A third-world country like Pakistan is a country where the problems of the common people are largely ignored. There is almost no attention paid to the basic needs of the people. Collective issues in society like street sewerage systems, roads, etc. are always ignored or are significantly delayed. These issues are dependent on the local representative of the town but it is appropriate to say that these local representatives are not that powerful to address the focus of administration on those issues. However, this is not the only issue in Pakistan faced by the people. There are other issues that are equal to the issues mentioned above which are not taken into consideration. And these problems affect a society badly and if solved, these things can play an important role in building a strong nation and responsible citizens.
Therefore, this article, first of all, described the most overlooked is the education sector which is divided into several stages and classes in Pakistan. Our education system is divided into elite, middle, and poor class education. Individuals from elite societies have separate institutions, curricula, and methods for teaching their students. People belonging to the poor or middle class are studying the most outdated syllabus in their institutions. The Government always seems to be irresponsible to design a curriculum contemporary to the other world. Schools and colleges do not have adequate laboratories and libraries for students, even in the private sector. But the quality of education in the private sector is better than in the public sector. According to NEMIS (National Education Management Information System) data indicated that in 2012/13, It is estimated that 34% of boys and 33% of girls are enrolled in private schools. In FY2019, Pakistan’s public spending on education is estimated at 2.3% of GDP, the lowest in the region. It is a fact that Pakistan has been suffering from a weak economy for a long time but the right policies and decisions can provide quality education.
The other thing is environmental pollution in the country. Over the years, Pakistan has faced major challenges in tackling pollution issues. Lahore, a major city, is considered one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to the World Air Quality Index (AQI), not only Pakistan but the entire South Asian region is less concerned about pollution. Cities in India, China, and Bangladesh also topped the list of most polluted cities. The air quality in these cities is worse for breathing, however, the PTI government had launched a massive campaign to plant one billion trees. The Billion Tree Tsunami was first launched in KPK in 2014 and after coming to power in 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the campaign across the country. The project was well-received around the world. Now, with the change of government in the country, officials working with the Billion Tree Tsunami Project are worried that the project will be affected and will hang in the balance.
Mental health is one of the major neglected issues in Pakistan. Psychiatrists are never recognized as doctors in Pakistan. This is also one of the reasons why most students do not want to take up the profession. According to a research paper published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2020, Pakistan, with a population of more than 200 million, has the poorest indicators of mental health. This shortage of mental health professionals in Pakistan makes a huge gap in treatment, leaving more than 90% of the people with common mental illnesses untreated. Recently, when people were locked in their homes during the Covid, they were under the pressure of anxiety and depression due to the wave of economic crisis. People lost their jobs, businesses froze, and many surveys and reports concluded that people had the worst mental health problems during covid. So, there is always an utter need for a psychiatrist for people suffering from mental issues and it should not be ignored.
Physical activity is always important for people of all ages. Physical activity is directly linked to mental health. Many pieces of research show that people who exercise regularly have better mental health. In Pakistan, unfortunately, this is also a big neglected thing. The people as well as the states are less worried about this. There are no sports grounds for children to play. There are no parks even in urban areas. Most schools do not have grounds for students. Most private schools are based on a few rooms. Then how can students stay healthy if there is no physical activity? There is only one dominant sport, cricket, which is considered romance for the people of Pakistan but still, there is no suitable platform for it at the grassroots level. آ One of the main reasons why Pakistan is not performing well in the Olympics is that we do not have the enthusiasm for sports and no platform to play. Only two athletes reached the final of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Talha Talib, and Arshad Nadeem. If we look at their backgrounds, they did not have a platform for practice. Even when they were at the Olympics, playing in the finals, they had no coach with them. That’s why we are far behind in sports. The government should encourage people for sports and provide public ground.
