ccording to most estimates, 35 to 40 per cent of Pakistan’s population is currently living below the poverty line.

Social protection is one of the biggest challenges for an underdeveloped country that is economically depressed and under a heavy debt burden.

Social protection signifies the capacity of a society to meet the basic human needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities to enhance the quality of their lives on a sustainable basis and create suitable conditions for all individuals to attain their full potential. Social protection can help build the resilience of the poor and vulnerable segments by supporting them against negative income shocks and protecting essential household expenditures.

In Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government introduced the Ehsaas programme and claimed to have remove flaws in the existing social protection system. However, the social protection system needs further improvements and a consistent direction. The past two and a half years have seen considerable expansion of the social protection programme in the country. The strategy developed earlier was revised in view of the Covid-19 disruptions. Some new programmes have been launched and reforms have been attempted in older programmes.

A statement of the International Monetary Fund issued after the Doha talks on the next tranche of financial assistance, said that considerable progress had been made during the mission and the need to continue to address high inflation and the elevated fiscal and current account deficits, “while ensuring adequate protection for the most vulnerable” was appreciated. This indicates that the IMF does not wish to been as ignoring the vulnerable sections of society.

Experts say that there is a need for targetted subsidies and removing duplications in various categories of beneficiaries. They say political will and consistency are needed in social protection policies and programmes.

Experts say that there is a need for targetted subsidies and removing duplications in various categories of beneficiaries. They say political will and consistency are needed in social protection policies and programmes. 

“The IMF statement indicates that the Fund is open to social protection and targetted subsidies,” Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, says. He says there is no room for blanket subsidies and the beneficiaries need to be precisely identified. The biggest issue, he says, is inclusion and exclusion errors in social protection. Suleri says cutting the perks and privileges of the elite could create room for providing resources for the needy.

He also says design of social protection systems has been a work in progress for the past two decades. “We have seen gradual improvement in the social protection system and the policies over the years. We should not allow a disruption in the process.”

All over the world economic challenges have grown since the Covid pandemic. Social protection needs serious reviews and transparency. Dr Sania Nishtar, the prime minister’s special assistant on poverty alleviation and social protection in the previous government, presided over some reforms and emergency release of cash to millions of households affected by the Covid-related lock downs.

A social protection profile of Pakistan, a 2021 study by International Labour Organization, identified the need to improve coverage and effectiveness; develop a service charter for social protection based on the principles of dignity, respect for human rights and the rights of citizenship; and carry out a comprehensive rationalisation exercise to reduce the fragmentation and duplication of social protection services and programmes, at the federal and provincial levels in Pakistan. The ILO also suggested enhancing governance and transparency; improving monitoring and evaluation systems by developing policy performance frameworks at the federal and provincial levels; increasing financing; using data and digital systems and developing consolidated digital systems for the operations and functions of contributory and non-contributory programmes along with strengthening communications and advocacy.

A study by Finance Division said there were five priorities in the implementation of the social protection policies under the Ehsaas programme. First, up-scaling of the existing programmes for wider outreach possible; second, appropriate investment in instructional communications so that target individuals can benefit from the programmes that have been rolled out; third, the institutionalisation of one-window Ehsaas operations so that all programmes and policies can be brought under one umbrella; fourth, completion of the 2021 Ehsaas database; and fifth, a move from blanket to targetted subsidies.

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