POVERTY

SOCIAL SECTOR
GROUP MEMBERS
QURATULAIN SIRAJ (8726)
YAHYA SHAMIM (8958)
ALI HANIF (9027)
YASIR YONUS (8876)
TOOBA SUHAIL (10595)
 Definition
• lack of the means of providing material needs
or comforts

• inability to afford

• “absolute poverty” or “destitution”

 Poverty Alleviation
• reduce the level of poverty in a community,
or amongst a group of people or countries.

• education, economic development, and

income redistribution
 Types of Poverty

• Income poverty
• Income poverty happens when a
household takes in less than one US dollar
per day.
• Non-income Poverty
• Non income poverty happens when
people may have a little bit of money but
otherwise the quality of their life is not
good.
Top 10 Ranking of Poverty
10. Guatemala
09. Honduras
08. Tajiskistan
07. Niger
06. Zimbabwe
05. Swaziland
04. Mozambique
03. Sierra Leone
02. Haiti
01. Zambia
Pakistan`s Rank
.

Poverty in Pakistan
Poverty in Pakistan
 In Pakistan, currently more than 24% people are living
below the poverty line.
 The biggest reason for poverty in Pakistan is the
backwardness of the agriculture sector.
 The second reason for poverty is the unfair distribution
of income among people.
 The third reason for poverty is the rapidly growing
population of the country.
Poverty in Pakistan
The fourth reason our industrial sector is very
backward the share of this sector in national
income is less.
The fifth reason for poverty is the low level of
education and the defective education system
Poverty in Neighboring Countries
AFGHANISTAN
53%
India
25%
Iran
18%
China
2.80%
Causes of Poverty
A large portion of the population is uneducated

 People are unable to strike a balance between their

income and expenditure

 Income of the lower class is very low

 Increased unemployment

Difficult to establish small business with little capital

Continued…
Growing population

High inflation leading to lower standard of living and

decreased saving for future use
Increased corruption

Social bonding is disappearing. People are not willing

to help each other

Imports are more than the exports

Continued…
Privatization

Political instability-Rapid changes in government from

military dictatorships to democracy

Excessive spending on defense

Division of agricultural land

The main reason for poverty is the social dishonesty

and irresponsible behavior of people
BALOCHISTAN
Poverty in balochistan has risen
statistically indistinguishable
from that in the NWFP

According to the Karachi-based

social policy and development
centre (SPDC), poverty levels in
balochistan are the highest in
the country.

Scores lowest in 10 key

indicators for education,
literacy, health, water and
sanitation for 2006-07.
Only half the children attend primary schools
20 percent of the province have access to clean
Drinking water
Only a third of children are immunized
High birth and death rates has increased a lot due to
poverty.
High mortality rate
Low village electrification
The groundwater is depleting rapidly(single most
important constraint)
Only six per cent of the land is cultivable and
productivity is low because of the arid conditions.
The rugged and inaccessible terrain, limited water
resources for irrigation
Population, ethnic diversity and traditional women’s
status
The ongoing military operation is pushing more and
more people towards below-poverty line.
Despite its wealth of oil, gas and other minerals, IT is
still poorest province, with 60 percent of its population
living below poverty line.
BALOCHISTAN POVERTY IN 2009-10
In 2010 the situation of
balochistan has gone from
bad to worse
Facing the challenges of
growing political violence
and rising poverty
Provincial govt spending
little on development
Not nearly enough to build a
durable economic
infrastructure
According to a world bank study (07-11-2009)
balochistan has the weakest long-term growth
performance of all provinces in the country.
Overall, the size of the ‘economic pie’ rose 110 per cent
in the rest of the country, except balochistan.
Balochistan’s growth as well as per capita income level
lagging behind the rest of Pakistan, the world bank
said.
 Annual Fatalities in Balochistan, 2006-2009

