Pakistan has introduced a new way to measure poverty. According to the latest Economic Survey 2025-26, the government now sets the poverty line at Rs 8,483 per person per month (about Rs 283 per day). This means anyone earning or spending more than this amount is officially not considered poor.
This revised method is based on updated household data from 2024-25. It uses a calorie-based approach to calculate the minimum cost needed for basic needs. Official figures show that 28.9% of Pakistan’s population, around 72 million people out of 250 million, now lives below this poverty line.
The new threshold is higher than the old one from 2018-19, when poverty was reported at 21.9%. However, many people have criticised it as too low. They say it does not match today’s high prices for food, rent, utilities, and other daily costs. Social media is full of jokes and questions about how a family can survive on such a small amount.
Independent experts estimate real poverty is much higher, around 43.5% or over 100 million people, when using different calculation methods that better reflect current living expenses.
The government says this new formula gives a clearer picture. But the debate shows how difficult it is to measure poverty in a country facing inflation and economic challenges. Reducing poverty remains a big task for Pakistan.
