Rawalpindi Women University

Group Members
Irsa Tariq (03)
Hafsa Khan (05)
Assignment
Ayesha Khan (06)
National Issues Esha Umer (07)
Eman (08)
Hira Anwar (13)
Course Code: MC-204F Noor Javed (14)
Noureen Murtaza (15)
Course Title: National and International Affair
Tayyaba Zulfiqar (16)
Department: Mass Communication
Munaza Azam (17)
th
Semester: 4 Nazish (18)
Date: 12th August, 2022 Ayesha Jamil (21)
Hufsah Atul Munem (22)
 National Issues
1. Political instability:
The unstable structure of a government and its inclination to collapse in a short time due to
unstable political structures.
Economic growth and political stability are deeply interconnected. On the one hand, the
uncertainty associated with an unstable political environment may reduce investment and the
pace of economic development. On the other hand, poor economic performance may lead to
government collapse and political unrest. However, political stability can be achieved through
oppression or through having a political party in place that does not have to compete to be re-
elected.

Political instability as national issue:

Political instability has created a disturbing image for Pakistan globally.
Throughout the history of Pakistan, one can experience a completely chaotic condition in
Pakistan’s political system particularly, after the 2013 controversial elections which brought
Nawaz Sharif into power. The Nawaz regime was in a complicated quagmire which resulted in
a fumbling economy and pushed democracy into long-lasting fallout. Ultimately, the Nawaz
regime came to its downfall given the fact that he was not sincere to the nation and proved to
be involved in money laundering. Since then, an environment of ebb and flow has been
cultivated in the structure of the political system of Pakistan.
Even by the standards of Pakistan’s perpetually unstable politics, the last ten weeks in the
country have been exceptionally turbulent. Pakistan has a new government as of April 11 after
Imran Khan was forced out via a vote of no confidence. The weeks leading up to the vote, from
the filing of the motion on March 8 to the vote on April 10, were dramatic and full of intrigue.
Now, the country is in economic and political crisis. Shahbaz Sharif’s new government has
been in a state of decision paralysis and is struggling to find its footing, while the ousted prime
minister is leading rallies across the country attacking the government’s legitimacy and calling
for fresh elections.
Khan has used his ejection to galvanize his supporters. Day after day, in huge rallies across the
country, he calls the new government an “imported government” and the new prime minister a
“crime minister.” Khan has used his rallies and interviews to command media attention, and
argues that his government’s fall returned to power the corrupt politicians that are responsible
for Pakistan’s problems
The new government, led by the PML-N’s Shahbaz Sharif, faces formidable challenges — and
not just from Khan. Shahbaz’s brother, three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who
was deposed in 2017 on corruption charges and now lives in London, still exercises outsized
control over the party, and indeed the government. Shahbaz, a three-time former chief minister
of Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab, has throughout his political career played second
fiddle to the more charismatic Nawaz. Last week, the prime minister and key members of his
cabinet made a sudden trip to London to consult with Nawaz on the direction of the new
government. While they were overseas, Pakistan’s economy continued its downward spiral.
The rupee continued its precipitous slide relative to the dollar; the stock market also lost value.
The government faces a key decision on whether to continue costly, unsustainable fuel
subsidies that Khan’s government installed, and that the International Monetary Fund wants
removed as a precondition for renewing Pakistan’s loan program. Removing subsidies would
certainly be unpopular, which worries a government with limited time in office before the next
election.
A major question contributing to the political uncertainty in Pakistan is the timing of the next
election, which must be held by the summer of 2023. Khan has made clear that he wants to ride
his present momentum to immediate elections. In the days preceding his downfall, he aimed to
deprive the then-opposition of a runway in government by extra-constitutionally dissolving
parliament, a decision Pakistan’s Supreme Court (correctly) reversed. The new government,
for its part, can use its time in power to turn things in its favor, including resolving outstanding
corruption cases.
In the end, what Pakistan’s soaring political tension amounts to is an opportunistic struggle for
power. It has left the country a political tinderbox. And in all of it, little regard is displayed on
either side for the ongoing suffering of ordinary Pakistanis, who continue to pay the price for
the country’s long history of political instability.

2. Governance:
Governance has been defined to refer to structures and processes that are designed to ensure
accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness,
empowerment, and broad-based participation. Governance is the way authority is exerted to
manage a country’s economic and social resources for development.

Governance Issues in Pakistan:

Good governance, according to several politicians, planners, and economists, is critical for
long-term progress. There are several roadblocks to good administration in Pakistan, but some
of them must be addressed immediately. Issues of governance should be resolved, and obstacles
should be met to advance the nation’s cause.

