Afsheen Naz
October 2012
Abstract:
The South Asian economy is comparatively least integrated one in the world. Political conflict between India and Pakistan, the two most dominant countries of the region, is considered the most important factor hindering the region to economically integrate and prosper collectively. On the basis of such argument, this paper analyses the perceptions of Pakistani people about the dominance of politics over economic gains and its effects on both the economies as well as economies of other countries in the region. Findings of the paper are based on a perception survey in which fifty Pakistani professionals were interviewed from big cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. According to the stakeholders, political conflict not only affected the trade between India and Pakistan but also the regional trade. However, distrust is considered the leading factor causing political unrest which, the stakeholders strongly recommend, needs to be controlled.