For long, especially during the last two decades that saw the rise of independent electronic media and the social media, there has been much bad news about Pakistan. This has not been an act of nature. It has been argued that the circulation of bad news is down to an ecosystem built on foundations of vested interests. There are those whose vocation is digging up bad news. They do it for a living. Then there are TV channels and newspapers that compete for ratings and circulation and count on bad news to help them win the race. Some of the development sector ‘experts’ also have a vested interest in depicting Pakistan as a failed state. Some politicians, too, find it helpful to talk about how ‘backward’ Pakistan remains.

We believe that there are at least two problems with this narrative. First, it is false – at least, in part. Second, such narratives can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If a large number of people are convinced that there is no hope that will eventually be the case – because of the gloom, if for no other reason.

Pakistan has, in fact, made some incredible strides on almost every development indicator. We do not argue that the glass is full but we do argue that the glass is neither empty nor broken.

These following data tell a story in plain view that has been largely ignored.

Massive poverty reduction

Over the last two decades, Pakistan has had tremendous success in curbing extreme poverty. From as high as 64 percent, poverty rate, as measured by the World Bank and reported on its data portals, went down to around 21 percent in a matter of two decades. This translates into 40 million to 60 million people graduating out of poverty in Pakistan.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Gross enrollment in tertiary education shot up from a mere 2.7 percent in 2003 to over 12 percent in 2019.

In the year 2000, only 200,000 Pakistanis were enrolled in undergraduate education. Now over 2.5 million are enrolled in universities. From merely 30 or 40 universities, we now have over 230 universities. The debate over the quality of these universities and graduates is a valid concern as is the case even in advanced economies. But being oblivious of the achievements of nearly 10 million men and women would be a disservice.

The progress has not been restricted to tertiary education either. Enormous improvement has been made in primary education as well. Gross primary school enrollment rose from 70 percent in 2000 to around 96 percent in 2019.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Health

Life expectancy at birth has been rising. An average Pakistani can now hope to live for 67 years. While life expectancy continues to rise, the wellbeing of the people at higher ages must be ensured.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Remittances

Remittance inflows have increased drastically, explained largely by the formal delivery of remittance. In 2000, the share of formal remittances was around 1.3 percent of the GDP. Now, it’s close to 9 percent.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Internet penetration

Use of internet is a great social leveler. It also opens immense possibilities for a digital economy. The use of internet as a percentage of the population has increased from 1.3 percent in 2001 to 25 percent in 2020. In a recent survey, two out of three adults below the age of 30 said they were using the internet. Access to the internet has made Pakistanis one of the largest contributors to the international gig economy. The IT sector has been the highest export growth centre for over a decade.

Close to 90 percent penetration of mobile phone at household level has ensured connectivity for households across Pakistan. This has opened options for not just employment but also for accessing e-commerce and digital health services across the country. Pakistan could leap frog some of the geographical access issues that some of the developed countries faced in their development journey.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Electricity consumption

According to a recent World Bank study, Pakistan is among the top seven economies in the world in terms of growth in electricity supply and demand over the last two decades. Solar panels have opened up a new horizon.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Maternal mortality

Maternal mortality has dropped by 60 percent in two decades. However, it is still unacceptably high and a lot needs to be done on this front.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Decline in tobacco use

The decline in tobacco use has been a big success. Tobacco use dropped from around 38 percent to 20 percent between 2000 and 2020.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Access to sanitation

A major success has been access to sanitation services. Most households in Pakistan now have a toilet within the house. Over the past two decades, households have invested their savings in improving their living standards and have built these toilets without government support. Open defecation has dropped from close to 39 percent in 2000 to 7.3 percent in 2020.

Source: The World Bank World Development Indicators

Bilal Ijaz Gilani is the executive director of Gallup Pakistan. Umer Ijaz Gilani is a lawyer.