Socio-Economic Challenges Faced by Pakistan
Outline:
1) Introduction
2) Ingredients Of A Nation
3) Importance Of Sound Socio-Economic Conditions
4) Post-Independence Challenges
5) Current Challenges
Social
a) Growing Venality
b) Political Illicit Interference
c) Lack of education
d) Lack of basic need
e) Lack of security
f) Corruption at maturity
Economical
a) Decline in Investments
b) Increase in Unemployment
c) Lack of resources
d) Outdates technology
e) Increase in debt
6) Remedies
a) Restoring democracy
b) Efficient accountability
c) Proper auditing system
d) Independent judiciary
e) Revival of ijtehad
7) Conclusion
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Pakistan faced problems like other developed countries in their early period. Society and economics are like two hands of any country that works for its growth and success. Society and economics interrelated with each other, if anyone of them faced decline it will affect the same to other and vice versa.
The dawn of Pakistan begins in the mid of 1974, from its beginning till today, Pakistan has been struggling with socio-economic challenges, just because of its effortless step to take over the crisis. Pakistan is not defied by any foreign power but its own created evil in society that cause hurdle in its development. Pakistan has to take sincere and effective steps against the common enemy of the country.
Confucius Said, “The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes”
To save the Pakistan as a developing nation, Government of Pakistan has to take necessarily steps against the evil to derive them out from our nation.
Socio-economic is the growing factor of the country, to understand the requirement of nation for an established country, it is necessary to realize the ingredients of a successful nation.
Ingredients of a Nation
A nation is composition of variety of trends, systems, methods and techniques. Nations makes the country on the basis of socio-politico-religio-economical conditions and beliefs. Such conditions vary from country to country.
The symptoms of successful nations are their established economy, sound society, political stability and strong belief on religion. If we compare Pakistan with United States of America (USA), Pakistan is far behind than USA, in establishing its economy, building sound society, protecting political mandate and interpreting the true message of religion.
The major difference between the two affects the outcome of nation, whereas, Americans are welcomed in every corner of the world, while Pakistani are stopped at every security check post for their verifications. This is just because of having same gradients but variety maintained by both countries.
Importance of Sound Socio-Economic Conditions
Socio-Economic plays a vital role for improvement of the country. Every country possess it own condition of society and economy. Socio-economic conditions of China are different than of Pakistan, because of their sound steps towards the improvement of such conditions ameliorates their foreign direct investments, GDP, growth rate; and minimum wages etc are higher than any developing or under-developing country.
Yoda Said,” Learn how to walk, before running “
The recipe of success of developed countries is their sound socio-economic conditions. If we analysis China and goes back couple of decade back, we saw export of china to America was only $50 Million during 1980-2000, but now it is raise up to $500 Million export to America. This is just because of their effective policies of strengthening their socio-economic conditions.
Post-Independence Challenges
Challenges remains with Muslims of India before and after the independence of Pakistan. After Independent several socio-politico-religio-economical crises erected due to lack of resources; and early troubles gifted by congress and India.
India was not happy on partition of Hindustan, He decided to teach lesson to Pakistan and put his efforts to declare Pakistan as failed nation, but efforts our leaders spread water on their dreams. After 14th August, 1994, Hindus of India started massacre of Indian Muslims and forced them to migrate to Pakistan, Millions of people migrated to Pakistan, but the residents of the Sindh and Punjab welcome their migrated brother with open arms. Besides massacre of poor Muslims, India refused to share military and financial assets with Pakistan, which cause early severe troubles to Pakistan, India still own Rs. 50 Million of Pakistan and have not paid yet. India also attacked princely states like Junagarh, Hyderabad, and Kashmir by hook or by crook. It creates tension between two countries, Pakistan asked helped from British and international forum but could not find justice anywhere.
