The poverty front

Article Type

Article

Description

Nadeem Hussain and Qazi Muhammad Zulqurnain Ul Haq highlight that five out of ten people in Pakistan live in multidimensional poverty, with severe poverty concentrated among illiterate, unskilled households in rural areas and urban slums. The Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, led by Dr Sania Nishtar, has implemented initiatives like Ehsaas cash transfers, scholarships, and kifaalat programmes, gaining recognition as one of the top-performing federal divisions. The division improved data accuracy, targeting deserving households, and managed emergency cash disbursements during Covid-19 with minimal corruption. However, rising inflation, debt servicing, and historical inefficiencies limit long-term poverty alleviation. The authors argue for aligning federal and provincial efforts, prioritising poorest districts, investing in education and healthcare, and adopting a holistic, long-term strategy to reduce poverty and inequality in Pakistan.

Publication Source

The News International

Publication Date

2-20-2022

Notes

Nadeem Hussain , Non-resident Visiting Research Fellow at IBA

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