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Why  most Pakistanis want to migrate?
By: Tarique Khan Javed
President, Overseas Pakistani Investors Forum.

Pakistan -an unhappy place to live:
Whether it is President Zardari’s son or Kazi Hussain Ahmed’s or my sons no one wants to live and settle in Pakistan, given an option to settle elsewhere, even if it means living in Dubai. Why?

One famous novelist called Pakistan as nation of “emigrants” because he observed during his visit, that every one wants to go away somewhere. It is estimated that if USA or EU gives option to all Pakistanis to emigrate and settle in their countries 85 to 90 % of Pakistan’s population while take the option and Pakistan will be depopulated and its economy destroyed for ever.

Currently people are paying exorbitant amounts to buy visas for USA and EU.

People like me, who lived for longtime in Gulf, yet have opted to settle down in Pakistan, while 95% of their friends choose Canada or Australia are ridiculed and considered not mindful of their children future.  Why?

Will I, eventually reverse my decision? I am not sure! Why?

Is Pakistan a trap?
Is Pakistan a trap in which people are living very unhappy life and thus eager to go anywhere given a chance? This is a question we must all ask over selves honestly. If the answer is indeed yes. We should find out what we lack and what rest or the World has to offer that our people vote against their countries in the form of rejecting it and choosing other Countries. Despite claims of love for Pakistan the actions of ordinary Pakistani point to rejection of Pakistan, in its current set up. Why?

This paper attempts to trace the factors which led to Pakistan becoming such an undesirable place and what can be done to improve the situation.

Pakistan up to 1971:
United Pakistan was not a bad place to live. Job creation was exceeding available manpower and relatively Pakistanis were well off compared to Indians or Sri Lakans. There was no hatred on the basis of religion. People were not interfering in other people’s family and personal life. There was a freedom of choice in personal matters. If someone wanted or did something, which was not sanctioned, by religion he was reminded of the harmful consequences by his family but state did not interfere.

Pakistan was one of the freest economy of Asia and a tolerant normal country with ample entertainment opportunity, after a hard days work.  Pakistan ‘s export was equivalent of South Korea and China; all three at USD 500 million in 1960. South Korea adopted many policies of Pakistan in 1960s.
 
Challenge and responses by nations
By 2006, S. Korean exports reached USD 350 billion and Chinese exceed USD 600 billion while we struggle to export USD 20 billion. This was a result of our wrong responses to challenges, which were common for all Asian economies after end of colonial era.

While other Asian countries responded positively and progressed fast to alleviate poverty; we responding negatively and killed enterprise and increased poverty. This made our impoverished people easy target of recruitment as terrorist for small sums of money. Just to meet end people fell in the trap of international terrorists. If our people had well paying jobs like S. Koreans, Malaysians they would not have got involved in terrorist activities and we would not have such large number of Madras’s. Instead people would have preferred high quality English schools for their children as every one wants to have better future for their children and they are aware that there is no job opportunity after graduating from Madras’s.  

Negative responses of Pakistan during 1971 – 1998 period
With nationalization of Banking, Large Industries, Educational institutions by Peoples Party following the break up of Pakistan, the free enterprise died down in Pakistan. Thus the country lost forever the credential of being one of the fastest growing economy of Asia and the powerful energy of private investment and industry.  This bought in the first wave of tension in the society as job creation lagged substantially behind available manpower. The massive increase in prices caused by sudden increase in money supply firstly as a result of loss of East Pakistan and secondly due to substantial extra printing of notes, leading to inflation of upto 150% by 1975, added to the tension in the society.

In 1978, under pressure from conservative forces Bhutto approved laws like prohibition of alcohol, declaring Ahmedies as Non Muslim, curtailment of entertainment industry. While this did not save Bhutto it further divided the Country and raised tension levels in the Country. By this time most people who could leave the country started to leave. The first to go were the brightest and best of the Country.

Zai’s 11-year rule and his attempt to introduce medieval Islamic laws like flocking for political difference, stoning to death under Hudood Ordinance and general curtailment of freedom of woman, made Pakistan a trap for freedom loving and intelligent people. There was a massive emigration of best of Pakistani society.

The weak governments of Banazir and Nawaz were not successful in reversing the trend. With atomic explosion in 1998 more people left the Country, as they feared an atomic exchange with India. By now the Country had become heaven for terrorist from all over the Muslim world after completion of the mission to convert Afghanistan into a medieval, bloodthirsty hell of a place. 

Positive response of Musharraf
October 1999 take over of President Musharraf offered a ray of hope to people. However despite his personal desire to reverse the trend he found himself surrounded by power forces who wanted to maintain status quo and thus to save his seat he compromised.

September 11, 2001, attack on USA forced Pakistan to face up the evil of terrorism and a reversal of fortune of liberal forces for better began.

