Lahoreeeee

[Khilari]

lawhoreee... tui beda phongir put

[Lahoreeee]

Huh?

[Amar-Sonar-Bangla]

UN Human Development Index

A composite index measuring deprivations in the three basic dimensions captured in the human development index—a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living.


South Asian Ranking:


127. India
136. Bhutan
139. Bangladesh
143. Nepal
144. Pakistan



The rising poverty in Pakistan
By Syed Shahid Husain

Dawn Correspondant


The Economic Survey (01-02) has devoted only 14 pages out of 406 to "income distribution and poverty". The space the previous Survey (2000-01) had devoted, was even less, only 10 pages.

Earlier, the Economic Survey (1999-2000) provided 12 pages. Scant space given to an issue of vital importance to about half the population reflects poorly on the government claims to be doing everything for the poor. Besides, the chapters are short on substance and long on rhetoric.

The first sentence in the latest Survey is: "the existence of widespread poverty in the midst of global prosperity is undeniably the most serious challenge confronting the world today". In a similar vein, the earlier Survey referred to poverty reduction "as the declared goal of all development plans in Pakistan" and poverty reduction at the centre of things. Thus poverty being global in nature and scope, it demands global solution and absolves Pakistan of any responsibility. It is like saying that it is for the world to act and remove poverty from Pakistan. In the same breath, the authors of the "Survey," lost in the verbiage, refer endearingly to the Monterrey Conference held in March 2002 in Mexico, that "each developing country is primarily responsible for generating growth and reducing poverty through sound macro-economic policies and good governance".

The chapter includes a chart on "poverty reduction strategy", the main components of which are: economic growth, governance, income distribution and anti-poverty programme. Good governance too is a global problem, when it says: "fighting corruption at the global level is high on agenda of the international community. In many countries higher incidence of poverty and poor governance is linked to high level of corruption.

The war against corruption needs to be globally coordinated." Pakistan, according to the Survey, is ready to play its role (only) as a responsible member of the international community. The world has to take the first step. It reminds me of Prof. G.K. Galbraith who was US Ambassador to India in 1960s when he said in one of his famous remarks "that half of my time is spent on trying to convince the Indians that I am not responsible for the poverty."

The only step that Pakistan appears to have taken is the finalization of methodology to determine the official poverty line. According to this new methodology, head count ratio (HCR), the most commonly used measure as claimed in the Survey, total poverty in 98-99 decreased to 28.2 per cent of the total population as against 33.5 per cent during the same year as shown in the earlier Survey.

According to this definition, Rs650 are needed in a month for a person to keep the wolves away. The last Survey had given figures until 99-00. Instead of advancing, the recent Survey has deleted the last two years. World should take note of this miraculous remedy for reducing poverty. It is like the rabbit in "Alice in Wonderland" claiming his inherent right to assign any meaning to a word, depending on the circumstances and his whim.

Poverty is appalling, HCR notwithstanding. The World Bank Report on Poverty in developing countries, in 98-99, ranked Pakistan 68th on human poverty index (HPI) in the world above Bangladesh etc. and estimated 34 per cent population living below poverty line. Adult illiteracy rate was 56 per cent, people without access to safe water 21 per cent, without health services 15 per cent and without sanitation 44 per cent.

This deprivation is heavily concentrated in South Asia and Sub-Sahara Region of Africa. According to the World Development Report 1994 there are 46 such countries in these two regions where life expectancy is below 60 years. There are few regions in the world where elementary deprivation is as endemic as in these two regions.

India alone accounts for more than half the combined population of these countries. The UNCTAD said in the Least Developed Countries Report 2002 that the number of people living at less than a dollar a day in the world's 49 poorest countries was set to jump 30 per cent by 2015. It recommended economic growth as the only way out. Dr Ishrat Husain, while writing in 'Mahbub-ul-Haq Human Development Review' (June 2001) has claimed that caloric-based poverty has in fact doubled from 17.4 per cent in 1987-88 to 32.6 per cent in 1998-99.