 Democratic Instability:

Pakistan governance issues start with the democratic instability in the country. Democracy is
widely regarded as the most ideal form of government. Democracy and effective governance
are interrelated. Pakistan has been plagued by political unrest since independence, resulting in
governance challenges. Good administration has become a utopian dream for the country due
to political upheaval and democratic instability. From 1988 to 2017, Pakistan’s good
governance was harmed by frequent government transitions. The military dictator’s repeated
takeovers in Pakistan aggravated the country’s governance difficulties (Mezzera, 2009).
  Corruption and Lack of Accountability:

Good governance is built on the foundation of accountability. However, it is uncommon in

Pakistani political culture. Good government necessitates accountability. There has been no
genuine effort in Pakistan to ensure accountability and transparency. In a practical sense, the
lack of accountability has aided corruption in the country. Controlling corruption and abuses
of power and privileges requires accountability. Poor governance has resulted from the
country’s crippled accountability system. Pakistan was placed 116th out of 176 nations on the
Global Corruption Perception Index due to pervasive corruption (2016) (Imran, 2018).

 Outdated Induction System:

Recruitment is critical to the system’s operation because the entire system is dependent on the
recruitment of qualified individuals. The outdated induction system, which has been in place
for decades as a matter of status quo policy, is one of Pakistan’s key governance concerns.
According to the job’s terms of reference, both the Federal Public Service Commission and the
Provincial Service Commission must revisit the selection criteria. These organizations are
enlisting misfits to fill critical positions in the country. The induction system should be purely
based on merit.

 Institutional confrontation:

Throughout Pakistan’s history, there have been numerous clashes between the various
institutions. When institutions exceed their constitutional powers and functions, this occurs.
The parliament, judiciary, and military are regarded as the country’s cornerstones. The absence
of harmonization and checks and balances invariably results in a battle between institutions.
The judiciary has a critical role in limiting the institutions that fall under its constitutional
authority. Unfortunately, the court has failed to perform its proper function, and as a result, the
struggle for dominance among the state’s institutions has produced problems for effective
administration.

The Way Forward:

Pakistan isn’t the only country plagued by governance challenges. Other countries are also
facing similar issues, and Pakistan could benefit from their experience in developing an
effective governance system. It is necessary to strengthen governmental institutions rather than
individuals, but it is also essential to empower individuals to participate in sustainability
development. Decentralizing authority from feudal lords and elite politicians to local
authorities is also a key need for good government. To attract and retain the best employees,
the proper skills must be developed. Workers’ salaries must be adequate, and legislation must
be enacted to improve accountability and transparency and punish corrupt individuals harshly.
Integrated policy-making and execution are critical since it has remained a fundamental flaw.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, Pakistan has been dealing with a governance crisis since its birth. It has been
found that democratic instability, corruption, lack of accountability, and institutional defects
produce governance problems in our country. Pakistan must reconsider its government’s
position and capabilities in governing the current law and order, demographic, financial, and
accountability difficulties, all of which directly impact Pakistan’s governance practices.
Pakistan’s ability to deal with future crises and problems hinges on its quality, adaptability,
and efficacy of its public governance system.

3. Poverty:
A State or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and
essentials to enjoy a minimum standard of life and being that’s considered acceptable in
society. Poverty entails more than the lack of income and productive resources to ensure
sustainable livelihoods. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to
education and other basic services, social discrimination, and exclusion as well as the lack of
participation in decision-making. National poverty lines reflect local perceptions of the level
and composition of consumption or income needed to be non-poor. The perceived boundary
between poor and non-poor typically rises with the average income of a country and thus does
not provide a uniform measure for comparing poverty rates across countries.

Poverty as national issue of Pakistan:

Pakistan is one of the developing countries facing the extreme level of poverty having more
than one third of its populace living below the poverty line. In Pakistan, for instance, the
persons who earn income which cannot meet the daily intake of about 2350 calories per person
are considered to fall below the poverty line. In Pakistan, lack of access to credit, training in
income-generating activities, basic social services and infrastructure are critical factors behind
the persistence of substantial poverty.
There are many interrelated factors that contribute to poverty in developing nation like
Pakistan. Poor governance is the key underlying cause of poverty in Pakistan. The most
commonly enumerated causes in this regard include overpopulation, high living cost, rising
unemployment, inadequate education, environment degradation, unequal distribution of
resources especially agricultural land etc. However, economic vulnerability is a key factor that
leads to social powerlessness, lack of adequate health care political disenfranchisement,
everyday harassment and ill-functioning and distortionary institutions. Economic and social
factors such as the slowdown in GDP growth in the last decade, and the persistence of a
regressive social structure, stemming from the highly unequal distribution of land, have also
contributed manifolds to the increase in poverty.
Consequences & Response Poverty is a global phenomenon that’s psychological effects are
more than socio- economic implications. Poverty and ignorance is a very dangerous
combination. It can trap people in inescapable circles and could lead to frustration and despair.
It not only makes one vulnerable to disease and suffering but to all kinds of exploitations. The
reign free price hike and poverty in Pakistan has led to rampant desperation leading to suicide
and selling out of body parts. Because of the high rate of inflation, inadequate education and
unemployment, a person’s inability to support himself or his family, is a predominant reason
for suicide. Few of the incidences in consequence of poverty are appended below: In June
2008, a woman in Lahore committed suicide with her two children by throwing herself in front
of train. Few month back new papers carried a head line that an unidentified person left his six
children aged between one and 13 years at a charity home in Lahore reportedly because of
poverty and starvation.
Solutions for Poverty:
Following are the Solutions for poverty:

