The
Misleading Economist Survey
By Bashy Quraishy
President, European Network Against Racism, Belgium
Board of Trustees, More Color in the Media, Holland
Chairman, Ethnic Debate Forum, Denmark
I am sad that some Pakistanis
are gloating on the idiotic survey of The Economist
which ranks Pakistan as number 93 among 111 countries.
If you believe in such surveys then I feel sorry
for you. I live in the West and work with the
media. It is a common practice in the Western
media to throw dirt on the Muslim countries and
make fun of their achievements. You should know
better.
I have myself traveled in India, Bangladesh, and
Sri Lanka. Believe me, Pakistan is much better
off than these countries as far as living standards
go. You should ask the Economist what yardsticks
it employed to determine the living standards
and how many areas it surveyed. You will be amazed
on their ignorance. Once I read an article in
the Newsweek describing Islamabad as a "dusty,
small town". When I asked the writer about
his observation, it turned out that he had never
been to Pakistan!
Anyhow, please appreciate what Musharraf and Aziz
are doing and what Bhuttos and Sharifs have unabashedly
done - looting the national exchequer. It is for
the first time in almost 40 years that one could
be proud of hard working and honest Pakistani
leaders.
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