Pakistan in the Aughts: Devastation and Carnage

The aughts were the worst decade for Pakistan. The country will most certainly be included in the list of those nations that saw a massive downward spiral during the 00s. An unending barrage of pain and agony and a sense of total destruction has engulfed the entire nation. Pakistanis have been bearing the brunt of their leadership's screw-ups for decades and the aughts were no different.

Economy

Being an agrarian country, Pakistan was never short of food until 2007. Pakistan now imports wheat and sugar rather than exporting them. One could see massive queues of people outside government depots in order to get subsidized floor and sugar. Dozens of people have lost their lives in stampedes while food bags were distributed by government agencies.

At the macro level, it is again a major predicament for common Pakistanis. Income differences are stupendously huge in Pakistan. There was a slight economic boom during the 2004-2006 period but the bubble burst even before the Wall Street disaster. The Karachi Stock Exchange, the perimeter of macro economic growth, came crashing down in 2006 with trillions of Rupees in losses.

Inflation has risen to alarming levels in Pakistan. Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 3.58% in 1999 while it reached an all time high of 25.3% in August 2008.

Wheat, the staple diet of Pakistan, was around seven rupees per kilogram in 1999. It is now around Rs. 40. Sugar was Rs. 15 in 1999-2000, it is now at Rs. 70. I used to pay Rs. 5 for the longest trip in the shabby public transport of Islamabad in 1999, now I have to pay Rs. 25. Prices have increased by 500% to 600% but there is no equivalent growth in income. Inflation is the sole reason behind the poverty surge in Pakistan. Poverty gives way to crime and terrorism and Pakistan has become self-sufficient in this 'sector'.

Health and Education

There is simply no development in these two basic indicators of any nation's growth and stability. While the literacy rate stands at 55% -- it was 45% in 1999 ; there is no real growth in the number of schools. Some universities did open during these years due to a relaxation of charter-awarding standards, primary and secondary education, however, did not saw any improvements.

The biggest blow to education came when the Taliban started blowing schools. They started with girls' schools but now make no distinction between the genders. Education sector is crippled in the troubled northern regions of Pakistan and millions cannot go to schools.

As for the health sector, the lesser said the better. Infant mortality rate is still higher and there is little access to safe drinking water and medical facilities. All efforts to eradicate polio have been failed. Pakistani women are not even aware of the dangers of Breast cancer though the country has one of the highest prevalence rates . Many of them cannot see a doctor even if they want to as their husbands/fathers act as the intermediaries. Many are left behind because they cannot visit a male doctor even if they are accompanied by their husbands or fathers.

Pakistan spends around 1% of its total budget on education and even less than 1% on health. A major chunk of yearly expenditures are diverted towards Pakistan Army. Some estimates put the total spending on defense to be as high as 25% of Pakistan's total budget. There is simply no money left for other expenses. Financially rundown governments ultimately contact the World Bank and IMF, besides asking for help from the United States and Saudi Arabia. President Obama has just signed another donation of $7.5 billion under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation.

Media

Perhaps the only saving grace during the aughts. Pakistani media, both conventional and online, saw a massive boom and has managed to steer clear of political upheavals and terrorism attacks. There are dozens of TV channels and cable TV has become common in Pakistani households. There is also a significant growth in the new media sector and Pakistanis are active in blogging and social networking.

Politics

Democracy returned in 2007 and General Pervez Musharraf resigned in 2008. Democracy in Pakistan is still mired in controversy as the corrupt political leadership is oblivious of the conditions of common Pakistanis. Military is still playing a strong behind-the-curtains role and an activist supreme court is making things worse. Politics in Pakistan revolves around personalities and a sizable majority of Pakistanis have grown distant of the political process.

Poverty

The country has always remained among the poorest in South Asia. It was teeming with poor in 1999-2000 and there are now even more poor in Pakistan than ever. Social indicators of development present only a tiny picture of the bigger situation. There are more slums and the gap between the rich and the poor is horrifying.

The biggest problem is that of population. Pakistanis are breeding like rabbits and there is no governmental control except for a rundown population welfare department. With a population growth rate of near 2% , Pakistanis' dreams of financial stability are but an unachievable goal.

Security

Three words would be suffice: Al-Qaeda, Taliban and ISI. Pakistani security establishment is picking up the tabs of its past misadventures in India and Afghanistan. The biggest target of this carnage are ordinary Pakistanis. Suicide bombings are the order of the day. People now feel surprised if a day passes without these bombings.

Sports

Pakistan reached the final of the 1999 Cricket World Cup. The decade ended with a victory in the 20-20 Cricket World Cup in 2009. In between these two landmark achievements, there were not many bright spots in the Pakistani cricketing industry. Pakistani cricket team failed to reach even the second round of both the 2003 and 2007 world cups. Bob Woolmer, coach of Pakistani team during the 2007 world cup, was found dead in his room during the tournament. The death was later proclaimed as murder but investigations by the Scotland Yard ultimately concluded the death as natural .

Olympic failures are a tale of two decades as Pakistan last won a medal -- a bronze one in hockey -- in 1992.

The national game of hockey saw a complete decline with no victories. Pakistanis were ruling the game of squash until that fateful evening in 1998 when Jansher Khan lost to Peter Nicol in British Open. Since then, no Pakistani has been able to reach the finals of World or British Open.

What the future holds for Pakistan?

Pakistanis are growing wary of the whole situation. Corrupt political leadership and a dominant security establishment are the major problems of Pakistan. Many political leaders and elements of Pakistani military still support the Taliban. A fear of Indian dominance and a long history of military takeovers has destroyed the very core of Pakistani society.

Democracy is the best solution for Pakistan but only if the movement is spearheaded by honest politicians. Political parties are run like personal fiefdoms in Pakistan. This hegemony of the elite class, along with the supremacy of military stakeholders, is the sole reason for Pakistan's sorry state of affairs. The Taliban are a serious threat but they have been nursed by the Pakistani military establishment for decades. They know how to put the genie back in the bottle if there is a significant public pressure.

Lack of public activism is the only reason behind Pakistan's woes. The future is extremely bleak if Pakistanis remain silent over the current state of affairs.