Poverty in Pakistan
By: Kiran Aftab
Rameesha Sameer
Rida Malik
and
Samiha Zehra
Information
Poverty is the lack of basic human
needs, such as clean water ,
nutrition, health care, education,
clothing and shelter, because of the
inability to afford them. This is also
referred to as absolute poverty or
destitution. Relative poverty is the
condition of having fewer resources
or less income than others within a
society or country, or compared to
worldwide averages. Poverty in
Pakistan is a growing concern, as it
is a developing country. Although
the middle-class has grown in
Pakistan to 35 million, nearly onequarter of the population is
classified poor as of October 2006.
As of 2008, 17.2% of the total
population lives below the poverty
line, which is the lowest figure in
the history of Pakistan.
Causes of Poverty
Lack of education:
The literacy rate of Pakistan is very low. Most of people do not have any
concept about the modern earning sources. Most people are unable to
adopt technology for their business needs, that’s why business do not
meet international standards and results as decrease in revenue which lead
the society to poor financial conditions.
Materialism:
In our society social bonding are gradually becomes thinner and thinner. A
race of material object has been started even no one tried to understand
the problems of others. Every one is gradually changing from human to a
bioman which only know about his needs and have no concept about the
limitations of others. People are not ready to help each other. At last
every one has lose his trust on others which effect our social and
economic system and it is another cause of poverty.
Large Scale Import:
The import of Pakistan is greater than export. Big revenue is consumed in
importing good every year, even raw material has to import for industry.
If we decrease import and establish own supply chains from our country
natural resources the people will have better opportunities to earn.
Division of Agricultural land:
Pakistan is an agricultural country. Most of people are farmers by
profession. One has land which is fulfilling the needs of his family
but he has to divide the land into his children when they got young.
After division the land is not sufficient to support a family. Now
the families of his children are suffering and spending their lives
below poverty line.
Moral Culture:
The main reason for poverty is the social dishonesty and
irresponsible behavior of people. Every one is trying to get rich by
using unfair means. A shop keeper is ready to get whole money from
the pocket of customer. People doing jobs are not performing their
duties well. In society the man considered brave or respectful who
do not pay taxes or continuously violate the laws. This irresponsible
behavior continuously increases and produces loss for the country.
Criterion of Poor:
The criterion of poor is that if a person is not earning US $367.00
per is year considered poor but this was repeated later on the
criterion is changed and now it’s US $ 2.00 per day.
Effects of poverty
 Diseases are more widely spread because poor people
cannot afford hygienic foods and pure drinking water which
is much expensive.
 Many infants born into poverty have a low birth weight,
which is associated with many preventable mental and
physical disabilities. Not only are these poor infants more
likely to be irritable or sickly, they are also more likely to
die before their first birthday.
 Poor families experience much more stress than middleclass families. Besides financial uncertainty, these families
are more likely to be exposed to series of negative events
and “bad luck,” including illness, depression, eviction, job
loss, criminal victimization, and family death.
 Homelessness, or extreme poverty, carries with it a
particularly strong set of risks for families, especially
children. Homeless children are less likely to receive proper
nutrition and immunization. They experience more health
problems. Homeless women experience higher rates of lowbirth-weight babies, miscarriages, and infant mortality,
probably due to not having access to adequate prenatal care
for their babies. Homeless families experience even
greater life stress than other families, including increased,
family relationships, and friendships.
Solutions to poverty
Poverty will never end unless there are real solutions to end it; solutions
based on economic justice and political changes.
1. The full equality between men and women in public as well as private
areas of life, a worldwide minimum wage of $20 per day and the end of
child labor under the age of 16 with the creation of a subsidy for
scholarship.
2. The guarantee of shelter, healthcare, education, food and drinking
water as basic human rights that must be provided free to all.
3. A total redistribution of idle lands to landless farmers and the
imposition of a 50% cap on arable land devoted to products for export
per country, with the creation of a worldwide subsidy for organic
agriculture.
4. An end to private monopoly ownership over natural resources, with a
minimum of 51% local communal ownership in corporations, which control
such resources as well as the termination of intellectual property rights
on pharmaceutical drugs.

5. The cancellation of third world debt with no reciprocal obligations
attached and the payment of compensation to Third World countries
for historical as well as ecological debt.
6. An obligation of total transparency for any corporation with more
than 100 employees and a 1% tax on all benefits distributed to
shareholders of corporations to create unemployment funds.
7. The termination of tax havens around the world as well as free flow
of capital in developing countries.
8. An equal voting for developing countries in international organizations
such as IMF, World Bank, WTO, and the termination of veto right for
the permanent members of the UN Security Counsel.
8. A commitment by industrialized countries to decrease carbon
emission by 50% over a ten-year period as well as reducing by 25% each
developed country%u2019s consumption of natural resources.
People in poverty