 Educate children
 Provide clean water
 Ensure basic health care
 Empower a girl or woman
 Improve childhood nutrition
 Support environmental programs
 Reach children in conflict
 Prevent child marriage

4. Health issues in Pakistan:

The increasing rate of health issues in Pakistan is alarming. These health issues are leading
to new kinds of diseases that are difficult to treat because of the lack of finances and
economic conditions. Pakistan is currently ranking 1t 122 out of 190 countries in terms of
health care according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite significant
improvements over the past decades, Pakistan has a third-highest rate in the world when it
comes to infant mortality.

Healthcare in Pakistan:
 More than 60 million people are living below the poverty line in Pakistan. These people
cannot even meet their basic needs due to limited finance. Additionally, if they are
diagnosed with any disease, they have nowhere to go. The local hospitals, nurses, and
doctors are not enough to cater to all the underprivileged people in Pakistan. The
government has not made health care in Pakistan a priority.
 Local hospitals have been treating poor people for free but they are not able to cater to
many people at a time due to lack of resources. Also, if patients need surgical treatment
from local hospitals, then they have to wait for a long time because of the waiting list.
By the time their turn comes, the patient either expires or their health gets worse. There
is a backlog of more than 2 million surgeries in Pakistan and the number is increasing
with each passing day.
 On the other hand, people living in rural communities are not aware of their disease due
to which they are not able to get proper treatment on time. There are a number of
 diseases that are widespread in Pakistan and poor people are mostly suffering from
them. The main reason is lack of awareness and finance. Following is the list of top
health issues in Pakistan:
 Malaria
The majority of people living in slums suffer from Malaria. This disease is caused when
mosquitoes breed on unclean water and unsanitary conditions which is very common in rural
areas. Malaria can cause death too if left untreated. It is one of the top health issues in Pakistan.
 Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is another major disease affecting a large number of people in Pakistan.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan ranks in one of the top 5
countries that are highly prone to tuberculosis. This disease spreads by sneezing and coughing
and can become deadly if not treated on time.
 Dengue Fever
Dengue fever has been affecting people since 2010. In Pakistan, it has taken thousands of lives
of people living in rural areas. Dengue is a viral infection which is caused by a specific
mosquito type. It causes fever, severe headache, and weakness in the patient. Even after many
years, dengue is still prevailing across the country.
 Cancer
Cancer is another deadly disease that is one of the leading causes of death in Pakistan. The two
major cancer types that are widespread in Pakistan are breast cancer and lung cancer. More
than 40,000 women in Pakistan die every year because of breast cancer. There is a lack of
awareness and proper health care facilities due to which cancer is rising at an alarming rate in
Pakistan. On the other hand, lung cancer is caused mainly because of smoking as Pakistan is
the largest consumer of tobacco in South Asia.
 Ischemic Heart Disease
Ischemic Heart disease is one of the most fatal diseases in Pakistan. Factors such as pollution,
unhealthy food, unclean water, and smoking give rise to this heart disease. In rural and slum
areas of Pakistan, people don’t have enough resources to treat themselves if they suffer from
heart disease. This results in causing further health problems and even deaths.
 Stroke
Around 350,000 cases of stroke are reported in Pakistan each year. Stroke is one of the leading
causes of death in Pakistan. Depressive symptoms in particular, but also the chronic stress in
life, increases the risk of older people having a stroke or transient ischemic attack. There is a
need for a better understanding of important, potentially modifiable stroke risk factors,
including stress and negative emotions among the patients to avoid strokes.
 Diabetes
More than 7 million people are suffering from diabetes in Pakistan right now. Lack of nutritious
food and awareness is increasing the number of diabetic patients in the country. According to
the study, by 2030 Pakistan will be among the top 5 countries having the largest diabetic
population in the world.
 Hepatitis
Hepatitis A and E are formed through the consumption of unhealthy food and drinking unclean
water. Since the hygiene conditions are far from satisfactory in the rural and slum areas of
Pakistan, hepatitis is increasing with each passing day. The symptoms of such hepatitis include
diarrhea, jaundice, and fever. Hepatitis E also affects the urinary tract in the body. On the other
hand, hepatitis B and C are also very common all over Pakistan. Hepatitis B and C are formed
because of blood transfusions and sharing pieces of equipment such as razors, toothbrushes,
and other household articles.
 HIV/AIDS
According to the UNAIDS, it is estimated that there are around 100,000 HIV positive cases in
Pakistan. The major cause of this disease in Pakistan is the use of infected syringes among drug
addicts. Sindh has the highest rate of HIV with more than 50,000 patients. The government
needs to take serious action to prevent HIV AIDS in Pakistan as the number of patients with
this disease is growing at an alarming rate with each passing year.
 Maternal and Child Health
Mother and child health is a serious issue that is widespread in rural areas than that in cities.
Due to lack of proper food, awareness, and treatment, women in rural areas suffer during their
pregnancy resulting in poor health of their babies. In many cases, babies are born dead or they
suffer from minor to major birth defects. Maternal and child health is one of the serious health
issues in Pakistan which needs immediate action.
 Diarrhea
More than 300,000 children die because of diarrhea every year in Pakistan. Children in rural
areas mostly suffer from this disease because of an unhealthy diet and unhygienic living
conditions. Due to limited finance, the families of these children are unable to provide them
with medical treatment. These conditions result in the deaths of thousands of children suffering
from diarrhea in rural areas. Diarrhea is one of the leading health issues in Pakistan.
 Hypertension
Around 20% of the total population in Pakistan is suffering from hypertension making it one
of the top health issues in Pakistan. Due to a lack of money, people with hypertension don’t
seek medical treatment. Hypertension, if not treated on time may lead to other serious health
issues including stroke, heart, and kidney diseases.

