Poverty in Pakistan

Poverty in Pakistan-Challenges & Solutions
By Syed Aman- Executive Director- ActionPakistan

According to the recent data compiled by the United Nations, Pakistan’s Human Development Index stands at 0.56. It is pretty close to Bangladesh,Yemen, and Nepal. It ranks 139 out of 179 countries reported in this analysis.

History will tell us that poverty is one of the key factors that has caused Governments to fail. . Pakistan is no exception. Poverty is not just about providing food, clothing, & shelter. There are a lot more indicators that are needed to improve poverty such as education, stable employment with decent wages, health care, law and order security, minimum housing standards, & decent recreation environment All these factors when combined could have a dramatic affect on reducing poverty in Pakistan. My research indicates that substantial work has already taken place in these areas  and a lot more is underway by the current NGO’s and the federal government. However, poverty solutions are still part of the six other prerequisite issues identified in this forum that must be addressed collectively and comprehensively. So lets discuss  solution.

Prioritize Poverty Areas (MALA Index) and Declare Jihad on Poverty

As part of this debate I recommend developing a minimum acceptable living standard index for Pakistan (MALA index for short). The MALA index is a composite index that will tell us how to prioritize poverty areas.

1)   MALA index -  severe ( living conditions severe, lack of decent sanitary facilities, no health facilities, law and order breakdown, high unemployment or extremely low wages. )
2)   MALA index-  medium (living conditions poor, marginal sanitary facilities, low quality health facilities, law and order breakdown, low wages )
3)   MALA index - minimal (marginal living conditions,marginal sanitary facilities, marginal health facilities, marginal law and order, minimal wages)

City Planners can play a major role in combating Poverty
City & Regional Planners can use a MALA index to target any area where they find poverty and prioritize the severity of the poverty by using a poverty index such as MALA.  Implementing poverty initiatives must be carried out on local and regional level.  The Regional Planning Districts (RPD’s) as discussed in other sections would be the most appropriate means of attacking poverty with real results.

Quality Health Care delivery for the poor & Health Insurance
We recommend Med Clinics with uniform standards to be set up across the country on a regional level. State Governments should take the lead by incorporating health clinics thru their regional planning districts. Health Care for the poor children, the elderly, and all other poverty segments of our society should be a national priority. Government subsidized health insurance cards should be given to all the poor people who otherwise cannot afford health insurance thru their employers.

Redistribution of Wealth and Stimulus Packages for the Poor Areas
Goverment should take serious measures on developing grants and financial aid packages for the poor areas. The MALA index should be used to implement financial investments in these neighborhoods. Small businesses should be given grants and loans to expand their businesses. There are many diversified tools that can be used to redistribute wealth.

Summary
City & Regional Planners can use a MALA index to target any area where they find poverty and prioritize the severity of the poverty by using a poverty index such as MALA.  Implementing poverty initiatives must be carried out on local and regional level.  The Regional Planning Districts (RPD’s) as discussed in other sections would be the most appropriate means of attacking poverty with real results. While the nation waits for such RPD decisions, we must implement minimum nutrition food intakes for the needy children, the poor elderly citizens, and poor women.  A substantial population of Pakistan is deprived of the minimum nutritious food that is absolutely needed for a healthy population.  The second highest priority for Pakistan is health care delivery for the poor. We recommend Med Clinics with uniform standards to be set up across the country on a regional level.  Housing for the poor is the third highest priority. The National Government must adopt minimum acceptable living standards for families.  RPD’s are the best means of implementing decent and affordable or subsidized housing projects for the poor in all areas of Pakisan.  These are just starters. This debate must be taken serioosly by all of us. I urge readers and all government and other scholars to participate in this debate on how we can truly declare jihad on Poverty.