comment: >
  
  Pakistan had a LOT less help from Western nations. For a long time, Israel was mostly funded by other countries (especially Germany). Also, Israel invested a ton of money into education, which has payed back immensely. You wouldn't know it now, but in the 50s, Israel was in a complete economic tailspin and would have likely ended up in the same place as Pakistan, or even more likely been wiped out entirely, had it not been for Western intervention.
context: I feel like a better comparison would be between Pakistan and Bangladesh, given that both of them were given the similar starting parameters (caveat is Bangladesh had a lot less support/investment). >
  
  I'd say that Bangladesh is still doing better than Pakistan as it is not involved in any active proxy wars with another country. Pakistan has a massive debt problem and has essentially become a Chinese puppet nation. Remember how few years back Chinese workers on the belt and road project in Pakistan beat up the police (or was it military personnel? ) who were trying to tell them not to go to nearest town for their own safety? >
  
  Bangladesh has also, with little fanfare, brought its birth rates down to be on par with educated, Western countries. In fact, Bangladesh's birth rate is now actually below replacement level. The overpopulation the country is famous for will soon be "the overpopulation it was once famous for." >
  
  Bangladesh's leadership seems to have in the past 10 years hunkered down and been unceremoniously working on some of the biggest issues facing that nation and showing some good results. Birth rates declining, literacy rates improving, percentage of people living in extremely poverty decreasing. All of these things are huge in determining what kind of future is possible for Bangladeshis and in that regard the people there should feel good for the overall direction the country is going in. >
  
  Lol let’s not give Bangladesh’s leadership too much credit here. NGO’s have played a major role in educating the population on controlling the birth rate, in addition to the general trend of industrializing and equal opportunity to education which is leading to lower birth rates.