Pakistan’s progress in reducing poverty has reversed in recent years, with new official estimates showing a marked increase in the share of people living below the poverty line.
The latest data for 2024-25 highlights mounting economic pressures on households, reflecting the impact of inflation, slower growth and prolonged financial instability across the country.
As per the figures, 28.8% of the population is living below the poverty line in 2024-25. In comparison, the poverty rate stood at 21.9% in 2018-19, marking a rise of 6.9 percentage points during this period.
The upward trend has been recorded across all provinces, with sharper increases reported in Punjab and Sindh, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also saw a rise and Balochistan experienced a modest uptick. The latest figures reverse earlier gains, as poverty had steadily declined in previous years before climbing again in 2024-25.
The new estimates follow the completion of the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024-25. After the survey, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives formed a 17-member Poverty Estimation Committee under Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The committee, headed by Dr G M Arif, reviewed the findings.
Officials calculate poverty using the Cost of Basic Needs method, adjusted for inflation through the Consumer Price Index, to determine the national poverty threshold.
