The real estate business is a suicide attack on the country's economy.
By Farooq Selahria.
Every small and big city of Pakistan is devouring nearby villages and towns. Talk to anyone, if they have a few rupees in their jeep, they will be seen and heard selling 'property' and 'files'. In the name of 'business' of real estate, the country's agriculture, environment and politics are being destroyed.
1. Destruction instead of economic development
Instead of building the necessary infrastructure for industry and industry (eg education, health, food, energy, roads, rail, bridges), the state resources are being spent on building ring roads, motorways, airports, which are used by so-called property developers. Can take advantage. In third world countries, it is very important that the state plays a role in development planning. In our case, these so-called property dealers either buy the political leadership or are directly part of the government.
Increase in inequality instead of increase in national wealth
When the global economic system operates on capitalist principles, exports are the main reason for the growth of wealth in a country. If, like the Gulf countries, oil comes out,
then it is a different matter (by the way, there are also political reasons, not just because of oil), otherwise we will have to depend on exports. Exports are also those that are 'Knowledge Intensive' i.e.
agricultural production, industrial production based on modern technology instead of minor industrial facilities (eg textiles etc.) of which mobile phones and computers are an important example. Such products are also called value added goods. When property trade is taking place instead of industry, imports increase, not exports. More: When there is more profit in buying and selling plots, the capitalist will build housing societies and not set up mills. Even if people like Malik Riaz do not send their wealth abroad, the economy begins to suffer
a crisis simply because the balance of payments deteriorates. Exports do not increase, imports increase. The situation is that even the wood for the floors and doors of the house.
At the same time, wealth begins to accumulate in a few hands. On the other hand, tens of millions of people lose a lifetime's worth of earnings for a single roof.
Thus inequality increases. If the state is giving bread, cloth and house to the people, this inequality should not arise. Then, real estate business does not generate permanent income jobs. Daily wage construction workers earn bread for a few years by selling blood and die prematurely.
Destruction of agriculture:
Just as there is no research available on other aspects of the real estate economy, we also do not know how much agricultural land has been grabbed by the real estate mafia, but it is a common observation that millions of acres of lush and green farmland are in the concrete jungle. has changed.
The result is that wheat, peas and tomatoes also have to be imported. This crisis will increase. Needless to say, Pakistan becomes poorer with everything imported. Along with this, the farmers are permanently deprived of dignified employment.
It should have happened that in view of the increasing population, the cities would grow horizontally. Blocks would be constructed based on modern flats. The construction of traditional houses would be banned. It has been that two canal houses are built.
Then in cities like Lahore, LDA does not allow building bigger than three storeys. Housing societies do the same. Agriculture has been deliberately destroyed. Although there are some laws that agricultural land will not be encroached upon, according to Malik Riaz, the file is wheeled to deal with such laws.
Environmental destruction
When agricultural land becomes a concrete jungle, trees are cut down, smog will also increase. Not only this, the way the construction sector works in Pakistan, the result is a funeral for the environment. Construction sector is a major cause of pollution in Pakistan.
Promotion of non-democracy and corruption
Property business also includes military (land, sea, air). We mentioned the politicians and Malik Riaz or Aleem Khans above, but this story will remain incomplete without mentioning the military brothers. The business of the army has become the main reason for interference in politics. When General Bajwa says that the army is no longer interested in politics, a person can reply that General! Army is now interested in economy not politics.
This 'interest' also results in civil-military relations and infamy also increases (know a little more). This vicious circle results in the reproduction of the existing political system. It takes rebirth. This political system also deprives the worker of the real power of the vote (through buying and selling, electables, rigging) and other democratic rights (unionization, protest, suffrage). As long as the worker is deprived of his democratic rights, he will also be deprived of bread.
So understand that when a plot is sold in Bahria, the future of a farmer's family, a laborer's family and a white clothed family is also sold. Now their destruction initiative...
