A safety net: ‘No point in buying arms when there is hunger, illiteracy’

Pakistan’s social security programmes do not protect even 10% of the population, says speaker

KARACHI: Consider Pakistan as a family. It does not make sense for a father to buy Kalashnikovs when his children have no education and are dying of hunger, said Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) director Karamat Ali.

He was speaking at a discussion, titled 'Fiscal Allocation for Social Protection: Now is the Time', organised by Piler on Saturday. The event aimed to spread awareness about the allocation and utilisation of funds in social protection institutions ahead of the budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Pointing to the country's 23 social security institutions, such as Baitul Maal, Citizens Compensation Programme, Benazir Income Support Programme and the Low Cost Housing Programme, he said that all of them combined did not protect even 10 per cent of Pakistan's population.



"Even people in the audience here today don't know about social security as a right of life. Ask yourselves if you want to raise your voice for your own rights," commented Ali.

Meanwhile, lawyer Ikramul Haq claimed that the people had lost faith in the state. "They would rather send their children to a two-room school on their street, paying Rs2,000 in fees, than send them to a government school," he remarked.

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Saeed Ghani promised that he will raise the issue of social protection in the Senate. "Even if the budget allocated to social security institutions is used properly, it will be a remarkable thing," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.