Having seen and travelled the world, I am confident that if we as a nation utilise and optimize our God given resources, vast potential of its people, and immense in-built talent in the DNA of every citizen, we as a nation will be second to none.
Why am I saying this? Many reasons such as; Pakistan has the largest copper reserves in the world, second largest Coal reserves in the world, third largest cotton producers, fourth largest milk producer, sixth largest wheat producers, sixth largest population, tenth largest work force with three million workers entering the workforce every year, according to some statistics. What a daunting list for any country to have! If we can only channel these resources and opportunities into business building ideas and start to display liberal principles within the fabric of our society, we as a nation would be able to compete and challenge anyone.
There is no shortage of human ingenuity and smart DNA amongst the population of Pakistan. Ranging from having the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at 9 in Arfa Karim to Ali Moeen Nawazish a Pakistani boy who set a world record by securing 22A’s in the GCS A-Level examination. In addition back in 1998 due to the ingenuity of our very own scientists, Pakistan became the second nation outside the permanent five members of the UN Security Council to have an indigenously created nuclear capability.
The point is that we are an amazing nation, with immense in-house expertise and knowledge, using which we can do the impossible. The key is to channel this immense human knowledge and further grow in-house capability in a manner which will build our nation, deliver innovative technologies to further its development and economy. The key is not to get depressed and disheartened due to the overwhelming difficulties, but to recognise the problem and turn it into an opportunity.
To name one opportunity, not sure how many of you realise that the current environment of devaluating currency and high unemployment is a boon for businesses and entrepreneurs who want to explore foreign markets with their products and services? How come? One can find affordable talent without difficulty as many qualified people are looking for opportunities and our cost will be very competitive in the international market due to our weak currency. If we follow the right strategies, we can make a killing.
We need to get our act together as time is indeed running out. We need to nurture passion for our country back into the hearts of our citizens as nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. This unfortunately will only be possible until this idea is driven top down via role modelling and personal examples. We have the potential; challenge is of utilizing it properly.
The writer works in the corporate sector and is active on various business forums and trade bodies.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (30)
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What is the root cause of Pakistan failing to fulfill its true potential? Of course no other than Corruption! Unfortunately Corruption is a complex issue and it cannot be resolved overnight, and therefore it will need to start from the very Top. The people of Pakistan did not vote to entertain the corrupt ways of our rulers. One has to respect the rule of law, and not by talking. It is important for Pakistan's integrity to empower the poor masses to enable them to have their freedom of speech and therefore it becomes the duty of the Parliament, President and the Judiciary to ensure the implementation of law is coherent. Otherwise the Country's growth is at serious risk.
@gp65 To find the truth one needs to go much deeper then just visiting wikipedia. If you check Wikipedia on Coal Reserves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal) you will see Pakistan is #20 and #16 as you stated above with a total reseve of 2 billion tons. However, the Thar reserve discovered in late 90's alone is between 175 billion to 185 billion tons. Check out sites: 1) http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=comcontent&task=view&id=3179&Itemid=425; 2) http://salmanali456.hubpages.com/hub/THAR-COAL-RESERVES-in-Pakistan. Regarding the Copper reserves if you check wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peakcopper) you will see Chile has the largest reserves at 360 million tonnes. Reqo Diq reseve alone are 800 million tonnes Chagai another 400 million tones. I have used publicly available infomration on the net. Wikipeidia does not have the latest information. Hope this help you undertand why i have stated why we are #1 or #2, the key is to exploit it else it is just reservs on paper.
No matter what no we are at the various reserves I fully agree with the comments of Rajendra. There is a dire need to inculcate into the minds of the mob living in Pakistan "Pakistani nationalism". and the nation change there mind set. Until and unless we Pakistanies dont set objective of making Pakistan to rise these reserve will go waste as we have wasted and are wasting many God gifted things.
. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalbycountry
2 Copper reserves - Pak is not in the top 12 which are listed
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobre2.