5. Education:
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting
knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of
understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty.
Issues in educational system of Pakistan:
 Social constraints:
It is important to realize that the problems which hinder the provision of education are not just
due to issues of management by government but some of them are deeply rooted in the social
and cultural orientation of the people. Overcoming the latter is difficult and would require a
change in attitude of the people, until then universal primary education is difficult to achieve.
 Gender gap:
Major factors that hinder enrolment rates of girls include poverty, cultural constraints, illiteracy
of parents and parental concerns about safety and mobility of their daughters. Society’s
emphasis on girl’s modesty, protection and early marriages may limit family’s willingness to
send them to school. Enrolment of rural girls is 45% lower than that of urban girls; while for
boys the difference is 10% only, showing that gender gap is an important factor.
 Cost of education:
The economic cost is higher in private schools, but these are located in richer settlements only.
The paradox is that private schools are better but not everywhere and government schools
ensure equitable access but do not provide quality education.
 War on Terror:
Pakistan’s engagement in war against terrorism also affected the promotion of literacy
campaign. The militants targeted schools and students; several educational institutions were
blown up, teachers and students were killed in Balochistan, KPK and FATA. This may have to
contribute not as much as other factors, but this remains an important factor.
 Funds for Education:
Pakistan spends 2.4% GDP on education. At national level, 89% education expenditure
comprises of current expenses such as teachers’ salaries, while only 11% comprises of
development expenditure which is not sufficient to raise quality of education.
 Technical Education:
Sufficient attention has not been paid to the technical and vocational education in Pakistan. The
number of technical and vocational training institutes is not sufficient and many are deprived
of infrastructure, teachers and tools for training. The population of a state is one of the main
elements of its national power. It can become an asset once it is skilled. Unskilled population
means more jobless people in the country, which affects the national development negatively.
Therefore, technical education needs priority handling by the government.

Solutions:
There is a need for implementation of national education policy and vision 2030 education
goals. An analysis of education policy suggests that at the policy level there are several
admirable ideas, but practically there are some shortcomings also.
  It may not be possible for the government at the moment to implement uniform
education system in the country, but a uniform curriculum can be introduced in
educational institutes of the country. This will provide equal opportunity to the students
of rural areas to compete with students of urban areas in the job market.
 Since majority of Pakistani population resides in rural areas and the access to education
is a major problem for them, it seems feasible that a balanced approach for formal and
informal education be adopted. Government as well as non-government sector should
work together to promote education in rural areas.
 The government should take measures to get school buildings vacated which are
occupied by feudal lords of Sindh, Baluchistan and Punjab. Efforts should be made to
ensure that proper education is provided in those schools.
 The federal government is paying attention to the vocational and technical training, but
it is important to make the already existing vocational and technical training center’s
more efficient so that skilled youth could be produced.

Recommendations:
 Providing economic incentives to the students may encourage the parents to send their
children to school and may help in reducing the dropout ratio.
 Local government system is helpful in promoting education and literacy in the country.
In local government system the funds for education would be spent on a need basis by
the locality.
 Corruption in education departments is one of the factors for the poor literacy in the
country. An effective monitoring system is needed in education departments.
 For any system to work it is imperative that relevant structures are developed.
Legislation and structure should be framed to plan for the promotion of education in
the country.
 Unemployment of educated men and women is a major concern for Pakistan. There
should be career counselling of the pupils in schools so that they have an understanding
of job market and they can develop their skills accordingly.
 There are two approaches to acquiring education: First, which is being followed by
many in Pakistan is to get education to earn bread and butter. The second approach is
to get education for the sake of personal development and learning. This approach is
followed by affluent and economically stable people who send their children to private
schools and abroad for education. The problem arises when non-affluent families send
their children to private schools, and universities. This aspiration for sending children
for higher education is wrong, because the country does not need managers and officers
only. There are several other jobs where people are needed. Hence the mind-set of
sending one’s children to university only for becoming officers and managers needs to
be changed.
 6. Population:
A group of individuals or items that share one or more characteristics from which data can be
gathered and analyzed called Population. A population is a reproductive group because
organisms usually breed with members of their own populations.
A population is the number of living people that live together in the same place. A city’s
population is the number of people living in that city. These people are called inhabitants or
residents. The population includes all individuals that live in that certain area.
Population Situation in Pakistan:
According to the economic survey of Pakistan 2010-11, the total population of Pakistan is
177.1 million against the 173.5 million in last year. Population growth rate is 2.1 % and in the
list of most populous countries, Pakistan is at 6th number.

Effects of Population Growth on National Development:

 Low Per Capital Income:
The population growth reduces per capita income of the people because national income is
divided by a big size of population. Per capital income of Pakistan is $ 1254 during 2010-11.

 Unemployment, Under-employment and Disguised-unemployment:

It is impossible to provide jobs to such highly growing population in Pakistan.
It results in unemployment, under-employment and disguised- unemployment.
Rate of unemployment in Pakistan is 5.6%.

 Low Growth of Agriculture Sector:

Very fast growth rate of population is a pressure on land.
It caused to use of agricultural products at domestic level, increase in the landless workers and
shortage of food.
Growth rate of agriculture sector is 1.2%

 Low Saving and Low Investment:

The rapidly increasing population increases the expenditure of government. It reduces the
saving and investment.
Low level of saving & investment means economic backwardness.

 High Rate of Inflation:

There is more demand for goods due to more population.
More demand results in more prices and inflation in the country.
Rate of inflation is 14.1 % in Pakistan.
  Pollution:
There is not any effective system to control the pollution.
Capitalists install industries with billion dollars of resources but do not install treatment plants
of million rupees.
The rapid growth of population creates pollution, unplanned colonies and environment
problems.

Strategies to control rapid Population Growth:

Countries need to control rapid population growth and they also need to develop in a way that
allows people of today to get the things they need without stopping people in the future getting
what they need.

 Control the Birth Rate

 Late Marriages
 High Literacy Rate
 Women Employment
 Family Planning
 Increase in Employment

Over Population:
Overpopulation refers to the exceeding of certain threshold limits of population density when
environmental resources fail to meet the requirements of individual organisms regarding
shelter, nutrition and so forth. It gives rise to high rates of mortality and morbidity.

Problems due to over population in Pakistan:

