ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s poverty rate has surged to 28.8% in 2024-25, marking an increase of 6.9% over the past six years, according to the latest official estimates based on the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024-25.
The national poverty ratio stood at 21.9% in 2018-19 but has steadily climbed amid economic challenges.
Official sources attributed the sharp rise to multiple factors, including three stabilisation programmes with the International Monetary Fund, the economic fallout of Covid-19, commodity super-cycles, soaring inflation, slower GDP growth, two devastating floods, and the discontinuation of wheat support prices.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal is expected to formally release the 2024-25 poverty figures.
Chairman of the Poverty Estimation Committee, Dr G M Arif, confirmed that the committee has submitted its report to the government but declined to disclose the exact poverty prevalence rate ahead of the official announcement.
According to sources, poverty has increased across Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Balochistan has seen a slight rise.
The government estimates poverty using the Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) approach, adjusted for CPI-based inflation.
Historically, poverty in Pakistan had declined significantly — from 50.4% in 2005-06 to 21.9% in 2018-19 — with urban poverty recorded at 11% and rural poverty at 28.2% in 2018-19.
However, the latest data shows a reversal of that trend.
The Poverty Estimation Committee, comprising 17 members, was constituted by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives following completion of the HIES 2024-25 survey.
Officials also confirmed that results of the latest Labour Force Survey are expected to be released soon.