Maybe I'm wrong but what I'm noticing is that PTI and its supporters are doing what Musharraf, PPP and PML-N supporters before them did... misrepresent facts.
You guys are all looking at this without context. Otherwise people post something like the graphic below outlining the country's GDP growth rate and it doesn't look so good for Khan and the PTI:
From 2000-2018 Pakistan experienced an average yearly export growth of 6.8%. However, from 2009-2018 we experienced a measly ~3% yearly export growth.
There's been an increase in exports since 2019, when Khan was also PM, but on average December export growth over Khan's term has increased on average approximately 3.9% yoy since he became PM in August 2018.
Furthermore, a lot of people are comparing Khan and the PTI's "successes" to those of previous governments without actually taking into account the impact oil prices, the rupee devaluation, TTP terrorism and Covid19 have had.
For example the average inflation adjusted oil price from 2008-2018 was ~$73/bbl (~$92/bbl from 2008-2013 under the PPP) whereas in 2019 to the first 3 months of 2020 it was ~$45/bbl. That's a 37% decrease from what the previous governments were paying on average (almost 50% less than the cost for oil during the PPP tenure) and considering those oil prices affect some of our largest imports including mineral products which alone accounted for approximately 25% ($14.9 Billion USD) of our total imports in 2018 that's going to result in big savings for the country that previous governments didn't enjoy.
Historical Crude Oil Prices
Furthermore, those high oil prices and lack of installed capacity to produce electricity on demand also affected the cost of electricity which meant Pakistani's were paying 200-300% more per KWh than other nations regionally like Bangladesh and India which impacted our manufacturers ability to compete:
Electricity shock: ‘Pakistanis paying highest tariffs in region’
Also recall the rolling blackouts that Pakistan experienced, some areas up to 20 hours a day, for years while generation capacity was being installed and kept factories idle for large portions of the day which affected their ability to produce on a market of scale making their products less competitive compared to regional competitors like India, Bangladesh and China and reducing demand:
Pakistan Blackouts Power Frustration At Government
Has everyone just forgotten the almost 32% rupee devaluation that's occurred under Khan and the PTI part of an almost 46% overall devaluation that began in 2018? This immediately made our manufactured goods less expensive and more competitive against those from regional rivals and you need to give this to Khan for allowing the devaluation to occur. Why Nawaz Sharif was insistent on keeping the rupee overvalued, probably to garner support from the country's importers, wasn't just inept it was absolutely insane but this isn't some amazing new initiative undertaken by Khan.
Traders’ mixed reaction to cases against Nawaz, workers
Did people also forget about TTP attacks that plagued the nation, thanks to Musharraf dragging us into the US' "war of terror" and subsequent governments keeping us in it, all the way until about 2014? This had a MAJOR impact on both foreign and domestic investment and the economy in general which the GoP, Khan and the PTI included, itself states cost the country $123 Billion USD over 16 years:
http://finance.gov.pk/survey/chapters_17/Annex_IV_War.pdf
No one is even mentioning all the money the PTI government has had to borrow, about $26.2 Billion USD, over the last 2 years:
In FY20: Govt gets over $13b in foreign loans
Admittedly this is to pay off the principal and interest on previous loans but many of those loans were also taken to pay for CPEC projects, higher fuel prices to keep the economy going, etc... Further to those loans Khan has taken new loans to increase the foreign exchange reserves that were dangerously low due to the ineptitude of the PML-N government but Khan, like his predecessors, have failed to fix Pakistan's tax collection woes which he promised to address.
I'm certainly glad that Khan and the PTI implemented the Ehsaas program with the picture of Jinnah on the cards and been proactive in identifying who the recipients are to avoid fraud. However, the way it appears to me is this program is a continuation of the same welfare schemes to buy votes utilized by previous PML-N and PPP governments (ex. Benazir Bhutto Income Support Program, huge fuel subsidies, free farm land, etc...):
Some 4,000 farmers to get land in Sindh
Unbudgeted subsidy ruined economy, says minister
Then there's the impact of Covid19 on the economy which alongside a massive crackdown on pollution in China, resulting in over 10,000 factories being shut down in their country, disturbed the global supply chain affecting exports to nations like Pakistan while reducing demand for imports locally. Furthermore, major competitors like India, Bangladesh and China shutting down their economies and particularly their factories while we kept ours open has attracted business to Pakistan:
Bangladesh imposes total lockdown over COVID-19
Coronavirus India Lockdown day 233 live updates | November 14, 2020
China’s Factories Are Reeling From Forced Coronavirus Closures
China Shuts Down Tens Of Thousands Of Factories In Widespread Pollution Crackdown
I will give it to Khan, I'm thankful he did't shut down the economy something I was also campaigning against doing and the fact that the PML-N and PPP wanted to only highlights how utterly inept and incompetent they are.
However, what happens when India and Bangladesh are open for business once again?
We haven't even delved into so many other problems with Khan and the PTI for example:
- Pushing aside and abandoning diehard loyalists for old tired trash from the PPP and PML-N
- Standing aside to allow terrorists like PTM's Ali Wazir to run uncontested.
- Letting Nawaz Sharif leave the country which Khan admits was a mistake.
- Not acting against the Aurut March whose organizers have now been identified by Disinfolab's "India Chronicles" report as India's agents of sabotage in Pakistan.
These weren't mistakes, they were stupid choices which went against the advice of virtually everyone that's voted for or supported the PTI so apparently random civilians have more sense than Khan and the PTI.
We can keep going on and on...
Personally Khan and the PTI are a stepping stone onto something better but imo they are not what Pakistan needs or wants long term.
The problem is that he himself has supported terrorists like the PTM and Ali Wazir who he allowed to run uncontested:
Look at the comments on their twitter post, regular everyday Pakistani's that supported him and his party were vehemently against his move but he didn't listen just like he didn't listen regarding Nawaz Sharif.
This isn't a mistake, it's just sheer stupidity.
That wasn't even the first time he's done this he's sympathized with and even supported BLA terrorists in the past including Hyrbyair Marri who he testified in defence of back in 2009 at his trial in London:
I'd do the same as terror suspects, says Imran Khan
He complains about Indian propaganda against Pakistan but fails to act against the very groups and persons involved in it within Pakistan whether it's the World Sindhi Congress or PTM or organizers of the Aurut March.
