What Osama gave Muslims

#42 by adamkhan

Adam Khan,

What you write about China is factually incorrect. I know China. I have extensively travelled inside China in their rickety trains from Guangzhou to Beijing to Taiyuan right on the Mongolian border, the journeys taking several days/nights along the great Chinese landmass. You may even call me something of a China expert (amongst other things of-course of your choosing). So let`s not argue on what China is and how it developed.

I just want you to have faith in your people and your country. Not to underestimate them. If there are more KFCs to give all the Chief Burger waiters jobs, that won`t alleviate the misery of the Pathan carrying 100 kilos on his back or the one driving taxis in Abu-Dhabi with the sole ambition of opening a kiriana shop in Mardan; of which fate for him and his family you seem to be quite content.

Just remember that. Perhaps we`ll talk later.

Zeemax Saib,

Your Chinese example is also incorrect. China has allowed in FDI only AFTER it had sufficiently developed, not before. FDI has no role in China`s development. They kept their economy fenced-in for fifty years till they were positioned to hold their own against any exploitation through FDI, and only then opened its doors.

What exactly do you mean by sufficient development? Chairman Mao must have rolled over in his grave when his little red book was regarded as obsolete. The reason why China opened up its economy was that its socialist policy of state ownership and sarkari jobs for every one failed miserably. They did it because their leadership accepted its defeat and now 20 years later, China is challenging the US for the top spot. Had they opened up in the 60s, today they might have surpassed the US in terms of GDP. China owes its rise as an economic power to the investment from abroad. Yes they are a hardworking people, but they required capital to work with. Capital that came from abroad. Not only that, it brought along with it technology and new standards of efficiency.

You have also mentioned our vast stretches of land. Well nearly 50% of China’s labor is currently being employed by Agriculture. China ranks as number 1 in terms of farm output. Reason is simple, more than a billion dollars of FDI is being invested in Chinese agriculture every year. Here in Peshawar we get the Chinese pear, which is packed in a really slick packing (something that adds to its cost) it has literally driven our own pears out of the market (in price competition!!). China has always been there, never were we flooded like this before, so what exactly made the difference? If it wasn’t the overwhelming flood of FDI in that economy then what exactly was it?

You mentioned a Pathan construction worker of Abu Dhabi, and I am glad that you did. The reason why that Pathan works in Abu Dhabi is because he finds the MNC to be a much more compassionate employer than his local feudal, or his local restaurant owner. This same construction worker has a certain time limit in his mind; he works for a decade or half and then comes back a happy man, and buys himself a little store in Peshawar or Mardan. This particular model is very popular among the Pathans and I don’t see it as a source of shame but instead as a source of relief that at least some amongst the lowest have a way out. It also reminds one of Keynes’s old saying that “in the long run we are all dead.” The jafa kash Pathan is a rational being, and he wants a short run solution.

MNCs as entities are driven by greed. Maximization of profits is the first and foremost goal of these organizations. But then, isn’t it true for every other form of business? Since when has philanthropy become the trait of a successful business man? For instance Khazana sugar mill was closed down by its workers union, it is obvious that they were not content with the compensation being doled out to them.

All sellers are required to be regulated; unless and until there is regulation there will be exploitation. That is where we need to define our limits, but these limits should keep in consideration, the policies of our competitors.

Chief Burgers is the oldest name in Peshawari fast food. It is said that the restaurant does around Rs 200,000 in sales on a daily basis. But I assure you its waiters will give their right arms to have a job at the KFC just down the road. Reason being the better pay and working conditions. For all I know these MNCs bring with them more humane compensation packages then the feudal lord or the industrialist seth has to offer. Don’t compare the standards that these MNCs offer in their own countries, if you want a comparison then do it with the local employers within Pakistan. Slavery is being practiced in the brick kilns around Peshawar and in interior Punjab, on GEO there was a report about the owner of a brick kiln who sold the kidneys of two of his workers. How bad can the MNCs actually be?