@saad: Whether you believe me or not, it is of no consequence... so I don't need to convince you.
@Mr. Righty rightist: Thank you. :)
@Saad Amanullah Khan: Sir, I would be grateful to you if you could send me the summary and sources of your surveys regarding Copper. Meanwhile my source of information regarding coal reserves is World Energy Council. Have a look at this. http://www.worldenergy.org/documents/ser2010report_1.pdf
The last thing Pakistan needs is more passion - it's time you started to make decisions using logic and understand the strategic consequences of those decisions. You have to control the xenophobic religious fanatics, the inept politicians who offer quick fixes to complicated issues, and start acting like a country that desperately needs investors and is willing to provide a level playing field for them to compete.
@Saad Amanullah Khan: SIR, with regard to coal it's just not enough to have them. what matters is how it fares on quality parameters like sulphur content, ash content and and whether the other raw raw materials like iron ore, limestone, dolomite, are available.
infact india is having a great abundance of coal, but a great deal of it is of inferior quality, and therefore it is forced to import a lot of coal from outside, especially australia.
so just having them doesn't mean anything, whether they are economically viable is the only point that is considered before setting up a new venture to exploit them profitably.
.......our God given resources, vast potential of its people, and immense in-built talent in the DNA of every citizen.....
No doubt about that. Nothing new here. Pakistan always had it all.
The only problem has been a certain 'ideology' that has turned a region with the potential to be highly prosperous into such a mess.
There are too many "ifs" in the article. Most important resource in today's world is human mind and not the copper, coal or other things. Japan has neither of these minerals, however, still a big power. Pakistan has brilliant people, no doubt. However, their brain works in negative direction. The people who can not live in peace with their fellow citizens, can never progress. You have Laskars who are killing Hazaras, Shias, and so on. Trouble of all problems in Pakistan is the mind set of people and nothing else. Change the mind set if you can.
@Saad who writes "you donot seem pakistani first of all .you are pretending to be pakistani ..we damm sure about it….
Is that because...
1) You think, no Pakistani Hindu is rich enough to have internet access.
2) You think, no Pakistani is smart enough to give such intelligent answers.
3) You think, no Hindu is smart enough to give such intelligent answers?
I would choose 1. And perhaps you are right.
@Saad Amanullah Khan: I would like to see your sources, especially for copper and coal reserve figures, if you don't mind. I do not think that the figures you've arrived at are correct.
Pakistan isn't going to go anywhere. They constantly alienate everyone they'd need to work with by allowing things like the recent rallies without a word. There's nothing you can give any country that would be worth the abuse that comes with it.
@Hammad Siddiqui:
Dear sir,
Just what is it that you mean by "Best country to live in South Asia"? Please stop living in a denial and accept reality. That is the first step you need to take if reality is what you want to change and stop living in a fool's paradise. Last i heard Pakistan was called "the Somalia of South Asia".
@Pakistani Hindu: you donot seem pakistani first of all .you are pretending to be pakistani ..we damm sure about it....
Your right - Pakistan is a good race horse, now all we need is a good jockey. Sixty five years and we are still looking for one.
@Pakistani who writes "I believe we will rise Inshallah once again …we will Inshallah"
Mark my words, the day you instinctively not use the word Inshah Allah in a sentence is the day you begin to grow.
This is nothing against Islam. But no religion - a man made cult- has helped a country to grow.
@Saad Amanullah Khan
It's funny the way you go on defensive for PakistaniHindu's comments.
Perhaps Pakistan needs more and more Hindus to keep the reality checked and take it towards progress. Muslims alone cannot do that.
Agreed we have all what you have said, but you have forgotten to add that we also have the habit of lying, cheating, religious fanatics and bigotry in abundance too.
We take mendacious as if fish taking to water. Nothing is transperant anywhere even in our own family. If we can get rid all these, then I am sure that even if we do not have resources we can be the best country.
