Problems of Pakistan

Pakistan has faced major challenges in its socioeconomic situation over past seventy years.

1. Poverty
Poverty is a curse. Pakistan is a poor and underdeveloped country. Most of its population lives in
adverse circumstances. Some reports reveal that more than 40% population of Pakistan lives
below the line of poverty. The rising poverty is the result of poor governance and slow economic
growth. A large number of people in our country do not have a proper place to live in. This
miserable condition has given birth to an increase in beggars and needy people.
In Pakistan, poverty is increasing day by day. The government should take effective steps to
reduce it. It should, for example, provide credit facilities and use labor-intensive techniques of
production to reduce poverty.

2. Literacy Rate
The literacy rate in Pakistan is 60%. It means that 40% people are illiterate. In rural areas, people
are un-educated because they are in pursuance of their livelihood instead of getting education in
schools. Resultantly, our country is slow towards progress. Illiteracy is a big problem because
the illiterate people are unable to understand the new techniques of social life. They do not enjoy
the life. They do not understand the new policies. Every individual has right to get education in
better institutions. Illiteracy minimizes the social relations in the society which leads to less
development of resources.
The most common cause of illiteracy is our agriculture based environment in which education is
not considered a priority. There is no job for un-educated people. That is why the crime ratio is
high in our society due to illiteracy. Rural people face problems for employment because they
are totally un-educated. But on the other hand, those people who are literate they are also un-
employed due to the shortage of jobs. Government should take steps to create job opportunities
for the educated people. Government should also take steps to establish schools and colleges in
villages so that children who are living in villages may not travel to cities to get education.

3. Terrorism
Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or
coerce a government or its citizens to further certain political or social objectives.
In the recent history, Pakistan is facing the menace of terrorism. Besides facing the consequences
of Afghan War, Pakistanis also affected by various ethnic, religious and linguistic conflicts
which have increased terrorists’ activities. These conflicts have severely affected the socio-
economic structure of Pakistan. To gauge the impact of terrorism on Pakistan’s economic growth
Solow economic growth model has been used. Using data on terrorism from Global Terrorism
Database, co-integration analysis for the period 1981-2012 has been applied. Terrorism has
negatively affected the economic growth in Pakistan.
Terrorism is one of the biggest problems in Pakistan due to which we are not saved. Terrorists
always attack the schools, colleges, universities, hospital and many more and killing the students
and small kids marble heartedly.

4. Health Problems
Pakistan is ranked 122 out of 190 countries in term of health care by World Health Organization
(WHO). Pakistan is at third highest rank, when it comes to infant mortality in the world. Pakistan
as a developing country is struggling in many fields, biomedical is one of them. The Government
of Pakistan has not ever made health care a priority issue. More than 60 million of people are
living below the poverty line and are not able to fulfill their basic needs due to limited
resources/finance.
Moreover, doctors are highly paid to provide selected expensive medicine on which they are paid
heavy amount of percentage and various so-called gifts. At a larger scale the doctors keep an
inexperienced nursing staff which takes charge in their absence. Similarly, unspecialized doctors
who do not possess a valid medical degree, operate illegal clinics that lead to an unhealthy life.
Due to all these flaws including poverty and high fees of private clinics the patient indulges in
self-medication which results in a harmful situation later. It also may be because of common
selling of medicine without the approval of a doctor.
Medical authorities and the health sector should ensure fair accountability through proper
selection of an experienced staff, well-formed structure of hospitals, breakdown of private
clinics, and proper selling of legal medicines.