Even when it comes to profits, our very own Seths are no different from the MNCs. If you say that the profits that our rich make is re invested into Pakistan then you are mistaken. From the looks of it most of our rich have substantial assets abroad, so how exactly is their behavior different from the MNCs who are sending profits back home?

And why are you so pessimistic about the transfer of technology? Has it not happened in Malaysia? What would Malaysia be without the billions in technology and capital that came from Japan?

We have to educate our masses, tidy up our regulations, and rein in our firebrand long-beards if we want our poor to break the shackles of poverty. If it means the hurt prides of the residents of Sector E7, Defence Colonies, Jackson heights or Bradford, then so be it. Our poor are being robbed of their pride on a daily basis, then why should the rich hold their heads high on their pretentious yearly Umrahs?

#39 by ranjit

Nice recipe. Except that it stinks like rotten south indian food.

Thank you Ranjit......

Re:zeemax#32

[...Abey macaca, so you have a recipe for muslims becoming prosperous and happy? ....]

I maybe a macaca, but you are a macaca_mullah (combo of a monkey and a mullah). That is four times worse. :-)

Here is my recipe for Pakistan - Become a four way hub between South Asia, Centra Asia, West Asia and China. Route Oil and Natural Gas from Central Asia/West Asia to China and South Asia. Route goods/services/people between China and South Asia to Central Asia/West Asia. Earn transit fees in all directions, which will be in billions. In other words, become the new Silk Road. A lot of the infrastructure already exists especially on the movement of goods and people which can bring in immediate cash. Completely give up terrorist links so that all the players can be secure about the movement of oil/natural gas/goods/people etc.

At the same time, invest heavily in primary and secondary education, higher education, microloans to jumpstart enterpreneurship and provide a free market for domestic economic expansion. FDIs can be encouraged gradually in some sectors that are mature and can compete. Also focus on controlling population growth, which is the highest in South Asia. Otherwise, that can erode all economic benefits. All this can happen if you have a government that makes peace and prosperity a priority rather than jihad and terrorism.

Re: # 39

Well said

#37 by aslam644

When someone calls himself/herself a realist in `newspeak`, it means a `surrender-monkey` in truespeak. A slavish mentality mediocre just out for self-serving interests.

That is what you are. You don`t even know what you are saying. You don`t even know the implications of that. You don`t even know if this country is even going to survive in the status-quo within 10-15 years.

In short, you know nothing.

#35 by aslam644

So, in your opinion, Pakistan must remain `cheap` and poor ... even `cheaper` and `poorer` in 10-15 years. Even poorer than China or India so they can look for `cheaper` and `poorer` labour here?

Are you guys for real? Or are you just talking from your ass ....

Re: # 36
in an ideal world there should be no difference, but in the real world there is labour is 50% cheaper in north england than london. i am a realist.

adam khan
globalisation is here to stay, the challenge for the country is to how to benefit from it.

here are a few suggestions.

in the next 10 to 15 years wages will rise in china, then their industries will start looking for cheaper locations. pakistan can position itself to recieve them, by improving education,infrastructure, law and order etc.

the good news is the monopoly of the west has ended for the first time in 200 years with regard to capital and technology, so expect FDI from china.

Adam Khan,

When you called Pak `resourceless`, it really pained me. I will tell you why.

I have seen sixty-year + old Pathans climbing 10 floors with 100 kilos of cement bags on their backs. I have seen them in Abu Dhabi in 50 centigrade heat laying asphalt on roads and installing sprinklers in the desert. I have seen the same Pathans at the Karachi harbour working under suspended containers on their heads which occasionally slip and crush them. Are they doomed to polishing shoes in Karachi and Lahore for a better life than that? Or at best, driving taxis in Abu-Dhabi?

If you drive from Bannu to Dera Ismail Khan, you see nothing but flat land on both sides of the road till the horizon for hundreds of miles. Wonderfully flat land which if irrigated, would have no match in Punjab. Only thing is it is barren. I have also seen Rickshaw pullers who own 100 acres of that land, but pull rickshaws.

