Pak poverty swells by 27 mn in 6 years

Islamabad: Pakistan’s poor population has surged by 27 million over six years, with poverty rising seven per cent to 28.9%, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26.

Rural poverty climbed from 28.2% to 36.2%, while urban poverty rose from 11% to 17.4%. Province-wise, Balo­chistan recorded the highest poverty at 47%, followed by Sindh at 32.6%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 35.3%, and Punjab the lowest at 23.3%.

The survey attributed the rise to record inflation, currency depreciation, Interna­tional Monetary Fund stabilisation measures, devastating floods, and regional conflicts. Income inequality widened, with the national Gini coefficient increasing from 28.4 in 2018-19 to 32.7 in 2024-25.

The government’s national poverty estimates rely on the cost of basic needs approach, providing a standard framework for consumption-based poverty assessment. The survey is released annually ahead of the federal budget.

—PTI