5. Over population/unemployment
The country’s current population is more than 210 million. The growing population has a
negative impact on the country reserves and depletes resources. Unchecked population growth
can be extremely detrimental to Pakistan’s development. For this, a family planning emergency
must be triggered and must be enforced. In 2018, Pakistan became the fifth largest nation on the
planet. Pakistan’s population increased from 40 million in 1955 to 220 million in 72 years. Due
to a high increase in the population, Pakistan is facing serious challenges like shortage of water,
electricity, jobs infrastructure, public transportation, health, education law and order, and other
social issues are prevailing in the society. The population is a big threat for Pakistan. Lack of
economic development, quality jobs and youth bulge are generating social disharmony. This
discourages many a talented idealist who wishes to contribute at home, but finds the only
opportunities to ply his trade and skills are abroad.
Connected with joblessness, and running parallel to it, is the spectra of overpopulation. Its
incidental effects have led to deforestation, environmental pollution, poverty, and crime as well
as more shrinkage of space for employment opportunities.
 6. Energy crisis
PAKISTAN has been facing an energy crisis since 2007. The main reason for the current crisis is
that in the past no efforts were made to ensure increase in power-generation capacity along with
increase in population growth.
An energy crisis is any great shortfall in the supply of energy resources to an economy.
Electricity is the basic need of human life. It has great importance as it is directly related to every
country's economy.
Pakistan energy requirements are increasing day by day and not only economic growth but
political stability is linked with the availability of energy resources. Wapda and Kesc purchase
expensive oil and transfer the cost to consumers.
When governments purchase more oil, then prices in the international market also increase.
When the price of electricity is raised, then the whole economy gets disturbed as a result of
inflation and increase in the prices of items of everyday use.The major reason which has led to
the energy crises is the wrong policies of the government. It has lack of taking decisions and
corruption is another major reason. The current shortage of electricity in Pakistan clearly implies
failure on the part of the government to tackle it. The government should produce electricity
through coal, wind and water as it is cheaper than the actual cost. Hydroelectricity is the cheapest
source of electricity.

7. Corruption
Corruption is one of most chronic issues all over world especially in the third world countries
like Pakistan where it has routed down in government institutions enough that cannot be
eliminated easily following the stakes of powerful bureaucrats and corrupt politicians.
Corruption has spoiled Pakistan completely and is resulting in increase in poverty,
unemployment, hunger and is tarnished the image of the country by bringing immense miseries
to its people. Corruption has been deep routed in all levels either private or government from top
to bottom and anti-corruption institutions have unfavorably failed to address this or even reduce
the ongoing dishonesty and frauds. There are many top politicians who have been reportedly
involved in this misconduct that are concerned with their stakes only without thinking about the
public.
It is the responsibility of every individual to work jointly with the government institutions to
make Pakistan a corruption-free country. Corruption will not prevail in the society until
deserving peoples are given their rights. And this isn’t the Pakistan which our forbearers dreamt
for.

8. Economic crisis
Pakistan is facing from economic challenges from seven decades and in Pakistan the investment
and saving level is down. In recent years’ rapid decrease has been witnessed in factors of
production of Pakistan’s economy. It depends on agriculture huge proportion of national income
is from agriculture. Agriculture sector in recent time has declined it contributes 20% to national
income. Before it was 50% developed countries improve their growth for more production.
The currency of Pakistan has been moving downward day by day due to the political instability
and the misuse of resources by the public. Especially, the imports are very high very high as
compared to exports. Another problem behind the crisis is the increase in loans taken by Pakistan
between 2001 to 2013 from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) by three times. According to
the estimate of 2018, total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is 45% and the total loan is 22.8
trillion rupees.

9. International interference
According to THE LIONS TIMES"Foreign intervention is the use of power of a government of a
society to address perceived problems in foreign societies. These interventions aim to establish a
better condition or a better state of affairs in these societies, but this is from the point of view of
the society intervening. The measures taken by the intervening country can be opposed to what
the society that has been intervened want or consider correct. Of course, there are different ways
of intervention. A country can intervene on the affairs of another country by soft means, like
offering monetary aid, or by harsh means, like a military occupation." (THE LIONS TIMES,
2019)
Countries that Interfere in Pakistan
Russia, United states of America, India, China, Saudi Arabia(2), Iran
Relevance in PAKISTAN
EXAMPLES
1. Indian interference in Baluchistan.
2. US involved in Pakistan after 9/11 to help fight war against terrorism.
3. Drone attacks in Pakistan.(2)
4. 2003 CIA contractor Raymond Allen Dias captured from Lahore, Pakistan after he killed two
young men on streets of Lahore.
5. Saudi Arabian help to Pakistani government for testing of nuclear warheads, supporting the
jihadi activists in Pakistan and helping corrupt politicians.
What leads to Foreign Interference
1. Economic Causes
2. War and politics
Recently, at the International Conference organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission
Chairman Human Rights Network, Pakistan, Liaquat Baloch raised his concerns regarding the
ongoing sectarian issues in Pakistan due to foreign interventions.