By Mir Hassan and Ali Abbas
The unprecedented rise of globalization in the 21st century, fueled by internet and technological advancements, connecting people worldwide and creating a global village. Pakistan, located in South Asia, experiences both the benefits and drawbacks of internationalization.
The historical context of colonization and Cold War influences on Pakistan’s global interactions is explored. Various factors, including geographical location, abundant resources, and digital revolution, contribute to Pakistan’s interconnectedness.
The impact of globalization on the country is examined, highlighting economic opportunities, knowledge exchange, cultural understanding, and challenges related to cultural identity, misinformation, and economic vulnerability. The article suggests ways to navigate the challenges and capitalize on the advantages, emphasizing government regulations, fact-checking, and leveraging interconnectivity to promote local culture and innovation. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of cautious and strategic approaches to maximize the benefits of globalization while mitigating potential pitfalls for Pakistan on the international stage.
The 21st century has seen an unprecedented rise in globalization, largely thanks to the advent of the internet and the World Wide Web, which allows people to connect with each other regardless of their physical location. Advancements in technology, transportation, and communication have transformed the globe into a global village, where nations are intricately linked, and events in one part of the world can have far-reaching consequences elsewhere. A person sitting in New York can have a face-to-face conversation with a friend sitting in Delhi through applications such as Skype or WhatsApp. This interconnected world allows people to share ideas, knowledge, art, philosophies, experiences, language, culture and traditions. Pakistan, a nation at the epicenter of South-Asia, is no exception to this level of globalization, as it experiences both the merits and demerits of internationalization, and finds itself at the crossroads of opportunities and challenges.
Although globalization in Pakistan can be traced back to the ancient era, it became largely influential during the colonial era in the 15th century, when the European powers colonized much of the Indian subcontinent. The Portuguese, Dutch, British and French established colonial empires and monopolized trade routes. The British East India Company played a crucial role in the exploitation of the region’s resources and the establishment of a colonial economy, significantly impacting the subcontinent’s integration into the global economy.
The colonization of the subcontinent by the British East India Company (and later the British Crown) had far reaching effects on the subcontinent’s society. The British introduced modern transportation and communication systems, such as railways and telegraphs, which further integrated the subcontinent into the global market. However, this period also saw the exploitation of resources and the imposition of policies that disadvantaged local industries. After gaining Independence, Pakistan found itself at crossroads during the peak of the Cold war, with the option to side with the USSR or the USA. Pakistan chose the latter and pursued policies that strengthened its ties with the USA.
Pakistan’s involvement in the Cold war reached its zenith during the Soviet-Afghan war, where it aided the US backed Mujahideen, getting an influx of refugees, with similar events occurring during the US led war on terror. Today, Pakistan is at a politically and economically significant location, with much more diverse international relations as compared to a decade or two ago, which opens it to the many opportunities of internationalization, but also the plethora of challenges it offers.
A myriad of factors amplify the interconnectedness of Pakistan on the global stage. The most significant of these is Pakistan’s geographical location, acting as a gateway between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, Pakistan is positioned as a significant player in regional and global trade. The nation’s abundant natural resources and a large labor force have attracted foreign investments, fostering economic integration. Its strategic position as a trade corridor, energy transit route, and cultural crossroads enhances economic integration, regional connectivity, and diplomatic relations.
These factors collectively contribute to Pakistan’s significance in the globalized world and its role as a vital player in the interconnected world. Pakistan’s diverse cultural heritage and its diaspora spread across the world have fostered cultural exchanges, promoting understanding and cooperation on an international level. International and regional politics further increases interconnectivity for Pakistan, largely through regional or international organizations. Furthermore, the digital revolution and new advancements in technology have revolutionized communication and trade, bridging geographical distances. The increasing use of the internet has allowed people of Pakistan to be exposed to the outside world, different cultures, and people.
Being interconnected with the world has many positive impacts on a country. One of the positive impacts includes the access to vast economic opportunities. Globalization has allowed Pakistan to participate in international trade and investment, leading to the growth of export-oriented industries and creating job opportunities. For example, the country’s textile sector has been a major beneficiary of the interconnected world with garments and fabrics finding markets in various countries.
The interconnected world has also facilitated the exchange of knowledge and technology, enabling Pakistan to benefit from advancements in various sectors. The vast knowledge and expertise from a plethora of experts and intellectuals across the world is made easily accessible for others to learn from, making use of Sir Isaac Newton’s words “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of a giant”. Moreover, the interconnected world has brought people from diverse cultures and backgrounds together, fostering a rich exchange of ideas, traditions, and values.
