Outline:
1) Introduction
2) Details of the natural resources
i) Agriculture
ii) Water
iii) Energy
iv) Minerals
v) Population
vi) Geography
3) Poor management
4) Conclusion
Pakistan is one the resource-rich countries in the region and in the world but poor resource management has not allowed us to tap our resources for the benefit of the nation. There are mainly two categories of resources; the first category is of primary resources that are responsible for the maintenance of life on the planet earth and the other one is secondary resources that are essential for the economic development of the people. Some of the natural resources of Pakistan include Agriculture land and products, water, energy resources, minerals, geographical position, and population etc. These are the lifelines of Pakistan’s development as a country but haven’t been exploited in a manner in which they should be. Exploitation of these resources can bring Pakistan into the list of developed nations and can give it the position that it deserves in the comity of nations.
Starting with agriculture, agriculture is the main source of income of the majority of people in Pakistan. More than half of the total workforce is employed in agriculture and nearly 70 percent of our population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture. The another fact that is worth mentioning is that only 25 percent of our total arable land is under cultivation, the remaining if utilized can bring a revolution in the agriculture sector. The primary agriculture products of Pakistan include Cotton, Rice, Wheat, sugarcane, maize, fruits, and vegetables etc. All of these agriculture products are a major source of foreign exchange reserves for Pakistan and we can further increase this net if we focus on the modern techniques of agriculture.
Water is another resource that God has blessed us with. Indus River and its tributaries play a huge role in the agriculture of Pakistan. The food-basket of Pakistan, Punjab, is irrigated by the five tributaries of this river system. Apart from this, Pakistan also has River Kabul and other small rivers which play an important role in the irrigation system. This irrigation system is supported by a well-established network of canals and sub-canals. The network of the irrigation system in Pakistan is the most expanded and advanced one in the whole world.
Energy resources are quite abundant in Pakistan. The cheapest and primary source of energy in our country is water. Pakistan has been blessed with water resources which produce the major chunk of our electricity. Tarbela dam, Mangla dam, Ghazi-Barotha dam and many such dams scattered throughout Pakistan are a huge source of this cheap energy. Besides Hydro-energy, Pakistan has a huge potential of solar and wind energy if utilized properly. The Quaid-e-Azam solar park (1,000 MW capacity) and wind parks in the coastal areas of Makran are the beginnings of the large-scale operation to tap these resources but further work must be done at the very earliest.
Minerals are another added advantage for us from nature. Pakistan contains minerals of billion of dollars which if exploited can substantially change the economic face of the country. Pakistan has the second biggest coal reserves in the world in the form of 185 billion tons of Thar coal reserves but still at large. These coals reserves are equivalent to 618 billion barrels of crude oil and can generate 655 barrels of crude oil per day if utilized properly. Recently, the government has taken some initiatives of producing electricity from this coal in cooperation with a private company and work is already going on. Copper deposits at Saindak (Balochistan) are another major avenue of invitation.
These copper deposits are the fifth largest in the world and have been estimated to be close to 260 billion dollars in worth. Natural gas at SUI is also a major energy boost to Pakistan. This field produces 25 percent of the total gas production in our country and is estimated to be lasting for coming 20 years. Salt mines at Khewra can be another major source of income. These salt resources are the biggest of the world and yet to be tapped properly. Besides these, there are many other natural resources which are still untapped or partially tapped and these include Marble, Gems, Gypsum, iron, limestone, and gold etc.
The population can be a burden on one hand and can be a major advantage on the other hand but it depends upon the state that how it uses its people. If state diverts this human capital towards positive side this will make them an asset to the state but if the state doesn’t provide jobs or honorable sources of income then their energy will be diverted towards negative things like crimes, terrorism, and extremism etc. Pakistan is the sixth biggest in terms of population with a ratio of more than 50 percent youth. Such a huge population ratio of youth is a major advantage to the country because they can bring wonders if their energy was channelized in a positive side but it can be a burden too if not given proper opportunities to excel in.
The geography of Pakistan is an added advantage from nature. Pakistan is situated at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East and thus can act as the gateway between them. Gwadar port, a part of CPEC project, opens straight into the Strait of Hormuz. A major chunk of the world trade passes through this strait and thus the geographical importance of this port is undeniable. It also provides access to energy-rich Central Asian, Middle Eastern states and further to Europe.