Year Civilians SF Militant Total Injured Incident

Personn s
el

2009* 148 83 37 268 491 349

2008 130 111 107 348 383 397
2007 124 27 94 245 NA NA
2006 226 82 142 450 NA 772

There has, been some reduction in violence during 2009. At least 268
persons, including 148 civilians and 83 Security Force (SF) personnel,
have died in the current year (till November 20) according to the South
Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). Significantly, there has been a dramatic
reduction in the number of insurgents killed,
There have been at least 126 bomb blasts & grenade
explosions (source: SATP)
There have also been rocket attacks
NGO activity have left residents feeling neglected and
fearful for their safety.
The situation of human rights in balochistan province
is deteriorating
Disappearances, abductions, arrests, torture in
military or frontier corp.'s camps and the murder of
opponents
 STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT
Advertisements being published in the national dailies
for recruitment of Balochistan people in different
departments for which the government was giving age
relaxation
About 10,000 youth would be provided jobs
5,000 graduates will also be provided employment in
addition to the regular quota
created 4,200 jobs, constructed schools, colleges and
hospitals
budget for the next fiscal also contains several pro-
poor measures: food subsidy; increase in the
minimum pension of provincial employees; subsidy on
agricultural tube-wells etc.
The lowering of educational qualification for
appointment from Matriculation to Class 8
Youth would be trained to acquire modern skills,
expertise, necessary for getting jobs in industries
The launch of large projects will reduce poverty and
generate economic opportunities
KHYBER PAKHTUKHWAN
 NWFP is by far the poorest province
of Pakistan, with an overall
incidence of poverty substantially
higher than that for the country as a
whole (poverty headcount in 2001-
02 for NWFP is 46% as compared to
37% for Pakistan).
 Both urban and rural poverty in
NWFP are higher than that for the
entire country (poverty headcounts
for urban and rural NWFP are 31%
and 47% respectively, compared to
24% and 36% respectively for all of
Pakistan).
 Moreover, the depth of both urban
and rural poverty, measured by the
poverty gap is relatively higher for
NWFP than for the rest of the
country.
A recent study suggests that:
households have reduced food intake, changed its
pattern and slashed down spending on wedding
ceremonies and other social gatherings because of
soaring prices of edibles.
people are being trapped in poverty owing to soaring
food and oil prices, fragile macroeconomic conditions
and mass displacements as a result of ongoing military
operations
The high cost of living is leading to dropout from
schools

In the NWFP, rural households spend 60-80 per cent

of their income on food.

accessibility of food items.

Food (especially wheat) is being imported but without

safety nets for the poor

Farming also suffers from high cost of inputs.

STEPS TAKEN BY GOVT
Bacha Khan Poverty Alleviation Program:The
NWFP government has hired the services of a non-
governmental organisation to run the Bacha Khan
Poverty Alleviation Programme because of the
inability of public sector institutions to undertake
such interventions in the province
 The provincial government had selected the
Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), an NGO
working on poverty, for implementation of the
initiative, which was expected to kick off the project
activities by the end of the current financial year.
SINDH
 Poverty double in rural Sindh than
urban areas
•Sindh is the second largest
province of Pakistan in terms
of population.
• Poverty is on the rise in
districts Badin and Thatta
• The lands, where there is a
constant shortage of irrigation
water or an irregular supply,
since the last 10 years have a
virtually ruined economy.
•In Sindh, more than 11 million men and women are
jobless, sitting idle for want of work, and over 15
million are living below the poverty level.

• Employment opportunities in the public sector are

limited.

• The unemployed youth, therefore, move to cities

for jobs but the urban employment market is already
over-saturated

• Ratio of Rural to urban income is 1:3 i.e if farmer

gets Rs 1000 per month, city worker will get Rs 1800
-2000 with other benefits.
•More than 8 million population is reported to have
been pushed down below the poverty level in rural
Sindh.

•Overall literacy in Sindh is estimated at 46 per cent.

Literacy rate is 65 per cent in the urban areas and
district central in Karachi boasts the highest literacy
percentage in the country ironically with equally
matching highest unemployment rate.
PUNJAB
 Punjab
 Land of Five Rivers
 Comprising 56% of Pakistan's total population
 Geographical position and a large multi-ethnic population
strongly influence Punjab's outlook on National affairs.
 Total population of Punjab was 73,621,290 consisting of
23,019,025 urban and 50,602,265 rural.
 Population density is 353 persons per square kilometer.
 Contributes about 68% to annual food grain production in
the country. 51 million acres is cultivated and another 9.05
million acres are lying as cultivable waste in different parts
of the province.
More than 48 thousand industrial units.

