Musharraf Bashing      

Musharraf bashing has suddenly acquired a renewed hype in the media -more in the electronic than the print – ever since he announced entering into Pakistan politics. The interested parties and their cronies are busy day and night in slinging mud upon him and his ‘dictatorial’ rule of nine years. Use of negative superlatives like “not at all”, “nothing what so ever”, “ruination of the entire economy” etc. are being used profusely, incorrectly and illogically more because of a fad than fact.. Ironically, some of the saner element, intellectuals and knowledgeable too have succumbed to the propaganda and lost sight of the realilty.

No doubt Musharraf made mistakes – some blunders, but to say that nothing at all positive for Pakistan was achieved by him and his regime, is unfair.    

Following are, therefore, just to recount some of his achievements:-

(List is a little long but please DO read if you have the heart to know real facts and are blessed with a fair conscience)
 
Basic comparison of 1999 and 2007

Pak Economy in 1999 was: $ 63 billion
Pak Economy in 2007 is: $ 160 billion

GDP Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 1999: $ 270 billion
GDP Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 2007: $ 475.5 billion

GDP per Capita in 1999: $ 200
GDP per Capita in 2007: $ 1000

Pak revenue collection 1999: Rs. 305 billion
Pak revenue collection 2007/08: Rs. 1002 billion

Pak Foreign reserves in 1999: $ 700 million
Pak Foreign reserves in 2007: $ 17 billion

Pak Exports in 1999: $ 7.5 billion
Pak Exports in 2007: $ 18.5 billion

Textile Exports in 1999: $ 5.5 billion
Textile Exports in 2007: $ 11.2 billion

KHI stock exchange 1999: $ 5 billion at 700 points
KHI stock exchange 2007: $ 70 billion at 15,000 points

Foreign Direct Investment in 1999: $ 1 billion
Foreign Direct Investment in 2007: $ 8.5 billion

Debt servicing 1999: 65% of GDP
Debt servicing 2007: 26% of GDP

Poverty level in 1999: 34%
Poverty level in 2007: 24%

Literacy rate in 1999: 45%
Literacy rate in 2007: 53%

Pak Development programs 1999: Rs. 80 billion
Pak Development programs 2007: Rs. 520 billion

Under Musharraf\'s vision

1.    9 world class Engineering universities being developed and 18 Public universities already developed.

2.    Public sector institutions have increased from 110,267 (in 1999) to Become Private sector institutions have increased from 36,096 (in 1999) to become 81,103 (in 2006).

3.    PAK is 3rd best in world Banking profitability.

4.    PAK IT industry now values around $2 billion, including $1 billion exports and employs around 90,000 professionals.

5.    CNG sector has attracted over $70 billion investment in last 5 years; and created 45,000 jobs.

6.    Telecom sector attracted around $10 billion in investment and created above 1.3 million jobs.

7.    Industrial Parks are being setup throughout the country for the first time! M3 estate, Sunder industrial estate, Chakri, etc.

8.    Major Mega projects like the Saindak, Rekodiq, Marble production, Coal production and Mining & Quarrying are being pursued.

9.    In 2006, GDP growth is 6%. Earlier in 1999 was 3.5%.

10.           Foreign Reserves from $700 million to $17 bn.

11.           KHI stock market: from 700 points to 15,000 points.

12.           Literacy rate improved by 11%.

13.           Poverty decreased by 10%.

14.           He made 4 dams: Mirani, Subakzai, Gomalzam, Khurram,          Tangi dams. Biggest of them Bhasha Started

15.           7 Motorways completed or under construction: M1, M3,M4,       M8, M9, M10, M11.

16.           Six major highways under construction.

17.           GWADAR advance mega Sea port developed under his vision!

18.           650 km Coastal highway constructed.

19.           Historic 100% increase in Tax collection of Rs 1 trillion.

20.           Large scale manufacturing is 30 year high, and Construction     activity is 17 year high.

21.           Newly found World class copper- gold deposits in Chagai will  fetch $600million per year.

22.           A new Oil refinery with UAE will fetch $5 billion & will         process 300,000oil barrels a day.

23.           Industrial sector registered 26% growth.

24.           PAK in 1999 was a $63 billion economy; and now 2006 it\'s       $160 billion economy! PAK economy is now the 3rd fastest  growing economy after China & India .



Education under Musharraf Era

25.           In 1999-2000 there were 31 Public Universities. Now 2005-      2006 there are49 Public Universities. Under Musharraf 20     NEW UNIVERSITIES SET UP!

26.           Air University (established 2002)

27.           Institute of Space technology, ISB (established 2002)

28.           Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University , Quetta     (established 2004)

29.           University of Science & Technology, Bannu (established 2005)

30.           University of Hazara (founded 2002)

31.           Malakand university, Chakdara (established 2002)

32.           Malakand university, Chakdara (established 2002

33.           University of Gujrat (established 2004)

34.           Virtual University of Pak, Lahore (established 2002)

35.           Sarhad University of IT, Peshawar (established 2001)

36.           National Law University , ISB (2007)

37.           Media University , ISB (2007) etc.

38.           University of Education , Lahore (2002)

39.           Lasbella University of Marine Sciences, Baluchistan (2005)

40.           Baluchistan University of IT & Management, Quetta (2002),       etc.

Pakistan now has a total of 245,682 Educational institutions in all categories, including 164,579 (i.e. 67 percent) in the Public sector and 81,103 (i.e. 100 percent) in the private sector, reports the National Education Census (NEC-2005). The census -- jointly conducted by the Ministry of Education, the Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM) and the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) – reveals that the number of private-sector institutions has increased from 36,096
in 1999-2000 to 81,103 in 2005, i.e. by 100 per cent.
 
A record of more than 5000 Pakistani doing PhD\'s in foreign countries on scholarship While 300 PhD\'s are producing every year locally whose number was just 20 in 1999. This number will increase to 500 in 2008.

Total 99,319 Educational Institutions (Public & Private) have increased in Musharraf era!

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

30, Westridge-1

Rawalpindi 46000

Tel: (051) 546 3344

P.S. Kindly note it is not an effort to promote Musharraf for a come back.  It is just to call a spade a spade. He MUST not come back, especially if he has to keep the company of ANY politicians (ANY politician). A pure and simple Presidential form of government would suit him if he can manage one some how. Neither is he (or any soldier) suited to this kind of mockery of a democracy nor is such a democracy suited to this country. The system must change and not, as they say, the faces only.

Col. Jafri (Retd)