POSITIVE TRENDS IN ECONOMY OF PAKISTAN

Since independence the growth record of Pakistan's economy has been quite respectable and compares favorably with other countries in South Asia.
Pakistan's economy displayed broad-based positive trends during the outgoing fiscal 2002-3.

There are three challenges ahead. First, to raising the level of investments - both public and private to sustain growth rate. Second, to reduce poverty and improving social indicators by reducing the social gap. Third, to improving the health of the public sector entities, particularly power utilities, which posed serious risk to the budget.
Pakistan's per capita income is the highest in South Asia except for Sri Lanka.
The country has moved out of the first stage of industrialization focused on consumer goods to more sophisticated basic and heavy engineering goods. In agriculture, the growth has kept ahead of the population, an achievement that has eluded many developing countries.

The real GNP at factor cost grew by 8.4 per cent in 2002-3 ag...