Pakistanies are generally think in negative direction. Having travelled extensively in the region, despite all issues, Pakistan still is the best country to live in South Asia.
I believe we will rise Inshallah once again ...we will Inshallah
@Pakistani Hindu: I have done in depth analysis, collected an extensive database and have survey studies and analysis to prove that Pakistan has over 1.8 billion tons of Copper in 8 seperate areas in the Chagai and Lasbela Districts. Chile current reserves stand at 0.6 billion tons (as they have consumed a lot to date). On coal Pakistan has reserves of 185 billion tonnes which makes it larger than Russia (157 Bln), China (114 Bln), Australia (76 Bln) and India (61 Bln) -- only issue is that we have not exploited it and both Coal and Copper remain untouched and mining as an industry adds only 0.5% to our GDP. Chile gets nearly 30% of GDP growth from copper exports. On Cotton based on the year, rainfall, floods, etc. we vary among the top 5. The point I am making is not what position we hold, but the fact that we have many sectors which are among the top 10 in the world and there are over 170 countries. We need inspirational leadership, strong governance, and having focused strategies to grow our GDP.
I think the greatness has already been shown in 2 major recent incidents. 1. Granting a Green card to OBL and protecting him 2. All those moronic rallies of DeP in various cities.
I dont think that anything that needs to be shown in Pakistan remains concealed now..
"no shortage of human ingenuity and smart DNA amongst the population of Pakistan." if you boast to have these then by definition human ingenuity will create new jobs and smart DNA will solve problems and create thriving environment.. Action of smart people prove they are smart and not labelling them makes them smart. The point is they are all in minority fighting against a large dumb mass who bring down the new initiatives or drag the system to halt.So focuss on large illiterate people to rise above and definitely not through madrassa education which they have already got.
Great article.. but I would like to share something here.. 1- Chile has the world's largest copper reserves with proved reserves of more than 200 years, not Pakistan. 2- World's largest coal reserves are found in the USA, Russia, China, India, Australia. Pakistan is not even in the top 15. 3- Last year top 3 cotton producing countries were China. USA and India respectively, followed by Pakistan. 4- Pakistan is 2nd largest milk producing country not 4th.
What is a "devaluating currency"?
So businesses should exploit unemployed labour to maximise profit?
"Make a killing"? A devaluing currency will lead to higher inflation, the low paid workers you are talking about will get relatively poorer, while the entrepreneurs will increase their profits..A killy indeed!
We dont have an "indigenously developed nuclear program", expertise and components were imported overtly and clandestinely from beyond our borders. All we proved is that if you divert resources away from education, healthcare and the masses, a narrow elite can boast about their countries nuclear weapons.
"Three million workers entering the workforce each year" How is that an achievement? They are mostly unskilled, poorly nourished if not malnourished. Apart from driving down wages, that benefit the rich how is that something to be proud of?
I am sorry, I am sure the motive of this article and previous ones similar to this is to spread some "feel good" vibes, but this wishy washy highly emotive pieces are nothing more than ostrich in the sand moment.
Completely agree, there is an abundance of talent and skills in pakistan, and in every field be it art, business, professions. I live in london and i meet exceptionaly bright and talented pakistanis nearly every day.
At the same time there are deep problems in pakistan which hold the country back, such as extremism, corruption, bigotry etc, but these problems can be overcome if every pakistani has the will to overcome them. Ive seen people who have overcome insurmountable odds to achieve their hopes and dreams, im convinced that no problem is impossible to overcome.
That copper reserve belongs to Baluchis and they are fighting for libration. Pakistan is a corrupt and failed state. Even Bangladesh after separation from Pakistan is much better off with respect to law & order. They donot have corrupt leaders as ours. Establishment is not killing people under its custody.I do not see that Pakistan ever be better country. If we evote for a known corrupt person and send them to hold a post of PM and President and still think that we have a potential of becoming a good nation.
Just wait for Imran Khan to become prime minister, everything shall be back on track. Vote for PTI