Changing Perceptions, Altered Reality: Pakistan's Economy under Musharraf, 1999-2006

by Shahid Javed Burki

This book examines the various sectors of the economy that could become the source for sustainable growth. Thoughtful public policy in the high potential areas could help the country join the ranks of Asia's rapidly growing economies

373 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Asif · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book about the introduction to the economic problems of Pakistan with the exception of a few points it is relevant in my opinion to the current situation exception being it is written in the context of peak years of Musharaf regime. Author argues that until and unless some serious reforms are not carried out to make structure of economy more robust and endogenous the exogenous rely on the foreign aid will not sustain high growth rate will eventually cause the country to plunge back to mediocre rate of growth of GDP, in this way using common sense and economic sense author presciently foretold the coming plight of Pakistani economy there is no surprise the current dire situation of Pakistan economy once we read this book.

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more a book of policy recommendations than the economic and political analysis I had been hoping for. I've never read a Thomas Friedman book but I imagine this is the Pakistani version of that; it apparently draws on the author's previous oped columns for Dawn during the first half of the 2000s. Somewhat interesting with hindsight if you're looking for an technocratic establishment perspective, but most of the specific policy proposals have since been overtaken by events. Probably deserves credit for accurately diagnosing the Musharraf-era boom cycle's structural weaknesses. The chapter on the Pakistani diaspora had the most potential but again fell short in terms of the level of detail I was looking for.