Major problems facing Pakistan today include poverty, illiteracy, corruption and political instability, international interference, terrorism and religious extremism, and overpopulation, inflation and unemployment. Poverty has increased from 30% to 40% over the past decade. Literacy is only 50%, meaning half the population is illiterate. Corruption is rampant due to an "establishment" network that controls key government positions. International interference and proxy wars with India have hindered development. Religious extremism and the perception of Pakistan as a center of terrorism discourage foreign investment. Rapid population growth exacerbates poverty, unemployment, and inflation.

1. Major ProblemsFacingPakistanToday
Introduction:
Pakistanwasestablishedin1947 andsince itsinception,ithasbeensurroundedbycountlessissues
includingbutnotlimitedtoill-formed/missinginfrastructure,insufficientrefinedresources,barren or
obsolete factoriesandtechnologies,imposedconflictsatKashmirandotherfrontsandan ever-ready
enemytounderscore all the effortstowardsprogress.Despiteitbeingrichonraw resourcesthusfar
Pakistanisa developingcountrywithlimiteddevelopmentineveryeradue tothe problemsitfaces.In
the followingtextwe will shedsome lightonsome of the major problemsfacedtodaybyPakistanasa
country.
POVERTY:
Accordingto an analysisconductedbythe governmentof Pakistanandpublishedat hec.Gov.pk(the
highereducationcommissionof Pakistan) showsthatthe povertyhasincreasedroughlyfrom30% to
40% duringthe pastdecade.Considerthatif 40%of a country’spopulationisearningtheirlifebelowthe
poverty-line inwhichthe peopleare deprivedof basicnecessitiesof life suchasclothing,shelter,food,
educationandmedication,suchfamiliesandtheirchildrenwillbe forcedtothinkof theirsurvival only.
ILLITERACY:
Literacyisdefinedaspersonsaged15 or above whocan “read”and “write”.Accordingtothisdefinition,
Pakistanisofficiallyreportedtohave 50% literacyrate.Whichmeanshalf of itspopulationisilliterate.
Withsuch familybackgrounds,inflation,povertyandchildlaborthisrate isexpectedtoincrease in
future.Evenforthose whoare termedas“Literate”are onlyable toread andwrite,whichintoday’s
technologyorientedworldisstillconsideredasilliteracy.Majorityof the people formingthe top
controllingtierisalmostunaware of technologiesandtechnical mindset.Thus,causingthe countryto
adoptthe newtechnologiesatasnail’sspeed.
CORRUPTION ANDPOLITICALINSTABILITY:
Pakistanissufferingfromafatal problemknownas“Establishment”.Everyvital departmentinPakistan
iscontrolledbythe so called“Establishment”.Establishmentisanetworkof keypositionsinalmostall
the departmentsinthe country.Thisnetworkprovidessupportandsafe backingtotheir“touts”to
ensure thattheyremainincontrol.The roots of thisestablishmentmayverywell be deepinside
underworldandsecretagenciesof the dominatingnations.
It isinterestingtonote thatdue to the international interference andmanipulationthe verysame
people thatwe label ascorruptjust sometime ago,blame andrebuke,come backto governusaftera
couple of yearsagainand people welcome themwithopenarms.A commonEnglishsayinggoesas“fool
me once,shame on you,fool me twice,shame onme”.

2. Thisis probablyalsothe mainreasonwhythe political processinPakistanisnotlettoprosper.Soon
afteritsinceptionthe sincere andloyal politicianswere removedfromthe mainstreamandonlydummy
agentsand rubberstampsare putin place,while all the decisionsare made outside the country.
INTERNATIONALINTERFERENCE:
Indiaistypicallytermedasa conventionalenemytoPakistan.Asmentionedbefore the peopleof
Pakistanneedtobe trainedtothinkpositivelyabouttheirsurroundings.We shouldlearnalessonfrom
US and Canada’scross bordercollaborationtoimprove their affairsandprovide backing,whycan’t
PakistanandIndiaenterintosuchstrengtheningrelationship?
Pakistancan nevermove forwardwithitsproxywarpoliticswithIndiaanditsinvolvementinthe so-
calledUS War on terrorism.Ithas to strike peace withIndiaandotherneighboringcountriessoonso
that itcan use itsresourcesforitsown people'swelfareandfocusonits collectiveobjectives.
Pakistanhasmore potential tobe a developedcountryearlierthanIndia.Ithas the resourcesand
talent.yetitseemstosinklowerbythe day.Indiawithabillionpluspopulationhasamillionproblemsto
handle.Yetthe focusof Indiahas beenrightand itshowsinits 8% economicgrowth.Itstime Pakistan
learnsthislessonandcorrectsitsfocus.
TERRORISMAND RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM:
The whole worldlooksatPakistan,asalandof terrorists.Mainreasonbeinganexploitationthroughthe
religiousleadersandreactionof the militaryoperationsbothinternallyaswell asexternally.Chinais
getting13 billiondollarsasforeigninvestmentbecause of itsstable andinvestor-friendlyenvironment
where aseventouristsare afraidto visitPakistandue tothe securityconcerns.
EvensmallercountrieslikeRomaniaandPhilippinesare gettingalotof foreigninvestments.
There needstobe a bigshiftinthe mindset.Pakistani people shouldmove awayfromthe clutchesof
the religiousfanaticsandmustrealize whatisbestforthemandtheircountry.
OVERPOPULATION,INFLATION,UNEMPLOYMENT:
Accordingto official Pakistani sites(actual figuresmaybe well above the officiallyreportedfacts),the
countryhas an estimated2%growthrate whichfora country of official populationof 160 Millionturns
out to be roughlyaround3.2Millioneveryyear.
Thisalarminggrowthrate iscausingimmense pressureonheadof the familieswhoare tosupportthem.
Giventhatabout 40% of the populationisalreadylivingunderpovertyline and5.6% (officialfigures) of
the populationisunemployed,the evergrowingpopulationof Pakistanisjustaddingtothe problemsof
the alreadyunderpressure nation.

3. Pakistanhasa fast developingeconomywhichismakingitsmiddleclassgrow swiftly.Thisiscreating
more needforenergy,foodandhomesandthe pricesof these thingsare giganticnowadays.
Alsowiththe internationallygrowingoil pricesare causingeveryiteminthe countrytodoubled(andin
some casestripled) everyyear.