Pak Economy

Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan - the govt. spokesperson,  defending her govt. against the dwindling economy of the country often argues that the 8 month old PTI govt. should not be expected to restore the economy destroyed by previous govts. of the last 70 years.

Through the columns of your august paper I would like to draw her attention to the fact that till 1971 Pakistan economy was one of the most robust ones in the region and the US Dollar used to trade at  PKR 4.76 only.  Ayub era was known as the Golden Era  of industrialisation and progress.  However, as soon as  ZAB took over the country in December 1971 the decline in economy started. First he devalued the currency which shot up the Dollar to Rs.9.90 and then he completed the rot by nationalising the banks and the major industries of the country one by one. The decay has not ceased ever since.

So it would be more in the fitness of the things for her to say that the  8 month old govt. should not be expected to clean up the mess created by the previous govts. of 48 years.   

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)