Economic instability, food inflation and climate shocks worsen hunger in Pakistan, ranks 106th globally

Profit by Pakistan Today reported that Pakistan has slipped to 106th of 122 nations in this year's Global Hunger Index, trailing India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The report puts Pakistan's score at 25.5, a serious level, up from 24.0 in 2018, marking a 6.3% worsening. It links the decline to economic instability, lingering food price inflation and climate-related disruptions.

The share of people who are undernourished climbed to 16.1% in 2026, up from 10.9% in 2018. Child wasting moved up from 7.1% to 9.8%, while stunting among children eased from 38.1% to 33.6%. The mortality rate for children under five came down from 6.8% to 5.6%, and only Pakistan and Afghanistan in South Asia have seen their scores worsen since 2018.

South Asia's regional score is 23.5, second only to the 27.5 recorded for Africa south of the Sahara. Globally, the score edged up to 18.1 in 2026 from 17.6 in 2018, and an estimated 645 million individuals faced undernourishment across the globe in 2025. Welthungerhilfe, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict and Helvetas produced the index, and its scores draw on data spanning different periods from 2021 to 2025, not solely conditions in 2026.