Pakistan's Poverty Soars: 28.8% Population Now Impoverished, Report Reveals

• Poverty in Pakistan has increased over the past six years, with 28.8% of the population now living below the poverty line.
• A government committee, led by Dr G M Arif, studied poverty estimates, though findings are not officially launched.
• Poverty rose from 21.9% in 2018-19 to 28.8% in 2024-25, an almost 6.9% increase across all provinces.
• Factors include IMF programs, COVID-19, inflation, low GDP growth, floods, and abandonment of wheat support prices.
• The increase reverses previous gains, as poverty had declined from 50.4% in 2005-06 to 21.9% in 2018-19.