After reading the title you might be wondering, what could be the rationale behind placing Tharparkar at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. You will be stuck the same way as I got while reading article written by G.M Arif, Joint director at Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, titled “Poverty Profile of Pakistan”. Shockingly, Mr. Arif ranked Lakki Marwat below Tharparker in poverty ranking. His analysis placed Lakki Marwat in the category of EXTREMELY POOR District.
My reason for worry is not the poverty ranking of Lakki Marwat but the consistant reluctance of government, donor agencies and NGO’s for acknowledging what the top notch academic institute on Economic development has concluded. Lakki Marwat is never acknowledged as deprived district. My question is whether the government and other stakeholders are waiting for the time when deprivation will be converted into hostility?
After reading the article, I started thinking like an economist and looked for ways out to steer the area out of this grave situation. My creative sense identified four of them which were growth in agriculture, education, entrepreneurship and most importantly, the external assistance.
Lets start with possibilities of growth in agriculture. Due to shortage of water, majority of the area in Lakki Marwat is dry and arid. The only source of irrigation was Baraan Dam and after the closure of the dam, desertification of the area is on the rise. After downfall of agriculture, cutting down trees and selling them for livelihood became a hobby of poor people in the area for a long time.
Thousands of trees were cut down, leaving the district at risk of natural calamities. Poor people of area have started migrating to other areas of the country for earning livelihood. Mostly well off families have migrated permanently to big cities with no intention of coming back. This has led to shortage of skilled worker, good doctors, educated teachers in area, pushing district into vicious circle of poverty.
My second hope of breaking this vicious circle of poverty is Education in Lakki Marwat. My hope started fading out when I saw the literacy rate at mere 29.7 % in the district. It clearly reflects that Lakki Marwat lies in the category of third world in education sector of Pakistan. It will take three times extra efforts to bring the district to the same level as other districts of KP and Pakistan.
While searching for some statistics, I found some very shocking figures. There is only one higher secondary school for girls in the district compared to 11 schools in each of the neighboring district of D.I.Khan and Bannu.The number of high schools for girls are almost half the number in the neighboring districts of Bannu and D.I.Khan. The reason behind such stark difference in the existence of female educational facilities is beyond my understanding.
I remember many position holders of my class at primary school dropped out of school after matriculation due to lack of resources to finance their higher education. Acquiring higher education is a challenge for poor people of Lakki Marwat. The only hope in the shape of establishing University at Lakki Marwat has become a political card in hands of political parties, used only to just get votes from people.
The situation of health sector is also alarming. According to Southern Area Development Project’s assessment report, the population per doctor in Lakki Marwat is 19,211 compared to 6,217 in D.I.Khan and 7, 696 in Tank. Deprivation under this indicator is almost three times as high as compared to neighboring districts.
Being an economist, I consider this as an acute deprivation. Number of dispensaries in Lakki Marwat is four compared to 26 in D.I.Khan and 22 in Bannu. This indicator on health facilities reflects that Lakki Marwat is deprived more than five times compared to other districts of the area. Due to lack of these facilities maternal deaths are on the rise in the district.
In the context of poor geographical conditions, improvement in human capital which seemed to be the only hope of breaking vicious circle of poverty, shattered to see the statistics of health and education.
As far as entrepreneurship and employment opportunities within the district are concerned, there are very limited opportunities in the district. The economy of the area is pastoral where agricultural activities in the area are no more than a gambling. With no irrigation facilities agricultural output is only rain dependent. The only source of employment for poor people of the areas is to work as non-skilled laborer in construction industry.
About 24 percent labor force is employed as migrant workers in Gulf countries while other 30 percent are employed in other provinces with in Pakistan. According SADP report there exist 20 industrial units out of which only 14 are running. Lucky Cement factory is a largest industrial unit with 25000 tons per day of dry cements. But these units failed to attract sizable quantity of local labor force. According to local employees of the factory, majority of the managerial and other position are held by labor force of other provinces.
Another alarming fact is that general public has no knowledge of royalty fund from annual production of 7.75 million tons of cement and 8697 metric tons of limestone from Sheikh Badeen. This fund can be used to boost entrepreneurial activities in the area.
In the absence all the above mentioned economic factors, foreign economic assistance in shape of foreign funded projects or development activities of Non Government Organizations (NGO’s) holds critical importance. But the reality is that except DFID funded Aawaz program and World Bank funded SADP program I see no big donor working in the district.
Working in development sector I have seen many of the development programs implemented in surrounding areas of Tank, D.I.Khan and Bannu are ignoring Lakki Marwat. The recent new updates in this area is that government of KP is establishing economic zones at all the surrounding district of Bannu, Karak, Kohat , D.I.Khan, except Lakki Marwat. “Now it’s the time to throw out Lakki Marwat from Pakistan’s map” this is what the professional marwats reacted on social media to the advertisement of economics zones.
The time has come to realize and acknowledge that the district has been ignored since very long. The sense of deprivation is reflected in the posts of various associations on social media. If proper attention is not given to address the deprivation, the district will become a hub for drug smuggling and crimes. There is a need to focus on already approved projects of Kuram Tangi Dam and University for Lakki Marwat.
A serious attention is needed to improve entrepreneurial eco system, as the locals of the area holds entrepreneurial spirit. Expansion of markets and business activity at Gambila and Ghazni khel without support from government is reflection of the spirit. Information regarding utilization of royalty fund, need to be published for better social accountability and proper utilization. With proper attention and management Lakki Marwat can be saved from absolute and relative poverty both.
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