Pakistan’s Identity Is Capability, Not Crisis
By Amir Muhammad Khan
Whenever Pakistan is mentioned, a few words immediately come to mind: loans, inflation, the dollar, the IMF, political crisis and unemployment. Petrol and electricity have also become such frequent subjects of our national conversation that sometimes it feels as if Pakistan’s entire economic identity has become synonymous with crisis.
What is more unfortunate is that some of the responsible authorities inside Pakistan, as well as officials of the Ministry of Information posted in consulates and embassies abroad, often fail to present Pakistan’s positive image effectively. Instead of engaging experienced people and journalists who genuinely work for the country’s good name, they sometimes treat them as adversaries and jeopardize their professional standing. Because of such shortcomings, groups of volunteers, experienced and inexperienced people have emerged in different countries. Meanwhile, both domestic and overseas elements continue to influence public opinion through fake vlogs, YouTube content and negative propaganda.
But negative propaganda does not represent the complete picture of Pakistan. Our story certainly contains difficulties, but our possibilities are equally real. The difference is simply that we have shown far more interest in counting our problems than in understanding our potential.
Those of us who want to show the positive side of Pakistan to the world also have a responsibility, but institutional shortcomings often prevent this from happening effectively.
The previous government, which during its tenure and even today appears to regard governing the country as its birthright, has continued to create political disorder after leaving office. Tell me, in which country does it happen that the chief minister of one province enters another province and forcibly climbs onto a police vehicle and begins addressing the public against the government?
Had the police officers thrown the chief minister out of the vehicle or, in colloquial terms, given him a “beating,” there would have been another uproar about “mistreatment of the chief minister.” The office may be important, but there seems to be little sign of seriousness.
Government ministers, too, instead of informing the public morning and evening about the government’s achievements, often spend their time issuing statements against their political opponents. It appears that they waste both their own time and the public’s time in political rhetoric.
As for the strength of the opposition, recent public gatherings have already provided an indication. They repeatedly try to demonstrate their strength and fail. It reminds one of the person who repeatedly gets beaten but continues saying, “Try hitting me again,” only to receive another beating.
Love for the country means not waiting for Pakistan, God forbid, to become bankrupt. Yet the opposition seems to have been waiting for this for quite some time—a dream that, God willing, will never come true.
But government ministers must also demonstrate their responsibility by informing a public already burning under the pressure of petrol prices about the government’s economic achievements.
According to the figures cited for FY2025-26, Pakistan’s economy grew by **3.7 percent**, the highest growth rate in four years. Large-scale manufacturing also showed signs of recovery. This is certainly not an extraordinary economic revolution, nor would it be correct to claim, on the basis of one figure, that all of Pakistan’s economic problems have disappeared. But after a prolonged difficult period, these numbers do tell us one important thing: **recovery is possible.**
The critical question now is: **Can we turn recovery into sustainable growth?**
This is extremely important because Pakistan has repeatedly emerged from economic crises, only to find itself back in the same situation a few years later. At times, there has been a foreign-exchange crisis; at other times, a widening gap between imports and exports, pressure from debt, or problems with external payments.
We now have to break this cycle.
And there is only one sustainable path: Pakistan must build an economy based on **exports, production and human capability**.
No country has ever achieved lasting prosperity by relying permanently on borrowing. Debt can provide temporary support, postpone a crisis and buy time, but it cannot create lasting prosperity.
Sustainable prosperity comes when a country increases its exports and develops coordinated policies to support them.
Pakistan has a great deal to export. We have textiles, rice, sporting goods, surgical instruments, agricultural products, leather goods, mineral resources and, above all, a large young population.
The problem is that we have not always succeeded in converting this potential into globally competitive economic strength.
We must now move beyond the trade of raw materials.
If we produce cotton, why should we only sell cotton? If we manufacture textiles, why should we manufacture only for other people’s brands? If our young people possess technological skills, why should we consider their departure abroad as the only measure of success?
Pakistan must develop its own products and its own brands.
We need to move beyond simply writing **“Made in Pakistan”** and reach a position where the world regards **“Made by Pakistan”** as a symbol of quality, reliability and innovation.
This is certainly difficult, but it is not impossible.
The world is changing, and within this transformation Pakistan has an extraordinary opportunity.
Pakistan’s young people are no longer dependent solely on local employment. A young person can sit at home and develop software for a company anywhere in the world, create designs, provide online education, undertake digital marketing or offer services in artificial intelligence.
This represents a new frontier for Pakistan’s exports.
According to the figures cited, Pakistan’s IT exports reached approximately **$4.6 billion in FY2025-26**. The government’s medium-term **Uraan framework** has set a target of increasing IT exports to **$10 billion by 2028-29**.
If Pakistan provides its young people with world-class digital skills, reliable internet and electricity, and reduces unnecessary barriers to doing business, this sector could become much larger in the coming years.
Our education system for young people should not remain merely a machine for producing degrees. A young person graduating from university should possess a skill that can be sold to the world.
Pakistan’s real wealth is its youth. **They are Pakistan’s future.**
Unfortunately, young people can sometimes be misled by political actors and drawn toward misguided paths. Pakistan has no shortage of politicians who have mastered the art of influencing young people politically.
At present, Pakistan is also experiencing an active period in its foreign relations. The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Field Marshal are engaged in foreign-policy matters, and Pakistan’s name is receiving greater international attention.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s historic and brotherly partner, is developing new agreements and areas of cooperation with Pakistan.
Now the responsibility lies with our Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to use Pakistan’s goodwill to explore new opportunities for Pakistani manpower. Similarly, the Ministry of Commerce and Pakistani business community must devote their energies to increasing Pakistan’s exports and reducing unnecessary dependence on imports.
During FY2024-25, Pakistan exported approximately **$32 billion worth of goods to the world**. Exports to Saudi Arabia were approximately **$704 million, or around 70 crore 43 lakh dollars**.
This trade relationship has considerable room for further development.
Pakistan does not lack talent, resources or opportunity. What it needs is consistency, effective institutions, better promotion of its achievements, stronger export policies, investment in its youth and a sustained focus on production.
The world should not know Pakistan merely through the headlines of political crises, inflation, debt and the IMF.
Pakistan’s identity is much bigger than its problems.
**Pakistan’s real identity is its capability—and its future depends on turning that capability into sustainable economic strength.**
