In extolling prime minister Imran Khan's speech that he delivered in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), most of our media went on over-drive, almost celebrating as if Kashmir, with that one speech had been liberated. To undo great leaders, the media heaps tons of appreciation, which in one or the other manner distracts the leadership, from other pressing issues. It is expected that Imran Khan will be cognizant of the sycophants. Indisputably his performance at the UN was remarkable; he came out as a voice of the underdeveloped world and as the representative of the Ummah.
History teaches us that any politician from the less-developed world or even anyone laying claims to the leadership of the Muslim world is not tolerated. This nation lost one of its brilliant sons, when he attempted to seek Leadership of the Third World and the Muslim Ummah. One prays that Imran would not pursue this Utopian position. He has tasks at home. Let's put the speech on the back burner, but not the cause.
Some sections of the usually unfriendly media have been highlighting the economic morass, the country seems to be in. While some of the criticism is justified, but there has to be simultaneous realization that economic turnarounds do not happen overnight. This is more true, when you inherit a bankrupt coffers of the exchequer; coupled with a dis-oriented bureaucracy. In economics, all concepts and even tested theories, begin with the prefix, "... all things remaining the same" and all propounders (economists) know so well, that nothing 'remains the same'. All factors are in a continues state of dynamic change. In the life of a nation, its economics is always about the long-term and not the short-term; for long-term gains, great nations have paid a price of sacrifice, in the short-term. Imran Khan must directly educate the masses; he will be surprised that majority are ready to face the pains, for the future glory, of the future generation.
The recent economic gains of reduction in current account deficit, the slight increase in exports, the decline in imports and the encouraging rise in Foreign Direct Investment, is positive news. These outcomes are not necessarily entirely due to domestic economic policy; these have been helped by changing factors of global economy too. The improvements shouldn't be merely a matter of statistics but of sustainability of the positive trends. A slight change in the price of oil can throw everything back into a spin. We cannot ignore impact of international economics.
Perception makes greater and formidable inroads into the minds of both the local and foreign investors. We can tell the world and laud ourselves that the economy is responding to policy initiatives; that there is a turnaround. This attitude is only self serving; economic gains have to be accompanied by positive perception. Are we as a nation doing that? Is the media creating and helping forward a positive perception? Readers must answer to themselves honestly and commit to play a part, in enhancing positive perception.
Staying in the grey list of FATF will continue to haunt us till February, 2020. The group is acting more like a superpower, asking us at every single meeting, despite the great strides made through regulation and legislation to combat, and "to do more". This in this writer's view, again, is a matter of perception. We enjoy the benefit of better local regulations than most of our immediate neighbors, yet there is suspicion. The presence of a hostile country in the group demands our foreign office to use diplomatic channels more effectively, with focus on managing the perception.
CPEC has been portrayed all along as a game changer for Pakistan's economy - what are we doing about it? Is the pace of development satisfactory? If we do not have enough exportable surplus of goods and commodities to go on the CPEC, what exactly will CPEC be for us? A mere road connecting China to Gulf & Africa!
By not adequately recognizing this need for industrialization alongside the route, are we putting CPEC into jeopardy? For the longest of years, nay decades, we have talked of industrial parks and special economic zones of the type that China has successfully developed. But alas! Very little or close to nothing substantive has been achieved. In December 1978, when China announced the policy to open the doors to foreign businesses, they developed the concept of Special Economic Zone, likes the South Koreans, with completely distinct and separate policies, for their operations; and in case of China to the contrast of the centrally planned economy of the country. The Chinese economic managers very intelligently selected 13 coastal cities on the eastern side of the country, for the creation of the SEZs, as the test-tube laboratories of capitalism. They did not out of any political expediency choose Urumqi or the Hinterland States for creating SEZs. They wanted to fully exploit the maritime route for promotion of their exports. In the last 30 years, we have seen the emergence of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and a list of the successful economic zones. Today if you remove the thin barbed wire between Shenzhen and Hon Kong; you cannot know, if you are in Hong Kong or Shenzhen.
Against this approach, just review what locations, we have chosen for creating special economic zones. Karachi and Gwadar should be natural choices for associating at least more than one special economic zone. Our SEZs policy must tie up with CPEC route.
Said by many of our leaders, we want to learn from China! So why don't you? Why do we have to completely re-invent the wheel? Borrow Shenzhen's blueprint, tweak partially to suit local conditions, and implement.
From atop of a container, Imran Khan had made numerous promises to the nation, with practically impossible time-lines for achieving, those milestones. Admittedly, today he must be in full realization, that what may have appeared doable from the other side of the table, is actually difficult to deliver.That's not an issue. An upright man learns more quickly on the job- he is known to pursue his objectives with obstinacy. The nation hasn't lost hope. Imran Khan must not allow himself to be caged by the sycophants that naturally surround his office. The distraction put in his pathway, can be set aside, if only the PM may learn to distinguish between important and urgent and important but not urgent. That can happen only, if we let him be.
The long march! For what purpose? Who is this new Mao Tse-tung? Certainly nowhere near, the stature or caliber to this great helmsman of China. Under what de-jure or even de-facto authority of Leadership can any individual ask a popularly elected Prime Minister to resign. Obviously such demands are outside the ambit of democracy or even its aberrated versions. In a democratic setup, losers in election must wait for next elections; while waiting they must serve the constituencies they lost from; otherwise the results of next elections can't be different. Will the nation, please let the Prime minister work and not derail or distract him. He may very well be the last of the upright and honest breed of politicians, in this land of pure.
(The writer is a free lance contributor)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019