The dream of poverty alleviation

Throughout the history, people have shifted their means of living from agricultural base towards the industrial sources of income. This has created an imbalance in the resource allocation by giving rise to urbanisation of major cities throughout the world.
Thus increased burden on the sources of income has given birth to immense poverty. Poverty is the state of a person who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to being unable to afford basic human needs, which commonly include clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today. Relative poverty refers to lacking a usual or socially acceptable level of resources or income as compared with others within a society or country.
Poverty in Pakistan is a growing concern. Although the middle-class has grown in Pakistan to 35 million, nearly one-quarter of the population is classified as "poor" as of October 2006. Poverty has risen over the years causing more and more people to strive for basic needs.
Poverty and the lack of a modern curriculum have proved destabilising factors for Pakistani society that has been exploited by militant organisations, banned by the government, to run orthodox schools and produce militant literature. There have been certain measures taken by various governments in Pakistan in the past but they have generally proved to be a failure if the overall results are examined.
The current government launched the Benazir Income Support Programme in 2008 to tackle the catastrophic impacts of inflation and price hike on the poor caused by recession in the world markets and highly increased food and fuel prices.
If we look beyond politics and observe ground realities, we will be able to acknowledge that BISP is a revolutionary step in a country where the poor have always been kept marginalised in a vicious circle of poverty. Poverty alleviation is a long-term process, it takes time, and it needs our support as a nation. We should look at the changes this programme is bringing in the lives of millions of our fellow Pakistanis. We should appreciate the targets it is achieving and help make it a success to bring a social revolution aimed at improving the life of millions of poor Pakistanis.