Representative Farming and Non-Farming Communities as a Dynamic Mirror of Unidimensional Poverty in Pakistan

Abstract

Aneela Qadir, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Rafique

This research examines rural and urban poverty in Pakistan on a national and provincial scale, examining its many facets. Using the HIES/PSLM data of Pakistan, which is recognized internationally, from 2013–14 to 2018–19, and two well-respected indexing approaches (FGTI for single-dimensional poverty and Alkire & Foster for multidimensional poverty), we can examine the evolution of poverty in Pakistan over the past five years. According to the findings of the time series analysis, poverty shows a mixed (rising and falling) pattern over a shorter time frame (1-2 years) and a declining trend over a longer time frame (national and provincial levels, farming, and non-farming communities) overall (at least 05 years). In Pakistan, empirical data shows that poverty has decreased by 45.1% (32.1%) among farming and non-farming communities over the past five years. The results reveal a downward trend across Pakistan's provinces, except for Baluchistan. Specific poverty declined by 46.29 percent (36.15 percent) in Punjab, 71.1 percent (75.0 percent) in KPK, and 37.0 eight percent (2.0 percent) in Sindh. Baluchistan's farming (non-farming) communities have been getting poorer, from 20.64 percent to 61.28 percent. Punjab and Sindh provinces are Sutor’s contributors to overall poverty, as seen by the decomposition of the population by the group for uni-dimensional poverty. Reduce poverty in both regions using a single-pronged approach by boosting economic growth and expanding employment options.

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