PAKISTAN STUDIES ASSIGNMENT SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN PAKISTAN

SUBMITTED TO: Maam Aabida SUBMITTED BY: Areeba Majeed (593-FET/BSEE/F-07) Faryal Saleem (597-FET/BSEE/F07)

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SOCIAL PROBLEMS: DEFINITION 1:

Sociological problems are matters which directly or indirectly affect many or all members of a society and are considered to be problems, controversies related to moral values, or both. Social issues include poverty, violence, pollution, injustice, suppression of human rights, discrimination, and crime, as well as abortion, gay marriage, gun control, and religion, to name a few. Social issues are related to the fabric of the community, including conflicts among the interests of community members, and lie beyond the control of any one individual

DEFINITION 2:
Not all social conditions become elevated to the status of "social problem." For example, here are some "objective conditions" which exist today, and as you will see, not all of them are considered to be social problems. Environmental Pollution, Resource Depletion, Limited Energy Supplies, Education, Corporate Corruption, Unemployment, Poverty, Drug Abuse, Family Decline, Nuclear War, crime, Racial/Ethnic/Sexual Discrimination, Health Care and Aging, Moral Decline etc

DEFINITION 3:
A social problem is a harmful social condition, according to the beliefs and values of some influential or dominant group in the society. A harmful social condition becomes a social problem when a social need persists over some time and is not provided for because there are a number of competing needs while the proposed budget is not sufficient to cater for all of them. Thus social problems involve social issues. Sociological approaches to social problems usually involve research to determine the causes of social problems and the effectiveness of policies or programs in attempting to solve them. Pakistan is a third world country, and like any other country its inhabitants have needs which need to be fulfilled. And the three basic are: food, shelter, and education. When these needs are not fulfilled they become social problems

SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan has been defined to the world by its unstable government and its involvement in the Kashmir dispute with India. The government in Pakistan is unstable mainly due to its military. The military holds more power than it should, and the balance of power has been upset. Also, its constitution has been suspended numerous times and is now re-established. While Pakistans constitution gives its people many social, economic, human and civil rights, there are many problems concerning freedom of press, INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY,ISLAMABAD 2

womens rights, and minority rights. Pakistan has been receiving a large amount of financial aid from the U.S. but the outcomes of this help are not clear. The situation in Kashmir is also unstable because of the competing interests related to water and land. Pakistan has been diverting water with dams, removing an important resource from the people. However, the main reason the world is watching Kashmir is because both countries have nuclear weapons and many people are worried the dispute could set off a nuclear war.

KEY POINTS:
1. The Line of Control, where Pakistans country border meets Indias in Kashmir, is much disputed, and has caused no end of suffering to the people of the region. India has begun damming rivers on their side of the Line of Control, removing the fundamental resource of water from the people in the sections of the region. 2. Religion is playing a bigger role in the Kashmiri debate, whereas it used to be an ideological one. 3. 46% of the work force have one year of education or less. 4. Pakistan received over 3 billion dollars in aid last year alone. 5. The government is not the most stable, due to the power held by the military and the dissent that creates. 6. Pakistan has an estimate of 60 nuclear weapons in response to India's nuclear threat. However, there is a high risk that these nuclear weapons might fall into the hands of terrorist in a coup. If these nuclear weapons fall into their hands, they will bombard India starting a nuclear war. Pakistan is a nuclear nation, that is to say, they have nuclear weapons, but do no promote their use. 7. Pakistan's constitution grants them many social, economic, human and civil rights but they still face issues with freedom of press, women's rights, and minority rights.

