Youths represent more than 60% of Pakistan’s
population, about two million youths are entering
into job market every year, among them 0.8 million
are graduates holding various degrees and diploma in
their hands and seeking jobs. Pakistan’s government
is unable to handle such a huge lot of youths and to
provide them jobs. After debt servicing which
consumes more than 40% of Pakistan’s budget followed
by defense and administrative expenses there remains
very little for education, health and poverty
alleviation projects. Government sector is unable to
provide jobs to at par with demand while reality is
that many government organizations including PIA,
WAPDA, Steel Mills etc became white elephants and
are merely burden and liabilities on national
exchequer.
To fight against poverty, illiteracy, and
unemployment, there is need to introduce and enhance
and reinforce the concept of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) in Pakistani businesses.
It is the responsibility of corporate sector to
create wealth, employment and to care the well being
of society. Companies’ bottom lines are now people,
planet and profit. In present era people’s
expectations from corporate increased and they
should fulfill people’s expectations. There is need
to emphasize corporate sector to play its role to
enhance the quality of people’s life.
More countries’ corporate sector now adopting
corporate social policy and Development foundation
and funds have been set up in the United Arab
Emirate, Qatar, Kuwait and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
CSR progress in Pakistan is rather slow and few
businesses contribute to promote education, health
care and sanitation. Pakistani companies need to
realize that CSR pays back and leads to better
business, new customers and markets and it is a
integrate part of successful business. Corporate
Social Responsibility concept for the most of
Pakistani businesses are not clear and they
ambiguity about it. They mix it with Corporate
Philanthropy jus pay some donation and think they
fulfilled their responsibilities. There are many
Seth oriented organizations in Pakistan who not
fulfilling their legal responsibilities by paying
their worker minimum wage , medical expenses and
over time as per law. There is lack of respect for
basic human rights are witnessed and workers are
treated inhumanly, abusing, hitting and penalizing
them. It is the duty of state to ensure to stop
these practices in corporate sector.
Laws Lead to CSR
1. Corporate law
2. Environmental Law
3. Labour Law
4. Consumer Protection Law
Compliance to these laws can push companies towards
the boundaries of corporate social responsibilities
because there is no concept of CSR without
implementing basic human rights. CSR is a step
further to fulfill their responsibilities towards
employees, people and environment.
Pakistan’s poor performance I economy is due to low
level public investment and indifference attitude of
private sector towards health, education , housing
and other public welfare schemes.
I would like to quote the words of Malik Riaz the
founder of Bahria Town, who rightly said, “It is
time that we realize our duty towards Pakistan. If
we are unable to see the imminent consequences of
our continued ignorance, I am scared that not only
our families but also our businesses will fuel a
bloody revolution that is brewing due to poverty,
unemployment , corruption and terrorism .It is a
clear warning to land barons, waderas, the wealthy
politicians, bureaucrats, and industrialists to shed
their sloth and wake up before all is lost ad there
is no place to hide.”
Government can fulfill its responsibility to
increase allocation for education, poverty
alleviation and health significantly to improve the
situation. However the past record of Pakistani
budget does not conform to this notion.
Year Budget lay out billion rupees
2015-16 4,168.3
2016-17 4,894.9
2014-15 2015-16
Tax revenue 3,418 bn 3,956
FBR Tax 3,103 bn 3,621 bn
Direct Tax 1,347 bh 1,558 bn
Indirect Tax 1,755 bn 2,063 bn
Federal Budget for Education
2015-16 2016-17
Education 75.58 bn 84.19 bn
Health 11.01 bn 12.10 bn
Total public debt is 18,740 billion
Debt Service to GDP: 5.8 %
Public Debt to revenue “442.1 %
Debt servicing: 1,370.9 billion rupees 40. 2 % of
budget
If the welfare organizations have not contributed to
help people the situation would have been
precarious. The volume of the contribution of set
ups SUIT TCF, Indus, Akhuwat, Edhi, Chippa, Al
Khidmat, Silani, are magnanimous and their impact is
countrywide.
Aman Foundation is founded by Abraj Capital, Layton
Rehmat Ullah Benevolent provide free eye treatment
to eye patients of poor and unprivileged segment of
society. Standard Chartered Charter Bank is its
partner. Shell Pakistan is contributing
significantly in this regard. Central depositary
Company contributed 52 million rupees since 2007.
These are the few example but the large number of
companies are still ignorant and unwilling to
discharge their social responsibility and to secure
all Pakistan they need to wake up as Allah has
provided them chance to spend the money on social
welfare of people which they were spending on paying
extortion and ransom to anti-social and terrorist
group. Extortionists, terrorists mostly are the
products of poverty and unemployment and they became
toys at the hands of Anti-Pakistan elements.
The writer is columnist, senior economic and
political analyst at Secure All Pakistan