The document discusses poverty in Pakistan. It defines poverty and international poverty lines. It then provides statistics on poverty levels in Pakistan over time. Poverty in Pakistan currently affects 58.7 million people or about 1/3 of the population. The major causes of poverty in Pakistan are discussed as government policies, corruption, lack of education, unemployment, inflation, smuggling, and law and order issues. Solutions proposed to address poverty include ensuring equality, basic needs, land redistribution, improved government policies, job creation, spending transparency, debt cancellation, and collecting zakat.

1. Poverty in Pakistan
Comsats Institute of Information
Technology, Islamabad
mian usman
BSSE

2. Definition:
• Poverty can be defined as:
• A state or condition in which a person or community lacks the
financial resources and essentials to enjoy a minimum standard
of life and well-being that's considered acceptable in society.
• International Poverty Line:
• The financial threshold determined by converting the poverty
threshold of every country into dollars. People below this
threshold are considered to be in poverty.

3. International Poverty Line
• International Poverty Line which was first set to 1$ per day was
changed to 1.25$ per day in 2008 by world bank. Currently we use
1.25$ or 2$ as poverty threshold.
• According to a survey held in 2008, the poverty in the overall
world was 22% at the threshold of 1.25$ which was 52% in 1981 at
the same threshold.

4. Percentage Poverty in 2005

5. Percentage population living on less than $2 per day 2009

6. Poverty in Pakistan
• A STUDY on poverty has brought Pakistan face to face with a
reality that it will find hard to accept: Every third Pakistani is
caught in the ‘poor’ bracket which means about 58.7 million out
of a total population of 180 million subsist below the poverty line.
This includes:
• 52% of Balochistan
• 33% of Sindh
• 32% of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• 19% of Punjab

7. Poverty in Pakistan history
• Since the beginning, poverty has been a major issue for the
economy of Pakistan.
• Like any other economy there have been many ups and downs in
the economy of Pakistan.
• Over the years, sometimes there have been increase and decrease
in the poverty of Pakistan.
• Data about the poverty of Pakistan that is available shows that the
poverty ratio that was almost 90% in 1987 is 66% in 2013.

8. Continued…

9. Causes of Poverty in Pakistan
1- Government Policies:
Government is not well aware of present conditions of
country. The policies of government are base on the
suggestions of officials which do not have awareness about
the problems of a common man. After implementation the
policies do not get effective result. After the failure of one
policy, government does not consider its failure and
announces another policy without studying the aftermaths
of last one. Heavy taxes crush the people and they are
forced to live below poverty line.

10. Continued…
2- Corruption:
Another cause of poverty is corruption. There is no morality
and every one is trying to earn more and more by using fair
and unfair means. Officials waste their time has low
efficiency. Only relationship that exists in society is money.
One has to pay a heavy cost to get his right. Law and order
conditions are out of control and institutions are failed to
provide justice to a common man. Justice can be bought by
money only. But government is unable to control such type
of things. In this whole scenario some corrupt people has
been occupying the resources and common man is living in
miserable conditions.

11. Continued…
3- Lack of Education:
The literacy rate of Pakistan is very low. Most of people
do not have any concept about the modern earning
sources. Most people are unable to adopt technology
for their business needs, that’s why business do not
meet international standards and results as decrease in
revenue which lead the society to poor financial
conditions.

12. Continued…
4- Unemployment:
The very core and basic reason for poverty in Pakistan
is ever increasing unemployment in the state. People
are not getting jobs and one who are getting are not up
to their standards, so even these unsatisfied employees
consider themselves unemployed. There are no jobs in
market and highly educated and skilled people are
being left jobless and without earning this have
significantly increased the poverty level in the country.

13. Continued…
5- Inflation
• Poverty in Pakistan is increasing because of
general rise in prices of all products in
Pakistan
• Hence, it decreases purchasing power of
people earning low
earnings/Wages/Salaries.

14. Continued…
6- Smuggling
• Pakistan was recently facing the shortage of
sugar and wheat due to the smuggling these
items to neighboring countries.
• Pakistan is the 7th largest wheat producing, it’s
consumption was 20 Million ton and produced 23
million ton recently.
• Similarly Pakistan is the 4th largest
sugarcane producing country.

15. Continued…
7- Law and Order Situation
• Terrorist attacks create uncertainty in stock markets and people
earnings from stock markets are getting loss due to which the
whole country faces uncertain increase in commodity prices.
• Local Industries, Firms are unable to sign agreements with foreign
investors due to prevailing law and order situation.

16. Continued…
8- Govt. Expenditures
• It is estimated that around 5 Crore per month is spent on the security of
Prime Minister and the President.
• Monthly expense of 1 minister = 30 Lac, Monthly expense of 96 minister
= 28 Crore80 Lac

17. Solutions to Poverty in Pakistan
Poverty will never end unless there are real solutions to end it;
solutions based on economic justice and political changes.
1- Equality
The full equality between men and women in public as well as private areas of life,
a worldwide minimum wage of $20 per day and the end of child labor under the
age of 16 with the creation of a subsidy for scholarship.
2- Basic Needs Supply
The guarantee of shelter, healthcare, education, food and drinking water as basic
human rights that must be provided free to all.

18. Continued…
3- Distribution of Land
A total redistribution of idle lands to landless
farmers and the imposition of a 50% cap on arable land
devoted to products for export per country, with the
creation of a worldwide subsidy for organic agriculture.
4- Government Policies
Government should create better policies to tackle
this problem and learn from our past. There should be
policies for providing jobs to unemployed people.
5- Employment Generation
To decrease the volume of poverty government should
make the employment opportunities

19. Continued…
6- Transparency in Government Spending
To the decrease of poverty accountability should be there
to transpire the spending of government.
7- Cancelling impossible to repay world debts
Government must be concern on his one income and
Finance not go for loads to world band or (IMF)
8- Zakat
Zakat is best way to decreases the ratio of poverty

20. Point to Ponder

21. Point to ponder
“The amount of money the
UK spends
On chocolate each year
could make Africa
NOT live in poverty”.