INSTABILITY AND CORRUPTION:

There is much corruption in the Pakistani government, causing it to rank 139th out of 180 countries in the transparency internationals index. Corruption has impacted Pakistans politics because it has created further instability. Several parties and heads of state have been ousted due to charges of corruption. This causes the groups in power to change rapidly creating instability to a country with many other areas of instability. Though a presidential term in Pakistan is five or ten years, only two out of eleven presidents have served a term of either of these lengths. Looking more closely, of these three only one was elected and served the full five year term. Similarly, instability is created when time and time again the Pakistani Military has used its power to influence or ignore the decisions of the government. Civil- military relations have never been at a comfortable balance in Pakistan. (BBC)

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LACK OF ADEQUATE GOVERNANCE:

By the end of the 1990s, the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country's social and economic resources for development emerged as Pakistan's foremost developmental problem. Corruption and political instabilities such as various separatist movements in Baluchistan and Waziristan resulted in reduction of business confidence, deterioration of economic growth, reduced public expenditure, poor delivery of public services, and undermining of the rule of law. The perceived security threat on the border with India has dominated Pakistan's culture and has led to the domination of military in politics, excessive spending on defense at the expense of social sectors, and the erosion of law and order. Pakistan has been run by military dictatorships for large periods of time, alternating with limited democracy. These rapid changes in governments led to rapid policy changes and reversals and the reduction of transparency and accountability in government. The onset of military regimes has contributed to non-transparency in resource allocation. In particular, the neglect by the Pakistani state of the Baluchistan and North Western Frontier Provinces has rendered the region poverty-stricken. Those who do not constitute the political elite are unable to make political leaders and the Government responsive to their needs or accountable to promises. Development priorities are determined not by potential beneficiaries but by the bureaucracy and a political elite which may or may not be in touch with the needs of the citizens. Political instability and macroeconomic imbalances have been reflected in poor creditworthiness ratings, even compared to other countries of similar income levels, with resulting capital flight and lower foreign direct investment inflows. The current government of Pakistan has professed commitments to reforms in this area. In addition, Pakistan's major cities and urban centers are home to an estimated 1.2 million street children. This includes beggars and scavengers who are often very young. The law and order problem worsens their condition as boys and girls are fair game to others who would force them into stealing, scavenging and smuggling to survive. A large proportion consumes readily available solvents to starve off hunger, loneliness and fear. Children are vulnerable to contracting STD's such as HIV/AIDS, as well as other diseases

THE STATE OF SECURITY IN PAKISTAN:

Pakistans security is not only vital to the stability of the region but also of crucial importance to U.S. interests in South Asia. A stable, democratic, and financially thriving Pakistan will deter terrorists and curtail religious fanaticism. It will also provide the basis for a productive collaboration with India and the infrastructure for meaningful developments in this part of the world. Unfortunately, the security situation in Pakistan is anything but optimal. Multiple internal and external threats risk destabilization of

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the delicate balances that keep the country afloat. Weapons, drug trade, tensions with neighboring countries, and terrorist activity are problems with which Pakistan struggles continuously.

TENSIONS WITH INDIA:

Almost immediately following the independence of India from British rule in 1947, Pakistan partitioned and became a separate state, an important but painful victory. As a safe haven for the Muslims of India, it essentially never stopped being considered an enemy by the predominantly Hindu-populated neighbor. Three full scale wars in 1947/48, 1965, and 1971- and the unresolved state of sovereignty in the region of Kashmir keep the two nations under extreme tension. Across the line that divides the two countries, known as the Line of Control (LOC), 80,000 troops face each other in an unnerving chicken game. During 2002 one million Indian and Pakistani soldiers were mobilized under the dire prospect of one more war. Luckily, negotiations and international intervention cooled down the situation, and the two countries have proceeded to regular dialogue. Although the final solution is far from being agreed, there is for the first time some light at the end of the tunnel. However, the ongoing military preparedness sucks large amounts of the national budget. The standoff with India remains a formidable security threat for Pakistan.

