DEVELOPING countries like ours need foreign investment. Therefore, they make extra effort to convince foreigners that their countries are a suitable place for their money to grow.

However, it is different for Pakistan because, first, it needs to convince its own citizens to invest in Pakistan before attracting foreigners.

The case in point is $4bn investment in real estate last year in a Gulf state, instead of investment in Pakistan.

This has been an unmitigated disaster for Pakistan. First to go were unskilled workers, then went skilled and managerial talent. Money went along with small businesses and their owners. Airline passengers were sucked out by the airlines there, so much that local airlines are in disarray.

Politicians, VIPs, cricket players and TV studios were among the first to establish their abode and now it seems the average Pakistanis are succumbing to the same attraction. Some VIPs seem to live there and come to ‘work’ in Pakistan.

Instead of fighting tooth and nail to retain their talent and treasure, Pakistanis now attend trade shows with catchy title of ‘Open your business’ here.

There were times when our government used to send similar trade delegations abroad to interest foreigners to invest in Pakistan. Now it is happening the other way round.

So what is left behind is land, dilapidated infrastructure and what cannot be moved. It seems that some Pakistanis have given up on Pakistan.

As a Canadian of a 40-year standing, I have visited Pakistan often. I have seen virtually no change, same old broken roads, same old policemen and same old political leaders.

Contrasting that shining new cars of VIPs, 2,000-rupee restaurant menu items, and weekend trips to second home in in a Gulf state is the life of the well-connected.

Shah Nawaz Husain

Canada

Published in Dawn March 26th , 2015

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