Assessing the Socio-Economic Decline of Pakistan Your comments leave me with the impression as if the hate is one sided - the Pakistan side. But it takes two to tango. There is far more hatred towards Pakistan among Indians than there is hatred among Pakistanis towards India. That is my personal experience. Generally speaking, Pakistanis tend to be more open and welcoming towards Indians. But there is more hesitation from the Indian side to relax a bit and open up to the idea of peace.

Secondly, it is not true that Pakistan's economy is in a decline or in a mess. Read the reports by the IMF and the World Bank. According to them Pakistan's economy under Musharraf has been a generally success story. It is today a booming economy, with a consistent GDP growth rate of between 6.5% to 8%. If the new government does not get into revenge mode and continues with the economic policies of Musharraf, then things will be brighter for Pakistan.

Assessing the Socio-Economic Decline of Pakistan There are a lot of assertions in this essay but no references have been offered so that readers can go to the original source to verify the accuracy of the claims being made. This makes me slightly sceptical regarding the quality of this essay since it is a good scholarly practise to provide your sources.

My scepticism then raises when I come across questionable assertions in this essay. For example, it is claimed that "major chunks of Pakistan’s budget goes to defense and debt servicing leaving practically insignificant amounts for the welfare of the people." This is false. 25% of Pakistan's GDP goes into debt servicing, which I believe is an acceptable level. In Nawaz Sharif's time, 65% of our GDP was utilised for debt servicing. So, under Musharraf, a notable (positive) change in this can be observed.

Other questionable assertions in this essay - at least the ones I can identify in my first reading - are the claims that there are no viable training programmes in Pakistan and about poverty. True, much needs to be done on these fronts. But let's accept the positive changes as well. Poverty has decreased by 10 to 11 percent in Pakistan and numerous training programmes are taking place in Pakistan for the benefit of the young, the graduates etc.

Of course, these are my very initial comments based on the first reading of the essay and I do not have my sources at hand. But given some time, I am sure many can write an adequate rebuttal to MOST of the claims in this essay.

What I find most disturbing is the contradiction between this essay and the claims made by sources such as the IMF, World Bank etc. According to the later, Pakistan's economic condition (under Musharraf) has UNDOUBTEDLY improved tremendously. While, no doubt, the lifting of sanctions played a positive role in this regard, the authorities also made a variety of structural reforms to improve its status.

If we are to follow the IMF, World Bank and other sources, then Pakistan's economic condition has improved and it is a booming economy, Asia's third fastest growing economy, after those of China and India. But according to Najeeb Kazmi, almost all is gloomy. Who should one believe? Personally, I would go along with the IMF and the World Bank.

Later, I will attempt to write a point by point rebuttal to this essay when I get the time.