TERRORISM, TALIBAN, AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH AFGHANISTAN:

Pakistan is known to be a base for numerous indigenous terrorist organizations, and the country continues to suffer from terrorism at home, especially targeting the countrys Shia minority. There are two major domestic religious extremist groups: the Jaish-e-Mohammad (Army of Mohammed) and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (Army of Good). In addition to them, Taliban exiles and Al Qaeda members have found friendly connections in Pakistan. A recent wave of Anti-Americanism has created Talibanization of the western border regions. Islamists have cried for jihad against the western world and in an amazing poll by the Pew Center in 2005, 51% of the Pakistanis expressed confidence that Osama bin Laden does the right thing in world affairs. On the other hand, Pakistans government has afforded the U.S. unprecedented levels of cooperation by allowing the U.S. military to use bases within the country, making important arrests of terrorists, and denouncing radical Islamists openly. Because of the infiltration of Taliban from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the relationship with Afghanistan is often tested. Although both countries share core religious beliefs and their militaries have cooperated to fight extremists, verbal objections over each others practices are common. Despite moves to the right direction, the security of Pakistan is severely affected by domestic and foreign terrorist groups.

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NUCLEAR WEAPONS:
Pakistans nuclear program dates to the 1950s. The loss of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in a bloody war with India triggered the political decision for secret nuclear weapons development. Currently, the country has approximately 60 nuclear warheads, which it claims are maintained in response to Indias nuclear threat. Despite the fact that the government has taken major steps to increase international confidence in the security of its nuclear arsenal, many fear that a sudden political shift or a radical takeover may place dangerous weapons in the hands of irrational users.

MONSTROUS DEBT:
Pakistan's chief problem is a monstrous debt. Without monetary resources with which to fight the numerous problems of the nation, Pakistan remains overpopulated and poor. Source of debt 1: Large military spending 2: long, costly war with India 3: Trade imbalance 4: Import exceed exports 5: Power/Fossil fuel issues Debt controls budget 1: Loans total 25% of revenues 2: Loan repayments equal 50%of expenditures

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Pakistani constitution grants human, civil, economic, and social rights to its people. Despite these laws, there are still many issues regarding rights and responsibilities today.

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Womens and Minorities Rights:

Women are still frequent targets of abuse in Pakistan. There are many incidents of rape, domestic violence, forced marriage, and other mistreatment of women. However, women have the right to serve in parliament and Benazir Bhutto for example served as Prime Minister (CIA). Other improvements in womens rights include a legislation that was unanimously passed to penalize sexual harassment of women in the workplace. A bill has also been approved that addresses domestic violence (Human Rights Watch). The Pakistani constitution states that women can have full participation in all spheres of national life. Despite these advancements, the violence against women increased thirteen percent in 2009. This violence includes, murder, honor killings, abduction, domestic violence, rape, and suicide (HRCP). Rights have been extended to religious minorities and other minority groups. In July of 2009, a law protecting male transgender was passed. Non-Muslims can also serve in parliament (CIA). Unfortunately, non-Muslims are discriminated against because of the Blasphemy Law that states that anyone who blasphemes in the name of the Quran can be taken immediately to jail (Human Rights Watch).

Health Care:
Health care is a present issue for many Pakistanis with financial difficulty. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of good facilities and doctors. There are only approximately 127,859 doctors and 12,804 facilities for a population of about 160 million people (Healthcare in Pakistan). According to the health care policy, all Pakistani citizens should have access to good quality affordable health care (Pakistan International Health Care). In reality, health care is inefficient, inadequate, and way above the price range that many Pakistanis can afford. The health care system is comprised of public sectors, which are seriously underfunded, and private sectors, which are unmonitored and overpriced (Pakistan International Health Care). The inconsistency and disorganization of the health care system leads to many people uninsured and reluctant or unable to receive necessary medical care because of money (Healthcare in Pakistan). Even people who can afford to visit a doctor cannot afford to pay for follow up medicine. Pakistan's health indicators, health funding, and health and sanitation infrastructure are generally poor, particularly in rural areas. About 19 percent of the population is malnourisheda higher rate than the 17 percent average for developing countriesand 30 percent of children under age five are malnourished. Leading causes of sickness and death include gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, congenital abnormalities, tuberculosis, malaria, and typhoid fever. The United Nations estimates that in 2003 Pakistan's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence rate was 0.1 percent among those 1549, with an estimated 4,900 deaths from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Hepatitis B and C are also rampant with approximately 3 million cases of each in the country at the moment.

