Wealth inequality in Pakistan
Inequality in Pakistan remains high, with the top 10 percent of earners taking 42 percent of total income, while the bottom half of the population receives just 19 percent.
Wealth in Pakistan is even more concentrated, with the richest 10 percent holding 59 percent of total wealth and the top 1.0 percent controlling 24 percent.
Pakistan's average income per capita stands at about 4,200 euros (purchasing power parity), while average wealth is 15,700 euros (PPP).
There was only a slight narrowing of the income gap between the top 10 percent and the bottom 50 percent, from 22 to 21.4 between 2014 and 2024.
Female labour force participation also declined, falling from 9.8 percent to 8.5 percent.
Pakistan's Circular Debt
Circular debt stood at Rs2,393 billion on June 30, 2024 which was brought down to Rs1,614 billion by June 30, 2025.
Measures taken to curb the accumulation of debt, include:
negotiating with power producers to waive late payment interest charges amounting to Rs260 billion,
reducing inefficiencies in distribution companies (Discos) by Rs193 billion (from Rs591 billion in 2024 to Rs397 billion in 2025), and
benefiting from improved macroeconomic indicators—such as a stable exchange rate, lower KIBOR, and reduced inflation.
Additionally, K-Electric resumed regular payments. As a result of these combined efforts, the circular debt stock was significantly reduced, dropping to Rs1,614 billion by June 2025—an improvement of Rs780 billion from the Rs2,393 billion recorded in June 2024.
Circular debt is targeted for elimination within the next six years.
(Source: Power Division)
Pakistan's Energy Mix
The clean energy share in Pakistan reached 46 percent by September 2025 against the government`s 40 percent capacity target for 2025.
The government had set ambitious targets under its various power policies to increase the share of on-grid renewable energy capacity to 40 percent by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030.
Currently, 60 private-sector renewable energy projects with a cumulative capacity of 4,753MW are operational, including 680MW of solar, 1,937MW of run-of-river hydropower, 1,845MW of wind, and 291MW of bagasse cogeneration.
Alongside 9,619MW of public-sector hydropower and 100MW of solar in K-Electric`s system, renewables account for more than 37 percent of the generation mix.
Water Availability
In 2017, Pakistan's total population was 207.77 million, with a per capita water availability of 1,102 cubic meters per person.
In 2023, the population reached 241.49 million, resulting in per capita water availability of 948 cubic meters per person.
Considering the population growth rate of 2.55 percent, the population is projected to reach around 288.04 million by 2030. Accordingly, the estimated annual per capita water availability for 2030 is projected to be 795 cubic meters.
China's Debts
China's lending and grant giving totalled $2.2 trillion across 200 countries in every region of the world from 2000 to 2023.
The United States is the biggest recipient of China's lending activities globally; it received more than $200 billion for nearly 2,500 projects and activities.
More than three-quarters of China's overseas lending operations now support projects and activities in upper-middle-income countries and high-income countries.
(Source: AIdData)
Gender-based violence convictions
Despite 20 years of enactment of GBV (Gender-Based Violence) laws, 70 percent of cases go unreported and convictions remain abysmally low — just five percent nationally, 0.5 percent in some categories and a mere 1.3 percent for domestic violence.
In the Islamabad Capital Territory, 22 honour-killing cases reported in 2024 resulted in zero convictions, while only seven convictions occurred out of 176 rape cases.
In KP, 143 honour-killing cases were reported with zero convictions, and there was only one conviction out of 258 rape cases.
Sindh recorded zero convictions out of 243 rape cases and 375 domestic violence cases.
Balochistan reported 32 honour killings with no convictions, 21 rape cases with zero convictions, 185 kidnapping and abduction cases with zero convictions, and 160 domestic violence cases, of which only 25 convictions were secured — the highest among provinces in this category yet still alarmingly low.
Punjab, which reported the highest number of cases, had only two convictions out of 225 honour killings.
(Source: Briefing to the Senate Human Rights Committee)
Pakistan's Population: A Regional Comparison
According to a report released by the US Census Bureau, Pakistan's population has crossed an estimated 257 million at mid-2025. Demographic databases, including projections by the US Census Bureau and the United Nations, show Pakistan's population density at 333 persons per square kilometre. Underscoring the scale of pressure on land and public services.
The country's annual population growth rate stands at 1.82 percent, lower than in previous decades but high enough to keep total numbers rising steeply for at least another generation.
The total fertility rate (TFR) — the average number of births per woman — has fallen to 3.25, yet remains well above the replacement level of 2.1.
Life expectancy at birth is estimated at 60.5 years, among the lowest in the region, while the under-five mortality rate stands at nearly 65 deaths per 1,000 live births, reflecting persistent shortcomings in maternal health, child nutrition, disease prevention and primary healthcare access.
A regional comparison highlights the scale of Pakistan's challenge. India, now the world's most populous country with about 1.46–1.47 billion people, has already crossed below replacement fertility, with a TFR of around 1.9.
While India's absolute numbers will continue to rise for several decades due to its large youth cohort, its growth rate is slowing rapidly, and attention is shifting toward labour-force ageing, pension systems and productivity.
Bangladesh, often cited as a demographic success story, has pushed fertility down to around replacement level despite extreme land pressure. With a population of about 175–176m packed into one of the world's highest population densities, Bangladesh has achieved sharp declines in child mortality and steady gains in life expectancy, largely through female education, family planning outreach and primary healthcare investments.
In contrast, Pakistan, with far more land per person, continues to lag on several of these indicators.
Afghanistan, at the other extreme, remains trapped in a high-growth, high-mortality cycle. With a population now estimated at over 44m, fertility remains above four births per woman, while child mortality and life expectancy being among the worst in the region.
Afghanistan's demographic trajectory resembles Pakistan's own profile from several decades ago, reinforcing how conflict and weak state institutions delay demographic transition.
Violence against Women
Pakistan recorded an alarming 173,367 cases of violence against women between 2021 and 2024.
At least 85 women face violence daily in Punjab, the country's most populous province.
Over 15,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported in the province during the first half of 2025.
(Source: Sustainable Social Development Organization)Pakistan recorded an alarming 173,367 cases of violence against women between 2021 and 2024.
At least 85 women face violence daily in Punjab, the country's most populous province.
Over 15,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported in the province during the first half of 2025.
(Source: Sustainable Social Development Organization)
