Name: Sailin Sun (UNI: SS6620)

Teachers College, Columbia University

ITSF 5006 (Comparative PolicyStudies)
Dr. Manuel Enrique Cardoso
February 23, 2024
 1

ASSIGNMENT2: COUNTRY BACKGROUND (PAKISTAN)

Introduction: country summary((196 words)
Pakistan is located in South Asia 1and is known for its rich history dating back to the
Indus Valley civilization that thrived over 5000 years ago. This region has witnessed multiple
invasions and influences over time, including those from Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs,
Afghans, Turks, and eventually the British. As a result, it has developed a complex cultural and
religious tapestry. Pakistan gained independence from British India in 1947 and became an
independent Muslim state. It has been facing ongoing tensions with India, mainly concerning
Kashmir. Despite facing challenges such as political instability, economic struggles, and
conflicts with militant groups, Pakistan has managed to preserve its sovereignty and cultural
identity. With its diverse geography, strategic location, and blend of ethnic groups and
languages, Pakistan holds historical, cultural, and geopolitical significance.
Pakistan spends a relatively small portion of its GDP on education, which results in low
literacy rates and a considerable gender gap, with higher rates among males than females.
Additionally, the life expectancy of school attendance is relatively low, highlighting potential
issues in retaining students in the education system. These statistics underline the critical need
for teacher education and training investment to improve educational outcomes nationwide.
Political Indicators
Figure1: Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2012, 2017, 2022

Source: WorldBank 2022 (www. Govindicator.org)

The 2022 Worldwide Governance Indicators illustrate Pakistan's political landscape
challenges, with a low percentile rank of 6.60 in Political Stability and Absence of
Violence/Terrorism2, denoting a significant risk of instability and violence that hampers

1
Basic information about Pakistan's historical development and country-related information comes from this
website: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/pakistan/#government
2
The Data information from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators/
interactive-data-access
 2

sustainable development and governance (See Figure1) (World Bank, 2022). The Government
Effectiveness indicator, with a percentile of 29.25, reflects the government's restricted
capability in policy implementation and public service delivery. Furthermore, a Corruption
Perception Index (CPI)3 score of 29/100, ranking at the 22.64 percentile, highlights pervasive
corruption, undermining political integrity and efficiency. When viewed collectively, these
three indicators provide a stark portrait of Pakistan’s political landscape, emphasizing the
urgent need for reforms to enhance political stability, government functionality, and
transparency to reinforce the foundations of governance and fortify public confidence.
Mahmood and Shah (2023) highlight Pakistan's counterterrorism struggles, linking
militant successes to governance and stability issues, while Khan et al. (2024) emphasize the
impact of decentralization and international relations on political stability and governance,
stressing the need for enhanced governance: "This study illuminates the intricate dynamics of
decentralization, international relations, and their pivotal roles in influencing Pakistan's
political stability and governance effectiveness." Khan et al. (2023) stress Pakistan's urgent
corruption issues due to low CPI rankings, while Naurin (2023) questions CPI's biases,
suggesting it simplifies corruption's impact: "Pakistan's consistently poor ranking on the
Corruption Perception Index (CPI) highlights the urgent need to address the pervasive
corruption problem in the country." The rescheduling of Pakistan's general elections to late
January, initially set for November ,4 has sparked varied reactions and concerns over election
integrity, highlighting broader governance challenges. Skepticism towards the Election
Commission's decision underscores the complex link between political processes and
governance in Pakistan (Hussain, 2023).
Economy Indicators (1-2 paragraphs = min. 100,max. 200 words total)
The World Bank's 2016 report 5highlights the IMF program and the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) as pivotal to Pakistan's economic stability and growth, alongside government efforts
in fiscal consolidation and structural reforms (World Bank, 2016, p. 68). By 2022, Pakistan's economic
indicators reveal a GDP per capita of $1,588.9 6and a growth rate of 4.7% 7, demonstrating resilience.

