Revitalizing Industrial Growth in Pakistan : Trade, Infrastructure, and Environmental Performance (Directions in Development)

Pakistan's development efforts are guided by its 2011 Framework for Economic Growth, which identifies actions needed to create a prosperous, industrialised Pakistan through rapid and sustainable development. Industrialisation has the potential to drive Pakistan's economic growth and contribute significantly to meeting both economic and human development goals in Pakistan. Expansions of industrialisation activities, whether in highly developed or developing countries, can be stimuli for intense debate about such projects' benefits and costs to the region in which they are to be located, to the national economy - and to human health and the environment. Pakistan's 2011 Framework for Economic Growth recognises that, to accelerate industrialisation, Pakistan must reduce the cost of doing business and create an incentive structure designed to achieve a competitive, dynamic, and export-driven industrial sector capable of providing employment to the growing labour force. Competing in global markets requires a socially and environmentally sustainable industrialisation strategy. The four main inputs for sustainable industrial growth in Pakistan discussed in this book are: (i) Macroeconomic stability and sectoral policies to support industrial competitiveness by allowing long-term planning, including investments in infrastructure and cleaner production; (ii) Upgraded trade facilitation and infrastructure (particularly transport and energy) to address some of industrialisation's spatial aspects. Improved transport infrastructure will lower production's environmental costs; (iii) Greening of Pakistan's industrial sector to enhance international competitiveness - 'greening' will make Pakistan a more attractive export partner for nations and firms committed to green production; (iv) Strong institutions - for example, environmental management agencies to control pollution, and cleaner production centers to increase domestic awareness of international environmental standards- to im