Poverty rate increased by 7.6 percent in the past seven years

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Recent reports indicate a significant rise in Pakistan's poverty rate with the Planning Commission reporting a 7.6 percent increase in poverty over the last 7 years as nearly 20 million more people falling below the poverty line.

The government has released poverty statistics for the country after seven years. According to the data, out of a population of 250 million, 70 million people are living below the poverty line. Over seven years, the poverty rate increased by 7.6 percentage points, reaching 28.9 percent.

According to the report, the poverty rate in rural areas was recorded at 36.2 percent, while in urban areas it stood at 17.4 percent. In Balochistan, the poverty rate reached 47 percent, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it was recorded at 35.3 percent.

In Sindh, the poverty rate rose to 32.6 percent, and in Punjab it reached 23.3 percent. Economic inequality in Pakistan has also climbed to its highest level in history, with the inequality rate increasing to 32.7 percent.

Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that policy inconsistency, the COVID-19 pandemic, and IMF programmes contributed to the rise in poverty. He added that the depreciation of the rupee fueled inflation, which severely burdened the public.