 Population is large, but the country is small:
The population of Pakistan is the fifth highest in the world, but it only makes up 0.59 percent
of the Earth’s surface. Compared to other countries with high populations, Pakistan takes up
the smallest amount of space. This means that Pakistan is dealing with more consequences than
other highly-populated nations because of its lack of space.
 The Population may double in 30 years:
The United Nations reported that Pakistan’s population will rise to 400 million by 2050,
doubling its current amount. Even now, overpopulation in Pakistan is a major issue, so the
negative consequences of a large population will significantly worsen with the anticipated
population increase.
 Birth-rate and death rate are significantly different:
The high birth-rate and low death rate both contribute to Pakistan’s overpopulation problem.
At 27.7 births per 1,000 people, the birth-rate in Pakistan is one of the highest in the world
outside of Africa. By comparison, Pakistan’s death rate is 7.228 per 1,000. This vast difference
between the number of people being born and those dying has led to a steadily increasing
population.
 There are more children than adults:
As a result of the high birth-rate, 60 percent of Pakistan’s population is still under the age of
30. This has dangerous consequences because more resources are required to raise more
children. With nearly 39 percent of families living in poverty, it can be difficult to provide for
so many children.
 Education suffers when there are too many students:
Education is an important step in reducing poverty. The Baluchistan Education Sector Plan
was put in place by the Global Partnership for Education in 2013 to address the problem of the
quality of education. The group was able to focus on reducing dropouts by developing learning
standards, making a new language policy that would facilitate healthier learning and investing
in teachers. The number of students enrolled in primary school increased by about 100,000 in
one year thanks to a combined effort in school reform.
 Pakistan takes in a high number of refugees:
Pakistan’s Indian refugee population alone is around two million. This is among the highest of
all countries’ refugee populations. Even still, the prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan,
supported granting citizenship to at least 1.5 million Afghan and Bengali refugees despite the
extreme costs.
 Overpopulation can lead to food insecurity:
Approximately 60 percent of Pakistanis already live with food insecurity. If the population
continues to increase, families will resort to using agricultural lands for settlement as the urban
areas become more crowded. This will decrease agricultural production, making resources even
more scarce and expensive.
 Overpopulation puts pressure on the water supply:
Pakistan’s water supply is becoming scarce due to the increase in the population. The supply
should hold steady at 191 million acre-feet by 2025; however, the demand will increase to 274
million acre-feet. This means that the people of Pakistan will be approximately 83 million-acre
feet short of an important, life-giving resource. Pakistan’s Karachi Water Partnership, a group
of 200 activists, has reached out to thousands of children in 25 Pakistani schools to raise
awareness on saving water. The group was able to repair pipes and resolve hygiene issues in
the schools within 15 months.
 The government has not made a plan of action:
Pakistan’s government has discussed the possibility of decreasing the population growth rate
from 2.1 percent as of 2018 to 1.5 percent by 2025, but no official plans have been established.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan even proposed a two-child limit on families, but the idea was
met with strong opposition from the conservative Muslim majority.
 7. Human Rights:
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality,
ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and
liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work
and education, and many more.
Human rights are important as they are needed to protect and preserve every individual's
humanity, to ensure that every individual can live a life of dignity and a life that is worthy of a
human being.

Human Rights violation in Pakistan:

In Pakistan, there are thousands of human rights violations.
 Abuses against Women and Girls:
Violence against women and girls—including rape, murder, acid attacks, domestic violence,
and forced marriage—remains a serious problem throughout Pakistan. Human rights defenders
estimate that roughly 1,000 women are killed in so-called honor killings every year. Data from
domestic violence helplines across Pakistan indicated that cases of domestic violence increased
200 percent from January-March 2020, and further worsened during the Covid-19 lockdowns
after March. Almost 28% of women aged 15-49 had experienced partner violence in their
lifetimes. It is due to low economical status of women, lack of awareness about women rights.
In August, a Human Rights Ministry report found that women in prison receive inadequate
medical care and live in poor conditions. According to the report, Pakistan’s prison laws did
not meet international standards and officials routinely ignored laws meant to protect women
prisoners. The report also found that children who accompany their mothers in prison face
additional risks of poor nutrition and lack of education.
Child marriage remains a serious problem in Pakistan, with 21 percent of girls marrying before
age 18, and 3 percent marrying before 15. Women from religious minority communities remain
particularly vulnerable to forced marriage. The government has done little to stop such forced
marriages.
 Right to Health:
In Pakistan, a child’s right to health is endangered from their youngest age. Approximately one
child out of six dies before the age of five. These deaths are ordinarily caused by malnutrition
or the lack of access to clean water and supplies. Every day, around 1,100 Pakistani children
die from diarrhea and illnesses related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Another factor
provoking the early deaths of Pakistani children is the nutritional status of children in Pakistan.
 Right to Education:
Pakistan’s education is improving; however, it is not sufficiently advanced yet. With 23 million
children unable to go to school, only 71% of children attend primary school in Pakistan. The
government allocates 1.8% of its national budget to education, which is undoubtedly
insufficient considering the urgent need. The difficulties of public education are numerous:
economic constraints, dilapidated or even dangerous buildings, lack of toilets, chairs, tables,
recurring humanitarian crises, etc.
 Right to Development:
Sufficient nutrition and a constant supply of water are essential for a child’s development, and
the absence of these elements can directly impact the child’s health. Not only the child but if
the mother suffers from poor nutrition, it may significantly affect the baby in the womb or the
child that is being breastfed. Some of the most prevalent problems that cause child deaths are
malnutrition and the inability to access clean, fresh, and consistent water.
 Access to jobs and lack of facilities:
Unemployment is one of the current social problems of Pakistan, especially for the youth.
When they have finished their education, they cannot find a position where they may put their
abilities to serve their nation. The inability of the government to properly employ youth is the
cause of this. Deteriorating economic conditions also cause reduced investment and fewer job
possibilities. In addition to being a multi-faceted and complex issue, unemployment may lead
to many other types of social problems, such as young engagement in radical politics, bank and
home burglaries, social insecurity, and drug usage. Large numbers of people who work in the
informal economy have no access to social security, health benefits, or occupational safety.
Only 3% of workers in Pakistan are currently unionized. Businesses have increasingly resorted
to hiring contract workers, which allows them to dilute the power of trade unions and escape
paying pensions and employment benefits. In recent years, several people have been killed or
injured in numerous workplace accidents, especially in the garment and ship-breaking
industries.

