Re: Shahid Javed Burki on Pakistan lop sided economic growth///
The economy has grown… But the problem is, that growth is restricted to large cities and mostly in Punjab…
Growth has benefited only the upper class, which by Burkis estimate is only 10 % of the population..
The economy hasnt diversified, so certain key sectors, which do not themselves provide that many jobs have prospered while other areas have languished…
Agriculture which employ’s a large sector of the population hasnt grown the way it should…
The economy is consumer based, so our imports have outpaced out exports, this leads to trade deficit.
There is also still low saving in the country, so the growth may not be sustainable unless savings increases.
Because education was never given priority, we still have a large pool of unskilled youth, who will remain out of the economy and remain undemployed… Also because growth has remained mostly in those sectors that dont provide emplyment… The Banking sector for one thing has grown but it doesnt provide jobs for unskilled workers.
There has been a huge telecommunication boom, but that doesnt creare jobs either… Most telecommunication equipment is imported, so it actually add to the import bill.. And none of the mobile companies have any intention of creating manufacturing bases in Pak, or anywhere else for that matter.
We might have had the burdgening civil society, but thanks to the dictator, we may have to start from scratch because he has banned independat media and judiciary, and has stifled any secular groups…
A strong civil society would threaten the hold on resources and power of feudal landlords and the military… These two groups would destroy the country before they reliquish any of their power or control to any other group… They are the reason why Feudalism is still strong in Pak, and why power is so centralized… The Jusiciary for one was a voice for the impovrished and could have hearled a new begining, but for our dictator and his chamchas.
So all is not well under the dictators govt.