Mianwali is an important city. It is rich with minerals, agriculture and mining industries as well as in Fertilizers and Cement, has a Nuclear and Hydel Power Plant and an airport and air force base. The area is, however, economically-deprived with low productivity and high unemployment. Large numbers of people, especially the young, remain unemployed.

State funded educational and development facilities are inadequate, under-funded and of poor quality. The result of this is poverty, high crime rates, drug addiction and breakdown in social and family cohesion. Gender gaps are also significant in terms of educational achievements and job opportunities.