Pakistan has beaten poverty before. It can do it again

Mettis Global published an opinion piece by economic analyst Shahid Anwar arguing that Pakistan has reduced poverty before and can do so again. According to the article, the national poverty rate fell from 50.4% in 2005-06 to 21.9% in 2018-19, before rising to 28.9% by 2024-25. The writer attributes the earlier gains to growing non-farm incomes, remittances, rural activity and social protection.

The article notes that real wages fell by an average of 3.4% a year between 2018-19 and 2024-25, while GDP per capita grew only about 0.9% annually. Rural poverty stands at 36.2% against 17.4% in urban areas, with Balochistan recording 47%. It also cites World Bank estimates that 28% of children aged 5-16 are out of school.

The author recommends making employment and real incomes central policy goals, with easier finance and a predictable tax environment for small and medium enterprises. He also proposes tying skills training to actual job placement, moving social protection towards self-reliance and preparing digital payment systems for crises. The piece closes by calling for a National Poverty Reduction Plan with annual, publicly reported targets.