Textile units is 11,820.

Extensive mineral deposits of coal, rock-salt,

dolomite, gypsum, silica-sand.
 Poverty In Punjab
• Highest infant mortality rate, lowest literacy and highest poverty rate.
• Around 32% fall below poverty line.
• In industrial centers 26% of the population fall below the poverty line(compared
with 22% of urban Pakistan.
Lack of access to main roads- seen as a major feature of a poor village together
with the distance to the nearest town.
Salinity and Water logging seen as an indicator of the poverty of an area and
cause of the impoverishments of local inhabitants
Desert or drought affected areas- Drought is seen as bringing misery to poor
people by depriving them of water for both agriculture and domestic uses.
Poor flood and rainwater drainage- seen as a feature of poor localities and
leading to poor sanitation
Lack of facilities and basic services – the lack of access to schools, health centers,
electricity, adequate food and clothing seen as indicator of poverty of the people.
 Statistics in 1999
Urban poverty was the highest in the country in
Southern Punjab of 35%.

Rural Northern Punjab had the lowest level of

poverty of 29%.

Rural Southern Punjab was not significantly lower

than the NWFP.

Rural Central Punjab had the same level of poverty

as rural Sindh.
 In 2000
Punjab government document declared that
Rajanpur district was the poorest district in Punjab
followed by Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan,
Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalnagar
and Lodhran.

Statistics In 2008
South Punjab has 50.1 percent.
West Punjab has even higher at 52.1 percent.
Northern Punjab has 21.31 percent.
The Central Punjab districts have 28.76 percent.
Punjab sites Estimated Percentage Below the Poverty Line
Rural  
Attock 36.2
Chakwal 32.2
Hafizabad 28
Sheikhupura 31.5
Jhang 44.5
Bhakkar 39.5
Bhawalnagar 42.1
Khanewal 26.2
Muzafargarh 44.4
Rajanpur 57.4
Urban  
Sialkot 33.7
Rawalpindi 36.5
Lahore 35.2
Faisalabad 36
Multan 41.5
 Market Size Analysis 2006
Per Capita
Consumption Poverty Level
   

Rs.1548 Non-Poor
  Transitory Non-poor
   
Rs.774 Poverty Line
   
Rs.387 Transitory Poor
  Chronically poor
 Main causes of poverty in Punjab

 Low productivity in agriculture.

 Poor access to services.

 Lack of financial discipline which leads to wastage of

public sector resources.

 Lack of employment opportunities outside agriculture.

 Future Plans for Punjab
 Focusing mainly on agriculture
additional cash available with rural
population after accelerated agricultural
growth would boost demand for industrial
goods among rural consumers.
Acceleration in fruit and vegetable exports
after commissioning cold storages.

 To professionalize 23 existing dairy

farms owned by the Punjab Government.
 Provincial Budget 2010-11

 Because of the NFC Award the Federal Govt. will transfer

about Rs 500 Billion to Punjab in 2010/11 Vs Rs 330 Billion
in 2009/10 this increase of Rs 170 Billion should only be. It
is urged that all of spent on the following five sectors:
a) Education
b) Health
c) Agriculture
d) Poverty alleviation/ Employment
e) Clean Drinking Water
Steps Taken By The Punjab Government

 The government has allocated Rs.13000 million

as subsidy to the needy and poor. Punjab has
allocated Rs. 3000 million for agricultural
development.
 Rs 52 billion for the development of South
Punjab.
 Rs 11.005 billion for the irrigation sector in ADP
2010-11 which constitutes about 7.4 percent of
the current year’s core ADP plans.
 Number of schemes including the institution of zakat, and
Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal schemes.

 Market and pasture management development project will

work in the districts of Punjab to reduce rural poverty in
Southern Punjab.

 Punjab Food Support Scheme is one of the leading scheme

through which more than 1.8 million deserving families are
getting Rs. 1,000 per month.

 Punjab government decided to keep on with the Sasti Roti

scheme

 Youth Employment Fund

PAKISTAN & POVERTY LINE
Conclusion

CONCLUSION
 Pakistanis believe that we are limited in resources
and options, and hence destined to remain poor….

