Pakistan has free primary and secondary education. The government has made great efforts to increase the literacy rate and improve educational facilities and conditions in universities and colleges, and the literacy rate (Pak government data) for 10 years (and above) is 58%; the budget for education in FY2013/2014 is about US$5.04 billion, which is about 1.9% of the Gross National Product (GNP). There are 155,000 elementary school, 28,700 middle schools, 16,100 high schools and 51 universities in the country***. Prominent institutions of higher learning include University of Punjab, University of Karachi, Jinnah University Islamabad and University of Peshawar. The country has 38.22 million enrolled students and 1.41 million teaching staff.
Pakistan's healthcare is poor and there is no complete healthcare system and health insurance system. There are two types of hospitals, public and private. Public hospitals charge very low fees and are mainly for the general public, but the environment is poor, the equipment is simple, and the medical standard is low; private hospitals are equipped with advanced equipment and have a high level of medical care, but the fees are relatively expensive compared to the average income of the locals.
Because the local urban water supply system is not sound, the pipeline is in disrepair, there is a long-term shortage of water, pollution is serious, the water quality is acidic, the bacterial content is too high, easy to cause intestinal diseases, and can not be directly consumed. The lack of water in the city has led to very low greening, high air dust content, and many flies and mosquitoes, coupled with an inadequate healthcare system and a lack of basic hygiene knowledge among the general population, which makes them susceptible to a wide range of diseases, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, cholera, lung diseases, tuberculosis, liver diseases, and congenital polio, etc. Several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses were also detected in the north at the beginning of 2006, and the government has established a national surveillance center in the capital Islamabad with the help of the International Health Organization (IHO) to combat the virus in the north. In this regard, the government, with the help of the International Health Organization (WHO), has set up a research center in the capital city of Islamabad for the prevention of avian influenza viruses and has also established early warning and primary prevention mechanisms in all provinces.
The most popular sport in Pakistan is probably cricket. A large number of Pakistanis watch on television the international matches in which the Pakistani team participates, especially against arch-rivals India. The Pakistani team is one of the powerhouses of international cricket, having won the World Cup in 1992 and several gold medals at the Olympics. Besides, Kabaddi is also a very popular folk sport among Pakistanis.
The government has made efforts to solve social problems and improve the living conditions of the people, especially employment and health care. There are a number of social and religious welfare organizations engaged in welfare activities in the country. The government has also made great efforts to develop the information technology industry so that more ordinary people can use high-tech information equipment.