Poverty:
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Twenty four percent of the population of Pakistan is under the poverty line (CIA). In a response to this, $425 million dollars has been designated to launch the Benazir Income Support Program. This will be Pakistans first social protection program to support poorest: 15% of the population. Yet, this still leaves 9% of the population under the poverty line unassisted (Human Rights Watch). Poverty in Pakistan is a growing concern. Although the middle-class has grown in Pakistan to 35 million nearly one-quarter of the population is classified poor as of October 2006. The declining trend in poverty as seen in the country during the 1970s and 1980s was reversed in the 1990s by poor federal policies and rampant corruption. This phenomenon has been referred to as the poverty bomb. The government of Pakistan with help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has prepared an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper that suggests guidelines to reduce poverty in the country.

Freedom of Press and Speech:

Since 2008, the threats on reporters have decreased but they are still present. Many journalists are pressured and threatened by Pakistans intelligence apparatus and the Taliban. The Pakistani military has intimidated and muzzled the press in Balochistan but the government does nothing to change this. Furthermore, there have been accounts of reporters property destroyed and reporters who were injured or murdered (Human Rights Watch). Pakistanis legally have freedom of press and freedom of speech but there are several restrictions. It is illegal to talk or write inadequately about Islam, the armed forces, and the Sharia bill of 1991 which calls for promoting Islam in the media and censoring bad and obscene information (U.S. Department of State).

Religion and Identity:

While Pakistan may be a very young country, the historical memory of the people living in the country is very long. Historical memory is a peoples memory of the history of the land they live on. How this is interpreted is what can define different cultures living in the same region from one another. The historical memory in Pakistan is long because many Muslim people from India [before independence] lived there. Muslims who fled to Pakistan during the civil war also have historical memory, but their recollection consists of persecution, being forced out of their homes, and losing the land that has been in their family for generations. They feel wronged and since there is no one specific to blame, they find fault in no other but the Indians. However, the Hindus who fled Pakistan also feel the same way and blame the Pakistani. This is the reason why the Kashmir conflict is such a big deal to Indians and Pakistanis. They feel that the land was stripped away from them (not them personally, but their people) by their neighbors. They want it back. That is historical memory, and that is also why the Kashmir conflict seems so simple when on the outside, but to the people involved it is worth dying for. To resolve the struggle of Kashmir, the focus needs to be shifted away from the land (which is the more INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY,ISLAMABAD 8

sensitive issue for both the people of Pakistan and India due to historical memory) and towards the more pressing matter, which is water. The two countries, India and Pakistan, need to find ways that they can divide the water resources in Kashmir, instead having power struggle over the land itself. Religion plays a huge role in Pakistani affairs because Pakistan was initially created as an Islamic state. Pakistans state religion is Islam, and there are 77% Sunni Muslims and 20% Shiite Muslims. The other 3% is largely Christian with some Hindu and Sikh and a few other religions. Due to the Islamic predominance in Pakistan, civilians of other religions often feel like second class citizens in their own country. It is not unusual for police to refuse aid, to threaten, and intimidate Christian victims into silence in Pakistan. When eight Christian women were raped in Pakistan and the families tried to file a complaint, the police refused because their attackers were influential. Instead, the families lodged a complaint with the CLFP (Christian Liberation Front Pakistan), an organization that promotes human rights for people of religious minorities in Pakistan. While the [Pakistani] constitution grants citizens the right to `profess, practice, and propagate' their religion, the government imposes limits on freedom of religion, says the U.S. Department of State's Human Rights Report for 1999, Police at times refuse to prevent violent acts or charge persons who commit them.Too often in Pakistan, someone is defined by their religion, not their nationality. From a religious perspective, the stand-off between India and Pakistan over Kashmir needs to be thought of as between nationalities rather than religious beliefs, which is the way it has been headed. In the BBC new article, Who are the Kashmir Militants? the author points out that the ideology in Kashmir has changed over the years, shifting from a nationalist movement to a religious movement. Most of the militant groups fighting over Kashmir are members of the United Jihadist Council. This transfer in ideology is occurring from three places: the autocratic rule of Kashmir under Indian forces, encouragement of pro-Pakistani groups from Islamabad, and availability of Islamic fighters from Afghanistan. The main issues that are behind the struggle in Kashmir need to be sorted out before it becomes a religious war. Religion plays an important role in the countrys politics. The first President, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, intended for the state to have Islamic majority but without Sharia Law being instituted in the government. Sharia law is Islamic law as according to the Koran3. The role of religion can be summed up by the policies and ideas of the Islamic Assembly Party. The Islamic Assembly Party is pushing for Pakistan to become a chaste and theocratic state. In Pakistans Perilous Journey, the author- Farzana Shaikh- emphasizes that the new government under President Zardari will not be able to reach its goals of peace when it is hampered by a war on Islamic militants. Religion has played a major part in the history of South Asia. The biggest example of its importance to the people of the region is the original India- Pakistan split. The only reason the two countries ended up dividing was because there were two major religions in the area (Muslim and Hindu) and people were afraid that the majority was going to be favored by any government they put in place. This is still true in Pakistan for people of religious minorities, such as Christianity. Religions role in the Kashmir conflict INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY,ISLAMABAD 9

can be seen as a microcosm (an extreme version of the role of religion in South Asia) for the role of religion in South Asia, as it continues to grow and the conflict becomes less of a nationalist movement and more of a religious movement.

Child Labor:
Pakistan is a developing country and consequently she faces a wide array of social problems: educational, economical, political, religious and a number of internal ethnic conflicts. However I believe that it is more important to address small issues first and then work towards the annihilation of the larger ones. After all small steps lead to big changes and transformations. Child Labor is a social issue within Pakistan and is considered a violation of human rights by the United Nations. Pakistani society is such that, a poor child can quite conveniently be deprived of basic education, only to feed the rest of his family members. Anyone up to the age of 18 is a child and his basic right is to receive education and proper upbringing rather than use his hands to destroy his own bright future. Children are especially exploited in the third world countries as they are a cheap source of labor and Pakistan children are used as laborers in the Sports Industry, Carpet Industry and the Footwear and in glassware production. According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics of Pakistan, 3.3 million out of 40 million children are working in various industries, although child labor is strictly prohibited by law. Child Labor is a serious social problem within Pakistan because the future and progress of any country depends on an educated and enlightened youth and if a child is not properly socialized then he/she will not be able to grow as confident and literate Pakistani citizens. There are various reasons for exploitation of children within the economic sector of Pakistan and such causes are directly related to the major social problems of Pakistan. Sociological Variables as the Causes of Child Labor in Pakistan: The factors that generate child labor within Pakistan are parental poverty and illiteracy; an irresponsible political system; social and economic pressures; lack of education. Social attitudes in Pakistan due to which a child is considered an adult at quiet an early stage due to biological changes, also are a cause of exploitation of children below 18 years. Poverty is a major social issue within Pakistan and as a result children are made to work in various industries in order to support their financially poor parents. The status of the family directly influences the choices available to a child and obviously if a family is extremely poor with comparatively less resources then consequently, each member, be it a child or an adult will be required to work and bring in money in order to survive. The economic and family status in the rural areas of Pakistan id quite low and as a result children are forced to work in various manufacturing and tertiary industries and are also over-exploited.61.2 % of Pakistan is illiterate and poor education resulting in limited exposure to human rights is a major cause of child labor. Education is a sociological variable and is of extreme importance because it emancipates a person from the grip of ignorance. However most people in the rural areas have no access to educational institutions and thus a child learns the tricks of trade from his father and instead of gaining education he chooses to work as a laborer or is at times forced by parents due to their own lack of basic knowledge. Pakistan does not have sound educational system under which a child can be adequately socialized into becoming a productive member of society. Education is not treated as a priority and inevitably child exploitation continues within our nation. Girls and boys are forced to work as domestic servants in the homes of the upper INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY,ISLAMABAD 10

middle class or the richer elite. Thus class divisions become more prominent with the exploitation of the poor by the rich and this leads to an inequitable distribution of wealth and income. Pakistan is going through a serious social stratification problem and the rich continues to get richer whereas the poor continues to get poorer. Girls are exploited within the rich households, are paid less and are often physically harassed by the male owners. This leads to further sex and gender related issues and thus child labor needs to be strongly curtailed. Pakistan needs a strong government and political structure to address the issue of child labor. However President Musharrafs government is a military dictatorship which considers a nuclear programme a priority but banning child labor is not a serious issue for them. There are loopholes in the political structure of Pakistan and a weak government is a main cause of the denial of rights of the citizens of a country. Therefore childrens rights are largely ignored and deliberately avoided. For a positive change a democracy is needed which will fight against child labor through reformative action and laws and regulations. In Pakistan 7% of children working suffer from health problems and are physically abused as well by their owners. These are all structural problems within the social agencies of Pakistan which not only accelerate the rate of child labor but also set a precedent for other developing nations to follow.

Education:
61.2% of Pakistan illiterate 1. 2. 3. 50.0% male illiterate. 75.6% female illiteracy. Limits opportunities of women.

Perhaps the greatest loss comes in the area of education. Whether or not this is a direct result of Pakistan's economic problems, it is undoubtedly connected. With so many resources directed towards the aforementioned debt payment, educational improvements are given and inordinately low priority. In addition, Musharraf's military dictatorship has understandably not placed great emphasis on education in Pakistan. This is evident upon examination of Pakistan's overall literacy rate of 37.8% (50% for men and 24.4% for women). Literacy being defined as those over 15 who can read and write. In terms of population, low literacy rates are often observed with high population growth. A poorly educated population is unlikely to participate in family planning or any other form of population control. Secondarily, a poorly educated populace makes Pakistan a poor choice for the foreign investors that it so desperately needs. Furthermore, the extremely low literacy rate among Pakistani women lends itself to a society where most women never enter the labor force, creating less incentive for them to limit the size of their families. This is best illustrated by the fact that only 38 million of Pakistan's 141 million people make up the entire labor force.

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The National Education policy set goals for Pakistan from 1998 to 2010 with the intentions of improving the education systems, literacy rate, and success of the country. The Pakistani constitution also claims it will remove illiteracy and make secondary education free and mandatory as soon as possible. Pakistani education aims to direct people to live according to the teachings of Islam.

Unemployment:
The basic causes of unemployment in the country are mainly the lack of proper infrastructure joined by the lack of proper education. There is no technical education available to the masses and even the people who are skilled dont have enough opportunities for employment due to the lack of jobs which is in turn due to lack of industries. The first thing that should be done is for the government to take steps to increase production in the country and also attract investments which doesnt seem very achievable keeping the social and economic situation of the country in view. There should be more opportunities for people to educate themselves as well but it should be affordable. The wage condition of the people also needs to be considered.

DRUG ADDICTION:
Pakistan is today notorious for many things, but in the last 20 years, drug production and addiction has increasingly become just one of them. The issue of drug addiction is often overshadowed by the many of the country's other human development problems, such as poverty, illiteracy and lack of basic health care. But the fact is drug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan and in South Asia in general. While Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Maldives all suffer from this, Pakistan is the worst victim of the drug trade in South Asia. Today, the country has the largest heroin consumer market in the south-west Asia region. It wasn't always this way. Pakistan became a major exporter of heroin in the 1980s, following the influx of Afghan refugees escaping the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The major consequence of this has been a significant increase in domestic consumption of heroin in Pakistan. Heroin was once upon a time a drug which was virtually unknown in the country until the late 1970s. Today, Pakistan is not only one of the main exporters of heroin, it has also become a net importer of drugs. It is estimated that about 50 tons of opium are smuggled into Pakistan for processing heroin for domestic use. Almost 80 percent of the opium processed in Pakistan comes from neighboring countries.

