Study says next 10 years to be promising for Pakistan

PESHAWAR: The Foresight Lab, a research body, has launched a research study which says that the next 10 years appear to be promising for Pakistan.

The Pakistan State of the Future Index (PK-SOFI) is a 10-year future index composed of 30 variables that indicate if the future is getting better or worse, said a press release. It shows 30-year trends of improvement and decline, each variable is forecast based on 20 years of the past data, which are then further assessed for the best possible and worst possible values in 10 years.

The statement quoted Puruesh Chaudhary, founder, Foresight Lab and founding president AGAHI Foundation, as saying: "With this national study, Pakistan leads the region in future research in public space.

This is where this nation is winning. The dominating trend in the inaugural report indicates that the growth potential of the Internet is significant. This Index gradually builds confidence, which can help the decision-makers draft policy frameworks where technology could become the core element in ensuring the well-being of the people."

In 2000, 15 global challenges identified were incorporated in the study to form the statistical foundation. China, South Korea, South Africa, Kuwait, Azerbaijan and Turkey are among the countries with national SOFIs along with some in Latin America, Central Europe and North America.

Dr. Shahid Mahmud, co-founder Foresight Lab - CEO and Chairman Interactive Group of Companies, highlighted that PK-SOFI has the potential of becoming a useful tool for objectively evaluating the direction Pakistan is heading.

The Foresight Lab, in collaboration with its partnering organisations and individuals, came together for the compilation of the 2017 inaugural report.

More than a hundred Pakistanis participated in the Realtime Delphi Study; and over 20 academics provided their expert judgment on the variables selected.