The fertile lands of Charsadda/Mardan are another story. The sugarcane fields were destroyed in name of Charsadda Industrial Estate which never came through (was sabotaged to shut down sugar industry in NWFP), and now even the great Khans of that area; other than a few tobacco growers who are compensated; get nothing from their vast golden lands. The brilliant entrepreneurs of the Bannu district such as the Habibullahs Khattaks were destroyed who had even set-up power plants there with now just one Janana Da Maluchu Textiles remaining in the area. As a result, the remaining family moved to investing in Punjab. No one did all that but your own NWFP politicians. All these Mufti Mehmoods, Gandapurs, Fazlur-Rehmans, Qazis Hussains ... the whole lot.

So, is the fate of these industrious, hard-working, jafa-kash Pathans to polish shoes and to drive taxis and rickshaws in Karachi/Lahore/Abu-Dhabi? My friend, I say no. Will your much vaunted foreign investment help them? Again I say no. What will the foreign investment get them? More cheap and dehumanising labour? Of-course. Foreign investment will not transfer technology to replace that de-humanising labour because then why would they come here in the first place? They can run their computerised robotics operations in their own countries as well. They will only come here for us sub-humans.

And all of the above is just NWFP. Punjab, Baluchistan, Sind is rich beyond your imagination. Maybe we`ll discuss those some other time.

You better find a real solution. Don`t count on FDI. Do something on your own.

How to improve Pakistan


Start with Telling the TRUTH about things.......

#31 by ranjit

Abey macaca, so you have a recipe for muslims becoming prosperous and happy? If you do other than what Adam Khana has, out with it. If you`re just trying to foolishly misguide a sincere person like Adam Khan, who genuinely feels for Pak and wants to know the truth, stay out of my discussion with him because I replied to him in #29.

Shoo ...

Re:adamkhan

You are a very perceptive person with sensible views on how to improve Pakistan. If only most Pakistanis could think like you and be practical!! These days, the strength and power of a country depends more on economic strength and knowledge rather than jingoism and mindless violence.

Unfortunately it is people like zeemax and masadi who control the mindsets in the Islamic world. These people thrive like parasites on muslim poverty and deprivation. For them, a poor, destitute muslim who is hopeless and is full of rage is the ideal candidate for furthering their own ideology of hate and mindless jihad. If muslims become prosperous and happy, who would listen to the crap peddled by zeemaxes and masadis? They would become non entities and irrelevant.

Osama`s greatest gift to Muslims -- is an Invader Mongoloid from Crawford Texas.

#26 by adamkhan

Alaka Baacha Adam Khana,

We (Pakistan) are as resource less as any other European country.

You gotta be kidding. Pls withdraw this observation.

All that we have to sell are these unemployed masses. Now how can this labour be plundered? It can be plundered by giving them a lower than normal wage.

FDI only comes when it is viable in terms of profitability. In case of the free market scenario, it will only come if it can make goods cheaper than the imports or if it can export these cheaper than Pak`s competitors. In both cases, it will have to keep the goods cheap. Wages are the single biggest item in overheads and noone can compete if it increases the wages. Thus, the poor will remain poor no matter how much FDI comes. I will add that the problem in Pakistan is NOT unemployment, it is underemployment and low wages.

That is the only short term way that I see of breaking these shackles of Poverty.

The only way to raise wage structure is through value-addition. It cannot be done in an open-market globalised environment because others are much ahead.

In the last year some $ 4 billion of FDI is supposed to have entered Pak. How many jobs have been added? It is because manufacturing is not feasible and services do not increase employment.

South Korea and China are examples of the effects of foreign direct investment.

South Korea developed entirely indigenously and not by FDI, with only two kinds of industries. First is small & medium enterprises (SMEs), and the other is state-sponsored huge conglomerates (chaebols) like Hyundai, Daewoo, Lucky Goldstar, Samsung etc. None of these had anything to do with FDI.

Your Chinese example is also incorrect. China has allowed in FDI only AFTER it had sufficiently developed, not before. FDI has no role in China`s development. They kept their economy fenced-in for fifty years till they were positioned to hold their own against any exploitation through FDI, and only then opened its doors.

P.S. Give my regards to Charsi Ustaad!