Pakistan’s Poverty Rate Rises to 28.9% as Ahsan Iqbal Warns of Setbacks

Poverty Rate Rises in Pakistan

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said Pakistan lost momentum in reducing poverty after 2018, with the national poverty rate rising from 21.9% in 2018-19 to 28.9% in 2024-25.

He attributed the setback to political instability, economic crises, changes in development policies, the COVID-19 pandemic and severe floods.

Call for More Development Investment

Iqbal said limited public investment had affected key sectors, including education, healthcare, water supply and skills development. He called for sustained economic growth, stronger local governments and better use of poverty data to guide public spending.

The government also plans to develop an updated National Multidimensional Poverty Index by 2027 to help identify communities most in need of support.