India have not completed yet, India stopped the flow of water towards from Pakistan to destroy the fertility of Pakistan soil and crippled its economy, But thanks to Gen. Ayub who took initiative and knock the doors of world bank, and India forced to sign Indus water treaty with Pakistan, to let Pakistan use water of three rivers, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum; And took full custody of river Ravi, Bias and satlej.
After independence all challenges fell upon the borne of Quaid-i-Azam, but our Quaid never let its followers fell upon the knees of India and faced every trouble with his assiduous efforts, sincere approach and effective strategies. Jinnah inaugurated State bank of Pakistan to strengthen the economy of Pakistan on 1st July, 1948.
However, the day and night work of leaders like Jinnah, Khan liaquat, Zulifquar Ali Bhutto and others strengthen the society and economy of the country to some extent. But during period of 1945- 2000, Pakistan have gone through from variety of crises such as Martial law imposed on Pakistan four times by Gen. Ayub, Gen Yayha, Gen Zia-ul-Haq, Gen Pervaiz Mushraf on 1958-1969, 1969-1971, 1977-1983 and 1999 respectively, riots between sunni and shia, emergence of Talibans, declining of education standard, inequality and discriminative behavior of government, rise in corruption at every level defy the development of Pakistan.
Current Challenges
Social
Pakistan has been facing acute social challenges since its independence and their severity is growing in lieu of declining. The morality, manners and hospitability is lost; And thirst of money, greed and popularity soar to acme among people of Pakistan.
There are several problems which are eating the roots of the strength of Pakistan, some of them are mentioned as;
Firstly, Due to inflation and hike in prices, venality is growing like any other thing at every level and every social class. So far no effective steps took by government just because of numerous followers of venality works with the government.
Hazrat Ali (R.A) said, “The example of corruption is like water is flowing from mountain”
Secondly, after establishment of Pakistan many political parties came into being for the benefit of every citizen of Pakistan, but so far, this has not been happen yet. People have been witnessed of the conditions of political discrimination by political parties. The motives of currents political parties are to provide only food, cloth and shelter only to their voters, but this motive is also squeezed for only friends and relatives in current situation of Pakistan. Political parties after forming government use their power for illicit acts that dismay their voters.
Jinnah said,” None of you is Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi, Pathan, Bangali ….. But only think as a Pakistani for the benefit of the country”
Thirdly, Education standard of Pakistan is lower and decline at fast pace. Government has been failed to set standard and promote education in spite of spending millions in this sector. Literacy rate of Pakistan is only 56% in this those people are also including who just write his/her name in Urdu. Government claimed more than 175,000 schools are running under the expense of government, But the question if that 175,000 government schools are running than why people have not been literate yet? Crisis of education in Pakistan is crossed the limits of severity. Students drop ratio in Pakistan is increases in current years, 18% students drop from primary classes, 24% in lower middle class, 34 % students drop school in upper middle class, 38% in higher class.
Fourthly, Zulifquar Ali Bhutto vowed to every citizen of Pakistan to provide “food, cloth and shelter” and to some extent he did, but in current situation, it is difficult for poor people even to get coffin for their relative or friend. Prices of commodity are out of the reach of poor people; Sugar prices is touched Rs90 per kilo, Gold price break world record and stay at Rs.35000 per tola, Rice Rs55-110 per kilo etc. it is impossible for poor people to make both ends meet.
Fifthly, terrorism and extremism trying to break the backbone of Pakistan, due to lack of food, cloth and shelter people ask help elements of anti-Pakistan, who manipulate the thinking of poor people by given them peanuts to live alive. It is menace to the society because if more inflation increases more people deviated from the path and cause disturbance to the society. According to psychologists extremism is cause by bearing serious tension, society problems, unemployment and discrimination. Extremism gives birth to terrorism.
Finally, corruption is at peak these days, justice and honesty is lost somewhere in Pakistan. Wealthy person is not afraid of doing any illicit act just because he knows he can pay some people or giving bribe to concerned authority. Pakistan is at 42nd position of non-corrupt list of the countries. But after recent announcement of NRO beneficiaries of 8000 people out of which more than 3000 are Politicians, who swallow million of amount, will regain Pakistan position at higher numbers.
