Pakistan's economic recovery a myth? Millions still struggle in poverty; here's what World Bank says

Pakistan’s claimed economic recovery is turning its back on the people who need it most, according to a new World Bank report. While the government celebrates growth under the IMF programme and stock markets hit record highs, the reality is quite grim for millions of citizens who continue to struggle with poverty and inequality, The Express Tribune reported as cited by PTI The World Bank’s poverty and resilience report shows that household well-being has worsened despite macroeconomic stability. Poverty, which fell from over 60% in 2001 to 21% in 2018, has risen again to over 27% by 2023-24. Under the lower-middle-income benchmark, almost half of the population now lives below the poverty line. Rural areas, especially Balochistan and interior Sindh, face far higher deprivation than