Pakistan: Co-operative Ventures in Social Welfare

The creation of the state of Pakistan, following in the wake of the bloody partition, the mass migrations, as well as the resultant concentration of people, culminated in a situation where the human needs could only be fulfilled through organ ized and planned social welfare. Industrialization was the apparent need for a largely agricultural country. But the Muslim population with its inbred tradition of social justice and equality reinforced the stress on social welfare. There emerged, therefore, a policy that demanded a balance between economic and social planning. Social work begun by volunteers was shaped by government efforts. International assistance was requested and personnel was secured to institute the needy training of local persons. Among the varied projects which developed, perhaps the most noteworthy was the emergence of the Village-Aid Programs and the Urban Community Develop ment Programs. The simultaneous activity of the government and the voluntary agencies facilitated rapid and dramatic prog ress in the planning and organization of welfare services.—Ed.