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The National Trachoma Control Programme has helped children like Shumaila visualise their bright futures. © Jamshyd Masud / Sightsavers
Development scene
Pakistan has an estimated population of 170 million people with an annual growth rate of 1.92%. Nearly two-thirds of the population live in rural areas and about 40% of the population is below the age of 15. In 2009, Pakistan was ranked 141 on the Human Development Index (HDI). Poverty is an important development determinant - close to one-third of the population live below the national poverty line although in the recent past, Pakistan has been seen as one of the fastest growing economies.
Administratively, Pakistan is divided into five provinces and two federally administered areas. Overall, there is more poverty in Balochistan, Interior Sindh, Southern Punjab and upper part Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the newly established province of Gilgit Baltistan (this area was previously known as Northern Areas of Pakistan).
Economy
Pakistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 2% in 2009, and it is worth 168 billion Dollars or 0.27% of the world economy. The Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan, the Ten-Year Prospective Plan 2001-2011, and the Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF) 2005-2010 are aligned to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets by 2015 by reducing poverty, combating diseases and ensuring improved and equitable availability of services. The approval of the National Finance Commission (NFC) award in March 2010 empowers provinces to make decisions about the allocation of resources.
Security challenges
The war against terrorism has brought numerous security challenges to the people of Pakistan. During 2009, more than 900 innocent people died in suicide blasts across the country. Overall, the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remain challenging, and its impact is occasionally felt in major urban centres of Pakistan with suicide attacks and bomb blasts.
Climate change
Although Pakistan contributes little to global warming-one 35th of the world's average of carbon dioxide emissions-temperatures in the country's coastal areas have risen since the early 1900s from 0.6 to 1 degree centigrade. Climatic changes are likely to exacerbate this trend. Water supplies, already a serious concern in many parts of the country, will decline dramatically, affecting food production. Only 27% of the population have houses connected to a water supply, while only 18% have sewerage facilities. Under broader definition, 91% of the population have access to water and 59% have access to sewerage facilities. However there are issues with quality and service of water and sanitation in Pakistan, and rural areas are more prone to trachoma, and water borne diseases.
The recent deluge of floods across many parts of the country have yet again imposed on the country's limited resources as it faces its third major humanitarian crisis in less than five years. As the government machinery and civil society join hands to extend relief, massive resources will be required for the rehabilitation phase as infrastructure is repaired or built anew and Pakistan's agro-based economy recovers from the aftermath of devastation.
