The 1994 4th Social Welfare Policy in Pakistan aimed to: 1. Promote traditional humanism and social responsibility to enhance social development. 2. Raise public awareness of social welfare and encourage voluntary contributions. 3. Provide services to vulnerable groups like children, women, minorities, disabled people. It proposed programs for orphanages, vocational training, healthcare assistance, and community development. However, like other policies, it failed to achieve its goals and objectives due to a lack of implementation.

1. 4th Social Welfare Policy in Pakistan, 1994
Imran Ahmad Sajid, PhD
Source: Shireen Rehmatullah. (2002). Social Welfare in Pakistan. Karachi: Oxford University Press

2. Sher Afghan Khan Niazi, 1994
• 1994—Ministry of Zakat, Social Welfare and
Special Education prepared a policy document

3. 1. to draw on the strength of the traditional,
social and cultural humanism of the people
for enhancing their contribution to social
development.
2. to promote activities designed to raise
consciousness in respect of social
responsibility of inds., communities and,
society for voluntary contribution of
resources to social welfare.
12 Objectives of the Policy

4. 3. to exert pressure by examples of the
privileged , the influential and the wealthy to
exercise restraints from consumption.
4. to promote, expand, and strengthen social
welfare programmes of non-government
agencies.
5. to promote, strengthen and expand the
public sector social welfare programmes.

5. 6. to develop and provide facilities and services
for welfare of the people in general and the
oppressed and needy, disabled and under
privileged in particular.
7. to adopt measure for provision of social
welfare services and facilities for the
minorities.
8. to develop services and facilities for the
residents of urban slums, and rural backward
and other under privileged areas.

6. 9. to take effective measures to eliminate social
evils, recognizing “Sifarish System” as such.
10. to create conditions for integration of the
under privileged and the disabled into the
mainstream of life.
11. to eliminate all forms of discrimination
12. to protect from national and foreign
exploitation all vulnerable sections of the
society.

7. • It was decided that these objectives would be
obtained by mobilizing mass media to create social
awareness.
• The important role of the voluntary efforts was
considered to be indispensable in the management
of social services.
• The 8,000 and odd voluntary social welfare
agencies in the country would be coordinated.
Implementation Strategy

8. TARGET GROUPS
• The policy singled out target groups such as
– children,
– women,
– senior citizens,
– religious minorities,
– the disabled,
– beggars,
– prisoners,
– drug addicts,
– patients, students and
– residents of slums and katchi abadies.

9. • Several remedial measures were proposed
such as
• Children Services
– setting up of orphanages,
– child care services for disabled,
– protection and care of school drop outs, abandoned,
kidnapped and bonded laborers.
• Youth Services
– Youth camps ,vocational training and assistance to
needy youth comprised services for youth.
REMEDIAL MEASURES

10. • Women Services
–Shelters for widows,
–financial assistance from Zakat fund,
–vocational training homes for the
emotionally distressed,
–legal aid centers,
–hostels for working women, were
proposed.

11. • Senior Citizens and Beggers
– Senior citizens, beggars, prisoners
would be provided with institutional
care and rehabilitation.
– Beggary would be totally eliminated

12. • Health Serivces
– Poor patients will be assisted through medical
social work and medical
– Social workers will be appointed in every hospital.
– School health services will be initiated.
• Community development services would
continue to mobilize communities and their
resources.

13. Fate of the Policy
• But unfortunately, like other policies , this too
remained a document.
• The lofty ideals and goals and objectives of
this policy could not be achieved.