Chitral Scouts won the final of the pre-shandoor polo tournament at Polo Ground Chitral. My fav player, Mr. Pakistan Shehzad Ahmad Shah G is living the moment of victory.
Mind you, Cuba accomplished this while under the most excruciating sanctions. Imagine everything they could do if the US sanctions were lifted.
Long live the Cuban revolution!!! Long live Fidel!! Long live Raul!! Love live Che!!!
What Pakistan Actually Lacks in the “China Model”
We keep invoking the China model, but rarely ask the honest question: what did China have that we don’t — even after trying many of the same-looking policies?
Here is a clearer breakdown:
1Leadership forged in real struggle China’s post-1978 leadership emerged from decades of civil war, revolution, famine, and ideological purges. They were battle-hardened, ideologically committed, and personally invested in national revival. Pakistan’s leadership, by contrast, has mostly come from dynastic politics, military patronage, or elite networks — rarely from long, grinding national struggle.
2Cultural Revolution’s brutal reset (for better or worse) The Cultural Revolution smashed old hierarchies, egos, and complacency. It forced a generation into hard work, discipline, and ideological fervor, clearing the ground for Deng’s reforms. Pakistan never had such a societal shock therapy. Our old elites, land barons, and bureaucratic mindsets remain largely intact.
3Relentless focus on education and research for 70 years From the 1950s onward, China poured resources into mass literacy, technical education, STEM, and later world-class research universities. They sent hundreds of thousands abroad to study and brought the knowledge back. Pakistan’s education spending and outcomes remain among the weakest in the region, with chronic neglect of basic literacy, vocational skills, and serious R&D.
4Policy-making without dynasties and VIP culture Chinese policy was (and is) shaped by intense internal debate, data, experimentation, and long-term thinking — not by family dynasties, electables, or “Vadera-style” feudal influence. Technocrats and party cadres rose through performance, not birthright. Pakistan’s policy space is still heavily contaminated by dynastic politics, patronage, and short-term electoral calculations.
5Willingness to take big, calculated risks China bet big on Special Economic Zones, WTO entry, massive infrastructure, and allowing private capital while keeping political control. They accepted short-term pain for long-term gain. Pakistan prefers safe, incremental moves laced with heavy subsidies and protection — rarely the bold, uncomfortable leaps.
6Deeply embedded meritocracy Merit is baked into the system. Even Mao’s widow (Jiang Qing) faced trial and punishment after his death. Top positions in the Party and government are won through brutal internal competition and performance metrics. In Pakistan, family name, connections, and loyalty often trump competence. Sacred cows remain sacred.
7No lavish perks, plots, or protocol culture Chinese officials live under strict discipline: no sprawling government housing schemes for favorites, no fleets of luxury vehicles as status symbols, no “tamghas” (medals) and awards handed out to cronies. Pakistan’s state is soaked in VIP culture, discretionary plots, protocols, and rewards for loyalty rather than results.
8Ruthless competition and creative destruction Even state-owned enterprises face fierce internal and external competition. Beijing lets weak players fail and die — no perpetual bailouts. Contrast this with Pakistan’s SOEs that have survived on taxpayer money for decades, with boards drawing handsome fees while bleeding the exchequer. Chinese competition is often harsher than textbook neoliberalism.
These are not things you can copy by copying five-year plans or building CPEC-style projects. They are products of history, discipline, institutional memory, and a political culture that values long-term national strength over short-term personal or familial gain.
Until we confront these deeper differences, repeating “China model” will remain more of a comforting slogan than a workable blueprint.