3
The Data information from: Transparency International. "Corruption Perceptions Index 2023.”
(https://www.transparency.org/en/)
4
The News from: (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/22/political-parties-react-to-pakistans-general-elections-
announcement
5
The document from: World Bank. (2016). The World Bank in Pakistan: Country snapshot. Tirana: World
Bank. Retrieved from: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/292231476771103383/pdf/109252-
WP-PakistanCountrySnapshots-highres-PUBLIC.pdf
6
The data information from: GDP (per capital): 1,588.9 (2022)
(https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=PK)

7
The data information from: GDP growth (annual %): 4.7 (2022)
(https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=PK)
 3

However, a 6.4% unemployment rate and a 39.6 8 Gini 9coefficient in 2018 emphasize the need
for policies to enhance job creation and reduce income inequality for sustainable development (World
Bank, 2022).
Zilakat, Khan, and Malik (2023) reveal that inflation and unemployment worsen
income inequality in Pakistan, as shown by the Gini index. In contrast, GDP growth mitigates
it, aligning with the nation's developmental stage: "The regression results show the
significance of all selected variables toward income inequality in Pakistan. It shows that
inflation and unemployment have a negative impact on the Gini index while the GDP growth
rate has a positive influence, which is quite possible in a developing country like Pakistan
lagging in industrialization and service provisions.” (p. 119) Reuters10 highlighted Pakistan's
GDP growth plummeting to 0.29% in June 2023, far below the 5% goal, amid record inflation
and economic challenges post-floods and IMF delays. High inflation rates and a 4.6% GDP
fiscal deficit underscore persistent economic and fiscal hurdles (Hussain, 2023)
Social Indicators (200 words)
In Pakistan, the HCI score of 0.4 suggests children achieve only 40% of potential productivity
due to education and health gaps (World Bank, 2016). With 21.9% living in poverty in 2018, strides in
gender equality in education are marked by a 0.88 GPI in 2019, highlighting ongoing challenges. Also,
efforts were made to alleviate poverty and improve education access through social protection programs
such as BISP, which had a 22% coverage rate in 2018. (World Bank, 2016).
Riaz (2023) explores labor productivity in SAARC countries, focusing on R&D, trade openness,
FDI, HCI, and the impact of gender disparity. The study emphasizes gender equality's crucial role in
economic growth, stating, "The current paper provides a study on the determinants of labor productivity
growth in SAARC countries. It presents the effect of the elementary factors of the productivity growth
such as investment in R&D, trade openness, foreign direct investment (FDI), human capital index (HCI),
and gender disparity" (Riaz, 2023, p. 18).
ProPK Staff (2023)11 reports the World Bank emphasizing the critical need for Pakistan to boost
human capital for sustainable growth and competitiveness, citing major challenges like extensive child
out-of-school rates, malnutrition, and low female labor participation as key hindrances to its
development.
Aid Indicators (196words)
(Figure2: Recipient Country - Pakistan)

8
The data information from: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate): 6.4 (2022)
(https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=PK)
9
The data information from: Gini index: 39.6 (2018) (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?
end=2018&locations=PK&start=1987&view=chart)
10
This News from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/22/political-parties-react-to-pakistans-general-
elections-announcement
11
The news from: (https://propakistani.pk/2023/05/02/world-bank-asks-pakistan-to-focus-on-human-development/)
 4

Source: OECD - DAC : (http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-

finance-data/aid-at-a-glance.htm)
In 2021, Pakistan received significant international support with Net Official Development
Assistance (ODA) at $2,698.3 million and Gross ODA at $3,792.1 million, 12 indicating the substantial
impact of external aid. The Net ODA/GNI ratio stood at 0.8% 13, indicating the integration of this aid
into the national economy. A total of 34 projects were allocated across different provinces, notably
through IDA/IBRD and MDTF channels, enhancing key initiatives like the Benazir Income Support
Program. This aid distribution underscores the vital role of international assistance in promoting
Pakistan's development, as reported by the World Bank (2016).
(Figure2: Recipient Country - Pakistan)
Javed and Amir-ud-Din (2021) find a 1% increase in development aid boosts Pakistan's GDP per
capita by 0.75%, noting varying effects of aid components on growth: "A 1% rise in aggregated Official
Development Assistance increases Pakistan’s GDP per capita by 0.75%" (p. 3). The UK 14has allocated
£41.5 million in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2023-24, focusing
on critical areas such as population dynamics, climate vulnerability, and economic stability. This
investment is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing Pakistan's development through a
multifaceted approach that includes development, diplomacy, defense, and people-to-people links
(Ahmed, 2023).
Conclusion (300 words)
The analysis of Pakistan's developmental scenery highlights challenges and progress
within its political, economic, social, and aid frameworks. Governance reforms are critical to
combat political instability and pervasive corruption. Economic resilience calls for equitable
12
See Figure2: Recipient Country - Pakistan (Source: OECD - DAC : (http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-
sustainable-development/development-finance-data/aid-at-a-glance.htm)
13
See Figure2: Recipient Country - Pakistan (Source: OECD - DAC : (http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-
sustainable-development/development-finance-data/aid-at-a-glance.htm)
14
The News from: https://www.dawn.com/news/1765437
 5