Pakistan’s cultural heritage has become more accessible to the world, enhancing its soft power and attracting tourists interested in exploring the country’s history and landscapes. However, where the interconnected world offers various advantages and opportunities, it also offers many challenges. The most prominent of which is loss of cultural identity. Being exposed to other cultures, people may start to admire (or even envy) other cultures, and begin seeing their own culture as inferior.
This could lead to cultural homogenization and loss of traditional values. Some argue that the influx of foreign media and entertainment may dilute Pakistan’s cultural identity and values, leading to various social challenges. Unrestricted access to the outside world can also significantly expose the citizens of Pakistan to foreign (or domestic) propaganda and misinformation, which can then lead to social unrest, instability and manipulation of public opinion. Another demerit of an interconnected world is the economic vulnerability it brings with it. While it does present economic opportunities, it also exposes Pakistan to external shocks and market fluctuations caused by international events or crises.
Economic crises in major economies in particular can have significant environmental concerns. Furthermore an interconnected world often leads to increased transportation and trade activities, which can have diverse effects on the environment. Pakistan must balance economic growth with sustainable practices to mitigate environmental degradation. Additionally, while the internet and digital technologies have connected many people worldwide, there are still significant disparities in access to these resources.
Developing regions and marginalized communities may lack the necessary infrastructure and resources to fully participate in the interconnected world, further worsening existing inequalities. Another disadvantage of the interconnected world is that excessive interconnectedness provides opportunities for transnational criminal activities, such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, money laundering, child labor, and cyber-crimes such as hacking, or illegal surveillance and acquiring private and personal information of individuals. As a result, it becomes challenging for law enforcement agencies to combat these crimes effectively due to their borderless nature. Another consequence of an interconnected world is that it can lead to outsourcing and automation of jobs, particularly in labor industries where companies can acquire cheap labor by importing foreign workers from developing (3rd world) countries such as South Africa, Congo, Kenya or other African countries. This can result in job losses and unemployment for the native population, leading to social unrest, political instability, and an increase in racism.
Although global connectivity presents both challenges and opportunities, they can be controlled and manipulated by the controlling bodies (such as governments) to a great degree, either in favor of themselves if used correctly or against them if not. One of the methods the positive aspects of international connectivity can be maximized is by regulating the exposure of the domestic population to foreign cultures and information. The governmental institutions can regulate social media to ensure that foreign propaganda does not infiltrate the local population and cause unrest.
However this can have negative consequences as well, as the government can be accused of censorship and usurping the citizen’s freedom to expression and speech, therefor government regulations and censorship should be carried out with utmost consideration and care (and discretely), lest the government run the risk of being accused of authoritarianism. Another, more subtle method, is to develop various methods for fact checking misinformation and verifying legitimate information. The government can either create its own departments that carry out this task, or entrust this role to the local population itself, providing the local population the ability to fact-check information that circulates on the internet or media, such as was the case with twitter after Elon Musk bought it and introduced user fact-checking mechanisms that allowed average users to provide context to messages or “tweets” that were intentionally misleading or inaccurate.
The government can also use the interconnectivity to its advantage, promoting its own local culture and traditions in foreign countries, increasing its influence and soft power on the international level. The government can achieve this by investing in education and research and development, which can help it adapt to technological advancements, increase the ability and skills of domestic human capital, increase both its quantity and quality, and remain competitive in the global knowledge economy. A skilled workforce and innovative capabilities can attract foreign investment and boost domestic industries, as well as increase student exchange programs, granting foreign scholarships to domestic students, increasing exports to other countries, as well as providing labor to other countries (increasing GNP), and establishing cultural exchange programs.
Overall, the world today is more interconnected than ever, with enhanced accessibility and easy communication between individuals across the world. This ease of communication and availability of international information and knowledge can however, serve as a double edged sword, providing both opportunities (such as ease of communication, transfer of information, knowledge and expertise, and availability of a wider economic market) and challenges (such as economic vulnerability, loss of cultural identity, and outsourcing of jobs).
A competent government would be able to maximize its advantages while minimizing its disadvantages through various methods such as regulations and fact-checking. By making advantageous use of interconnectivity of the world today, Pakistan can gain a significantly advantageous position on an international scale in world economy and politics through its soft power, but incautious approach can cause Pakistan to fall victim to foreign propaganda, economic vulnerability, and cultural degradation, therefore it is a sector Pakistan should approach with utmost caution and care.
Authors:
Mir Hassan, Lecturer, Department of Public Administration, FMS, BUITEMS
Ali Abbas, Alumni, Department of Public Administration, FMS, BUITEMS
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).