COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA
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COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA ON INDIA AND PAKISTAN
Most journalists of first world countries treat India and Pakistan on
par, and this, to my mind, reflects poorly on their research and
seriousness. They see little or no difference between the two nations
and thus do a great disservice to India. To treat the two as deux
enfants terrible is to be shallow. Facts speak otherwise.
We have all read of the great and rapid strides made by Indians in the
Information Technology field; what we are unaware of are the changes
taking place in the OTHER spheres, less glamorous and less talked about
and, in many ways, of much greater importance than technological
expertise for India's future. These are some of the findings I made on
the progress made by both India and Pakistan in some areas. Of course we
are far behind Europe and the USA in many ways, but this is only a
comparison of India and Pakistan.
Codes:
P=Pakistan
I=India
Most of the figures mentioned here are 1999 figures:
Population growth rate %:
P= 2.18 I= 1.68
Life expectancy at birth in years:
P=59.38 I= 63.40
Fertility rate per woman:
P=4.73 I= 3.18
Literacy % of total population:
P=37.8 I= 52.00
Birth rate per 1000:
P=33.51 I= 25.39
Death rate per 1000:
P=10.45 I= 8.50
Infant mortality per 1000 births:
P=91.86 I= 60.81*
* all statistics from CIA's factbook.
(www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook)
In the Sports arena too we often get dismayed at Pakistan's repeated
success in routing India at cricket; we also remember that we cannot
touch Pakistan in Squash. But there are other sports as well.
Malyalam Manorama 2000 has tabulated India's performance at the SAF
Games and the medals tally of the top three medal-taking countries are
as follows:
codes as follows:
I=INDIA
P=PAKISTAN
N=NEPAL
S=SRI LANKA
G=GOLD MEDAL
S=SILVER MEDAL
B=BRONZE MEDAL
1984, KATHMANDU
I: G=44, S=28, B=16 TOTAL=88
S: G=7, S=11, B=12 TOTAL 30
P: G=5, S=3, B=2 TOTAL=10
DHAKA 1985:
I: G=46,S=29, B=14 TOTAL 89
P: G=16,S=19, B=9 TOTAL 44
B: G=9, S=16, B=34 TOTAL 59
1987 CALCUTTA
I: G=91, S=45, B=19 TOTAL=155
P: G=34, S=25,B=19 TOTAL 78
S: G=6, S=10, B=21 TOTAL 37
1989 ISLAMABAD
I: G=49, S=35, B=20 TOTAL 104
P: G34, S=25, B=19 TOTAL 78
S: G6, S=10, B=21 TOTAL 37
1991 COLOMBO
I: G=64, S=59, B=41 TOTAL 164
S: G44, S=33, B=41 TOTAL 118
P: G28, S=33, B=24 TOTAL 85
1993 DHAKA
I: G=61, S=47, B=38 TOTAL 146
P: G=23, S=22, B=21 TOTAL 66
S: G=21, S=23, B=28 TOTAL 72
1995 CHENNAI
I: G=106, S=60, B=19 TOTAL 185
S: G=16, S=25, B=52 TOTAL 93
P: G=10, S=33, B=36 TOTAL 79
1999 KATHMANDU
I: G=102, S=58, B=37 TOTAL 197
N: G=31, S=10, B=24 TOTAL 65
S: G=16, S=42, B=61 TOTAL 119 (PAK WAS OUT OF TOP THREE)
On the other hand we are all inclined to look at the rosy picture only
in the technological and economic spheres; with the above-mentioned
facts, it is evident that India has better family planning, better
medical facilities and more schools as well.
While these facts are not by themselves very fascinating and exciting,
it is in the proportion of the male to female literacy that the
difference will soon make its presence felt: while 50 percent of the
male population of Pakistan has literacy (as against India's male
literate population which is at 65.5 percent), it is the stark contrast
in the female population that one notices the gender bias: only 24.4
percent of Pakistani womne are literate as against the Indian figure of
feamle literacy which stands at 37.7 percent. Of course this is a far
cry from the 99 percent literacy rate of France and the UK, and it is
far short of China's 81.5 percent(men at 89.9 percent and women at 72.7
percent), and yet,despite everything, even while retaining democratic
principles ( unlike China which has enforced family planning),India has
moved forward in a non-profit sector which will ultimately reap rich
dividends to the nation.
Yes, Pakistan is better at one thing: the percentage of population below
the poverty line in Pakistan is at 34 percent while that of India is at
35 percent, and this is something to scratch one's head about. However,
that is one fact that needs improvement and India surely needs to get
out of this terrible state where people don't have basic amenities for
daily existence. It is something we need to focus on and pay serious
attention to, no doubt. Recently, I was heartened to read that Azim
Premji of Wipro has decided not to donate the earnings to IITs all over
India but he will focus his charitable contributions on elementary
education in India. A wonderful gesture indeed. When you educate a child
you not only educate him, it is said, but you allow him to feed himself
for the rest of his life.
India is a country seriously dedicated to improving itself. There is
absolutely no doubt about it after one reads these amazing figures. A
lot remains to be done, and the path is long and hard, but the path is
right, and so is the nation's attitude.
Once in conversation with Kiran Bedi I asked her what it was that kept
her so enthusiastically on the right track, day after day. Her response
to me, I believe, best encapsulates what makes the best of Indians tick:
"Every morning I ask myself: do I want to waste my day, or do I want to
invest it? And I follow the answer!"
ajay
(Administrator)
8/16/00 11:01 AM
Re: COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA
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Lataji,
Fascinating article :
You missed a few important statistical parameters. Perhaps you can add
these
1. No. of terrorists produced per capita
2. No. of AK-47s per capita
3. No. of honor killings of women
4. No. of military dictators since independence
5. Foreign debt per capita
Now you see, Pakistan is not that far behind ... Let's give credit where
it is due
regards,
ajay
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latasheila
(Chintan Columnist)
8/18/00 05:35 AM
Re: COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA
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Hi Ajay!
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"The greatest trick that the devil played was to convince that he doesn't exist"movie-Usual Suspect
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