growth and employment policies. The social sector's education and healthcare deficits necessitate
increased human capital investment. International aid's pivotal role, alongside the limitations of
traditional metrics to capture the full spectrum of development issues, suggests the imperative for
a more nuanced and flexible approach to development strategy formulation.
The limitations of commonly used development metrics such as GDP growth rates and
Corruption Perception Index (CPI) scores can lead to inadequate assessments of a country's
development. GDP measures may overlook wealth distribution and sustainability issues, while
CPI scores might need to fully reflect the nuances of corruption and its impact on governance
and societal advancement, which presents the necessity for a comprehensive evaluation
framework that transcends quantitative analysis to incorporate qualitative dimensions, including
sustainable and equitable growth, alongside a nuanced understanding of corruption. An
integrated assessment approach, recognizing the interplay between diverse indicators, can offer a
comprehensive understanding of development challenges and opportunities, guiding more
effective, inclusive strategies.
Naurin (2023) highlights corruption's detrimental impact on the rule of law and economic
progress, stating, "Corruption threatens the rule of law, which is necessary for economic growth,
investment, and economic progress in several ways." Additionally, Naurin's analysis suggests the
CPI may need to fully capture the nuanced effects of corruption on Pakistan's economy,
revealing potential biases and their economic implications (Naurin, 2023). The article from The
Express Tribune Pakistan's15 stark income inequality shows the wealthiest earn over 16 times
more than the poorest. With a Gini coefficient highlighting greater disparity than its South Asian
counterparts, the lack of redistributive policies calls for urgent government action to mitigate
economic imbalances.

References
15
The News from: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2408328/income-inequality-and-poverty-in-pakistan
 6

Javed, M. I., & Amir-ud-Din, R. (2021). Does foreign aid with political strings dampen or
heighten growth? An analysis of aid-growth nexus in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of
Economic Studies, 4(1), 1-28.

Khan, A. W., Irfan, A., Saleem, M., & Sadiqa, A. (2024). Factors affecting the integration of
Pakistan as a sovereign state: A study from 2008 to 2022. International Journal of
Contemporary Islamic Studies. Retrieved from
http://ijciss.org/index.php/ijciss/article/view/324

Khan, S. N., Alim, W., Ghaffar, A., & et al. (2023). Why do anti-corruption agencies fail in
Pakistan? A phenomenological study. Journal of Business Ethics and Education.
Retrieved from https://www.publishing.globalcsrc.org/ojs/index.php/jbsee/article/
view/2694

Mahmood, A., & Shah, S. H. (2023). Resurgence of TTP and ISK: A daunting challenge to
Pakistan's counterterrorism strategy. Journal of Nautical Eye and Strategic Studies.
Retrieved from https://www.ojs.mul.edu.pk/index.php/J-NESS/article/view/336

Naurin, A. (2023a). The biased nature of the corruption perception index. Retrieved from
https://ideas.repec.org/p/pid/pviewp/202341.html

Naurin, A. (2023b). Is corruption perception index biased? An ethnicity-based analysis.

Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pid/wpaper/202311.html

Riaz, B. (2023). Determinants of labor productivity growth in SAARC countries: The role of
human capital and gender disparity. [Doctoral dissertation, Name of the University].
University Repository

World Bank. (2016). The World Bank in Pakistan: Country snapshot. World Bank.
Retrieved from:
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/292231476771103383/pdf/109252-WP-
PakistanCountrySnapshots-highres-PUBLIC.pdf