Pakistan struggling for economic independence.

Byline: Muhammad Nadeem Malik

Pakistan came into existence on August 14, 1947 as this was not merely an incident but had its roots in the long and consistent political struggle spread over 100 years. There are various versions, sometimes even conflicting, as to the reasons why Muslims endeavored for a new country. Some analysts attribute this struggle to a separate religious identity others see it in lack of economic opportunities for Muslim minority in the Indian sub-continent while few identify combination of both these aspects leading to the creation of Pakistan.

Every school of thought has its own reasons and is quite adamant to its own version of the events leading to independence of Pakistan. Here, our scope is not to justify any of these thoughts but to acknowledge that, in the modern world, it is the economic stability and financial strength helping nations to reinforce their independence. The era of colonialism has gone. It is now the neo-imperialism and not the direct military control that decides the supremacy of any usurper country. The financial control exercised by the big economic powers holds the countries slave. By controlling the economy of cash-starved countries, the economic powers influence their decision-making, implement their agenda in that respective region, and fight their proxy wars.

Some sectors, unfortunately including our own people having all the good intentions, sometimes, seen complaining that our country has failed to prosper and is far behind the other developing countries. We cannot enviously claim that Pakistan is going leaps and bounds to defeat the rest of the world in the economic and social sectors but still we have lot to cherish. Our intent, in this article, is to see the extent to which our beloved country Pakistan has been able to grow especially in the economic field since its independence. Moreover, how effectively it has been successful in remaining out of the shackles of this neo colonialism.

Pakistan started with a population of 60 million in 1947 with approximately 27 million people living in West Pakistan, the territory that constitutes the present Pakistan. Pakistan has now grown to 220 million people. This quite a robust population growth rate making Pakistan the sixth most populous country of the world. The population growth rate of Pakistan is presently 2 percent, which is comparatively higher than that of India and China, also higher than 1.1 percent global population growth rate...