The Future of Pakistan
The success of any country lies in the following secret. The government is expected to use its strengths while not overshadowing its weakest links. Pakistan’s future can be promising due to an array of potential advantages, such as its strategic location, cultural diversity, and youth bulge. But at the same time, problems like extremist tendencies, absence of consensus among political parties, and economic backlash remain the Achilles heel.
To begin with, when seen through the lens of geography, the homeland is located at the cusp of the Arabian Sea. It gives a significant advantage to the country in regulating its trade and maritime affairs. It acts as a bridge between the landlocked Central Asian states and South Asia. Thus, it can become a prosperous trade and energy corridor. Moreover, Pakistan’s proximity to China has helped it join various mega projects.
Gwadar port, a flagship project of CPEC, is expected to strengthen the global outlook as it will be providing the services of a deep sea port. It is also expected to open new avenues of prosperity for the country by providing job opportunities to different cadres of life.
The homeland has a heterogeneous composition with people coming from different ethnicities. Each province has its own language, customs, and traditions. Promoting awareness about these groups can foster unity. It can also assist in weaving a multi-cultural outlook of the country. Consequently, it will aid in improving the soft image of the country.
Pakistan, being the fifth most populous country, has a youth of approximately 64 percent. However, the lack of skill set and career counseling has taken a large toll. Moreover, the country witnessed a massive brain drain of 450,000 brilliant minds, as per Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment reports. If human resources are managed tactfully by addressing their problems, this young generation can become an asset instead of a liability.
As ill luck would have it, the country has been marred by the problem of extremism. It can act as a stumbling block in achieving the desired progress goals. Division along sectarian lines does not bode well for the country, as it has resulted in the loss of precious lives. The target killing of the Hazara Community since 1999 has been its glaring example.
Moreover, the absence of consensus among political parties paints a bleak picture for the future of Pakistan. Since its inception, the country has been on the bumpy ride of progress due to this culprit. The constitution has been abrogated more than once, and amendments are being made every now and then.Kala Bagh dam has remained a bone of contention and is one such example. If visionary leadership replaces this weakness, the country can be expected to witness the trajectory of prosperity.
The country has been suffering from a poorly regulated financial system. The genie is out of the bottle due to tax evasion, declining foreign currency reserves, and rising inflation. Nepotism and corruption seem to be institutionalized, and there is a need to arrest the growth of such practices. Adopting a far-sighted approach can get the country out of this situation and offer better prospects.
To conclude, the future of Pakistan can be averted from violence and chaos if proactive measures are adopted to address the problems. Daren Acemoglu, in “Why Nations Fail, “ rightly said that the underdevelopment of a country is caused by political institutions and not by geography, climate, or other cultural factors. Hence, it is high time for the leaders to root out their differences and work for the betterment of the country.
