Sattar said his party would tax feudal chiefs, curb corruption and improve public sector departments to raise money for social development. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
A UN report released on Thursday revealed that Pakistan’s health and education budget is among the lowest in the developing world.
The 2013 report ranked Pakistan 146 out of 187 countries on a human development index, equal to Bangladesh and just ahead of Angola and Myanmar.
“Pakistan has one of the lowest investments in terms of education and health -- it spends 0.8% of its GDP on health and 1.8% on education,” the United Nations said in a statement, adding that 49% of the population lives in poverty.
Predictably, politicians who are now on the campaign trail used this opportunity to endorse the report’s recommendations and pledge increases in health and education budgets after the report was launched.
Senator Razina Alam of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) pledged to transform the education system, saying quality education must be given to children across the country.
“We will increase resources for education and at least four percent of GDP would be allocated by the year 2018,” she said.
“In the health sector we will make a threefold increase in the budget by 2018,” she added.
Shafqat Mehmood, information secretary for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said his party would triple spending on education and raise spending on health five-fold.
“The challenge of governance is a serious one in Pakistan as there is a lack of attention towards responding to peoples’ problems,” said Mehmood.
“If voted into power, we will increase both the health and education budgets which will be 5% of GDP for each sector,” said Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar.
Sattar said his party would tax feudal chiefs, curb corruption and improve public sector departments to raise money for social development.
“This report is embarrassing and eye-opening at the same time,” he added.
The PPP did not attend the launch of the report, with organisers saying its representative cancelled their attendance at the last minute.
According to its manifesto, the PPP increased the education budget by 196 per cent to $78 million for 2012-13.
“In our next term we will propose an increase in state spending on health to five percent of consolidated government spending by the end of our next term,” the manifesto said.
While addressing the event, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan said, “We need to be committed to human development and make this development sustainable for future generations.”
UNDP Country Director Marc-André Franche said, “Rapid human development progress in South Asian nations is helping drive a historic shift in global dynamics. Pakistan can therefore learn from different countries on how to enhance the skills and productivity of its people. It should undertake more interventions to reduce poverty, expand infrastructure and improve governance.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2013.
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