The remaining lowest 50 are war-torn or conflict-ridden countries
KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party’s last tenure at the head of the federal government during the years 2008-2013 was no less than a disaster for Pakistan in terms of the law and order situation and economic progress. Karachi, in particular, suffered the worst owing to the highest number of politically-motivated targeted killings and strikes that caused losses worth billions due to disrupted business activity, which even led to many business units moving out of the country. Following the general election of 2013 and the PML-N government coming in, the overall situation witnessed a slight improvement, owing to reduced killings and strikes, primarily.
However, the change was short-lived, as the economic policies did not move around increasing business prospects for investors but injected finances through borrowings. Results of which started to appear in the form of increased debt per individual, inflation and less FDIs. On top of it all, the current rating of the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’ places Pakistan at 147 out of 190 economies. The index shows the prospects of investing and doing business in the country, which is likely to worsen, following the current placement on the index the country has been given.
The remaining lowest 50 are war-torn or conflict-ridden countries. The ranking will not just affect the long-term possibilities of attracting investments in the country, but also negatively impact the PML-N’s prospects of gaining a substantial share in the next government.
Omair Riaz
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2017.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
