Pakistan's extreme poverty declines to 3.9%: ADB

Sep 11, 2019: The extreme poverty (or below $1.9 per day poverty line) in Pakistan has gone down from 28.6 percent of total population in 2001 to 3.9 percent in 2015, Asian Development Bank said in a report.

The ADB released 50th edition of its annual statistical report, Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2019, and an online database, Key Indicators Database on Tuesday.

The report added that on the basis of National Poverty Line, Pakistan's poverty ratio declined to 24.3 percent in 2015 compared to 64.3 percent in 2001.

The Urban poverty decreased from 50 percent in 2001 to 12.5 percent in 2015 while the rural poverty gone down from 70 percent in 2001 to 30 percent in 2015.

The overall Asian numbers show that the number of people living in extreme poverty in Asia and the Pacific declining from 1.1 billion in 2002 to 264 million in 2015.

The region’s share of global gross domestic product (in current United States dollars) surpassed one third in 2018 while the region’s role in global value production chains and as a destination for higher-value products is also expanding. In 2000, Asia generated 23.0% of the income from the production of world exports, which has increased to 30.2% by 2018.

Key Indicators 2019 presents the latest statistics on a comprehensive set of economic, financial, social, and environmental indicators, including for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the 49 regional members of ADB. The Key Indicators Database offers access to more than 1,000 statistical indicators from the year 2000 onwards in a user-friendly and accessible interface.

“Key Indicators 2019 shows that the Asia and Pacific region is increasing its strong contribution to the global economy and to the pursuit of the SDGs,” said ADB Chief Economist Mr. Yasuyuki Sawada. “As the region makes progress to reach the SDGs, timely, reliable, and granular data remain crucial for formulating, implementing, and monitoring policies and progress.” The report includes a special supplement on the use of computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), or the collection of survey data using handheld digital devices like tablets and smartphones. A study on the use of CAPI techniques in three countries—the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam—found they can reduce the total number of errors in data collection and are more cost-effective for large-scale surveys.

Key Indicators 2019 includes status of SDG indicators in Asia and the Pacific; regional trends and tables, including indicators across eight themes—people; economy and output; money, finance, and prices; globalization; transport and communications; energy and electricity; environment; and government and governance.

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