Salaam

We have seen a lot of capital, investments pouring into Pakistan's four provinces.

Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad are booming but what about Kashmir?

A friend of mine who came back from Pakistan/Azad kashmir recently told me Islamabad, Lahore are changing constantly, there is capital, new development, roads, new buildings etc basically improvement in every day life all over Pakistan, but Kashmir is still Kashmir - nothing new.

He did however speak highly of the effort to relieve the suffering of the Earthquakes.

But he seems to confirm that fact that Azad Kashmir is not sharing in the economic prosperity of Pakistan, and in the past 50 years has remained largely unchanged.

your comments?

If I am not wrong government have already pumped around US $2 Billion in Kashmir's rehablitation and around that much is comming next, when this much money goes in to a small population of people (and process was although not perfect but transparent), the economic activity is far batter.

Secondly most Overseas Pakistani's belong to Kashmir region, their remittences have grown 24% compared to last year and a total of 3 Billion $, obviously this money is helping local population as well, creating new jobs, constrcution and lot more.

In this situation, it is difficult to agree with your friend's openion.

Once life is normal in Kashmir, and governments tourism plans get some weight, you would see a rapid development in Kashmir and northern ares, few days back I was going through an article which says the next decade's industry would be tourism for Paakistan.

the industries of lahore can not exactly e applied to kashmir, or for that matter any where else in pakistan, except for a handful of cities (karachi and pindi)

-large population in one place
-convergence of centuries of trade
-previously built up infastrucutre
-mind set of the people
-ex-pat lahori pakistani population is more likely to be richer

the reasons go on and on

major cities like faisalabad, larger than muzzafurabad was, can not compete against lahore

plus who would spend on industry when next door there are earthquake survivors living below the poverty line, in larger than pre-earthquake levels

the etimate, at least 5 years after the earthquake, is probably reasonable for reaching the same level as the pre-earthquake economy

but the difference will be in the new infastruture, and hopefully the tourism industry

a fair amount of the investment going into pakistan is foreign. kasmir doesnt really measure up to lahore and islamabad, and the earthquake hasn't helped either

foreign companies are more likely to go to big places where the economy is booming and investemnt by others has proven to be a good idea rather than going somewhere else that they arent very sure about - what makes it even more iffy is the whole pak v india kashmir thing - thats been going on for ages and doesnt really look like its gonna stop anytime soon. I know i wouldnt go and invest somewhere that appears to be on the brink of what seems like war

to get people to invest in kashmir, the people of kashmir and the government need to make kashmir a more attractive place for future investors - we've got to invest first.

I generally agree with all the comments, thanks for the information guys

there was an article in Christian Science Monitor about rapid rebuilding in AJK.

However you have a good general point. The majority of economic growth in Pakistan is occuring in a few select places in the Punjab and sindh. Thats breeds resentment.

well tell the freind of yours, to go back and look again


Province of Mirpur has grown by several hundred percent over the period of last 15 years

property prices in downtown mirpur are several Million £ sterling per canal.