Urbanization, Systemic Failures, and the Erosion of Rural Livelihoods
- Without urgent intervention, the disenfranchisement of rural populations will continue to destabilize Pakistan’s social and economic fabric
Zaheer Udin Babar Junejo
For over seven decades, Pakistan’s federal and provincial governance systems have struggled to design coherent strategies, map public expectations, and mobilize investments to deliver essential services equitably. This systemic failure has exacerbated rural disenfranchisement, driving populations from villages to cities in search of basic amenities like water, healthcare, education, and employment—resources rendered scarce by institutional neglect and compounded by climate-induced vulnerabilities.
The influx of rural migrants into urban centers has outpaced the capacity of cities to absorb and accommodate them. Overburdened infrastructure already strained by decades of underinvestment collapses under the weight of unmet demand. Access to water, electricity, and gas remains a daily struggle for both longstanding residents and newcomers, deepening urban poverty and inequality. Meanwhile, rural depopulation disrupts traditional agrarian economies, threatening national food security as those once engaged in farming and food production abandon their roles for precarious urban livelihoods.
The integration of rural populations into urban economies exposes a critical disconnect between skills honed for farming and rural trades that hold little value in cities dominated by informal labor markets. This mismatch entrenches cycles of poverty, leaving migrants vulnerable to exploitation and unemployment. Simultaneously, the erosion of rural communities destabilizes the nation’s agrarian backbone, creating a paradox where urbanization is often seen as a marker of “progress” jeopardizing the very systems that sustain Pakistan’s food supply.
Read – Pakistan: A Political History
While civil society organizations strive to fill gaps in service delivery, their efforts remain fragmented and disproportionately focused on rural areas. Urban migrants, however, are often left to navigate survival alone, with poverty alleviation programs failing to address the complexities of urban informality. These programs, though vital in maintaining rural trust in societal structures, are palliative—not transformative.
To reverse this crisis, provincial and federal governments must prioritize the creation of sustainable rural hubs. It will require pooling investments to upgrade rural infrastructure (health, education, utilities). Digital inclusion through virtual market linkages, online education, and telemedicine to bridge urban-rural divides. Agricultural revitalization by ensuring subsidies, higher profit margins for producers, incentivizing youth to remain in farming, and integrating climate-resilient practices. Without urgent intervention, the disenfranchisement of rural populations will continue to destabilize Pakistan’s social and economic fabric. The choice lies between nurturing equitable development or perpetuating a cycle of displacement, inequality, and food insecurity.
Read- A Call for Change
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Zaheer Udin Babar Junejo is a Community Driven Development Specialist based in Hyderabad Sindh