A numerical portrait of Pakistan

One might think that the last place to find a portrait of a nation is a book full of numbers. But if anyone has doubts, check out the World Banks just-released World Development Indicators 2010.
The 489-page report is loaded with so many intriguing statistics that it takes almost a half day to just sift through it and find relevant pieces of information. As one would expect, bad news abounds, when it comes to numbers related to Pakistan.
In terms of purchasing power parity, the country is ranked 159, out of little more than 200 countries, with unevenly distributed income. A quarter of the countrys total income is earned by just 10 percent of the population, while the lowest 10 percent of the population earns only 4 percent of the total income.
It turns out that 62 percent of the population is vulnerably employed, with nearly a third of the population living below the national poverty line.
Comparisons with international poverty line are even more disheartening, as three-fifths of the population earns less than $2 day while about 23 percent earns less than $1.25.
Socio-economic numbers are also disappointing. For example only 58 percent of the population had access to proper sanitation facilities in 2006, while only a third of school-age population enrolls at secondary education level.
This number falls further when it comes to tertiary or post secondary level education such as graduation or post graduation.
And why should it, because there is no incentive; World Bank data shows that a whopping 26 percent of those having attained tertiary level education are unemployed, much higher than the gross unemployment level of 5.1 percent.
If Pakistan wants it can easily turn this dynamic around. With a rapidly growing population, which boasts 37 percent citizens less than 14 years of age and 59 percent aged between 15 and 64, the countrys working-age potential is immense.
Of the long wish list of things-to-do, two things are must; one, start saving, and two, invest that saving in education.
Contrary to all the hoo-ha, its in fact household consumption that makes up for the countrys structure of demand; 77 percent compared to 12 percent of general government consumption expenditure. And only a pittance of this private consumption is used for educational or vocational training purposes.
Many of the facts here may not be new pieces of information, but such multitude of facts replaces speculation with evidence. How the citizens and politicians discuss, infer and debate them is enough substance for Pakistans new found democracy.

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PAKISTANS DEMOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL

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                                                 mn      %

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Population 2008                               166.1

Composition of population age   Age 0-14       61.5    37%

                               Age 15-64       98.0    59%

                                 Age 65+        6.6     4%

Dependency Ratio %

of working-age population          Young               63%

                                     Old                4%

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Source: World Development Indicators 2010