Even though we, as Pakistanis, are aware of everything that is shouted at us from our TV screens, have we really ‘woken’ up to the reality of our socio-economic standing in the world? Here, I use the term “woke” in its African American origin, implying that “woke” is synonymous with being awake, particularly in relation to social injustices, racial inequalities, and oppression. Historically, the term “woke” was used to convey a sense of being attuned to the harsh realities of systemic discrimination that shaped the lives of African Americans. For example, the phrase “stay woke” was a way of advising individuals to remain aware and cautious in a world where racism and inequality were pervasive.
The terminology resurfaced in the 21st century in the context of social movements such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) when “woke” became symbolic of social consciousness around racial and economic inequality, police brutality, gender identity, and environmental activism. The advent of social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, transformed the term to something beyond just staying aware, instead implying advocating for change and standing against injustices across a spectrum of social and political domains. It quickly became controversial as well, when it became a symbol of extreme left-wing politics, where identity discourse, cancel culture, and moral self-righteousness overshadowed traditional values like free discourse and meritocracy.
Certainly, there are issues much more important than the incessant political debate one hears in the media and sees in print. We may or may not recover from the economic crunch and political instability, as that depends on a multitude of factors. However, what are our plans to recover from socio-economic indicators in which we are faring worse than the rest of the world? Are we even aware of them? Let me narrate a few.
Gender Equality
Pakistan ranks among the lowest in terms of gender equality, with the Global Gender Gap Index 2023 placing it at 145th out of 146 countries. Pakistan is ranked 157th out of 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index. The country’s Human Development Index (HDI) ranking for 2023 stands at 161 out of 191 countries, a clear indication of the socio-economic challenges it faces.
Education
The Global Competitiveness Index ranks Pakistan extremely poorly in terms of the quality of primary education and higher education, which hinders its economic competitiveness. We have had the highest number of young people migrate from our country in search of better pastures, higher than any other country in South Asia, even India.
Security
The World Justice Project‘s variable of order and security in a state measures how well a society ensures the security of persons and property. Out of 140 countries analyzed, Pakistan ranked 120th in 2020, 130th in 2021, and 129th in 2022. The only country in the world that has performed consistently lower than Pakistan on the order and security matrix is Afghanistan; this implies that the situation in Pakistan with respect to the rule of law has deteriorated substantially during the period under review.
Governance
According to the World Bank government index matrix, government effectiveness captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government’s commitment to such policies. According to these indices, regulatory quality and governance effectiveness indices have both been falling since 2014; this has a tremendous bearing on how effectively problems could be tackled through state apparatus. Indicators of the market economy and state of democracy are also quite bad; the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) of “stateness,” which measures transformation processes toward democracy and a market economy in international comparison, ranks Pakistan poorly. Out of a total of 137 states under review, Pakistan ranked 101st on the Political Transformation scale, 106th on the Economic Transformation scale, and 111th on the Governance Index.
Access to Water
WaterAid reports that as many as 17.7 million people in Pakistan lack access to clean drinking water, while 79 million people cannot access decent toilet facilities. An extremely low Human Development Index (HDI) has been in steady decline, with Pakistan ranking 152nd in 2019, and 154th in 2020 out of 189 countries surveyed. In 2021, Pakistan was 161st out of 192 countries surveyed.
However, we as Pakistanis don’t need to bother about being “woke,” much less the contentious aspects of it. Actually, it’s rather convenient to dismiss all these above indicators as foreign agendas hell-bent on downplaying Pakistan, as if multilateral agencies have nothing else to do.
In the streets of Lahore or Karachi, you’ll hear conversations about cricket, politics, celebrities, and even conspiracy theories. Yet, what you often won’t hear is any meaningful discussion about Pakistan’s dismal global rankings in areas like education, poverty, or human rights. Despite the country grappling with serious socio-economic challenges, many ordinary Pakistanis remain largely unaware or disengaged from conversations about these critical issues. But why is that?
With 22% of Pakistanis living below the poverty line, it’s no wonder that many are focused on their daily survival rather than engaging in debates about the country’s global socio-economic standing. Conversations about structural inequalities, human rights, or Pakistan’s poor rankings in education and health take a backseat when people are struggling to make ends meet.
Economic hardship also breeds helplessness. When people feel that their voices won’t lead to any change, they disengage from conversations about governance and development. Many believe the system is so corrupt and dysfunctional that nothing they say or do will make a difference.
Pakistani society is deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions, which often discourage open discussions about sensitive topics. Human rights issues like women’s rights or religious minority protections are avoided because they challenge deeply entrenched norms. Those who bring up socioeconomic disparity are often sidelined.
Discussing Pakistan’s failures on an international stage can also be seen as disloyal, reinforcing a culture of silence. In this environment, many prefer to avoid uncomfortable topics altogether, focusing instead on safer subjects like sports or national pride.
With a literacy rate of around 60%, many Pakistanis, particularly in rural areas, are simply unaware of how their country ranks globally. The education system, which emphasizes rote learning over critical thinking, does not equip citizens to question their government’s performance or engage with international data on socio-economic indicators.
Moreover, access to platforms where such discussions can happen is limited. While civil society organizations and NGOs try to raise awareness, their reach is minimal, particularly in remote regions. As a result, the majority of the population remains uninformed about the country’s worsening human rights record or its low rankings in global development indices.
Decades of political instability, corruption, and failed promises have left many Pakistanis disillusioned. People have seen governments come and go, yet the same issues persist—poverty, inequality, and poor governance.
This cycle of disappointment fosters a sense of apathy, where discussions about poor socio-economic rankings are seen as pointless. Why discuss Pakistan’s failures when past efforts have led nowhere? This sentiment is common among ordinary citizens who, despite being aware of the country’s problems, feel powerless to influence change. This apathy, combined with the intellectual and cultural depletion, keeps these discussions largely off the table.
The silence around Pakistan’s poor global socio-economic rankings is not only due to a lack of interest or concern, but rather a combination of cultural norms, economic struggles, and a lack of awareness. Until these factors are addressed, Pakistanis will continue to focus on immediate survival and everyday matters, rather than confronting the deeper issues that affect the nation’s standing in the world. Till then, no need for us to be woke!
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The author is a counter-terrorism academic and practitioner.