AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular scrutiny. According to the Economic Survey 2025-26, poverty rose from 21.9pc in 2018-19 to 28.9pc in 2024-25. The increase comes after more than a decade of progress, during which Pakistan reduced poverty from 50.4pc in 2005-06 to 21.9pc in 2018-19. The reversal suggests that recent economic shocks have left a lasting mark on household welfare. It is not difficult to guess why. Record inflation, currency depreciation, devastating floods and the difficult adjustments associated with economic stabilisation have all........

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