DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMICS-
INEQUALITY

AYESHA SOHAIL
18681
ABSTRACT
Social and economic disparity among districts of the same country can be exacerbated by a number of
factors, ranging from natural to man-made, all of which are susceptible to reduction to varying degrees.
Diluting them necessitates arduous efforts ranging from an understanding of the causative factors to
raising awareness, especially among planners whose job it is to channel resources in the future to
minimize them. The current study looks at why Ziarat, one of Baluchistan’s worst-performing districts,
is experiencing such economic inequality. The human development index gives a clear picture of
Baluchistan’s condition. The index places Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi at the top, while most
areas of Baluchistan are at the bottom. The causes of difference in Baluchistan have been established
by presenting them in the form of variables, which have been used as a guideline for suggesting
solutions to alleviate the vicious prevalent situation. It is widely assumed that the socioeconomic
disparities between Baluchistan and the rest of the country are too wide to be bridged. As a result, in
addition to examining the worst district, a contrast was made with Karachi, one of the best. Karachi is
Pakistan's most economically and socially developed city. It ranks first in almost every economic and
social indicator among Pakistan's 106 districts. Karachi was ranked first or second in a report that
ranked 101 Pakistani districts according to their level of socioeconomic growth using various
indicators and statistical techniques. Similarly, other calculations and rankings of the districts based on
a multiple deprivation index revealed that Karachi is Pakistan's "least deprived city," with the lowest
poverty rate. Conclusively, the aim is to figure out what the differences in causes are and what can be
done to narrow the gap between districts.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX

YEAR KARACHI ZIARAT
2004-2005 0.070 0.473
2006-2007 0.059 0.426
2008-2009 0.046 0.429
2010-2011 0.043 0.432
2012-2013 0.028 0.289
2014-2015 0.019 0.575

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WORST PERFORMING DISTRICT – ZIARAT
INTRODUCTION:

Ziarat Town is located 133 km north-east of Quetta. It is the district's only officially recognised urban
locality. The district has a population of over 80,748 people and covers 3,670 km2 (Ziarat tehsil 1,489
km2 and Sanjawi 2,181 km2). Ziarat, Kawas, Zandra, Ahmadoon, Gogi, Kachh, Kan, Tungi, Spezandi,
War Choom, and Zargi are the main villages in Ziarat tehsil. Agriculture, poultry, and commerce and
trade are the mainstays of the district's economy. The district is important because it is a watershed and
one of the largest contributors to the Nari River's water supply. In addition, the Mangi dam in Ziarat
tehsil is being constructed to improve Quetta's drinking water supply.

PROBLEMS

1. CLIMATE: The climate in the Ziarat district is semi-arid and temperate. As a result, it receives
200 to 400 mm of precipitation per year, which is considerably more than most of the
province's districts. Since the Ziarat district lacks a weather station, the data provided by the
Quetta station must be used as a proxy. The entire province of Balochistan is located in a
seismically active region. In the past, the province has been hit by devastating earthquakes.
Droughts in the province impact the Ziarat district on a regular basis. The Drought Severity
Index for Ziarat district is generally 2 (low). The provincial Board of Revenue has classified
Ziarat district as a moderately drought-affected district. Natural disasters in Ziarat have resulted
in the following outcomes: decrease in household income, loss of household savings, an
increase in food prices, malnutrition and disease vulnerability, lack of fodder, extensive loss of
apple trees and orchards and increased government spending for relief efforts.

2. HEALTH FACILITIES & HYGIENE: According to the Health Directorate of Quetta, in 2006-
2007 there were 14 BHUs, eight dispensaries, one 20-bed DHQ Hospital (the medical
superintendent is in charge of district headquarters hospital) one MCH Centre, one Mobile
Dispensary, three RHCs of 40 beds each and one T.B Clinic in Ziarat district. According to a
study regarding the availability and use of sanitary means of excreta disposal, 93% of
households used open places, 0.2% were connected to a public sewer, 0.8% were connected to a
septic system, 4.5% had a pour flush toilet, 1.4% had traditional pit latrines (closed), and 2.3%
gave no response or their response was incomplete. Lastly, respiratory diseases, anaemia, skin
infections, renal diseases, worm infections, diarrhoea, dysentery, malaria, and hepatitis are the
most prevalent diseases in the district.

