Rural Pakistan Takes Center Stage as Sharif Marks World Rural Development Day
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used World Rural Development Day on Sunday to promise fresh momentum for the villages that feed and employ most of the nation. Speaking from Islamabad, Sharif said the government is treating rural Pakistan “as an equal partner in shaping a stronger, more equitable and prosperous” future.
Sharif noted that almost two-thirds of Pakistan’s 240 million citizens live in villages whose fields supply wheat, rice, and cotton—staples that keep the economy going and dinner tables full. To lift those communities, he outlined targets that range from new farm-to-market roads and reliable clean-water systems to expanded health clinics, classrooms, and skills programs. Climate-smart farming, he added, is “no longer a luxury but a necessity” after recent floods and droughts battered harvests.
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“Pakistan acknowledges the invaluable contributions of our rural population and reaffirms the commitment to their well-being and development,” Sharif declared.
Officials say the government has already paved thousands of kilometers of rural roads and extended basic sanitation to more villages, while micro-credit programs have helped women launch small businesses. The goal, planners explain, is to keep young farmers on the land instead of forcing them toward overcrowded cities in search of work.
Agriculture accounts for roughly one-fifth of Pakistan’s gross domestic product and employs nearly 40 % of the labor force, making rural renewal a political as well as an economic priority. Sharif’s message suggests Islamabad sees that investment as a down payment on national stability.
