed Pakistan in big way by bribing every institution in Pakistan (from judiciary, bank officials, bureaucracy, intelligence, police, to even army), using power in government to give themselves edge over others in businesses, and along with that, left everyone behind when it comes to taking commissions and buying properties (occasionally at reduced rate) then using government schemes and funds to develop the areas they invested.
For example: Once, Pakistan had world largest ship breaking yard at Giddani (salvaging ships). In 1980s, ship breaking industry at Gidani used to provide bulk of Pakistan steel need (averaging around 1 million ton of steel a year) and also use to help industries with other salvaged materials. Directly employing over 30,000 workers and around half a million people were getting their earning from this industry, and it was contributing over a billion dollar to Pakistan economy every year.
Nawaz considering that as competition to his own family steel business (Ittefaq foundry), used various tariffs to destroy world largest ship-breaking industry that Pakistan had. Due to Nawaz measure, Gidani ship-breaking yard became non-functional. Meanwhile Shareef thugs were importing steel and using discounted train service to transport them to their foundry, earning boosted profit (obviously without giving any tax), enriching themselves.
This is one example, though there are many such examples, how thug Shareef became filthy rich from just being filthy.
[Note: Gidani ship breaking industry was so much in wreck that in 2001 they did not break any ship for around 9 months.
Musharraf government in 2001 gave huge incentive to Gidani ship breaking industry by reducing tariffs with promises of further incentives. With time, I believe today Gidani ship-breaking yard is employing few thousand workers and is trying to catch up with world leading ship-breaking yards.
Anyhow, one should keep finger cross, as Nawaz is again in power].