1) Introduction
2) Details of the natural resources
i) Agriculture
ii) Water
iii) Energy
iv) Minerals
v) Population
vi) Geography
3) Poor management
4) Conclusion
 |
| reserves of coal |
Pakistan is one the resource-rich countries in the region and in the world but poor resource management has not allowed us to tap our resources for the benefit of the nation. There are mainly two categories of resources; the first category is of primary resources that are responsible for the maintenance of life on the planet earth and the other one is secondary resources that are essential for the economic development of the people. Some of the natural resources of Pakistan include Agriculture land and products, water, energy resources, minerals, geographical position, and population etc. These are the lifelines of Pakistan’s development as a country but haven’t been exploited in a manner in which they should be. Exploitation of these resources can bring Pakistan into the list of developed nations and can give it the position that it deserves in the comity of nations.
Starting with agriculture, agriculture is the main source of income of the majority of people in Pakistan. More than half of the total workforce is employed in agriculture and nearly 70 percent of our population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture. The another fact that is worth mentioning is that only 25 percent of our total arable land is under cultivation, the remaining if utilized can bring a revolution in the agriculture sector. The primary agriculture products of Pakistan include Cotton, Rice, Wheat, sugarcane, maize, fruits, and vegetables etc. All of these agriculture products are a major source of foreign exchange reserves for Pakistan and we can further increase this net if we focus on the modern techniques of agriculture.
Water is another resource that God has blessed us with. Indus River and its tributaries play a huge role in the agriculture of Pakistan. The food-basket of Pakistan, Punjab, is irrigated by the five tributaries of this river system. Apart from this, Pakistan also has River Kabul and other small rivers which play an important role in the irrigation system. This irrigation system is supported by a well-established network of canals and sub-canals. The network of the irrigation system in Pakistan is the most expanded and advanced one in the whole world.
Energy resources are quite abundant in Pakistan. The cheapest and primary source of energy in our country is water. Pakistan has been blessed with water resources which produce the major chunk of our electricity. Tarbela dam, Mangla dam, Ghazi-Barotha dam and many such dams scattered throughout Pakistan are a huge source of this cheap energy. Besides Hydro-energy, Pakistan has a huge potential of solar and wind energy if utilized properly. The Quaid-e-Azam solar park (1,000 MW capacity) and wind parks in the coastal areas of Makran are the beginnings of the large-scale operation to tap these resources but further work must be done at the very earliest.
Minerals are another added advantage for us from nature. Pakistan contains minerals of billion of dollars which if exploited can substantially change the economic face of the country. Pakistan has the second biggest coal reserves in the world in the form of 185 billion tons of Thar coal reserves but still at large. These coals reserves are equivalent to 618 billion barrels of crude oil and can generate 655 barrels of crude oil per day if utilized properly. Recently, the government has taken some initiatives of producing electricity from this coal in cooperation with a private company and work is already going on. Copper deposits at Saindak (Balochistan) are another major avenue of invitation.
These copper deposits are the fifth largest in the world and have been estimated to be close to 260 billion dollars in worth. Natural gas at SUI is also a major energy boost to Pakistan. This field produces 25 percent of the total gas production in our country and is estimated to be lasting for coming 20 years. Salt mines at Khewra can be another major source of income. These salt resources are the biggest of the world and yet to be tapped properly. Besides these, there are many other natural resources which are still untapped or partially tapped and these include Marble, Gems, Gypsum, iron, limestone, and gold etc.
The population can be a burden on one hand and can be a major advantage on the other hand but it depends upon the state that how it uses its people. If state diverts this human capital towards positive side this will make them an asset to the state but if the state doesn’t provide jobs or honorable sources of income then their energy will be diverted towards negative things like crimes, terrorism, and extremism etc. Pakistan is the sixth biggest in terms of population with a ratio of more than 50 percent youth. Such a huge population ratio of youth is a major advantage to the country because they can bring wonders if their energy was channelized in a positive side but it can be a burden too if not given proper opportunities to excel in.
The geography of Pakistan is an added advantage from nature. Pakistan is situated at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East and thus can act as the gateway between them. Gwadar port, a part of CPEC project, opens straight into the Strait of Hormuz. A major chunk of the world trade passes through this strait and thus the geographical importance of this port is undeniable. It also provides access to energy-rich Central Asian, Middle Eastern states and further to Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment