Imran invokes Rand to describe state of economy
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday shared the words of a renowned Russian-American writer, which in his view aptly describe the state in which the national economy was when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf formed its government at the Centre.
In a post on Twitter, Mr Khan said: “This is so apt for the Pakistan inherited by the PTI government. Ayn Rand wrote this almost 60 years ago. It’s frightening how accurate this statement is today.”
This was followed by a screenshot of one of the writer’s famous quotes. The writer of the acclaimed work Atlas Shrugged had said: “When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion — when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing — when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in good, but in favours — when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work — when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice — you may know that your society is doomed.”
The PTI government claims that it has inherited a record deficit and foreign loans to the tune of Rs30,000 billion.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2019
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Comments (63) Closed
Jul 08, 2019 08:04am
We the ppl then need to look into our own bids,while the state has to look into theirs;
1)“When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion - check out the regulatory bodies n rules
2) "when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing" - again check out the rules that focus ease of doing business, make entry of new entrants (local ones) easy and keep a check on their activities
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Jul 08, 2019 08:09am
Most apropos...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
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Jul 08, 2019 08:15am
So you want to take all the money from business and nationalize them, yeah another blunder after Zia on its way.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:16am
this government will finish 5 yrs, whining about the previous governments, and will do nothing else
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Jul 08, 2019 08:19am
Unfortunately, this is what you have got IK and this is what you will be facing till you are PM but the real test now is how you respond to it. It’s been a year and there will another year, you need to take your note pad out and tick one of the box’s of the work done. If you can feel it’s been done then that will be a success for common man as well as for you.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:23am
IK's one and only focus and aim is to blame previous government instead of concentrating on the country.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:24am
Kindly dont follow MR.modi footsteps of balming previous govt .if you cant do your job properly then plz step down
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Jul 08, 2019 08:35am
PMIK quoting Rand. Perfect.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:38am
IK, give them hope, not sadness. You are Pakistan’s only hope now.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:42am
At least he seems to be on the right track.
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Jul 08, 2019 08:59am
Russian and Chinese gave each other presidential award.
Ignoring the world, China-Russia sign $400 billion gas deal awards.
Come on Indo family don't fight and join hands with Pakistan after all who knows Pak better than Indo or who knows Indo better than Pak. Minorities of Indians in North India and minority in Pakistan are the reason of this mess, though I support Prime Minister Khan words of peace like Kartarpur!
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Jul 08, 2019 09:00am
Crying foul will not help, nation will keep listing the same for next four years if he stays
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Jul 08, 2019 09:03am
First thing towards recovery is identification of core problems. IK, go ahead. The patriots are with you.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:05am
IK rocks!
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Jul 08, 2019 09:07am
Ayn Rand is dead! Not so the future economic prospects for the country...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
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Jul 08, 2019 09:07am
We shall stand with you in every act that goes to make Pakistan stronger. But, we want you to give punishment to the looters and plunderers of Pakistan. Otherwise, there is no difference between you and those rotten lot of politicians before you.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:11am
Someone please wake him up and inform him that as of one year he is no longer in opposition, then ask him why has he done zero to finish the two deficits. Did his sponsors select him so he could just whine all day and all year?
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Jul 08, 2019 09:27am
You are the hope of nation, you are intelligent and hard working person. These goofs who now sit behind the bars are mentally corrupt, blind to what they left a bankrupt economy. In China they would have faced a firing squad while here they roam scot free, try to blackmail to get out of the misery they had called upon themselves
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Jul 08, 2019 09:39am
Chest beating, everytime everyday, always!
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Jul 08, 2019 09:40am
Is the election over?
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Jul 08, 2019 09:40am
Ik is well read person. He was The Chancellor of Bradford University for 9 years.
Where was NS and AZ then, busy plundering billions.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:46am
Not someone one should be quoting.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:47am
Imran is the Trump or Modi of Pakistan.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:53am
Recovery of looted money by Nawaz and his family and Zardari and his cronies is must for the recovery of Pakistan economy.
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Jul 08, 2019 09:54am
So all those PTI supporters whom chanting "Patriotism" and so does Mr. Great Khan, do they know the philosophy and ideology of Ayn Rand ?.
She is the sole believe of "Individualism" which is totally opposite to "Patriotism".
I will end my comment with her great virtue of life:
She said the individual should "exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself"
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Jul 08, 2019 10:00am
So, he can even quote Ayn Rand now. The quote will surpass even ninety nine point ninety nine percent of his countrymen as it surpasses his own head. But there is no harm in quoting quotable quotes from persons unknown to one's country people. It does give a sense of grandeur to the speaker and a sense of awe to the listeners.
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Jul 08, 2019 10:09am
.... and what about your own affairs? For Pakistanis, isn't it ironic to see majority of the same ministers is in your cabinet.
Wish a prosperous Pakistan emerge at the earliest possible.
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Jul 08, 2019 10:16am
i am sure if NS can read or comprehend what has been quoted by PM
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Jul 08, 2019 10:25am
And the cribbing continues.
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Jul 08, 2019 10:43am
Perfect prophecy
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Jul 08, 2019 11:06am
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, You know what the problem is, are you really doing anything about it ?
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Jul 08, 2019 11:12am
Given his record somebody check if it’s the right quote reference. Also how long can he continue blaming those before him, when is he going to bring results other than taking on more loans.
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Jul 08, 2019 11:17am
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, Good sentiments. But there is too much mistrust between the two countries. Alas, we can't even agree on the reasons for those mistrusts! Hopefully be in a few years this will all get sorted out.
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Jul 08, 2019 11:24am
IK, please don’t try to hide your shortcomings by blaming the previous governments.
Do something. Lead. Don’t read old books.....