However it was not until end of 2005 when President Musharraf dared to bring a partial amendment to the hated Hudood Ordinance.

Now the nation is clearly divided into Liberal and Conservative camps.  PPPP,ANP and MQM are leading the liberal forces fully supported by Pakistan Armed Forces. The Conservative camp lead by MMA and PML (N) are fighting on despite defeat in Parliament over Hudood Bill and military attacks on their supporters in Bajour.

With very strong backing from the West and traditional liberal trend in Armed Forces, it seems that Liberal forces will prevail in coming years and more liberal reforms will take place to make Pakistan once again an attractive place to live for freedom loving and intelligent people.

To achieve this present democratic government should  adopt following policies:

  1. Adopt an Isolationist foreign policy. No need to become Regional or International leader and concentrate all energy on improving the living standards of Pakistanis.
  1. Make peace with India and accept LOC as international border. As peace with India is a prerequisite to economic progress in Pakistan as well as India. Without peace 40 million people in Pakistan and 500 in India cannot get out of poverty trap. The number and level of suffering of the people of both countries is such that its removal takes precedent over any other consideration.
  1. Liberalize the society and remove all laws introduce in the past, which have curtailed personal freedom of choice.
  1. Accept pursuit of happiness as a basic right of Pakistanis.
  1. Work to integrate the economy with the rest of SAARC even before the SAFTA mandated dated of 2013. Work towards a common currency and open borders like EU.
  1. Work to become also member of EU, eventually.
  1. Adopt Secularism as a State policy. State to remain neutral in religious matters and not promote any religion.
  1. Remove the word Islamic Republic from Pakistan's name. Reintroduced it when  Pakistan becomes a truly UN corrupt, just, happy and Islamic society.
  1. Restore 1973 constitution fully. Remove all changes made to it since then including once introduced by Bhutto in 1978 under pressure.
  1. Reduce maximum land ceiling to 60 acres. Cancel lease of excessive land and made it available for landless peasants.
  1. Subsidize Basic food items like wheat and pulses.
  1. Provide safe drinking water to all.
  1. Reduce the ratio of Indirect taxes to 25% of total taxes.

  2. Reduce the government to 25% of the present size.
  1. Reduce the Defense Expenditure to 25% of the present level.
  1. Remove hurdles to mass investment by Multi National Cos in production industries and Banking.
  1. Reduce inflation rate to zero. By adopt a strict policy of linking growth of money supply with expected economic growth rate practiced in other well-governed countries.
  1. Reinforce property rights to encourage property creation. 
  1. Remove hurdles to the working of market forces of demand and supply.
  1. Create a relaxed society by encouraging entertainment of all kinds.
  1. Give people choices and freedom as to how they live their lives.
  1. Relocate the Capital of the Country to Dera Ghazi Khan.
  1. Create five more provinces in the Country.
  1. Simplify laws to reduce corruption.
  1. Aim to increase the size of GNP from current USD 125 billion to USD 10,000 billion.

  2. Increase Exports to USD 300 billion by inviting major MNCs to manufacture their products in Pakistan.
  1. Create ten truly free industrial zones in the Country.
  1. Revise land rates to bring it in line with current price levels.
  1. Remove all military installations away from cites and auction all land to pay off all internal and external debt.
  1. Government lands to be sold/ leased by Internet auction process to get maximum sums.
  1. Create Federal Mortgage agencies with special eviction powers to mobilize large sums internally and from abroad.
  1. Create compulsory saving schemes for Overseas Pakistani Workers.  

Conclusion:
Pakistan missed a chance of becoming a rich and prosperous country by 1980s with the help of export led growth starting in 1970s as envisaged by earliest planners of the country. If that had happened we would not have seen the painful periods, which we had to pass through during 1970 to 90s. Instead of harboring international terrorists we would have flock of well paying tourists in our midst. The terrorist brought us into direct conflict with the world and our existence as people was at stake. Thankful this time around we responded positively and avoided the fate of being boomed to Stone Age, sanctions, economic isolation and deep jump into poverty trap forever.
  
Our choice is clear either we integrate with the rest of the world and adopt policies in line with the accepted values of the world or else try to go alone and create a new value system in conflict with the rest of the world. 

In 2001 we as a nation choice to work with rest of the world as we agreed that that option provided best chance for a better standard of living for our people. Without imports and exports our economy will die down and people pushed in such level of poverty that is  unthinkable. The example of Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia is before us. We cannot lead our people to this disastrous path.

Now after 7 years of struggle the forces of terrorism or political parties which would like us to revert to medieval, poor, unsophisticated,  un scientific, fun less, undemocratic, bloodthirsty and intolerant society, are on the run.
 
Time has come to forge a strong alliance of liberal forces with grass route presence to counter opposing forces.  

Send your feedback to: tariquekhanjaved@hotmail.com