Environment, Crime, and Disease of Pakistan Essay

In 1947 Pakistan was granted a partition from British India and Pakistan was created. Since that date, Pakistan as a country has been facing a set of unique problems. Environment, crime and disease are issues that influence the lives of all people of Pakistan. Awareness, security and protection by Pakistan government is required if change is expected. Overpopulation and terrorism are two issues that must be addressed by the Pakistan’s government. Pakistan is one of the fastest growing countries in the world and the country is tainted by the terrorist acts, which take place every day. Pakistan’s current state and the issues of terrorism and population have significant influence on environment, crime, and disease within Pakistan. Overpopulation is defined as the state in which numbers exceed the ability to provide available resources. Overpopulation creates a long list of problems which includes but not limited to issues of; food shortage in the country because its resources are not sufficient to meet the needs of the people, issues of transportation resources that are not sufficient to provide better transport facilities to whole of the population. Overpopulation creates air, water and noise pollution in the environment and in this way, badly effects the environment and the health of the people of Pakistan. The ratio between the population and available resources cannot be ignored. Available resources will not be sufficient to meet the demand of rising population. The amount of waste produced by population will slow down the waste management programs leaving untreated waste and poor hygiene that will result in the spread of diseases. Overpopulation will make the spread of contagious diseases even easier. Health resources available will not be sufficient enough to cater to the needs of the huge population. Population issues of Pakistan and how this issue is affecting the environmental health and economical state of Pakistan is a real concern. Pakistan is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. According to the World Bank’s overview of Pakistan, â€Å"Pakistan has important strategic endowments and development potential. The country is located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East and is thus at the fulcrum of a regional market with a vast population, large and diverse resources, and untapped potential for trade. The increasing proportion of Pakistan’s working-age population provides the country with a potential demographic dividend but also with the critical challenge to provide adequate services and increase employment† (para. 1). If steps are taken the population of Pakistan can be beneficial to the development, growth, and economic state of the country. The government must promote and fund education awareness to the citizens of Pakistan. IRIN News reports in 2011, â€Å"According to official figures, the projected population for 2015 is 191 million, up from the current figure of 170 million, making it the sixth most populous nation on earth. By 2050 it is expected to climb into fourth place† (para 2). The percentage of Pakistani are of Islam faith and the religious beliefs are a factor in the growth rate. Unfortunately, the Muslim’s in Pakistan are led to believe that birth control is a heinous sin. It’s normal for men in the country to desire to father many children and to seek medical treatment if they cannot achieve this goal. In China, those couples who have more than one child lose their jobs and have to migrate to the rural areas to work in the fields. In Pakistan, modern education should be taught to the people that birth control is not forbidden by Islam. Until that happens, Pakistan’s population will go on increasing exponentially. There is another factor to consider when overpopulation is being analyzed within Pakistan. At independence in 1947, many refugees from India settled in urban areas of Pakistan. Years preceding the partition, a significant amount of the residents of Pakistan cities boarding India were immigrants. Some refugee colonies were eventually recognized as cities in their own right. People of India migrated from the Muslim minority provinces to Muslim majority provinces within Pakistan, seeking refuge. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports, â€Å"Pakistan hosts over 1.6 million registered Afghans, the largest and most protracted refugee population in the world† (para 1). The Pakistan government is trying to put processes in place to assist the refugees back to their original country of home. It is vital to the state of the country and all people living in Pakistan for the government and other assisting programs to continue to make progress concerning the population issue in Pakistan. Terrorism is another threat to Pakistan’s progress as a country. Terrorism crime is affecting the development of Pakistan and is a devastating issue to the people, safety, economy, and quality of life within Pakistan. The war on terror has affected Pakistan more than any other nation in the world. The World Bank reports, â€Å"Pakistan faces significant economic, governance and security challenges to achieve durable development outcomes. The persistence of conflict in the border areas and security challenges throughout the country is a reality that affects all aspects of life in Pakistan and impedes development. A range of governance and business environment indicators suggest that deep improvements in governance are needed to unleash Pakistan’s growth potential† (para 2). The civilians involved are traumatized by the fighting, violence, and discrimination. Human rights are being denied due to the continuous attacks and violence the terrorist afflict on the civil ians within Pakistan. This country would greatly benefit from a leader who can lead this country in its hour of crisis and make the population feel proud of their nationality. The major reason of increase in population and the terrorism in Pakistan is due to lack of education and government investment. Government should invest more money to educate people. Pakistan government must remain allies to those who will support the initiatives set in motion to establish a positive future for the country of Pakistan. The Pakistan government must make those who commit terrorist acts accountable and stand up for the victims. The country must strengthen the infrastructure of its military and security groups. Government of Pakistan should focus on improving economic governance, human development, social protection, security, and reducing the risk of conflict. Through these objectives the country’s ability to become a stronger country will increase. References IRIN News. (2011, January 18). PAKISTAN: Population growth rate adds to problems Retrieved from http://www.irinnews.org/Report/91656/PAKISTAN-Population-growth-rate-adds-to-problems Peter Blood, ed. Pakistan: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1994. Retrieved from http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/29.htm The UN Refugee Agency. (2013). Pakistan. Retrieved February 7, 2013, from http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e487016.html The World Bank. (nd). Pakistan. Retrieved February 8, 2013, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/pakistan