Re: Pakistan then (pre 2008 election) and now (post 2008 election).
I have no idea where you have pulled these figures out from and to be honest figures can be very easily manipulated. Why dont you compare Pakistan from 2002 and 2007? You had a realtively peaceful Pakistan in 2002 abut by 2007 half of the country was out of the control of the Government.
We all know how all food items have risen in price and how items like sugar, chicken and other foods have rocketed prior to 2007.
The Balochistan issue and the alienation of the Baloch reached its climax in 2006 with the murder of Bugti.
The extreme militants were allowed to fester and challenged the state back in 2007 and in some areas prior to this. Many areas of Pakistan became no-go areas thanks to the military dictatorship.
The appallingly handled Lal Masjid issue was in 2007. It saw Pakistan's worst period with bombs and suicide bombers unleashed and killing thousands in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Thousands were killed, many more injured and millions of ruppees worth of damage caused. Luckily this is one of the few issues the government has improved.
Thhe most popular politician, a chief symbol of ethnic harmony in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was killed in 2007. This led to large scale rioting and had PPP not one the election I believe Sindh would have been independent by now. Zardari was instrumental in making sure Sindhi PPP supporters did not become even more disillusioned. However, the damage was done and they are a step closer to calling for their own state.
The MQM were allowed to promote their ugly side again in 2007 thanks to Musharaf! After years of relatice peace and stabilitiy in Karachi, the MQM showed their brutality and up until today they cannot be stopped. There will never be peace in Karachi again and that is all due to Musharaf!
Loadshedding increased under Musharaf.
Musharaf left Pakistan in 2008 in someways a much worse state than he took it in 2000. Lets not paint his rule as idyllic, it was one of the most problem filled de to his greedy nature. Pakistan did boom under Musharaf but it also bust under him too. There was a running joke internet, phone calls etc became cheaper but food became more expensive and this was even talked about in 2002 under the boom. Only a few people felt the benefits of the boom, the masses did not!
The economy is overall worse than in 2007, I wont dispute that. My point is for Saleem to say life is worse now is not necessarily the case. For the poor, the masses, most items were already unaffordable. We cant measure Pakistan by the middle class, upper class but overall.