VOA常速英语2007-Musharraf Defenders Point to Successful Economy

By Simon Marks
Karachi, Pakistan
02 October 2007
 

As Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf seeks a further five-year term in office, his critics argue he has failed to honor his commitment to return the country to democracy. But the president's defenders¹ maintain that he has brought a degree of stability to Pakistan that the country never knew under civilian² rule. And as Correspondent Simon Marks reports, they cite the economy as one area that has experienced the benefits.

These are heady times at the Karachi Stock Exchange. While Pakistan is gripped by political turmoil³, the country's economy is thriving .The exchange has seen its value rise 11-fold since General Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup⁴ in 1999.

Karachi, the country's business capital, is benefiting from an annual average growth of 7.5 percent over the last four years.

And as in prosperous Western capitals, businesses are now beginning to cater⁵ for those people with wealth. Club Havana is Karachi's only cigar lounge -- launched six years ago by its British-educated owner Hamid Ali Khan. "You know what?  Life is very good," he says. "I hate to say it because I was brought up to believe in democracy.  I was brought up to believe in a great process of elections and all of that.  But you know what?  As a businessman, I think he's done a great job."

The view that Mr. Musharraf has delivered stability to Pakistan is widespread in Karachi's business community.

But also widely shared in the same city is the sense that the economic disparities in Pakistan have only widened under his watch.A slum in the heart of the city is close to one of Karachi's  wealthiest neighborhoods. The government estimates that more than 40 million Pakistanis live on less than a $1.00 a day.

Local shopkeeper Deedar Ali Kohkhar says the economic gulf⁶ between rich and poor is growing. "The poor are poorer.  He should control prices.  Everything has doubled.  Something that used to cost one rupee now costs two.  Please tell him to lower prices.  Flour has become very expensive.  Sugar has gone up in price.  Our main request to him is to control prices."

The symbols of poverty are on open display in Karachi's slums where young drug addicts⁷ inject themselves with fixes, unconcerned by our camera or local residents.

There is plenty of money in Pakistan. The country now has foreign exchange reserves of $16 billion, up from less than a billion dollars eight years ago.

But the failure of that money to trickle⁸ down to the poor has left many Pakistanis disillusioned⁹ with the promises made by politicians of all stripes. Liaquat Ali is a television repairman. "Why should people be interested in politics?" he asks. "Politicians always fulfill¹⁰ their own interests and leave.  That's why people have backed away from politics.  Politicians only advance their own interests."

Whatever Pakistan's political future, there will be pressure on the government from all sectors¹¹ of society to maintain economic stability and improve the distribution of wealth.

1 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

4 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

5 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 addicts   

有…瘾的人( addict的名词复数 )； 入迷的人

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• There is counseling to help Internet addicts?even online. 有咨询机构帮助网络沉迷者。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

8 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

9 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

10 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》