ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in poverty levels alongside a significant increase in overseas migration, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26.
The survey revealed that the national poverty rate has climbed to 28.9 percent, reflecting worsening economic conditions. During the last fiscal year, around 800,000 Pakistanis left the country in search of employment opportunities abroad.
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The data shows a steep rise in both urban and rural poverty. In urban areas, the poverty rate increased from 11 percent to 17.4 percent, while in rural regions it surged from 28.2 percent to 36.2 percent, highlighting widening economic pressure across the country.
Despite the rising poverty figures, the survey noted a national literacy rate of 63 percent, indicating gradual progress in the education sector.
At the provincial level, Balochistan emerged as the poorest province with a poverty rate of 47 percent, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 35.3 percent, Sindh at 32.6 percent, and Punjab at 23.3 percent.
The report also highlighted migration trends, noting that out of the 800,000 Pakistanis who went abroad for work, 530,000 moved to Saudi Arabia. Other destinations included Qatar (68,000 workers) and the United Arab Emirates (52,000 workers), while migration to the UK and Oman saw a noticeable decline.
In the energy and production sectors, mixed trends were observed. Natural gas and crude oil production declined, whereas coal production increased by 6.5 percent. Iron ore production recorded a significant surge of 41 percent, marking a positive indicator in the mining sector.
