A Conversation on Pakistan’s Economy, Atif Mian, Princeton University

[KediKesenFare3]

I am no Atif Mian but even I figured this long time ago. And how this was so is simple. Think Mumbai. What comes to mind? That Indian cities labour and sweat is tangible in almost every Pakistani household whether in UK, Pakistan , USA etc. Alll those Bollywood flicks you see. This city has penetrated the global desi market. Now think Bangalore. That cities sweat and labour has footprint on the global IT market be it in USA, Europe etc. You get the drift right?

Now in Pakistan's context Karachi is touted as the greatest producer on planet earth. Funny thing is what does this city make and export? It has almost zero presence on the global market.

The city is typical example of rent seeker. A parasite that survives on gouging the export/imports of 220 million people. Sort of bhatta tax on steriods. Much of this then goes into non productive land specualtion - Bahria is good example.

Besides a few towns like Sialkot etc rest of Pakistani cities make nothing, do nothing but just seek rent. This is where the problem is. People blame the rural regions of he country. Wrong the real disease is manifested in the large cities which have become just parasites that live of the fat of the land. Literally.

Now for contrast look at Bangladesh. Chiitagong port or Dhaka are teeming with industrial units where millions of locals are busy making the worlds ready to wear garments. USA, Europe etc are awash with the sweat and labour of Bengalis working in Chittagong etc.

Why is Karachi not helping the world to dress? It is a port city? Instead the city is just rent seekers paradise. As long as this structural problem is not fixed Pakistan's problems will keep repeating themselves.

Is Karachi really a mess or is it perhaps unjustified bad reputation? New Delhi doesn't look like Melbourne either.

I don't agree with many analyses about Pakistan made by Pakistani citizens. They're rarely objective and most of the time ideologically tinted.

However, there's one observation which I believe to be true:

Your elite class is subpar, to say the least.

I also don't see any alternative or change in the near future. How can a nation just exist? Things aren't going good in Pakistan but if you take a step back and gauge the country and the path it left behind; are we seeing anything that unusual in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi? Did Imran Khan really made a difference?

The situation is blurry for outsiders. Pakistan has just too many angles and corners.