The World Bank has ranked Pakistan as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate-related disasters. These include floods, earthquakes, landslides, and water shortages. The report highlights the urgent need for resilient infrastructure and better investment strategies. It focuses especially on improving rural access to schools, health centers, and markets.
Currently, Pakistan’s road maintenance budgets depend mostly on visual inspections. This method is often subjective and influenced by politics. Moreover, road agencies lack reliable funding sources like tolls. They rely heavily on shrinking government budgets, which limits road repair and expansion.
Most of Pakistan’s population lives in rural areas, where infrastructure is weakest. Poor roads, difficult terrain, and fewer services create large access gaps. Urban-focused transport planning worsens these problems. These challenges reduce economic opportunities for millions of rural Pakistanis.
The report uses the 2022 floods as a case study. The disaster submerged one-third of the country, affected 33 million people, and displaced eight million. It also destroyed 2.2 million homes and 13,000 kilometers of roads. This tragedy showed the need for better planning and investment.
The World Bank urges Pakistan to make targeted infrastructure investments. Expanding and maintaining rural roads will improve access and services. These steps can reduce poverty, boost human development, and support economic growth in marginalized areas.