A sad tale indeed – III

The last two columns mapped out Pakistan’s economic and political comparison with India and Bangladesh. To recap the same, India’s GDP per capita is $ 2,320 while Bangladesh’s is $2,723.

India has emerged as the 5th largest economy of the world, moving well to be among the first three leading global economies.

Bangladesh’s economy is rated as one of the fastest growing economies in the region. Pakistan’s GDP per capita is trailing behind at $1,658 with its economic and political prospects uncertain.

Under this blatant disparity people have begun to question why Pakistan has been so miserably left behind as the poorest nation in the region with a non-performing democracy, an almost perpetual political uncertainty and an economy functioning on foreign lending since the country’s inception in 1947.

All the three countries — India, Pakistan and Bangladesh — have a Westminster form of parliamentary democracy, inherited a similar structure of bureaucracy, judiciary and armed forces. The three countries, to begin with, embarked on different paths of state governance and economic policies.

The answer to Pakistan’s lagging behind the two can be found in the difference of state governance and economic policies.

India all along had an effective and mature state governance with the three pillars of state solemnly performing their duties within their respective domains and delivering their best to the state, while the state institutions and their functionaries were left to perform independently.

A sad tale indeed – II

In the 75-year history of India there has never been a military intervention or subversion of its constitution, the elections are held on time and change of elected governments happens seamlessly. This has transformed into political stability under which its economy has thrived.

Whereas, in Bangladesh, after early years of political turmoil and military intervention and influence, state governance stabilised and political stability prevailed. The state pillars and institutions were made to withdraw into their respective domains of responsibility. Under this enabling environment, Bangladesh’s economy has also thrived.

Pakistan could not come up with an effective and mature state governance regimen. Its chequered history of 75 years is riddled with military coups and interventions, compromised bureaucratic and judicial systems, state institutions and regulatory bodies, non- performing parliaments and political instability to the extent that no Prime Minister has completed five-year tenure.

The nation, since its inception, has been in a perpetual state of a fragile economy sustainable primarily on aid and loans from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and other foreign institutions. Institutionalised incompetence and corruption top it all.

The hopelessness the nation is experiencing today is the cumulative result of 75 years of state mis-governance, which has now reached the stage of utter chaos and the country appears check-mated, both on economic and political fronts, to make the next move to wriggle out of the check- mate.

The political gurus and economists of the country have put forth multiple solutions to move out of the crisis but their advice remains unheeded. In a nation where basics have gone wrong, no solution is workable or sustainable.

A sad tale indeed – I

To correct the basics is doable, but extremely difficult in the prevailing circumstances where self and vested interests are at play at their best and override national interests.

The three pillars of the state can start the healing process, in words and deeds, by withdrawing to their domains of responsibility and act in accordance with the role assigned to them by the constitution.

Trespassing into others domain must cease forthwith and state institutions and their functionaries be provided an enabling environment under which they are able to independently act and deliver in the best national interest.

The nation’s economy must be aligned primarily based on its own revenue generation and less on foreign loans. Once the basics are set right, the bigger and complex national issues have a good chance to be resolved.

It is important to make a start and move out of the ostrich syndrome. In other words, we must stop refusing to recognize the truth.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023