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Jul 08, 2019 11:27am
Inherited Rs30B debt and increased by Rs10B through devaluation without receiving a single rupee. Well done!
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Jul 08, 2019 11:31am
Ayn Rand is sooo irrelevant today just like this government!
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Jul 08, 2019 11:37am
Now, everybody knows the sad economic situation of the country, let us move to fix it.
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Jul 08, 2019 11:44am
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, Get well soon.
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Jul 08, 2019 12:02pm
@Ahmed, Nationalization was done by Zulfikar Bhutto.
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Jul 08, 2019 12:03pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, "we are fast approaching the stage of ultimate inversion: the stage where govt is free to do as it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission." Ayn Rand
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Jul 08, 2019 12:08pm
'foreign loans to the tune of Rs 30,000 billion'. Foreign Lenders have so much faith!
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Jul 08, 2019 12:24pm
Atlas shrugged. A must read book well quoted and true
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Jul 08, 2019 12:39pm
IK is completely lost. Time for re polling
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Jul 08, 2019 12:47pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan,
What mess are you talking about? Be more specific.
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Jul 08, 2019 01:30pm
Thank you Mr. PM for sharing wonderful sayings. But our problem is that the inflation is increasing. We cannot afford bills of electricity and gas. Taxes for the poor has increased and for rich there are amnesty schemes. But Sir, you and your team has spent most of your time on foreign visits
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Jul 08, 2019 01:38pm
to be fair all of the west was like that quote too at one point and look at the them today. When a country becomes more developed and a population more educated and informed, things change. Therefore to say such a society is doomed is not true.
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Jul 08, 2019 02:15pm
Looking at these comments it’s obvious that problem does not lie with the previous government but the society itself.
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Jul 08, 2019 02:18pm
Wasn’t IK also part of inherited Pakistan? He was MNA and opposition leader. What was his contribution? Can you think of any law that he helped pass?
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Jul 08, 2019 02:22pm
@Ahmed, it was ZA Bhutto who nationalised everything in sight, not Zia.
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Jul 08, 2019 02:31pm
Tell us what are the next steps to resolve the issue please dont cry further for past wrongdoing you should have know this before taking the responsibility
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Jul 08, 2019 03:08pm
Every day he is only looking at how to blame the previous governments and and how to find new ways to punish them. Please stop looking in the past so you can start planning and building for the future.
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Jul 08, 2019 03:30pm
Pakistanis are grateful to have the honest, hardworking and educated PTI with Imran as. PM after so many years of looters governments of PMLN and PPP.
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Jul 08, 2019 03:38pm
It is incorrect to say that, people do not pay taxes. Every single person who eats, pays taxes in buying groceries. Gas is taxed, electricity is taxed, cell phones are taxed, recharges are taxed. If one intends to build any house, all inputs from sand, cement and bricks are taxed. there is hardly anything which is without tax and other charges. Still Government claims that people do not pay their taxes. It is only those who are loaded with surplus and illegal money that do not pay taxes.
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Jul 08, 2019 04:02pm
The state of the economy was well known to everyone before the elections, all the economic parameters of any country are publically available. Then why he made a score of false promises, e.g., where are one million jobs?
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Jul 08, 2019 04:08pm
Great quote so wish this in mind can we complete certain projects like the Iraq gas pipeline???? Or are we still taking directions from America.
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Jul 08, 2019 04:50pm
Well described by Elected Pm Imran Khan. The lesson here is certainly that you must never forget the past mistakes if you want to seriously correct them. Never elect leaders like Nawaz and Zardai. Who dwell on corruption and personal benefits at the expense of nation.
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Jul 08, 2019 05:48pm
@ahmed, - Give him 5 years to complete his term. He can't be worse than money launderers .
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Jul 08, 2019 06:24pm
When IK talks about the previous governments he wants to highlights those things what brought this country into the current situation.
No one has told us before. Other Nations learn from the past but we do not because there is no one to guide us. Now we have someone so we tell him that move on don't think and talk about past.
On of the other reason is to teach people stop following Nawaz and Zardari. We all want to hear just good but not bad and this why where we are today.
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Jul 08, 2019 06:27pm
Who is going to be held accountable for cost increase of PTI delayed projects like Peshawar metro, islamabad airport metro and orange line train, which are stagnant for last one year! These are ready cases for NAB in next govt tenure!
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Jul 08, 2019 09:15pm
If the PTI government was aware of the fact that, it was going to inherited a record deficit and foreign loans to the tune of Rs 30,000 billion, why did it accept to govern? Besides, the former Government was happily placed with an annual growth of almost 6%, how the PTI Government with all the generous financial assistance from friendly countries, grants and loans, has dropped the growth rate to less than 3% and expected to fall further to 2.3% by next year?
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Jul 08, 2019 09:44pm
PMIK is truly a wise and learned man. He understands the words of Ayn Rand and has quoted them in perfect context. He is trying to do the right thing here, however his hands are tied otherwise he would have brought about the Chinese solution to corrupt politicians - a firing squad and recovery of stolen funds. What is required right now is to support his initiatives, stand with him, to weather the storm, and he will indeed be the beacon of light to lead from darkness, towards light. Support him.
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Jul 09, 2019 03:39am
The Orient has to cultivate the ethics and temperament to emulate the Occident, quoting passages from obscure writers don’t resonate with the masses ignorant of Occidental canon and literature.
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Jul 09, 2019 01:14pm
Unfortunately the PM is right on the point. I didn't vote for PTI, but I support anyone who speaks the truth & willing to make an effort to make a positive difference in people's life. I have lived outside Pakistan for 28 years and returned about 5 years ago. I have found here are smaller percentage of honest people, even they are forced to pay special payment to get legal work done, even I in my job and biz. When I refused I had to make 10+ trips to get work done for each tasks.
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