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3. INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING: Ziarat's metropolitan areas have weak urban
infrastructure and are currently experiencing increased housing demand. There are no
streetlights and streets are usually narrow. On household waste disposal methods, there is no
information available. In the rural areas of district Ziarat, sanitary conditions are much worse.
There is no irrigation system, and the streets are unpaved. Outside of homes, stagnant
wastewater breeds mosquitoes and flies, posing a public health risk. According to the District
Census Report (1998), Ziarat tehsil had 4,503 housing units, 4,076 of which were in the
district's rural area (92.52 per cent). Single rooms account for more than 19% of housing units
in Ziarat tehsil (31.3% in Ziarat Town and 18.78% in rural areas). While 2-4 rooms account
for 62.93% in Ziarat Town and 60.80% in rural areas. The majority of the homes are made of
mud and unfired bricks, and they lack proper toilets and drainage. In addition, the houses are
built without the permission of the municipal administration or any city planning.

4. MAINSTREAMING A GENDER PERSPECTIVE: In Ziarat men hold the monopoly of

economic and social influence despite the fact that women made up 48.1% of the district's
population. Women's involvement in decision-making and economic activities is restricted in
Ziarat's patriarchal culture, and their participation in public life is minimal. Since women are
solely responsible for household tasks (such as fetching water and fuel wood, sweeping, child
rearing, washing, and caring for livestock), they bear a disproportionately large share of the
workload. Despite the fact that women contribute substantially to household income and are
responsible for the household's food and basic needs, they are denied property rights, earn less
food, have less access to medical care than men, their contribution to agriculture is generally
unaccounted for, and they are sometimes exchanged as commodities under the jirga system. To
supplement their income, many women sew and embroider. In addition, according to the
MICS-2004, 27.4% of women obtained antenatal treatment from a dai. For post-natal
treatment, 53.4% consulted no one. While only 1% of married women knew about HIV/AIDS.
This indicates about the level of education and awareness among the women of the district.

5. QUALITY OF EDUCATION: Ziarat's educational situation is similar to that of other

Balochistan districts. The district's educational accessibility and consistency are also low.
Public and private schools of varying quality make up the district's education sector. The public
sector runs 263 schools, including elementary, middle, intermediate, and high secondary
schools. Rural schools account for 93% of these schools, while urban schools account for just
7%.

LITERACY RATES – ZIARAT

10+ 15+
MALE FEMALE TOTAL MALE FEMAL TOTAL
E
2005 66% 19% 45% 59% 11% 38%
2007 75% 45% 61% 71% 41% 57%
2009 86% 52% 71% 84% 41% 65%
2011 73% 14% 45% 70% 12% 41%
3
2013 78% 33% 57% 75% 23% 52%

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BEST PERFORMING DISTRICT – KARACHI
INTRODUCTION

Karachi is the capital of Pakistan's Sindh province. Karachi, which is located on the Arabian Sea,
serves as a transportation hub for Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Bin
Qasim, as well as the country's busiest airport. Karachi has rapidly surpassed Shanghai as the world's
second most populous city. It is one of the world's fastest growing cities, with populations representing
almost all of Pakistan's ethnic groups. The weather in Karachi is good for the majority of the year.
Pollution is an issue in the region. Despite land and sea breezes, the region's high humidity prevents
any stagnant water from evaporating, and pollutants from factories and vehicles lead to air pollution.
Mainly its importance is due to it being the economic centre of Pakistan, crossed by the Indus River,
and has seen tremendous growth in recent decades.