Recommendations to ensure human rights in Pakistan:

Following are some solution to improve human rights in Pakistan.
 Maintain democratic governance and rule of law
The Government of Pakistan and Pakistani political parties should develop and respect a
national consensus on the essentials of a democratic dispensation that must never be
compromised. Allow women across the country to run in and vote during the elections free of
fear and intimidation.
 Protect minorities, promote tolerance
Ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of cases of sectarian violence. Enact
legislation ensuring freedom of religion and belief for all religious groups. Reinvigorate
genuine efforts to build a tolerant and cohesive society.
 Protect women's rights
Repeal all discriminatory laws, including provisions that enable perpetrators of so-called
“honor crimes” to escape punishment. Take necessary measures to enforce legislation passed
by the outgoing National Assembly aimed at increasing protection for women's rights. Take
measures to establish a unified judicial system. Take urgent measures to increase access to
education and employment for women and girls.
 Enhance economic and social rights
In order to protect garment sector workers from the violation of their rights to safe workplaces
and other internationally recognized labour rights, enact adequate legislation regarding
building, fire and electrical safety standards for the garment sector; ensure remedies for victims
of accidents caused by unsafe working conditions and their relatives. Develop legislative
reforms to implement Pakistan's International Labour Standards obligations and guarantee, in
particular, the rights of trade union at the federal and provincial levels. Eradicating poverty
through education, skill development, and job opportunities in society. Maintaining law and
order situation in the country.

8. Gender:
Gender comes from the Latin word genus which means "kind" or "type". In the few hundred
years before the 1950s, the term 'gender' was used only in the field of grammar. In 1955, a
scientist began to use the word gender in new ways when referring to people, in a way that was
related to their 'sex' but not quite the same.

Types of gender:
There are three types of Gender
1: Male
2: Female
3: Transgender (known as third gender)

Gender discrimination:
Gender discrimination refers to different treatment based on sex, including different
connotations of values that change with cultural context. It is the most common and
longstanding discrimination, and it is triggered by other discriminative behaviors. Gender
discrimination is loftily based on gender stereotype of a fastidious culture, i.e. that considers
males physically powerful and consider females as psychologically sensitive or weak.
 Gender discrimination in Pakistan:
This section discusses the gender discrimination in Pakistan. It especially highlights domestic
violence, honor killings, Swara and Vani, acid throwing and forced marriages. Pakistan is a
developing country which is confronted with a numerous problems; like poverty, illiteracy,
prejudice, joblessness and human rights violence and gender chauvinism. However, the most
critical and emerging issue are gender inequality and disparity in Pakistan. It survives
approximately in all segment of society. Women in Pakistan constitute more than half of the
total population, but they are relegated to a secondary role. Global experiences have repeatedly
established that gender-based violence is persistent across in Pakistan. The discriminatory
attitude towards women as inferior is observed even before their birth. Even a mother greets a
girl child with guilt or despair. As a person, a woman is denied her own identity. A woman
suffers from a neglect health, education and gender biased feeding. She is considered a
commodity possessed by her father before marriage, then by her husband after marriage. She
has no right to take independent decisions that influence her life tremendously. Someone else
takes decisions on her behalf regarding education, marriage, or giving birth to a child, not by
herself. It shows the structure that is reproducing and promoting an unequal relationship
between the two genders. The gender discriminatory structure has deep roots. Women are often
convinced that the work they do at home is their duty and that they do not need and should not
expect any reward for it. While, the work is done by men is considered more valuable in the
sense of social and economic value. Similarly, women do not participate in decision making.
Honor killing is one of the most horrible forms of brutality against women. It is a severe type
of direct physical violence, which is noticeable by immense misery. In contemporary scenario,
Pakistan has been criticized because of the dramatic increase in the occurrence of honor killings
in the state. It is necessary to know about definitions and genuine reasons behind the brutal
murder of females in the name of honor. Honor killings can also be explained as extra-judicial
penalty of a female relative for implicit sexual and marriage offences. These offences, which
are considered as a transgression or abuse, include sexual faithlessness, marrying without the
will of parents or having a relationship that the family considers to be wrong and rebelling
against the tribal and social matrimonial customs. These acts of killing women are justified on
the basis that the offence has brought disgrace and dishonor to family or tribe.
 Gender Discrimination in Education Sector:
This section discusses that there is gender inequality in education sector also in Pakistan.
Gender disparities also exist in educational achievement between rural and urban areas among
the provinces in Pakistan. As above described that Pakistan is a patriarchal society, where
women suffer all types of prejudice, resultant in low social, economic and political status in
the society. Gender inequality in education can be measured by looking the gross and net
enrollment rates and completion and drop rates. Cultural boundaries discourage parents from
sending their daughters to co-education schools .There have been circumstances when the girls
are registered in boys‟ institutions up to Matric level, representing those institutions of girls
falling short. Likewise, poor physical environment or lack of fundamental services in
educational institutions also discourages parents from sending their girls to schools for
education.
 Gender Discrimination in Employment Sector:
The women in Pakistan have seen discrimination in employment more than males. There are
many factors of female employment discrimination like low literacy rate, marriage, and child
bearing and the environment. Many female are not allowed to do job with a male in Pakistani
society, because it is considered against the honor of family. It is a male dominated society and
mostly family males do not want that their daughters and sisters to work on an equal basis with
them. To provide the safe environment free of harassment and implementation of “Protection
against harassment of women at workplace” bill will take a time to change the mind set of
society. In the past two decades, in Pakistan, there has been little change in the organization of
work in the employment sector. Now women are entering into professional employment which
was previously considered a male domain. Women work is getting recognition as being
essential for development of the economy and for improving their status. However by keeping
the same idea in mind most women are still discriminated against the employment sector.
Employment laws in the formal sectors do not discriminate against men and women, there the
same rules apply in the promotion, and there is also no discrimination of male and female pay
scale in same the grade. However, a recent study on women employment in formal sectors
show that despite the equal legislation women are still discriminated when it comes to the
matter of promotion. In the employment sectors there are fewer females in decision making
and there are very few females as compare to male in the higher posts. The number of women
on top level institutions indicates the scarcity of data on women participation in different
employment sectors. In the informal sectors the women are employed in low cadre jobs in
industrial units. Hardly any women reach the managerial level. There is also discrimination in
the wages of male and female in informal sectors.

