Pakistan's poverty rate has risen to 28.9 per cent, according to the National Economic Survey 2025-26.
The survey stated that nearly 29 out of every 100 Pakistanis are living below the poverty line. According to the survey, a person earning Rs8,483 per month is not classified as poor under the official poverty benchmark.
The amount is equivalent to approximately $30.5 per month. Poverty in rural areas stands at 36.2 per cent, while the rate in urban areas has been recorded at 17.4 per cent.
Balochistan has the highest poverty rate at 47 per cent, while Punjab has the lowest at 23.3 per cent.
The poverty rate has been recorded at 32.6 per cent in Sindh and 35.3 per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The survey noted that poverty has increased again since 2018-19. At that time, the national poverty rate stood at 21.9 per cent.
The report stated that inflation and economic pressures have pushed millions of people towards poverty.
The Economic Survey also noted an increase in inequality across the country.
According to the survey, the poverty assessment benchmark is based on a household's ability to meet minimum essential expenditure requirements.
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