Pakistan’s poverty rate reached 29% in fiscal year 2024-25, with 72.6 million people living below the poverty line in 2024, according to a World Bank report.
The report found that 23% of the population, or more than 57.6 million people, lived on less than $3 a day.
More than 120 million people, equivalent to 47.9% of the population, earned less than $4.20 a day. Meanwhile, 218.8 million people, or 87.1% of the population, lived on less than $8.30 a day.
The report also put Pakistan’s multidimensional poverty rate at 27.1% in 2024, highlighting a sharp divide between rural and urban communities. Poverty stood at 56.4% in rural areas, compared with 34.4% in urban centres.
The World Bank attributed rising poverty to inflation, sluggish economic growth and declining incomes. Higher food and energy prices have placed particular pressure on low-income households, further eroding their purchasing power.