Getting back to the recent Survey, it reveals that the government has evolved the poverty reduction strategy based on "interim-poverty reduction strategy paper (I-PRSP), 2001". The core principle of the strategy includes (a) engendering growth, (b) implementing broad based governance reforms, (c) improving income-generating opportunities, (d) improving social sector outcomes, and (e) reducing vulnerability to shocks.

Growth comprises five building blocks, namely tax reforms, expenditure management, prudent monetary policy, external adjustment, and debt management.

Governance reforms include devolution of power, civil services reforms, access to justice and fiscal and financial transparency. Under opportunities improving access to productive assets, mainly housing, land and credit is the corner stone of the strategy. It goes on to say that fundamental changes in rural land holdings to address the issue of rural poverty through the accelerated distribution of state owned land to small farmers.

According to the Federal Land Commission 2.7 million acres state land is available, out of which 43,405 acres have been allotted among 2087 farmers. How much impact will this distribution have on reducing poverty in the rural areas is better left to ones imagination. That the remaining state land has not been distributed is either on account of the fact that estimates of availability are exaggerated or the land is simply not fit for cultivation and distribution.

For access to credit reliance has been placed on the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP), the First Women Bank (FWB), the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), and the government.

The PPAF was set up with an endowment of $100 million as wholesale lenders to NGOs engaged in providing micro financing. Between July 2000 and March 2002 it had distributed Rs365 million (about 6 per cent of the total) in 35 districts. To supplement the PPAF's work government had established the Khushhali Bank, which by end March 2002 had established branches in 26 districts and disbursed Rs277 million. The combined loan works out to Rs4.5 per capita of the entire population. If it were divided over 28.2 per cent of the newly defined poor, each would get Rs16 per capita.

There is a candid admission when the Survey report goes on to say that "Pakistan's progress on almost every social indicator compares poorly with that of other developing countries." Therefore, I-PRSP makes a departure and provides factors missing in the social action programme (SAP) by relying on bottom up consultative dialogue, focusing on building on what is already on the ground and cultivating public private partnership.

Zakat and Ushr will provide the safety net against shocks. Food support programme extends coverage to 1.2 million poorest households with monthly income of up to Rs2000. In 2001-02 Rs2.9 billion were spent. Even if poverty is taken to be 28.2 per cent, providing safety net to only 1.2 million poorest households out of 40 million newly defined poor does not add too much. If an average household is assumed to include 5 members each, each member of the family gets Rs400 per month, less than Rs650 required under the HCR.

The Khushhal Pakistan Programme is the government's principal social intervention aimed at generating temporary employment and economic activity through public works. A sum of Rs15 billion was released during 2001-02 to the districts through the provincial governments. How much of this was spent and if so in what manner has not been reported.

In its conclusion the report goes on to claim "the preparation of the I-PRSP is only the first step (and perhaps the last) in the direction of preparing a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy, which would encompass the economic, structural, and social initiatives undertaken for targeting the multi-dimensional nature of poverty and human deprivation in Pakistan. Pakistan's full PRSP is to be completed by December 2002. J.M. Keynes used to say that, "in the long run we are all dead".

Poverty is far more wide spread and has not been captured by official statistics. About 50 per cent population lives below poverty line. I-PRSP is not a serious effort at poverty alleviation. Political will of the government is translated in allocations, which appear far too inadequate. Whether it is the distribution of state land, zakat or ushr, food support programme or micro credit the problem is much too big.

The measures contemplated by the government including micro-finance may not be an appropriate tool in poverty reduction if the poor, who are facing illiteracy, inadequate health facility and poor infrastructure. Empowerment of the poor cannot be achieved through micro-credit schemes or some such palliatives. Providing credit to the people may be necessary but it is not sufficient. Far more crucial are: education, training and technical support that provide the basis for success. Improving the quality of peoples' lives and the ability to shape their own future are important.

[amee_patla_na]

hahaha nice one ASB. *thumsb up*

and lahoreee, I dont think its too smart to talk of Pakistanis in Canada, seeing as I prolly know more about the country than you ever will. Everyone here is respected by everyone. its you idiots like yourself that come and discriminate & ***** about other races. guess whats gona happen ya'f00, thats right, tables will be turned sooner or later. tell me, where in Canada are you? Vancouver?