But are we a poor country?

For the answer, let us look at a new index—the index

of waste.
When President Pervez Musharaf visited the UK he took
along an army of ministers and advisers. The British
government refused to be host to such a large followers. So
they booked a whole floor in a luxury hotel. The royal suite in
which Mr. President stayed cost an estimated Rs2,000,000 a
night, and the visitors stayed for three days there.

A poor government is supposed to be spending less, But what

kind of rulers do we have who spend Rs2,000,000 on a night’s
rest?
According to a document published by the Pakistan embassy President Zardari recently
stayed in the $5,000 per night (approximately Rs 410,000) presidential suite on the
ultra-protected presidential 6th floor of the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in
Washington, while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was given a separate suite,
which cost $2,600 per night.

His security detail of three sepoys, two lance naiks, one Hawaldar and several other
officers below the rank of lieutenant general were lodged on the same floor.
Responding to a journalist’s question, a Pakistan embassy official said Zardari’s stay was
the cheapest as compared with the past rulers.

He said if other members of the president’s delegation would have been accommodated
in another hotel, that would have been objected to by the critics as discrimination.
The writer of the publication finally wrote that Rs 410,000 is just the room charges. Add
room service and some of the most expensive liquor and food, the bill doubles. A safe
figure of boarding and lodging would be close to a Million Rupees per day.
Now the little VIPs cannot be left behind. They too waste a lot of
money on their perks. They are very quick to grab the best real
estate for themselves even at the cost of preventing serious
development.
In Islamabad, the most expensive area is around the Marriott
and the secretariat. This is an area which could have had a
number of large commercial construction. Several billions of
dollars of real estate development and millions of jobs are
forsaken for the welfare of the VIPs.
Aretheseallsignsofapoorcountry?
The truth is that Pakistan is a poor country as one-
forth of the population, or nearly thirty million
human beings, live below the poverty line in Pakistan.
 Now some recent amazing stories regarding the
situation of the poor people in Pakistan:

•On the afternoon of April 12, 30-year-old Bushra stood by the railway tracks with her
two children, Zubair, 5, and Saima, 3. They were standing so close to the tracks that
the nearby shopkeepers and a rickshaw driver called to her to move away. When Jaffer
Express approached she jumped in front of the train, pulling her children with
her. The train tore their bodies to pieces. The police would have closed the case as
being result of an accident etc. But they found a written note on Bushra which stated
that she was ending their lives because of the family’s poverty.

•A similar event took place in Lahore sometime ago, when a desperate father put up
an ad for the sale of one of his children because of poverty.

• While recently a woman from Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s city of Multan
paraded her five children around with “For Sale” signs hanging from their necks.
Pakistan is the perhaps the only country where our rich
government is financed by its poorest subjects.

“This is a system of the elite, by the elite and for the

elite,” said Riyaz Hussain Naqvi, a retired government
official who worked in tax collection for 38 years.

“It is a skewed system in which the poor man

subsidizes the rich man.”
How to End Poverty?
 According to Shaukat Masood Zafar:

“The recent trends suggest that rapid

economic growth over a prolonged period
is the only way for reduction of poverty.”
But through other articles and our own thinking we sorted out these
solutions valuable to end poverty in Pakistan:
• In this modern age of scientific revolution we are far behind in the education and
most importantly scientific education.
•We should increase the minimum wage to $ 2 per day as any person earning less
than this is said to be poor.
• The guarantee of shelter, healthcare, education, food and drinking water as basic
human rights that must be provided free to all.
• A total redistribution of idle lands to landless farmers.
• An end to private monopoly ownership over natural resources.
• Business can help solve poverty conditions.
• We should move towards microfinance – a social business that focuses on making
financial services accessible to the rural poor.
•If we decrease import and establish own supply chains from our country natural
resources the people will have better opportunities to earn.
• Wealth distribution in Pakistan is highly uneven, with 10% of the population
earning 27.6% of income so the income disparity should be reduced as well
Apart from all this, we believe that there is poverty in Pakistan but
Pakistan has almost all it takes to be the richest country on earth.

THANK YOU!