The Future Of Pakistan
The future of the country is dependent on various factors and surroundings. Globally, the future of work is potentially based on advanced robotics, machine-to-machine learning, new and fast technological breakthroughs in the field of genetics, artificial intelligence, and augmented realities. The developed countries have already started taking certain measures and making policies in preparation for their future. Pakistan, however, must rid herself of all the massive debts and loans that have collected first, to then be able to move towards her future. I believe that the debts are not the only issues that Pakistan will have to deal with.
The future of work will involve more and more machines, thereby replacing the jobs of a huge chunk of the population that pulls through each day through labour-intensive tasks. The government needs to make the people aware of these growing problems so that they can shape their lives accordingly. The people must prepare for the jobs that are to benefit them in the future, rather than leave them jobless and full of despair, causing problems for the whole community. Speaking of the future, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a wide range of projects centered around modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects and special economic zones, with a budget of around $46 billion as of 2017. The way I see it, the Chinese understand the major opportunity that lies here, and are, for that reason, here to take advantage of it (unlike India). They have invested an enormous amount of their money into this project, no doubt, but as it is for their and the whole region’s future, it shall give them back all that they have invested, and much more, in many different forms. According to The Guardian, “The Chinese are not just offering to build much-needed infrastructure but also make Pakistan a key partner in its grand economic and strategic ambitions”. The whole region taking benefit from this, and by default, Pakistan receiving the tremendous boost is the reason I am of the opinion that CPEC is the gateway for Pakistan’s future. By this, I mean that CPEC opens the way for Pakistan to flourish in the variety of sections that she lacked in previously.
It will take time for the project to be completed, but the end result is worth it. CPEC will play a crucial role in the regional integration of the 'Greater South Asia', which includes China, Iran, Afghanistan, and stretches all the way to Myanmar. When completed, the corridor is expected to generate significant revenue from transit fees levied on Chinese goods, to the tune of several billion dollars per annum. I look forward to the future for Pakistan, as she is finally going to have a chance to redeem herself, once and for all.
