A social issue is an issue that affects the proper functioning of a society. A situation is considered a social issue when the public recognizes it and when it contradicts the values accepted by society. As we know that Pakistan is a developing country, in this situation, it is facing several social issues and these social issues is a huge barrier to the development of the country. Social issues are different in nature like economic, educational, health, corruption, and religious extremism. These social issues are affecting the people of Pakistan to an extreme.
Further, we will discuss the social issues and their effects on people in detail
Issues in the Health sector
The health sector of Pakistan is a major social issue as we are all very much familiar with it. The distribution of health resources is not equal in different areas of the country. In remote areas of Pakistan there an individual is not well aware of the health care system and the resources. A lot of people died due to different infectious diseases because they don’t have a well-developed hospital with qualified staff for the proper treatment. “According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan is ranked 122 out of 190 countries regarding healthcare. And if we look at infant mortality, Pakistan stands third-highest ranked country in the world” (Sunila Javed, 2021).
Issues in the Economic Sector
As we are well aware of the worst economic condition of Pakistan right now. Recently increased prices affected all of us. Whether it is petrol, electricity, or gas, the issue never ends. The government is held mostly responsible for the situation due to its incompetence and powerlessness to free itself from the IMF and World Bank’s restrictions. Due to this dependence and inability to take decisive action, Pakistan is daily burdened with enormous foreign debts that create several issues in the country.
It is quite difficult for a person to spend his life typically; everything is overly expensive. From food to medicine nothing is within the range of a middle- and low-class person, a middle-class and a lower-class person can’t survive in this situation. “According to Dr. Ishrat Hussain, the notable Pakistani Banker and Economist, the major economic challenges faced by Pakistan are poverty, unemployment, huge foreign debts, low investment, and high fiscal debt” (Iqra Zafar, 2022).
Poverty
Poverty is a very serious social issue; it is due to overpopulation and the lack of resources. In a country where “roti, kapra, makan” is a slogan of political parties, their people are living a life without the basic needs of daily life. People are losing their lives daily due to a lack of food and shelter. Due to poverty number of beggars is increasing day by day, child labor is at its peak, and prostitution is also. “Pakistan’s economy fluctuates daily, and the progress of the nation is way too slow. Its 24.3% population lives below the poverty line, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank” (Iqra Zafar, 2022).
Another study revealed that “A review is conducted and carried out in the hands of the federal government of Pakistan, and that shows that the poverty rate has increased from 30 percent to 40 percent over the past 10 years. See that 40 percent of the people get under the poverty line. People are not provided with life needs, like food, medicine, shelter, learning, housing, and clothing needed to live” (Instacare, 2022).
Issues in the Educational Sector
Issues in the Educational sector of Pakistan are very much disturbing for the people of the country. The deserving student is replaced by a high-class one, which shows the lack of merit in different institutions. Educational cost is very much high and a highly deserving person from a low socio-economic status can’t get a chance to study further. These institutions are offering very few scholarships on a need basis but mostly it is offered to the not deserving one.
Illiteracy
The Pakistan Economic Survey revealed that the country’s literacy rate increased by two percent to 60% from 58%. If we look at this survey it is quite unsatisfying because it is not such a great improvement. It can be due to different reasons. Firstly in the rural area, people are more in doing anything for a living except study. Mostly remote areas people have the least exposure to education and its importance. In certain regions, people only permit males to pursue an education, while females have to stay at home and handle various household tasks. As a result, progress in our nation is usually very slow. Our culture has a high crime rate because of illiteracy.
Gender discrimination
Judgment against gender has remained a major social problem in Pakistan. The fundamental societal issue is; women are often considered as someone’s property, whereas men view them as assets to their parents’ financial security as they get older. Consequently, parents tend to provide boys with good nutrition, and education, and prioritize giving them attention. Mostly, women are typically the last to eat, and in particular, in poorer households, they may not even get enough food to fill their stomachs. Families often consider women a burden and thus marry them off early.
Overall, Pakistan is currently full facing multiple social issues and they have a significant impact on the people of Pakistan. Some of the issues need abrupt action to control them. So, it is the responsibility of our government officials to take quick initiatives for the betterment of the nation. Government should make educational reforms according to the recent technological era. These could be great for the development of individuals and the country.
Refer to my previous blog post on the ways an economic crisis influences our everyday lives and mental well-being: https://www.ecofiney.com/impacts-of-economic-crisis-on-mental-health/