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Widespread drug abuse may be indicated by the fact that almost five percent of the adult population is using drugs in Pakistan. As a proportion of drug abusers, heroin users have increased from 7.5 percent in 1983 to a shocking 51 percent a decade later in 1993. Drug production for Pakistan's domestic market is estimated at close to $1.5 billion. It appears that only three percent of the gross profits from the illegal opium industry remain within Pakistan. Like many of the countrys other human development problems, the issue of drug abuse touches the most vulnerable: the majority of drug users in South Asia belong to the poorest strata of society. In addition, the presence of a large drug industry in Pakistan leads to a redistribution of income from the poor to a few rich individuals who control the drug trade. This not only makes the gap between the rich and the poor as well as income inequality even worse, it also erodes Pakistan's social cohesion and stability. Although almost all South Asian countries have enacted strict laws for fighting drug trafficking and drug use, these measures have produced very disappointing results. One problem is that corruption has also touched the fight against drug abuse in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, since drug traffickers often escape punishment by giving bribes to get out of being held accountable for their actions. But Pakistan is not alone in fighting this disease. With the globalization of the drug abuse problem in the last two decades, the situation has gone from bad to worse, so much so that the United Nations Commission on narcotic drugs no longer discusses individual situations. It has argued that the solution does not lie in the hands of individual countries. It has to be worked out through mutual efforts by South Asian countries. Pakistan has been a producer of opium for export since its early years, including large-scale heroin production after 1979. Processing and trafficking opium affect the region, as a large part of the economy is detracted from legitimate sectors to illegal trade. Supported at large by the Talibans infrastructure, this trade has spiked and in 2005 Pakistan was ranked as one of the worlds major illicit drug-producing or drug-trafficking countries. The counter-narcotic efforts are hampered by lack of full government commitment, scarcity of funds, poor infrastructure, and widespread corruption. A combination of easy profit and lack of core values make narcotics a crucial problem for Pakistans security.

OVERPOPULATION:

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Overpopulation is a big problem in Pakistan; Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. In common parlance, the term usually refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth. Overpopulation does not depend only on the size or density of the population, but on the ratio of population to available sustainable resources. It also depends on the way resources are used and distributed throughout the population. If a given environment has a population of 10 individuals, but there is food or drinking water enough for only 9, then in a closed system where no trade is possible, that environment is overpopulated; if the population is 100 but there is enough food, shelter, and water for 200 for the indefinite future, then it is not overpopulated. Overpopulation can result from an increase in births, a decline in mortality rates due to medical advances, from an increase in immigration, or from an unsustainable biome and depletion of resources. It is possible for very sparsely-populated areas to be overpopulated, as the area in question may have a meager or non-existent capability to sustain human life.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
Environmental problems in Pakistan, such as erosion, use of agro-chemicals, deforestation etc. contributes to rising poverty in Pakistan. Increasing pollution contributes to increasing risk of toxicity, and poor industrial standards in the country contribute to rising pollution

REFERENCES:
1. Timeline: Pakistan. Bbc news. Dated 12 January 2010. <http://news.bbc.co.uk> 2. Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. Transparency International. Dated 2009. <www. Transparency.org> 3. Rashid, Ahmed. Pakistan on the brink. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22730 4. "Healthcare in Pakistan too expensive to afford." One World South Asia Home. <http://southasia.oneworld.net/todaysheadlines/healthcare-in-pakistan-too-expensive-to-afford>. 5. Memeon, Javaid. "Economic Human Rights and Their Impact of Contemporary Constitutions." <eprints.hec.gov.pk/2698>. 6. Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan. <http://www.moe.gov.pk/>.

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