There is no doubt that in a country like Pakistan, education should be a top priority. It is believed that the country's dismal literacy rates over the years has contributed in the rise of frustration and crime in the cities, and kept the majority of people in the rural areas 'superstitious' and an easy pray to the trickery of false pirs, and the exploitation of feudal lords, jagirdars and maulvis.

A majority of state and government workers, along with various NGOs and donor agencies, who are involved in the uplift of education in the country have suggested that low literacy rates have helped extremist and sectarian organisations in easily 'brainwashing' the illiterate young men into committing acts of carnage and bloodshed in the name of religion.