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LAHORE: The multilayered dynamics of poverty and the tortuous underlying causes for its being so relentlessly widespread in our country have always been turned a blind eye to because hunger, which is only one of its dimensions, has been mistaken for impoverishment.
The economic survey 2016-17 is silent on the state of poverty in Pakistan except a sweeping statement that the government is committed to eliminate poverty by 2030. The survey discusses social services nets without indicating the level and percentage of poverty in the country. In economic survey 2015-16, the government conceded that based on Cost of Basic Needs methodology, 29.5 percent of the population is estimated to be living below the poverty line during FY 2014.
Using Pakistan Social & Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) data, the headcount of the polydimensional poverty in FY2015 was 38.8 percent while the intensity of deprivation is 51.0 percent. Since FY2005, multidimensional poverty has continuously reduced in Pakistan. The headcount reduced from 55.2 percent to 38.8 percent between FY2005 and FY 2015. However, the intensity of deprivation shrank only slightly over the same time period (from 52.9 percent to 51.0 percent). Multidimensional poverty is made up of several factors that constitute poor people’s experience of deprivation – such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standard, lack of income (as one of several factors considered), disempowerment, poor quality of work and threat from violence.
In 2015-16 the government declared that individuals having access to Rs3,050 per month were above the poverty line as they were able to cover the cost of basic needs with this amount. Even this is disputable as this amount hardly covers the food expenses of an individual. They can be defined as living above the poverty line in terms of caloric intake but not having access to balanced diet. It is still not clear whether the government is planning to eliminate ‘hunger poverty’ or ‘basic need poverty’ or ‘deprivation poverty’ by 2030. One dimension of poverty is to live with dignity on equal terms with others. The places where there is ethnic strife or racial discrimination, the minorities do not live with dignity and always fear reprisals from the majority.
People in different regions of Pakistan face this type of discrimination. No visible steps have been taken by any government to eliminate this dimension of poverty. Poor are disempowered. They cannot plead their cases with confidence in the government offices for having their grievances redressed. Their files/papers/applications become worm food, if they do not grease the palms of the state officials. They shudder at the thought of ever being called at the police station. Cops rarely call a powerful person to the station. They rather themselves go to where that person calls them to record his statement. If these big shots happen set foot in the station, under some pressing circumstances, they are treated with boot-licking respect. On the other hand, the poor can always be ordered to personally report to the police station for trivial matters. The cops talk less and torture more to force a confession out of the suspect. That’s what how they investigate with the poor.
Having very low income and higher expenses, they can never improve their living standard. In the past, gaining access to higher education was next to impossible for the poor. Now quality education is out of the reach of not only the poor but also the lower middle class as well. The education imparted at government schools is inadequate and according to some experts, the students studying in most rural schools remain illiterate even after eight years of education.
The spending on health sector is increasing but the quality of services is declining. The specialist doctors need government jobs to get a tag of professor or associate professor only. They see at least ten times fewer patients in the government hospital during their 8 hour duty than patients they see on a high fee at their private clinic in 4 hours. Their subordinates also silently advise the relatively better off patients to go the private clinic of the professor for proper treatment. The poor practically remain untreated except being provided with pain killers, tranquillisers and other low cost medicines. These dimensions of poverty cannot be addressed by increasing pro poor expenditures. The government would have to bring service delivery at par with what the rich get through influence or money. We have been needlessly increasing education, health, police, and social expenditures without improving the delivery of these services.
By: Mansoor Ahmad
Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk
