Pushing to End Poverty in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan- For the past two decades, Pakistan has been ravaged by natural disasters and violence. Ranking near the top as one of the most tumultuous and dangerous countries in Asia, Pakistan has seen its fair share of dark times. Damaged by ongoing terrorism, energy shortages, natural disasters and political and social instability, the region is still in need of outside assistance and has received such aid from global organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and European Union.

Since then, a number of different agendas have been implemented into the region such as the Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation, which has continued to yield positive results since 2010.

Specifically, in some the most vulnerable areas in Pakistan, where violence, poverty, and unrest runs rampant, government officials have made it their goal to eradicate poverty in their post-2015 developmental agenda. Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz, a Pakistani delegate, who spoke at a General Assembly Second Committee hearing, said, “The need for a new global development framework for both today’s and future generations has never been greater.” With a population of around 170 million people, Pakistan is still suffering the effects of torrential rain and flooding which in 2011 submerged roughly one-fifth of the country’s total landmass and displaced millions of men, women and children.

Pakistan’s objective to right its path, eliminate poverty, and restore political and social balance to the region is already well underway. Recently, a loan agreement between the Government of Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank has been signed by Country Director Werner Liepach and Benazir Income Support Programme officials in an effort to provide monthly cash stipends to the most vulnerable people in the region.

This $430 million loan agreement will help piece together the fragmented foundations of everyday life for suffering Pakistanis, particularly women. The first loan transaction of approximately $50 million will be released before the end of December this year.

Dirk Meganck, who reigns as the Director for Asia in the Directorate General of the European Commission, showcased some of the most successful E.U. operations in Pakistan to several United Nation agencies and government officials. Many of these EU operations are implemented all across Pakistan from remotely impoverished villages to busy metropolitan cities.

Meganck stated that simple projects such as teaching populations in Pakistan basic technical and vocational skills will help stimulate the economy and increase competitiveness. With an increasing large working class, “Projections show that by 2050 Pakistan’s working population will be twice the size it is today, which is why it’s, critical, for the country’s stability that young people are provided with employable skills suited to the needs of the modern economy.”

Considering the average household in Pakistan spends nearly 70 percent of their income on food, it is no wonder that the economy has been turbulent at best as people can only afford to spend 30 percent of their earnings on other services such as health and education. This is why it is important to look beyond the obvious problems of poverty in Pakistan, and looks towards finding a sustainable solution that will last for futures to come.

– Jeffrey Scott Haley
Feature Writer

Sources: World Food Programme, Business Recorder, The Express Tribune, The Nation
Photos: News Pakistan