QUETTA: A new report by the Population Council shows that 17 of Pakistan’s 20 most deprived districts are in Balochistan.
They are faced with severe shortages of basic services, extreme poverty, and failing infrastructure.
The worst-hit districts include Washuk, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Zhob, Dera Bugti, Mashkhel, Qila Saifullah, and Kalat. The weak districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are Kohistan and North Waziristan, and in Sindh, it is Tharparkar.
13 out of the 20 most affluent districts are in Punjab, while Balochistan is not included in the list.
These 17 districts are deprived of basic facilities for more than 10 million people. Employment opportunities are rare to come by.
15 of the 20 districts presenting the worst job prospects are in Balochistan. Both Balochistan and KP have the highest rates of unemployment and unpaid household labour.
65 percent of households live in mud or temporary structures, and half have no toilets. Clean drinking water is a luxury to many.
40 percent cannot access safe water. In Jhal Magsi, 97 percent of families live in mud or semi-constructed homes, and in some areas, three-quarters of houses have only one room.
Poor roads, limited transportation, and weak phone connectivity make access to health and emergency services almost impossible.
Clinics are few and far between. In remote areas of Balochistan and KP, people travel more than 30 kilometres for basic healthcare.
There are the most schools in Karachi and the least in Balochistan; girls in rural districts have to travel the longest to reach a high or higher secondary school.
The report warns that rapid population growth worsens deprivation, as large family sizes restrict access to education and healthcare and limit access to clean water, driving already vulnerable districts deeper into poverty.