Transgender:
Transgender people and other marginalized communities in Pakistan often face discrimination
and violence, both from communities and the government. The transgender community is one
of the most marginalized communities in Pakistan. They are often shunned by their families
and communities at large, and live on the fringes of society. They face immense discrimination
and violence, both physical and mental. As a result, they often don’t have access to education,
employment, healthcare or even basic human rights. And yet, in spite of all the odds stacked
up against them, many transgender people are working towards creating inclusive spaces for
themselves and other members of their community.

Issues of transgender:

The transgender community in Pakistan faces several issues ranging from social to economic,
and legal problems. Some of the most pressing issues faced by the community include:

 Social isolation and exclusion:

The transgender community in Pakistan is often socially isolated and excluded. This is due to
the fact that many people believe that they do not conform to traditional gender roles and
norms. They are often ostracized by family members, friends, and society at large, leading to
loneliness, depression, and anxiety.

 Economic marginalization:

The transgender community in Pakistan also faces economic marginalization. This is because
they often do not have access to education or employment. Many members of the community
are forced to beg or resort to sex work in order to survive. This can lead to further social
isolation and ostracism.
  Lack of legal recognition:

The transgender community in Pakistan also lacks legal recognition. They are not entitled to
the same rights and protections as other citizens making them vulnerable to abuse and
exploitation.

 Discrimination:

There is little knowledge about the rights, needs and experiences of transgender people in
Pakistan which leads to discrimination. This is because they are often seen as being “different”
or “abnormal” by society, leading to them being treated unfairly in all areas of life, including
education, employment, and housing.

 Violence:

The transgender community is also at risk of violence. This is because they are often seen as
easy targets by criminals and members of the general public. This can lead to them being
physically and verbally abused, or even killed.

A number of associated challenges are also evident in the transgender community. One is that
some members of the transgender community are particularly vulnerable to getting infected
with HIV/AIDS due to their engagement in unprotected sex work. As a result, the rate of HIV
infection among transgender people is alarmingly high, making the need for adequate
healthcare that much more important. The community also faces a high rate of mental health
problems because so many people suffer from social isolation, discrimination, and violence.
As a result, many members of the community report experiencing depression, anxiety, and
other mental health disorders.

Solutions to Gender Issues:

 Provide equal Opportunity (Parity)

 Promote education, training and professional development for women and transgender.
 Fundamental Rights of the Gender.
 Freedom to Movement.
 Equal treatment of women with men at work.
 Representation (Public and Private sector)
 Women Empowerment.
 Ensure Health, safety and well-being of all women, transgender and men.
 Protection against domestic violence and abuses.
 Legislation against Domestic violence and in the name of Honor killings.
 Implement creative development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower
women.