Pakistan has received billions of dollars in aid for education and for other purposes too, but the question arises: has it helped Pakistan’s children get educated, has it made more schools for children, and has it done any good to Pakistan?
Now this question will have lots of different opinions; some will say it has done good, but in my blog post, I am going to focus on how international aid has been bad for Pakistan for a number of reasons.
In Pakistan, all the aid sent by different foreign countries, especially the US, hasn’t really been used for the purpose of education; the aid is either used by corruption or for other purposes, but not education. news schools have not been made, and still many children are out of school. Pakistan is one of the countries in South Asia that has received the highest foreign aid throughout the years, but this aid hasn’t really helped Pakistan in any way; it has just made the country dependent on foreign aid, making us so dependent that we ask for aid again and again.
I would say that international aid hasn’t been good for Pakistan because, firstly, this has led to more corruption in the country; furthermore, Pakistan has become more dependent on foreign aid, and it hasn’t really been used for the purpose of education for which the aid was sent.
Aid has been good for some countries, where aid has actually been used for good purposes. For example, where aid has already been used to help people during floods, where aid has actually been used to help poor people and reduce poverty, where aid has actually helped a country's education system, its children, and much more. But in a country like Pakistan, where corruption is so evident, it is really hard for aid to benefit the country.
So the question arises: should aid be stopped if it is this bad for countries like Pakistan? Well, this is also a debated question, but in my opinion, if it is not doing any good to countries like Pakistan, why give them foreign aid when it will only increase corruption and dependence? It shouldn’t be stopped in every country because some countries, as said earlier, are using aid for the betterment of their country and use it for good purposes and aren’t doing corruption with that money, but in countries like Pakistan, aid should be stopped as it is doing more harm than good.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with me or disagree?
I think one thing to consider is the management of aid, I do not think it is the aid that has corrupted us, but rather our own actions that have led to the mismanagement of the aid that we are given. We discussed in class as well in a reading about how there needs to be accountability from the donor's side, that they should actively see whether the aid that they have been sending has done good or bad. Other than this, our government needs to be more transparent and involve us in the decision making process of how aid is to be used. We should also know where the aid money has been going to instead of not talking…
You've made a great point Naimol but I also agree with Fatima that aid should not be halted. Your perspective on the impact of international aid on Pakistan raises valid concerns, it's important to consider a more nuanced view of the situation. International aid is often earmarked for specific purposes, and while corruption is a legitimate concern, it's also not accurate to generalize that all aid is misused. Some aid initiatives have successfully contributed to poverty reduction, healthcare improvements, and infrastructure development in Pakistan. Also, rather than stopping aid altogether, advocating for increased transparency and accountability measures can be a more constructive approach, as we discussed in class as well. Working towards minimizing corruption within governmental structures and improving oversight…
The fact that despite receiving substantial aid, new schools are not being built, and a significant number of children remain out of school is disheartening. This debate prompts a broader question about the accountability mechanisms and transparency in aid distribution. Strengthening these aspects could be key to ensuring that aid serves its intended purpose and contributes positively to the recipient country's development.
Do you think there are alternative approaches to aid that could mitigate the issues you've highlighted? How can the international community ensure that aid is directed towards its intended purposes and not marred by corruption in countries facing such challenges?
I believe that aid shouldn't be halted, despite the tragic state of suffering in our educational sector. Our government schools lack basic necessities, and even the teachers aren't provided with proper salaries. As we previously discussed in class, there should be a check on the aid received to ensure it genuinely reaches the educational sector. Unfortunately, transparency is lacking in our country. Furthermore, as Professor Hasham highlighted in a reading and during class discussions, most aid primarily benefits the donor's economy rather than the receivers.
(Just based on my opinion and understanding and tried to answer your questions)
Sadly, this has been the reality of our country. The question that I think is the most important is for the aid donors to ask themselves, "Are we making the same mistakes over and over again." The former PM Imran Khan, said in an interview and multiple times later, that the reason Pakistan never reached its true potential is because “we got hooked on to foreign aid very early on in our existence.” Does this mean we learned how to live beyond our means and there was a never going back kind of situation? Our resources were not enough for us, and we wanted more and more. Today, we are in huge debt. What if there was accountability and the…