1. Reduction in poverty: According to World Bank staff figures, Karachi saw a significant decline
in poverty from 2005 to 2015, with just 9% of the city's population living in poverty in 2014–
15, compared to 23% in 2004–2005. As a result, Karachi is the least impoverished district in
Sindh province and the third least impoverished district in Pakistan.

2. Economic structure of the city: Karachi's manufacturing and trade industries employ the
majority of the population. They recruit 63 percent of the city's total workforce. In the
manufacturing, public administration, commerce, transportation and communications, health,
and education industries, Karachi also has a high position quotient. The share of local jobs in
each of these is more than twice that of national employment. In terms of jobs, the finance and

real estate sectors are tiny, but they are important for Karachi's future growth. Over the last
decade and a half, the sector has made a significant contribution to Karachi's GDP growth,
particularly in the decade leading up to 2010, when formal sector credit to the private sector,
including commercial lending, increased significantly.

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 3. Housing and Infrastructure: On the city's north and northeast outskirts, rapid growth has
begun, and massive projects have begun to "leapfrog" beyond the city centre. Housing
societies' developments, as well as satellite towns such as Bahria Town, began to emerge
outside the city limits in 2013. Land construction is carried out separately by various
landowning entities at various levels of government. The city centre of Clifton/Defense
Housing Authority (DHA) is under federal-military control, while Malir (northeast) is under
provincial control, and cooperative housing societies are controlled by the city government.
The majority of the city's development is taking place on the outskirts, especially in the Malir
and West districts. Large-scale formal housing projects are gaining popularity. The China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will have an impact on the city's future growth.
Investments in road infrastructure are expected to total about US$11 billion. Between the cities
of Karachi and Lahore, a 1,100-kilometer-long freeway will be built. The projected impact of
CPEC is a rise in economic volume, which will have an effect on the trade and service sectors,

the stock market, commodity prices, land production, and other activities. Furthermore, the
CPEC has the potential to boost the real estate and housing sectors, as well as the connectivity,
transportation, and construction industries.

4. Karachi’s economic significance: Karachi's overall economic value is reflected in its superior
gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and relatively high labour productivity. According to
one report, Karachi contributed at least 11.4 percent of national GDP and nearly 5.5 percent of
domestic jobs in 2012. The city's GDP per capita was nearly 44% higher than the national
average. In 2012, the city's gross value added (GVA) per worker was more than double that of
Pakistan as a whole. Karachi's relatively high labour efficiency can be attributed in part to its
economy's overall size. Karachi's employment surpassed that of Lahore, Pakistan's second-
largest city, by 81 percent in 2012. Manufacturing is a major employer in the region. Its
industrial base encompasses heavier and more specialised enterprises as well as conventional
labor-intensive industries. Moreover, Karachi, along with the adjoining districts of Hyderabad,
Thatta, and Lasbela, forms an economically significant corridor of manufacturing
employment . In the formal sector, these three districts and Karachi account for up to 71
percent of national manufacturing jobs in the motor vehicles and transport equipment sector;
41 percent in metals, machinery, and electronics; 39 percent in chemical products; and 15
percent in food and beverages.

CONCLUSION

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In the case of Balochistan, industrialization was also lacking in the province, despite the fact that it had
vast mineral reserves that could have sparked economic growth and development. The advancement of
communication has the potential to both increase and reduce the rate of growth. Also, the importance
of education growth as a tool for achieving equitable progress for the province's people cannot be
overstated. Conclusively, the government should take serious steps and encourage ambitious
development policies that ensure that all regions have equitable access to basic education and health
care. Intra-regional disparity is particularly concerning, particularly in rural areas. To close the growing
gap between urban and rural areas, tough policy decisions should be taken at both the federal and
provincial levels. Dr Kaiser Bengali expresses that: "Abolition of inequality can never be a rational
objective, as different people and regions have different endowments", still inequality is not written in
stone; it can be minimised.

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