THE MAIN REASONS BEHIND A SERIOUS ISSUE IN PAKISTAN

What is poverty? You may ask. Poverty is about not having enough money to meet basic needs including food, clothing, and shelter. However, poverty is more, much more than just not having enough money. Poverty is a beast that has hunted many people across the globe leaving its perilous effects not only on those who are affected by it but also on society and the nation.

Pakistan is a third-world (developing) nation in south-east Asia. It is affected by poverty to a great extent for numerous reasons. This report highlights the major reasons for poverty in Pakistan. The reasons are as follows

1.population growth: Pakistan is the 5th most populous country with a population exceeding 225.5 million. At 1.86%, Pakistan has the highest population growth rate in the world. By 2050, the country will surpass 350 million people. Due to such a large population, many people have become unemployed due to a lack of jobs. population in Pakistan is increasing day by day. the main reason for such high growth is the lack of family planning. Consequently, a large population has caused unemployment, poverty and, lawlessness.

2. uneducated populace: Pakistan faces poverty due to nearly half its population being illiterate. 7.26 million children are out of school due to poverty. According to an Institute of Social and Policy Sciences report, “Pakistan has the second-highest number of out-of-school children in the world after Nigeria because Pakistan spends the lowest GDP on education in South Asian countries.” The report claims this lack of spending is detrimentally affecting the nation’s school system. Due to many people being illiterate, employment is very difficult for most poor families and thus many are homeless. Without education and job skills training, young people cannot adopt the skills needed for employment. Existing systems fail to address the skills demanded by employers, and this hinders economic growth and societal development. Without adequate education, people remain unemployed and do not have the opportunity to rise out of poverty.

3. inequality and lack of support from the government: Pakistan has to suffer from poverty significantly due to the lack of notice and support from the Pakistani government. The government’s focus on its citizens is neglected due to corruption and money laundering cases which play, perhaps the most important part in damaging the nation. Unfortunately, the level of justice in Pakistan is not the same for all. Pakistan’s tax system shows unfortunate proof of the government’s corruption. The system does not differentiate between varying levels of income but instead focuses significantly on the poor. 80% of the tax revenue comes from the poor for services including utilities, petrol and, mobile communication. Meanwhile, the taxes collected from the rich do not exceed five percent.

Obed Pasha, lecturer in public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told the Asia Times, “What we have is a completely broken system in Pakistan, where the entire burden is on the poor and large businesses do not pay taxes at all.” Without income and employment opportunities, the poor cannot afford to pay high taxes, hindering their hope to rise out of poverty in Pakistan.