Pakistan has a population of about 167 million, growing by about 1.8% annually.
It has a GNP of about USD 144 billion, growing by about 6.4% annually (this surprised me).
That's about 4-5 % annual GNP/capita growth. Make that 10-15 % for ten years with a Marshall plan (concentrated on the politically decisive lowlands).
The costs would probably be about 1/5th of the overall effect at most, that's about 2% of their GNP = USD 3 billion in the first year and less than USD 12 billion at the end of the period.
Wouldn't that be surprisingly cheap in comparison to 'classical' national security / great power games policy? Even the military aid is expensive and equals just consumption, not investment.
The result would be that the youth migrates from the backwardish tribal areas into the cities. The population in the cities would be busy with business/jobs and with the exploitation of their new wealth.
Pakistani parents would more often than ever before consider (free!) secular schools as important for their youth instead of religious schools.
Poverty isn't the reason for terrorism, but it sure helps to recruit jihadists and it helps populists of all political wings.
A major problem of such a project would be the relationship to India, though.
India is a bit large and difficult to influence. Well, unless you look at it from the perspective of U.S. national security spending...
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