@Irfan Baloch @JamD @Goenitz and others
I would like to address a couple of things in one post. First of all, parallels have been drawn to our nuclear program. I would like readers to reflect upon the situation. Just recently, Pakistan has again made the news on account of nuclear proliferation and smuggling of nuclear technology. We remain forever dependent on black market purchases to ensure our security. Lastly, when you purchase something on the black market, do you think you can remain an angel? Pakistan today is associated with child pornography on the dark web, drug smuggling, money laundering etc. Could this be consequences of our dealings on the black market? I have no idea, but I invite readers to reflect upon this.
We on this thread our reasonable, rational, and educated people. The consensus we reach here should reflect the consensus of Pakistan as a nation. Are we agreeing to rely on foreign experts, black market dealings, and shortcuts for the long term prosperity, security, and prosperity of our country?
A point was raised about the bottom up approach requiring decades upon decades. The official target date for Azm is 2045. The bottom up approach isn't a mindless investment without short term fruits. As I explained in my approach, it promises long term success while providing short term wins.
I would like you to envision what a prosperous Pakistan would look like. A Pakistan that contributes key technologies to the world which are only found in Pakistan, and as a result the world reciprocates by sharing its own unique technologies. A Pakistan where innovative solutions are indigenously created using wide ranging engineering disciples such as nanotechnology, quantum machines, solid state devices which are created in factories and plants within Pakistan.
The time to work towards this Pakistan is today, not twenty years from now. And the key thing is that it is not impossible. We don't need to overhaul the entire obsolete infrastructure around the country. The bottom up approach takes a small number of highly talented young people and carefully nurtures them away from the corruption, politics, and mediocrity of the rest of the country. Once we obtain a critical mass of talent, they can start to impart their knowledge and skills on the rest of the country.
Keep in mind that I am not proposing a single track strategy of grooming local talent. I am all for importing foreign expertise as needed. But I want to emphasize the high importance of getting our own house in order. Some may object that we don't have the money to do all this. I counter that if we don't do this, we will never have any money. In the modern world, innovation and technical excellence play a major role in your brand. And it is Brand Pakistan that sells.
I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.