Pakistan-Tourism

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As of early 1994, foreign tourism remained relativelyundeveloped. Annual tourist arrivals averaged 442,136 fortheperiod 1985-89 but fell to 284,779 in 1990 because ofuncertainties generated from the Persian Gulf War. Thenumber oftourist arrivals rose to 415,529 in 1991. Many of thearrivalsare visitors of Pakistani origin who have settled inEurope andNorth America. Pakistan has considerable touristpotential, butthe generally poor law and order situation in the late1980s andearly 1990s discouraged rapid growth. Hotels meetinginternational standards are concentrated in the largercities,especially Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, andRawalpindi.
In early 1994, the immediate future of the economyappeareduncertain. Although the economy is responding well to thegovernment's liberalization program, and many sectorsappearpoised to achieve healthy rates of growth, economicprospects areconstrained by the government's large budget deficits, thecontinued absorption of public expenditures by defense andinterest payments, and the perception of widespreadcorruption.Pakistan remains heavily dependent on foreign aid donors.Thefailure to address more adequately the nation's low levelsofeducation and health is also likely to act as a constraintoneconomic growth in the remainder of the 1990s.

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Two publications from the Economist Intelligence Unit,theannual Country Profile: Pakistan, Afghanistan andthequarterly Country Report: Pakistan, Afghanistan,provideup-to-date information on the economy. More detailedanalysis isfound in two annual publications of Pakistan's Ministry ofFinance, the Economic Survey and the EconomicSurveyStatistical Supplement. Two monthly periodicals, theNational Bank of Pakistan Monthly Economic Letterand theEconomic Outlook are also useful. Shahid JavedBurkideserves special mention as one of the most astute writerson thePakistani economy, especially as it relates to thenation'shistorical and social legacy. His Pakistan: A Nation intheMaking and Pakistan: The Continuing Search forNationhood all include important essays pertinent totheeconomy, as does Pakistan under the Military,coauthoredby Craig Baxter. Other recent general accounts of theeconomyinclude Nadeem Qasir's Pakistan Studies, B.M.Bhatia'sPakistan's Economic Development, 1948-88, and AnitaM.Weiss's Culture, Class, and Development inPakistan. (Forfurther information and complete citations, see Bibliography.)