Laraib Nisar
Pakistan is a highly diverse country. Diversity and variety are core defining features of Pakistan. From geographical features, to ethnicity and culture and even socio-politico-economic structure , the country varies largely. A close observation of the difference in quality of life and available resources across different regions of the country shows that Pakistan is a country that is living in several centuries simultaneously. While some of the country’s cities and provinces are highly developed and match the international standards, some areas are lagging so far behind that they don’t even meet the basic living standards required for sustenance of human life.
Inequalities and disparities are so deep rooted in the Pakistani society that they have become a key defining feature of the social setup of Pakistan. This article explains in detail how there is difference in the quality of life in different regions across the country, and ways to lessen these deeply engrained discrepancies.
Infrastructural Development:
Infrastructure plays a key role in economic growth. Pakistan has made tremendous infrastructural development in the last decade, but unfortunately, the infrastructural development is done in the urban centers only. While Islamabad is ranked as the 2nd most beautiful capital city in the world, the remote areas of KPK, Sindh, Balochistan, and Southern Punjab lack even the basic infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools. Such inequalities haven’t only increased public resentment and grievances but also have led to an increase in urbanization since people are moving fast towards major cities.
Economic Development:
Pakistan has a developing economy, and one of the biggest reasons behind it lagging behind in the economic domain is the financial disparities among people. With more than 55 million people living below the poverty line and a huge chunk of people living in the lower middle class, Pakistan’s overall Palma ratio [a figure which shows the differences between those in the top and bottom income brackets] stands at 4.7, meaning that the richest quintile has 4.7 times the income of the poorest quintile. This economic inequality directly influences the quality of life in the country, and while some are living as per the international standards with all the amenities, the majority is living in pathetic conditions deprived of even the basics like food and clean drinking water. Another striking feature of Pakistan’s economy is that the rich are getting richer, while the poor becoming poorer. Moreover, the budget allocation to different provinces, though on the basis of population, is another bone of contention among the provinces who have grievances that unequal distribution has led to the segregation of provinces as rich and poor provinces.
Gender Affairs:
Inequalities and discrimination on the basis of gender is another problem affecting Pakistan’s social structure. Though the male-female ratio in Pakistan’s population is even still males are the privileged class not only in terms of rights and liberties, but also in terms of economic activities and opportunities. According to a World Bank report, only 20% of Pakistan’s workforce is female, which shows how women are kept deprived of equal work opportunities. Another worrisome factor is that though a lot of women do perform economic activity, they’re never included in the formal workforce as they are assisting men in agriculture, handicrafts, industrial businesses and hence remain in the informal domain, while the men leading the businesses reap the fruits of the entrepreneurial venture. Cultural and social barriers are the major reasons behind gender disparities in the country.
Academia:
The disparities among the public aren’t focused in the economic, infrastructural and demographic sectors, in fact there is a stark difference in the quality and number of educational institutes across the country. While the educational institutes in the center, provincial capitals, and bigger cities are in line with the international standards, those in rural and remote areas are either absent altogether on dysfunctional. The lack of facilities for the provision of a fundamental human right [as per the constitution of Pakistan and the UN charter], urges the youth from such areas to migrate to the cities to get education, which only financially sound people can do. This inequality leads to an increase in competition for such individuals, All the good jobs, internships, and scholarship opportunities are secured by students from urban backgrounds, while those weak academically and personality wise remain deprived of any good opportunity that becomes available.
The above are only few of the areas where inequalities persist and are fueling the fire of national disunity. It must be kept in mind that such smaller grievances often culminate into rebellious, and separatist sentiments in the public hence destroying national unity and the writ of the state. It is high time for the government to pay heed to the protests of the marginalized segments of the society and make tangible efforts to shrink the gap between the elite and common public of the country. The first step can be the equal provision of basic economic and development rights to all the areas of the country. With proper financial inclusion policies in place for the poor and devoid fraction of the society, half the problems currently faced by the country can be solved. Moreover, the government should focus on the elimination of discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, ethnicity, or socio-economic class of the public in the sectors of jobs, entrepreneurship, and education. Though excellent steps are being taken by the government including the implementation of a Single National Curriculum to ensure uniformity of the quality of education across the country, but the focus should be on the implementation and modification of the already existing policies along with the formulation of new policies addressing the issues of all sectors of the society.
The author Laraib Nisar is a Defense and Strategic Studies graduate, working as a Program Coordinator at the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Islamabad.
