Human resource development, in short, means investment in human capital. Human capital means people can act as capital assets which yield a stream of economic benefits over their working life. An improvement in the mental capability, skill, and physical capacity of the people constitutes an increase in the human capital because this enables the human factor to produce more.
Human resources development is essential for both individual success and also overall national prosperity and development. Balochistan, though being rich in natural resources with a reasonable population, still has not relived itself of its poverty shackles. This is because it suffers from a serious lack of skilled human resources. The survey says Balochistan has only 10,381 educational institutions against a total of 2,164,901 in the country, out of which 106,435 are in Punjab, 46,862 in Sindh and 36,029 in Khyber Pakthunkhwa. About six per cent of schools in Balochistan do not have buildings, nine per cent do not have electricity, 12 per cent are without potable water, and 11 per cent are without proper toilets. As mentioned in the Economic Survey, Balochistan’s literacy rate is 34 per cent as compared to the national literacy rate of 56 per cent. On the contrary, Punjab has a literacy rate of 57 per cent, Sindh 50 per cent and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 49 per cent. Similarly, the survey says the literacy rate in Balochistan among male and female is merely 39 and 27 per cent, respectively, much below the national average literacy rate. The statistics show that inequality in education in Balochistan is a fact.
Unfortunately, the province is being deprived of education and same is the case with unemployment and development. for quite a long time and no concerted efforts have been made to end this sense of deprivation in the province. I appeal to present caretaker government and coming government to concentrate on education and health sector for development of human resource sector. A productive Balochistan means a prosperous Pakistan.
Sarfaraz Samad
University of Karachi, Karachi
