AI-generated op-ed on PM Shehbaz’s performance
Okay, so for the last 10 months, many intelligent folks have been raising the alarm bells on how Pakistan’s economy is being managed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but it has made little difference in the corridors of power. I’ve personally been writing piece after piece in this paper and thought it’s time to get a little creative. If the powers that be don’t listen to regular mortals, perhaps they’ll listen to artificial intelligence. So I had some fun and gave Chat GPT a few prompts to write a piece on PM Shehbaz Sharif’s performance. What follows may be Pakistan’s first AI-generated op-ed on his performance.
“Over the past 10 months, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been criticised for his mismanagement of the country’s economy which has seen a sharp decline in growth, with foreign direct investment dropping to its lowest since 2009. The decline in economic growth is largely a result of the government’s failure to address the structural weaknesses in the economy. High inflation, a widening current account deficit and an overvalued currency have all contributed to the faltering economy.
The government has also failed to invest in infrastructure, with the majority of the investment going to sectors such as energy and telecommunications. This has resulted in a lack of development in other key sectors such as health, education and agriculture. Moreover, the government has been unable to reduce the high levels of public debt which stands at 78% of the total GDP, and the government has been unable to reduce it despite implementing various austerity measures. The government has also failed to address the country’s energy crisis.
Pakistan has been facing an economic crisis since Prime Minister Shehbaz took office 10 months ago. As the country’s economy continues to decline, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the root causes of the crisis and how it can be addressed. The current situation in Pakistan is not new. For the past several years, the country has been experiencing an economic slowdown due to a range of factors including a weak currency, high inflation and a lack of investment. However, the situation has worsened significantly since the election of PM Shehbaz.
The primary cause of Pakistan’s economic collapse since Shehbaz took office is the implementation of an economic policy that is too focused on austerity measures and not enough on economic growth. The government has implemented a number of austerity measures, including raising taxes, cutting subsidies and reducing spending. These policies have led to a significant decrease in GDP growth and a rise in unemployment. Additionally, the government has failed to invest in infrastructure and other key sectors, leading to further economic stagnation. The government has also failed to address the issue of corruption which is a major problem in Pakistan. Corruption is rampant in the country and has been linked to a variety of economic issues, including an increase in public debt.”
Okay, so there you have it. This is me again. Not the AI bot speaking. Artificial intelligence is no Ardeshir Cowasjee with the pen but it got the broad strokes of its arguments right, with some arguments that may not be as so fair. In either case, this was a playful experiment on an otherwise somber topic. The world is moving on to next generation technological innovations like AI, while Pakistan is struggling to sign the same deal it was with the IMF for over two dozen times.
The truth is we don’t need AI or even a PHD in economics to understand how bad things are with the economy right now. We can simply look at PM Shehbaz’s own brother and son for clues on which way the economy is headed. Even they’re refusing to fly back from London to Lahore to fix or own this mess.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 19th, 2023.
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