[Amar-Sonar-Bangla]

Originally posted by Linka_Money



Plus Bangla Desh.. Bung walla desh, you all Bungies out there smokin crack in your country,(HAMLET)!

Actually.....


Drug addiction highest in Pakistan: INCB


Jang Newspaper


ISLAMABAD: Opium and heroin addiction rates in Pakistan are among the highest in the world, reveals the annual International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report released here on Wednesday. According to the World Drug
Report 2000 of the United Nations Drug Control Programme released earlier this year, Pakistan is one of the countries hardest hit by narcotics abuse in the world.

According to the national drug abuse surveys, the number of chronic abusers of heroin increased from about 20,000 in 1980 to more than 1.5 million in the late 1990s.The results of a national survey suggest a total number of chronic drug abusers just topping three million in 1993.

According to the Pakistan Narcotics Control Board officials, around 15 million people are affected indirectly by the abuse of drug in the country.

A main theme of the INCB's report is the widespread and increase overuse, particularly in developed countries, of controlled drugs to treat psychological problems caused by social pressures.

The board cautions that excessive availability of controlled drugs can easily lead to the development of new patterns of drug abuse. The INCB also expresses concern that Internet is fast becoming a growing source of online
trafficking where online drug stores and pharmacies illegally provide prescription of drugs. The report says: "With an estimated 600 million Internet users at present and considering further increase in the near
future, the problem is likely to increase rather than to decrease." INCB Chairman Dil Jan Khan, responding to questions of reporters at the report launching ceremony, said all the heroin labs in Pakistan were destroyed or
shifted to Afghanistan. It was the main reason that Pakistan became a zero drug production country, he said.



The Prevailance of HIV and Aids:


Pakistan:


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 78,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,500 (2001 est.)


Bangladesh:


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 650 (2001 est.)



Source: The CIA World Factbook

[Ali_Ahmad]

why doesnt anyone ban lahroee?

[Shumon_uk]

Originally posted by Amar-Sonar-Bangla

Actually.....


Drug addiction highest in Pakistan: INCB


Jang Newspaper


ISLAMABAD: Opium and heroin addiction rates in Pakistan are among the highest in the world, reveals the annual International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report released here on Wednesday. According to the World Drug
Report 2000 of the United Nations Drug Control Programme released earlier this year, Pakistan is one of the countries hardest hit by narcotics abuse in the world.

According to the national drug abuse surveys, the number of chronic abusers of heroin increased from about 20,000 in 1980 to more than 1.5 million in the late 1990s.The results of a national survey suggest a total number of chronic drug abusers just topping three million in 1993.

According to the Pakistan Narcotics Control Board officials, around 15 million people are affected indirectly by the abuse of drug in the country.

A main theme of the INCB's report is the widespread and increase overuse, particularly in developed countries, of controlled drugs to treat psychological problems caused by social pressures.

The board cautions that excessive availability of controlled drugs can easily lead to the development of new patterns of drug abuse. The INCB also expresses concern that Internet is fast becoming a growing source of online
trafficking where online drug stores and pharmacies illegally provide prescription of drugs. The report says: "With an estimated 600 million Internet users at present and considering further increase in the near
future, the problem is likely to increase rather than to decrease." INCB Chairman Dil Jan Khan, responding to questions of reporters at the report launching ceremony, said all the heroin labs in Pakistan were destroyed or
shifted to Afghanistan. It was the main reason that Pakistan became a zero drug production country, he said.



The Prevailance of HIV and Aids:


Pakistan:


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 78,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,500 (2001 est.)


Bangladesh:


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 650 (2001 est.)



Source: The CIA World Factbook

The obvious reason for that is all Paki's a donkey shods. as the donkey goes round, it spreads the disease.

Point to be noted: Bangladesh is ranked one of the top to have literacy in English by UK colleges. Although English is not spoken, Banglaseshi's are highly literate in english. for this reason thousands of Bangladeshi student's are denied visa's to come over to study English.

Lowhoreee, stay low!!!