Comment: Fighting poverty without money

LAHORE: It is time to recognise that not every solution to poverty requires additional resources. Pakistan can improve the lives of millions of its citizens simply by using what it already has though efficiency, honesty and accountability.

Fiscal space is shrinking and dependence on foreign loans has become a recurring feature of Pakistan’s budgets, and in this scenario further pro-poor financing is not possible. For decades, Pakistan’s poverty alleviation efforts have been tied to new funding, donor programs, or subsidies. But much of the nation’s hardship stems not from lack of money, but from wastage, negligence, and the absence of accountability in public services that were meant to serve the poor. With a few practical steps, the quality of life of millions could improve dramatically — without burdening the exchequer.

An analysis of ground reality reveals that Pakistan does not lack resources as much as it lacks discipline, oversight and efficient management. Poverty can be fought not only with money but also with good governance, civic responsibility, and community involvement. If the state simply ensures that every rupee already allocated truly reaches the poor, the results will be far more transformative than any new loan or subsidy.

Take for instance the health sector. The government already runs an extensive network of basic health units (BHUs) and rural health centres across the country. Yet in many places, medicines disappear before they reach patients, equipment lies unrepaired, and doctors remain absent. Strict accountability for lapses in service, theft of medicines, and negligence in equipment maintenance could transform these centres into lifelines for rural families. Setting up district-level social audit committees, including local citizens, could ensure regular inspections and deter corruption. This does not require new money — only the will to enforce existing rules.

Similarly, simple nutritional interventions could have far-reaching effects. Fortifying staple foods such as wheat flour with iron and folic acid, edible oil with vitamin A, and salt with iodine can drastically reduce malnutrition, anaemia and birth defects. These steps cost little and save poor families from spending heavily on nutrient-rich foods they can hardly afford.

Education is another area where efficiency, not expansion, is the key. Pakistan spends billions on schooling, yet learning outcomes remain dismal. Ensuring teacher attendance through biometric verification and empowering community school committees to oversee performance can end the scourge of ghost teachers. Using existing school buildings in the evenings for adult literacy or vocational training can multiply the impact of existing infrastructure at no extra cost. Curriculum reform to include basic computing, hygiene, and practical repair work could also make students more employable without needing new institutions.

Governance reform is central to all this. Every public institution — schools, hospitals or utility offices should publicly display monthly performance data: attendance, complaints received, and actions taken. Transparency itself is a deterrent to corruption. Digital complaint systems, like the Punjab Citizen Portal, need to be strengthened with strict timelines for redressal and penalties for officials who ignore public grievances.

Encouraging retired professionals and skilled workers to train unemployed youth in their neighbourhoods can create an informal skill network. Idle public buildings can host these training sessions.

Housing and sanitation can also be improved without heavy spending. The Orangi Pilot Project in Karachi proved that when communities take ownership of small infrastructure — paving lanes, cleaning drains or building washrooms — costs fall sharply and results last longer. The government can replicate such models.

Perhaps the biggest savings can come from plugging leakages. Subsidies for wheat, sugar and fertiliser are often captured by middlemen. Digitising and directly linking welfare and subsidy disbursements to beneficiaries, as done under the Benazir Income Support and Ehsaas programmes, can ensure the right people get help.

Beyond institutions, some changes lie within society itself. Mass awareness campaigns on hygiene, family planning, and nutrition through mosques, schools, and local radio can reduce disease and improve health at negligible cost.

Finally, local governments must be empowered. Services like sanitation, education and basic health work best when managed closest to the people. Smaller jurisdictions mean greater accountability and fewer leakages.