Land in Pakistan is highly concentrated, which is source of poverty and instability in the country. Land is considered the principal asset in the rural economy, but unequal access to land and inefficient systems of water management have contributed to land degradation, poverty and instability. In Pakistan, 63% of the total population is rural and 43% is landless and lacks access to water or an irrigation system.
Land ownership remains highly skewed within our country. The lack of access to land is even more glaring when we look at the minuscule proportion of women who own land in both rural and urban settings. Providing women land ownership is one sure way to address a range of gender-empowerment challenges plaguing our country.
There is need to broaden the debate on finding solutions for water crisis
Water scarcity has been figuring prominently in the national discourse now. It has initiated a debate on water issues in the country that is a welcome development. The spectrum of debate ranges from building more dams and their feasibility, water conservation, and better water management.
Investment in urban infrastructure such as new roads, public utilities or parks invariably increases real-estate prices. In Pakistan, stories of riches earned overnight due to new highways passing through agricultural lands are common.
