This volume examines Pakistan's trade challenges--and particularly how to make its exports more globally competitive. The book's 13 contributors assess Pakistan's recent trade performance; analyze the societal effects of trade in Pakistan; and review Pakistan's regional trade and the Pakistan-U.S. trade relationship. Co-edited by Michael Kugelman and Robert M. Hathaway.

INTRODUCTION
Michael Kugelman

In November 2007, President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan, plunging the country deeper into political crisis. While most of his justifications for this action were based on national security considerations, it is often forgotten that he also gave an economic rationale. In his address to the nation explaining his decision, he warned that terrorism, extremism, “demoralized” law enforcement agencies, and “interference” in the democratic system “have unfortunately had an impact on the economic situation of the country and there has been a change in our move forward towards prosperity.” Invoking emergency rule, he explained, “was the easiest way” to ensure that economic progress continued “unabated.”

Perhaps Musharraf was speaking sincerely. Or perhaps he was exploiting Pakistanis’ worries about the economy—which had surfaced in polls before his declaration of emergency—in an effort to mask his real reasons for imposing emergency rule. Yet regardless of his true intentions, Musharraf ’s public comments about alleged threats to the economy underscore the salience of economic matters in Pakistan—even during periods of political volatility. One economic issue that has been on Islamabad’s front burner—and will presumably remain so for the foreseeable future, no matter who governs the country—is trade. ...

Michael Kugelman is program associate with the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He is responsible for research, programming, and publications on South and Southeast Asia.

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Essays by:
Manzoor Ahmad
Shaghil Ahmed
Mirza Qamar Beg
Shahid Javed Burki
Abid Farooq
Edward Gresser
Douglas A. Hartwick
Parvez Hasan
Gary Hufbauer and Agustín Cornejo
Esperanza Gomez Jelalian
Shahrukh Rafi Khan
Zareen F. Naqvi and Ijaz Nabi
Karin Astrid Siegmann

Edited by:
Michael Kugelman
Robert M. Hathaway
April 2008

Asia Program
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ISBN 1-933549-33-5

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