Country Profile
An Islamic republic with more than 150 million
people, Pakistan is struggling to find political, economic, and
social stability in view of three wars with India in the last 50
years couple with its increasing lack of resources for its growing
population. Half of the labor force is involved in agriculture growing
wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, and tobacco. One fourth is involved
in the textile and apparel industry. Nevertheless, it is an impoverished
nation with a GDP of $441 US per capita. The majority of the people
have no access to potable water. Literacy is 40% with percentage
less than 2% among Christians. World Hope has completed a Leadership
Training Center, Primary School buildings and Hostel.
Earthquake
Relief Efforts
 World
Hope worked with Gohar Nefees, District Officer of the Frontier
Constabulary in the city of Oughi in the Northwest Frontier Province.
This is an area that was not big in the media, as a result was forgotten.
There were villages literally under the ground.
World Hope distributed over 100 tents both
for homes and for schools. We worked with 5 schools - both
government and private in providing tents for classes. The teachers
were thrilled to have the students coming back and realized this
was a large part of healing. Overall we provided school for 3,000
students.
 We
provided clothes, supplies, blankets and more
to some 400 of the most vulnerable students,
such as orphans and vulnerable children in these
schools. The people were very open & appreciative
to World Hope’s help, and also very surprised
Americans and Christians would help them. We
provided aluminum sheeting for 500 more shelters
as well as mats for the tents for the students
and additional blankets, etc.
History
The
separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan
(with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never
satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan have fought two
wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory.
A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized
on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics
- resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.
In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted
its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is
ongoing, but recent discussions and confidence-building measures
may be a start toward lessened tensions.
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