Poverty Rate in Pakistan Surges to 29.9 Percent Amid Economic Turmoil

Islamabad: Pakistan’s poverty rate has climbed to an alarming 29.9 percent, with every province recording a sharp rise compared to previous figures, according to the latest available data.
Urban poverty has seen a steep increase, jumping from 11 percent to 17.4 percent, highlighting that economic hardship is no longer confined to rural areas but is now spreading rapidly into cities.
At the provincial level, Punjab’s poverty rate rose from 16.5 percent to 23.3 percent, while Sindh recorded an increase from 24.5 percent to 32.6 percent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw its poverty rate climb from 28.7 percent to 35.3 percent, and Balochistan — already the country’s most deprived province — saw its rate rise from 41.8 percent to 47 percent, meaning nearly half its population now lives below the poverty line.
Economic analysts attribute the surge to runaway inflation, rising unemployment, and an ongoing energy crisis that has severely impacted household incomes across the country. Experts are calling on the government to implement urgent, targeted relief measures to protect the most vulnerable segments of society.