The Sugar Coated Shaft

Following is the report from the World Bank site:

``Pakistan has made significant development progress since its independence, 57 years ago, as measured by some key social indicators. Health and education services have expanded and improved, and life expectancy has increased from 59 years in 1990 to 64 in 2003. Infant and maternal mortality rates have dropped, as have illiteracy rates.

In the late-1990s, Pakistan was in a position of extreme vulnerability, and, after a decade of inward-looking policies, in November 1999 the country embarked on a significant economic reform program and has since achieved considerable improvements.

Pakistan has turned around a deteriorating macroeconomic situation to a rapidly improving one. In 2004, GDP grew by an estimated 6.4 percent while inflation remained relatively low at 4.6 percent. These macroeconomic achievements have allowed the country to keep on track towards fiscal consolidation while enabling the government to increase spending on health and education. The government has also launched far-reaching structural reforms to privatize public sector enterprises, strengthen public and corporate governance, liberalize external trade, and reform the banking sector.``

http://www.worldbank.org.pk/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/PAKISTANEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20131431~menuPK:293057~pagePK:141137~piPK:217854~theSitePK:293052,00.html

Re: # 48

Which explains why pakistan`s GDP is 300 odd billion dollars, while india`s is 3 1/2 trillion odd dollars, which explains why Indian GDP per capita is $3100 versus pak GDP per capita is $2100, India`s forex reserves is at $140 billion whereas pakistan`s forex reserve is at $13 billion.Statistics don`t mean a thing.Size matters.The three main economies of Asia are china , japan and india.In pakistan what we`re seeing is the ``catch-up`` effect.I wish pakistan well.What irks me is the constant comparo with india when there is none.Economically atleast, socially, confined to border states at the very best.

#48 by Romair

[Pakistan’s per capita income is now, once again, more than that of India’s]

Hahahaha!!!! If deluding oneself were a sport, Captain Clueless would have been the World Champion.

Harish_hyd/cayenne# Both of you should not let your jealousies get the better of you. You should learn to appreciate other countries` successes. And not try to deny them.........A competition in economic growth rate and in per-capita income is a very healthy competition. It is much better than a contest in armament...........

Also, I think all South Asians should have an objective view of their condition. South Asia is dirt poor. Second only to Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparing any country in South Asia to China or Japan is a fool`s paradise. The gap betwen China/Japan and South Asia is increasing, not decreasing. China is growing at 10% while South Asia is growing at 6/7%, every year. And Japan is already a few generations ahead..........

Re: # 52

Romair....TOP THIS!!.....you wanna compare, let us COMPARE...

Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE)

The market capitalization of all stocks has risen a huge 56.71 per cent from Rs 22,44,741.90 crores on May 24, 2004 to Rs 35,17,644.50 on May 24, 2005 representing a gain of Rs 12,72,903 crores in stock market wealth in just one year

Rs 35176.445 billion = $808.65 billion @ Rs.43.5/$

About a year ago, market capitalization was reported as $440 billion

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The biotechnology industry has garnered more than $1 billion as revenues in 2004-05 because of a spurt in exports and vaccine sales.

The industry has set a target of $5 billion by 2010, with a projected growth of 30 per cent this fiscal (2005-06).

Of a global biotech market of $91 billion, India`s share stands at 1.1 per cent.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, president of the Association of Biotechnology-Led Enterprises (ABLE) and chairperson of Biocon Ltd, said “Reaching the $2-billion mark will be easier as India is one of the largest producers of vaccines and will emerge as an important producer of protein therapeutics.”

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The number of high net worthindividuals (HNWI), or simply people with financial assets of over a million USD excluding primary residence, in India went up by 14.6 per cent to 70,000 by the end of 2004, the World Wealth Report 2005 said today.

``India continued to be one of the high growth areas in 2004 as around 9,000 more people joined the list of HNWIs in 2004, said Raj Sehgal, country head of Merrill Lynch, which brought out the report along with Capgemini.

``India featured prominently amongst the major stock exchanges in emerging economies with strong growth rate in market capitalisation,`` he said in a statement here.

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And, to top if off:

Intel to build chipmaking plant in India
Intel Corp., the world`s largest maker of computer chips, has agreed to invest $400 million to build a chipmaking plant in India, a government minister in New Delhi said Tuesday.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has shortlisted three locations for the plant and will make its decision in a month, India`s Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran told Associated Press on his return from the United States.

Maran said the decision was told to him by Intel Chairman Craig Barrett. The finalists are the southern Indian cities of Madras, Bangalore and Noida, a satellite town adjoining the Indian capital.

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) currently has a design center in Bangalore, India`s technology hub, where it employs some 2,400 engineers and professionals to develop products at a fraction of U.S. costs.

Intel`s largest single site is in Hillsboro, where the company has located its most advanced research and production fabrication facilities.

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2005/06/13/daily13.html

#52 by Romair

[Both of you should not let your jealousies get the better of you. You should learn to appreciate other countries` successes.]

Bhai Sahab, I have nothing, nothing at all to be jealous of Pakistan/Pakis. In fact, Id hate to be in the shoes of a Paki right now. But you said Pakistan`s per capita income is higher than that of India, and I couldn`t help laughing. In any case, here is what the CIA says.

India Ranking - 155
Per-capita Income - $ 3,100
Year - 2004

Pakistan Ranking - 169
Per-capita Income - $ 2,200
Year - 2004

#56 by palam123456789

[So Pakis are roughly 30% cheaper than Indians? :)
Does that mean that Veeresh makes 30% more money than Manto? :)]

Yaar Salim, I didn`t mean any of what you said. All I was responding to was a post by the IT Minister of Independent Kashmir, His Excellency, Romair, where he said Pakistan`s per-capita income was higher than that of India. The per-capita income is just a number. It doesn`t and cannot pinpoint an individual`s income, nor does it explain the huge disparities in the incomes of one person from another.

I sincerely hope you were not pulling my leg. :-)

Harish #57, {``Yaar Salim, I didn`t mean any of what you said. ... I sincerely hope you were not pulling my leg. :-)

Harish, my friend, of course I was pulling your leg. I just wanted to understand if the income disparity was one reason for Manto to be so anti-Veeresh. :)

Salim (sorry about the confusion of multiple nics - but the Paki Chowk Staff forces that on me quite often!)

#58 by googenschlaugen

BTW, whatever happened to your ilogs these days? I have gotten into the habit of looking forward to your fights with the feminazis, but these days it seems, sab kuch thanda padh gaya hain!