Official CSS Syllabus Item: Pakistan's Domestic Affairs → Social — 20 Marks (shared with Political & Economic)

Answer Structure

1. Context/background 2. Current situation (facts, dates, figures) 3. Key challenges 4. Government response/policy 5. Way forward

Education

• ~26 million children out of school — among highest globally
• Literacy ~60%, sharp gender/rural-urban gaps
• Single National Curriculum (2020-21) implementation stalled/uneven (see Educational Reforms page)
• Education spending below 4% GDP target (~1.7–2%)

Health

• Weak public health infrastructure, high out-of-pocket health spending
• Maternal/child mortality remain high relative to regional peers
• Post-COVID health system strain still cited in policy discussions

Population

• Population: 257.4 million (2026) — world's 5th most populous country
• High population growth rate strains resources, job creation, service delivery
• Urbanization pressure — rapid, often unplanned urban growth (Karachi, Lahore)

Poverty & Inequality

• 44.7% below poverty line (2026) — despite macroeconomic "stabilization"
• Income inequality persists; growth benefits concentrated among elite/urban classes