The Anatomy of Poverty Traps: Pakistan’s Quest for Economic Liberation
Since its independence, Pakistan has been stuck in an endless loop of poverty, experiencing the same economic and political challenges on repeat. Hajra Zahid addresses the pivotal question of what makes this loop unbreakable.
By applying Paul Collier’s description of four development traps to the case study of Pakistan, she exemplifies the role of internal conflicts, natural resources, border hostilities, and bad governance in keeping the state entrenched in poverty.
For a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities at play, she identifies several other traps that have been glossed over and suggests how to break the curse.