Economical
Society is interrelated with the conditions of economy, Country have to need sound, healthy, merry society for booming economy. Unfortunately, Pakistan have been facing several economic problems these days, some of them are:
Firstly, Pakistan have lost enormous amount of foreign direct investment due to terrorism and political instability. More than 70 international companies have packed up their business from Pakistan.
Secondly, Unemployment increases due to lack of investors and shortage of electricity. In Faisalabad more than 200 small factories of textile locked their factories due to power failure.
Thirdly, Strength of the country depends upon the resources of its country. Some countries are rich in minerals, some in petroleum, and some in gold; some in diamond, some in gas and some in human resource. God Almighty blessed Pakistan with sui gas in Sui, Coal in Thar, Powerful wind in katibander etc but Pakistan being a victim of several causes such as corruption, venality, insincerity etc never pay heed to utilize its resources to let the crippled country run.
Finally, outdated technology consumes more electricity that cause electricity shortage; fuel that increases expense of the company; and emits hazardous pollution that plays a positive role in global warming.
Remedies
Government of Pakistan implemented many plans and strategies but never succeed because they always tried to solve the problem in lieu of preparing panacea for symptom. Some of the recommendations for the survival of Pakistan are given below
Firstly, Pakistan has to restore the democracy on the Islamic principles and impose shariah to some extent. We have example of Saudi Arabia, that they adopt some part of shariah like punishment, rights etc and rest they left because it not suits with global village. Islam promotes Theo-democracy, we have been witnessed westerns as well as Romans copied the Islamic system and imposed on their economy; and are well known just because of their implementations.
Secondly, Pakistan should broad the horizon of accountability departments like National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and gives them full rights to punish the culprits rather putting their names in the list of NRO. Decentralization should be introduced in these departments to take effective and immediate actions against criminals and voracious of money.
Thirdly, Proper auditing system should be introduced with new laws and on the conventions upon American Accountants of Association (AAA) and International Accounting Standards (IAS). New computerize technology should introduce to caught the irregularities, embezzlements and frauds.
Fourthly, Judiciary should be set apart from the politics and effective mechanism should be introduced to finalize the cases in limited time. Judiciary should be respected by the government officials, politicians and army as mentioned in constitution of 1973. Judiciary should be equal and just for everyone whether the standing person in the court is rich or poor, politician or voter, doctor or nurse, police or security guard etc. Islamic punishment should be injected in Hadood Ordinance as Capital punishment, amputation and flogging in public.
Fifthly, According to jurists, Ijtihad can play vital role to bring unity among the muslims and society by interperateting the message of Holy Quran in its real context. Ijtihad have been used as a tool by Terrorists to manipulate the mind innocents poor, therefore this can also be used as a panacea to this threat against humanity. Government should take step and bring jurists from every section to sit together and develop remedy for the betterment of society.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, Pakistan is not an odd country that faced serious socio-economic problems; hence, these problems usually occurred in every country. But the winner is one who solved these issues in short span. Pakistan is responsible for its own created problem and giving them free hand to move at large, if this behavior of government continuous more five to ten years, it might be possible that something serious would happen to our country. Threats like corruption, terrorism, power failure, unemployment, decline in investments etc could ax roots of any country, before evil of the society crippled our country; Pakistan has to restore democracy, accountability, proper audit and independent the judiciary to overcome the crisis. Islamic shariah to some extent should be opted to expunge the civil crimes; and jurists should bring to the tables of negotiation to reduce the severity between sections and society; and explain the true message of Holy Quran and Sunnah of Holy prophet (PBUH). I want to end my essay on the quotation of Voltaire;
“The art of government is to make two-thirds of a nation pay all it possibly can pay for the benefit of the other third.”
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