Pakistan's poverty rate rises to 28.9% as govt reviews measurement framework

Pakistan’s poverty rate reached 28.9% in 2024-25, reversing earlier declines, as the government considers broadening how deprivation is measured. Profit by Pakistan Today reported that Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced the figure at an event launching renewed work with Oxford’s Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

The review could expand the Multidimensional Poverty Index to include climate exposure, gender gaps, digital exclusion, nutrition and other barriers, with results expected to use the 2026-27 household survey. Officials are also considering poverty estimates by parliamentary constituency, using 2023 census data, but have not decided whether to publish them.

The report also cited economic growth of 2% in April-June, below population growth of 2.6%, and Iqbal’s concern that development spending has weakened. He said the 2026-27 Public Sector Development Programme remains near Rs1 trillion, while maintaining its 2017-18 budget share would imply more than Rs3 trillion.